The countdown begins…
All of us here at Maine Wood Heat Co. are getting fired up about this year’s Kneading Conference and Maine Artisan Bread Fair coming up July 29th “ 30th. The countdown has begun, the schedule is set, the presenter’s are lined up, and the ovens are ready to be lit.
This year, the conference will be held at the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds, the nation’s oldest continuously running fairgrounds since 1819. It’s only fitting, considering the fact that the conference, in part, is a celebration of the region’s history – a place that, during the same time period the fair began, relied on local wheat production to feed hundreds of thousands of people on a yearly basis.
The Kneading Conference and Bread Fair are a celebration of a revival not only in Skowhegan, but also nationwide. There’s a growing energy and support for local agricultural initiatives, slow food, whole grain production, and sustainability. This is a cultural movement in which farmers and growers are regarded as leaders in innovation, bakers are welcoming local whole grains with open arms, and slow local food is being savored by all who embrace it.
These schools of thought are not new, but the recognition and widespread support are giving a whole new meaning to an event like this. It’s real, it’s happening, and we are all a part of it in some way, shape or form.
Workshops at the conference will be centered on artisan bread and pastry baking, small farm grain cultivation and milling, concepts and techniques for baking with a live fire, and learning how to build a wood fired oven.
The Maine Artisan Bread Fair, held on July 31st, is free and open to the public. Stop by and try the finest traditional wood fired breads, see first-hand grain planting and harvesting equipment, exchange seeds, find artisan baking tools or books, and enjoy good local food and music.
If you are interested in a wood fired oven for your home or business, these events also offer a great opportunity to get a closer look and to even try our Le Panyol ovens first-hand. When you arrive, ask for Albie, Scott or Cheryl Barden, or just head towards a copper oven. They are hard to miss!
Visit www.kneadingconference.com to register. We hope to see you there!
