Joseph’s Grainery– Ensuring 5 Generations Of Family "farmers"

PRLog (Press Release) - Nov 13, 2009 -
What happens when a third generation Washington State Farmer has two daughters and no sons?  Especially when the girls aren’t the type to hop on the tractor for Fall work, but they still want to be involved with the family farm?

Joseph’s Grainery is born, which Bill Myers of Colfax, Washington named after his grandson and late father.  He knew his daughters both appreciated their family’s farming heritage and knew they would love his direct farm marketing idea.  When Myers shared his business plan with Kelli and Kendra, Washington State University graduates in Agribusiness and Accounting, respectively, they knew he was onto something.

Selling their farm’s whole grains direct to the end user, rather than going through the traditional route of selling to the large grain companies, was creative and bold.  “Why not offer the consumer significant savings if they are willing to invest a little time and effort to ensure their family has safe, pure food,” says Myers.  Meanwhile, he is also increasing the price he receives for his crops.  “It’s a win-win situation,” Myers describes.

The trains, the trucks, the cardboard box and the dancing bears on the television who sell your bread and breakfast cereal are 90 percent of what you pay for in a national grain product.  By the time a farm commodity is shipped half way around the country, processed into a product, packaged, advertised and shipped half way around the country again, you will easily pay yourself to start cooking and baking with whole grains direct from the farm.  

With Joseph’s Grainery (www.josephsgrainery.com) Myers and his daughters are making it easier for everyone to enjoy a healthier whole grain lifestyle.  On their e-farm, they even provide tasty recipes for cooking and baking with their wheat, barley and lentils- everything from soups and stews to Chocolate Lentil Cake and Wheat Berry Muffins.  Myers says, “While it’s difficult to read the label on a box of cereal, it is easy to see what you have just bought from us, what you see is what you get.”  He eats their Soft White Wheat for breakfast each morning.  He places a quarter cup of the wheat in his blender to crack it, while he’s boiling a cup of water.  Once the water is boiling he adds the cracked wheat, reduces the heat, covers and lets it simmer for 10 minutes until the cracked kernels are tender.  “Then I’ll add the dried fruit mix that you get at Costco,” tells Myers.

Joseph’s Grainery has proven to be an excellent way for Myers’ daughters to be a part of the family farming operation and use their individual backgrounds.  Kelli manages the web store and marketing, Kendra crunches the numbers and Bill continues to manage the farm’s production and the Grainery’s order fulfillment.  

You can purchase Joseph’s Grainery whole grains online at www.josephsgrainery.com.  They are also available at several retail locations throughout the Palouse Region and occasionally at area Farmers’ Markets.