THREE FORKS, Mont. – Director of Agriculture Jillien Streit continued her focus on highlighting businesses across Montana modeling innovative practices and adding value to the state’s agricultural ecosystem where she visited Living Sky Grains in Three Forks.
“Implementing new practices is not for the faint of heart, especially in agriculture,” said Director Streit. “Learning about the Groeneweg’s passion and focus for soil health, human health, and growing a direct-to-consumer family business is vital to the progression of our agricultural ecosystem here in Montana.”
The Groeneweg family is no stranger to a challenge. In 2003, the Groenewegs got their start on a neighbor-financed farm near Regina, Saskatchewan. With every harvest, the farm grew, as did their family, with the arrivals of their children Luke, Julia, Emma, and Solange. Fast forward to 2019, the Groenewegs were finishing their 18th harvest season in Saskatchewan when they caught wind of a farming family in Montana who decided it was time to sell the family farm.
Dean and Hope Folkvord, founders of the Wheat Montana brand, had already sold their outlet stores. Their farmland outside Three Forks was destined for the Groenewegs as Dean and Hope wanted their operation to continue as a family-owned and operated farm. Frank and Kari note that their kids took one look around at the rolling wheat fields backdropped by the Rocky Mountains and said, “This is it. No need to look anywhere else.”
Director Streit with the Groeneweg Family in Three Forks
Now with decades of experience in regenerative agriculture, Frank, Kari, and their children began a new chapter in Montana where they set out to improve the farm and create a line of highly nutritious grain products they could sell directly to consumers. Since then, Living Sky Grains is now grown, milled, packaged, and shipped to customers in all 50 states, straight from their farm.
“We are hearing a lot of positive testimony from our customers even with a gluten sensitivity, Frank Groeneweg said. “We test for the absence of chemical here and that is what our customers are looking for.”
Frank noted that the health-conscious consumer often ops to buy based on the process their food was grown, such as organic, rather than a proven nutrient tested product. “Process does not always guarantee the outcome as far as chemical residue,” said Frank. When looking at the ingredients of a bag of Living Sky Grains new Rouge de Bordeaux Flour, the ingredient is simple – wheat flour, and that’s it.
“I was always told when you farm regeneratively, there should be a difference in the nutrient density. After we received our nutrient testing results, we couldn’t believe how high the numbers were that came back,” continued Frank.
Frank Groeneweg shows off a bag of Living Sky Grains Rouge de Bordeaux Flour
To learn more about Living Sky Grains, please visit livingskygrains.com or drop by their Farm Store just outside Three Forks, Montana.
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MT Dept. of Ag
