Wild Hive Grain Project, Inc.
Business History Wild Hive Farm was founded by Don Lewis in 1982, focusing on beekeeping and selling honey at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City. Wild Hive then began producing honey based baked goods and subsequently products using locally produced flour and selling these breads and baked goods at other farmers markets.
The Mill Granary We hired and trained employees to mill flour and bake, thus expanding milling operations and sales. Our operation is currently producing enough flour to sell to large commercial and retail customers.
Sustainable Agriculture Mission Wild Hive Farm is a business focused on building and maintaining sustainable agriculture in the Hudson Valley by advancing the growth and use of a grain based local agriculture.
Supporting Local Economy The most important objective for Wild Hive Farm is to create a food community through sustainable agriculture that allows farmers to earn a fair profit while supporting living wage jobs for the people planting, picking, processing, prepping, and serving these clean foods.
Our Farm Partners By doing so, we hope to create a prosperous and lasting network of local farms, that will provide for, and be supported by, the community that surrounds them.
Market Trends The US flour industry is dominated by large commercial brands, including Gold Medal Flour (General Mills), Pillsbury and King Arthur Flour. Among these, King Arthur is positioned as the premium brand for unbleached wheat flour and specialty flours.
Market Trends Growth in the bakery industry is coming from the increased popularity of organic and whole grain products, which are experiencing double digit growth. (Baking Management, Beyond Refined Flour, February 1, 2007)
Top 20 Trends Another trend that is now impacting the flour industry is the local food movement. Half of the Top 20 Trends identified in the What s Hot In 2011 survey of the National Restaurant Association pertained to locally sourced foods and ingredients.
Locavores This trend has led to interest in flour milled from locally grown grains and growing of heirloom variety grains to produce highquality, small batch flours. These flours are becoming popular with bakers that appeal to locavores who demand that their food come from local farmers.
Small Batch Milling Wild Hive operates an artisanal mill that buys and processes locally grown organic grains to produce superior quality flours which can be purchased by consumers and commercial customers.
Wild Hive Products The flour Wild Hive produces is distinctly better than commercially available flours because of the freshness, small batch quality and whole grain/whole germ content.
Wild Hive Products The mill currently produces and sells a line of flours including white flour, wheat flour, corn flour, oat flour, rye flour, spelt flour and polenta.
Commercial Customers Wild Hive polenta, cornmeal, multigrain blend, oats, and wheat flours are sold to a number of restaurants and bakeries throughout the Hudson Valley.
Restaurant and bakery customers: Eataly NYC Gramercy Tavern Bantam Bread Vassar College The Meatball Shop Skinny Pines Print Restaurant New World Home Cooking Birdsall House The Culinary Institute of America.
Commercial Grain CSA The Wild Hive Community Grain Project is a membership based CDA (consumer driven agriculture), enabling members to become co producers by directly supporting sustainable local farmers and small valueadded food processors in a grain based, yearround CSA (community supported agriculture).
Grain CSA Like other Community Supported Agriculture models (CSA), Wild Hive has created a grain CSA. Flour and grain buyers who want to commit to a farmer to have specific cereal crops grown, especially heirloom varieties can now do so with our Farmer Network.
Farming Facts Loaves per acre: 2550 Grow an acre, $1400 investment = 1700 lbs. of flour Grow an acre = bread for 24 families for 1 year (3 lbs of grain/flour per week) 3 lbs. of grain weekly = 2 loaves of bread or lots of pancakes and biscuits or 8 whole grain side dishes (breakfast cereals or pilaf style savory dishes) $1000 investment = 1400 lbs. of grain $1000 investment = bread for 13 families per year $1000 investment = 900 grain based meals per person per year
The Future Grain Cleaning and De Hulling Wild Hive Farm plans to purchase equipment that will allow for cleaning and de hulling local grains for human consumption. Cleaning and de hulling of grains are processes that are necessary prior to the milling the grains into flour. Bringing these processes in house eliminates the need for Wild Hive Farm to ship grain out of the area to have it de hulled and cleaned.
Closing the Circle of Sustainable Agriculture Many people contribute to the process of our production, and this means jobs for bakers, millers, salespeople, welders, metal smiths, drivers, local teens, and local farmers. By promoting this regional food system, Wild Hive Farm contributes to a flourishing local economy and sets a standard for future growth and sustainability in the Hudson Valley.
Wild Hive Consulting Services Building local grain based food systems Developing sustainable food productions Developing micro milling operations Evaluating your farmers market display for maximum efficiency and profitability Building local farmers markets from the ground up. Evaluating demographics, location, regulations and grants Don Lewis Wild Hive Community Grain Project, Inc. Wild Hive Farm Store, Cafe/Bakery 2411 Salt Point Turnpike, Clinton Corners, NY 12514, 845 266 5863, don@wildhivefarm.com, www.wildhivefarm.com