From Seed to Slice: New York
A Field Trip Through the Hudson Valley
Tuesday, October 7, 10am-4pm ET

A Field Trip through the Hudson Valley 

Across New York State, bakers, millers, and farmers are building stronger local connections that support resilient regional food systems. This day-long field trip explores how these relationships are shortening the grain chain—bringing flour production closer to home and adding more character, flavor, and meaning to every loaf. 

Our day begins at Mel the Bakery, where owner and head baker Nora Allen will lead a tour of her bakery and on-site mill in Hudson, NY. A James Beard Award finalist, Nora is deeply committed to using locally grown grains—including einkorn, rye, and other ancient varieties—to craft breads and pastries that are as innovative as they are flavorful.  

Next, we’ll visit Hudson Valley Hops and Grains, where farmer Stuart Farr cultivates wheat, rye, einkorn, oats, sunflowers, canola, flax, dry beans, buckwheat, and hops on 400 certified organic acres. Stuart will share his family’s farming roots in England and his approach to biological farming—a method that emphasizes soil health and biodiversity and enhances both the flavor and nutritional value of the crops he grows. 

Our final stop is Sparrowbush Bakery, where owner and baker Grayling Bauer will show how his integrated milling and baking operation relies on direct partnerships with local growers. Located in Livingston, NY, Sparrowbush is a wood-fired bakery producing naturally leavened breads and pastries made entirely with fresh, stoneground flour milled on-site from regionally grown grains. The bakery delivers deeply rustic loaves that reflect the character of both the grain and the fire. 

A boxed lunch is included. 

Presented in partnership with Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming and Walden Mutual Bank. 

Based in Concord, NH, Walden Mutual is a mission-driven bank, owned by its depositors (a cooperative model thanks to its mutual structure). Its community of partners – both depositors and borrowers – share the same vision: to enable anyone to make positive and lasting change in our local food ecosystem. Their lending is focused on farms, food businesses, and sustainability-focused organizations that align with the bank’s mission.

Itinerary: 

10:00am – 10:30am 
Meet at Mel the Bakery (324 Warren Street, Hudson NY)  

10:30am – 12:00pm 
Tour of Mel the Bakery with Owner and Head Baker Nora Allen 

12:00pm – 12:30pm 
Travel by bus to Hudson Valley Hops and Grains (2993 Route 82, Ancramdale, NY) 

12:30pm – 2:00pm 
Tour of Hudson Valley Hops and Grains with Farmer Stuart Farr 

2:00pm – 2:20pm 
Travel by bus to Sparrowbush Bakery (5441 NY-9H, Hudson, NY) 

2:20pm – 3:45pm 
Tour of Sparrowbush Bakery with Owner and Baker Grayling Bauer 

3:45pm– 4:00pm 

Bus returns to Mel the Bakery in Hudson 

This field trip is a unique opportunity to connect with fellow bakers, explore the local grain chain firsthand, and deepen your understanding of growing resilient, organic grains in a changing climate. You’ll leave with fresh insights and a renewed appreciation for the bread you bake—from seed to slice. 

Space is limited—register now to reserve your spot! 

About our Guides:

Nora Allen is the founder and owner of Mel the Bakery, a champion of regional grains who has earned numerous accolades including being a James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Baker, followed by Mel the Bakery receiving James Beard finalist recognition. A passionate advocate for building community through her craft, Allen believes deeply in the potential for a more equitable and sustainable food system. Through Mel the Bakery, she demonstrates this philosophy by sourcing locally, supporting regional grain producers, and creating a gathering place where exceptional baking serves as a foundation for meaningful connections and positive change in the food landscape

Stuart Farr is the owner of Hudson Valley Hops & Grains, a 400 acre certified organic farm in Columbia county, New York. Brought up on a mixed arable and beef farm in England, Stuart has been farming in the Hudson Valley since 2015. The farm produces human food crops: wheat, barley, rye, einkorn and oats for milling, malting and distilling; sunflower, canola, camelina and flax which are pressed into oil on farm; black beans and buckwheat. We practice biological farming, managing the soil as the living ecosystem that it is. Foundational to this approach is maintaining a soil environment which shelters and feeds soil micro-organisms which in turn make soil minerals available to plants. We feed this underground wildlife with molasses, liquid fish and kelp, as well as cover crops.  

Grayling & Emma Bauer run Sparrowbush Bakery: a wholesale wood-fired bakery making naturally leavened bread with 100% fresh stoneground flour from locally & regionally grown grains. Based in Livingston, NY, the bakery supplies 1500 loaves per week to stores & restaurants between Kingston, NY and Great Barrington, MA. On Saturdays, their breads, pastries and pantry items can be found at the Hudson Farmers Market where they are honored to be an integral part of the local food community.