The Nitty Gritty...

It all started with a question from a neighbor across a fence.

How can all these grains be grown here but I can’t buy local flour?

At the time, our certified organic farm, Aurora Farms, had been growing grains and selling the yield to the commodity market since the 1980s. The answer to the neighbor’s question explains the reality of the grain industry and how it’s near impossible to buy “Vermont grown flour” in the grocery store. An idea sparked, and that kernel eventually became Nitty Gritty Grain Company of Vermont. Selling local grains rapidly grew into reality, but our love of good tasting, healthy food and the land where it grows has a much longer history. Eight generations of our ancestors have been farming in the Champlain Valley - tracing back to growing grain in Shelburne, Vermont in the 1770’s. Today, Tom Kenyon, his children, siblings, and friends - carry on the Vermont farming tradition.

Like the generations before us, we take great pride in our heritage, land, ingenuity, and products. Through tireless work on the fields in Shelburne and Charlotte, Vermont we produce certified organic grains that are the heart of our local organic grain company. Nitty Gritty minimally processes these locally grown grains, blending them in small batches to preserve the superior fresh flavor and nutrition of our cornmeal, cornmeal mixes, and flours. By producing these grains and turning them into a product you can feel good about eating, we are fulfilling a passion and commitment to the tradition of farming in Vermont and in our family. With each bite we hope you taste the difference that care and hard work can make.

OUR FAMILY

Meet Tom. The heart behind Nitty Gritty, Tom is a seventh generation Vermonter and farmer. Farming is a family obsession which Tom couldn’t kick - as any farmer can relate, it's a hard habit to break. After spending a decade as a dairy farmer, Tom transitioned to growing organic grains and has spent the last 30 plus years perfecting his craft.

Meet Catherine. Tom’s older sister, aka “The Cornmeal Queen”, joined to help manage the day-to-day operations of Nitty Gritty. Catherine found her way to Nitty Gritty after “retiring” from 30 years as an elementary school teacher. She is driven by Tom’s passion to create healthy, sustainable, and locally available grains right here in their home state.