March 13, 2024
Staple Crops & Local Food Systems w/ Michelle Ajamian, Shagbark Mill
What are staple crops and what role do they plan in sustainable, regional food systems? We’re talking with Michelle Ajamian, founder of Shagbark Mill, about localized food systems, growing and processing staple crops like corn and beans and we’re going to explore how growers, producers and consumers come together to decide what kind of food system we want for ourselves and our communities.
Episode Guest
Michelle Ajamian, network manager at Rural Action’s Sustainable Agriculture program, launched the Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative in 2009 as an informal network project to gather resources towards building local agricultural economies around staple seed crops. She is also the principal at Shagbark Seed & Mill, an organic processing facility she and her partner launched to develop a regional model for the production and processing of staple grain, bean, oilseed, and nut crops. She’s received several awards for connecting local food to justice, the environment, and innovation.
Find Michelle online at https://shagbarkmill.com/
Michelle Ajamian launched the Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative in 2009 and she is the cofounder of Shagbark Seed & Mill, an organic processing facility dedicated to the development of a regional model for the production and processing of staple grain, bean, oilseed, and nut crops. Today Michelle is joining us on the show to talk about her work at Shagbark Mill, staple foods and the role that they play in a sustainable local food system.
You can learn more about Shagbark Seed & Mill and order their products at shagbarkmill.com
Learn about the Appalachian Staple Food Collaborative
Check out the Craft Millers Guild
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