A Trip to Morningstar Farm
Buying Bolles and Talking Organic Grain Farming
One of the most exciting things a baker can do is to meet the person who grew their grain. Our 2026 season concha recipe uses three types of wheat, one of which is Bolles grown by Seth and his family at Morningstar Farms. Last week, we drove out to their farm in Glover, VT to buy our supply for the season, see the fields, and learn about Seth’s organic growing methods.
The first thing Seth showed us was his New American Stone Mill, which was apparently the first one ever constructed. It’s a bit bigger at 36 inches, and it’s a beautiful piece of equipment. Seth was in the process of milling some cornmeal, and he showed us how he utilizes the sifter to extract different grinds of corn and then mixes them together at a 50:50 ratio for a mix that is full of texture and flavor.
The type Seth is growing and milling is Early Riser, a varietal developed by Jack Lazor, the famed Vermont farmer and the owner of Butterworks Farm, the first certified organic dairy farm in the U.S. Jack is a hero in this state, and it’s wonderful to see his legacy carried on in such a real way. We left with a bag of Seth’s cornmeal, and we can’t wait to put it to use!
While Seth kept milling, we wondered off to find his field of Bolles wheat that will be harvested in the summer of 2026 (and likely end up in our 2027 concha mix). Here it is, beautifully framed by the trees and a perfect spring-day sky. Seth explained that he grows Bolles wheat and alfalfa together, and the wheat is what’s called a “nurse plant,” meaning it protects the alfalfa seedlings which take longer to gain strength.
Here is a closeup of the wheat and alfalfa growing together. As you can see, the wheat is much taller and steals most of the sunlight. The alfalfa is happy to stay closer to the ground and block out any weeds. After the wheat is harvested in the summer, the alfalfa gets a burst of sunlight and really takes off. This symbiosis results in two strong crops and allows Seth to control his fields organically.
This is the field of alfalfa that our Bolles wheat was harvested from last summer. Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s an incredible experience to stand in the middle of the field where a grain we handle every day grew. We’ll certainly be picturing this the next time we bite into a concha, and we hope you will too.
Thanks to Seth and his family for growing such beautiful wheat and for taking the time to show us Morningstar Farm. We’re looking forward to visiting again next year!