Kneading Conference 2026: Full Schedule

We envision a world where local grain economies that are
good for people and good for the planet can thrive.

7:00am EDT

Check-In & Breakfast

Thursday July 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am EDT

The Skowhegan Hotel

Locally-sourced meals facilitated by the Miller's Table.

Details coming soon!

Thursday July 23, 2026 7:00am - 8:00am EDT
The Skowhegan Hotel 7 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

12:30pm EDT

Local Lunch

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT

The Skowhegan Hotel

Locally-sourced meals facilitated by the Miller's Table.

Details coming soon!

Thursday July 23, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm EDT
The Skowhegan Hotel 7 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

3:00pm EDT

Buyer Panel: Expanding Grain Markets Through Collaboration

Thursday July 23, 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT

The Skowhegan Hotel

Join us for this producer-led panel discussion on building strong markets for locally-grown organic grains, moderated by Kim Butz of the Rodale Institute!

Panelists Amber Lambke, Joel Alex, Kerry Hanney, and Kyle DePietro will share where demand is growing, what makes grain market-ready, and how growers can enter and expand into new markets. Come ready to listen, share, and build what comes next.

This event is made possible with support from the Rodale Institute and the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program.

Speakers

Amber Lambke

Founder, CEO, Maine Grains

Formerly a speech language pathologist, Amber Lambke shifted gears to respond to a community need for grain processing infrastructure and is the co-founder and CEO of Maine Grains, Inc., carried by specialty food stores and used by bakeries, breweries and chefs throughout the Northeast... Read More →

Kerry Hanney

Founder + Baker, Night Moves Bread

Kerry Hanney is founder and baker behind Night Moves, a bakery in South Portland, Maine, dedicated to baking high quality naturally leavened bread and investigating the possibilities of sustainably grown regional grain. Night Moves’ aim is to make sustainable regional grain more... Read More →

Kim Butz

Rodale Institute

Rooted in organic agriculture from an early age, Kim Butz developed a natural love for the land. With twenty-six years of experience as a chef and food service professional, she brings a unique perspective to agricultural support. Over the past ten years, Kim has provided technical... Read More →

Joel Alex

Blue Ox Malthouse

Joel Alex is the founder of Blue Ox Malthouse, a malthouse based in Lisbon Falls, Maine, dedicated to connecting the state's craft brewing community with its agricultural economy through locally produced malt. Alex founded Blue Ox in 2013 with the goal of fostering relationships between... Read More →

Kyle DePietro

Sasanoa Brewing

Kyle DePietro is the brewer and owner of Sasanoa Brewing, a MOFGA-certified organic brewery on Maine's Westport Island. A veteran of Brooklyn Brewery, DePietro focuses on saison-style ales brewed with Maine-grown organic ingredients, many sourced directly from Tarbox Farm (including... Read More →

Thursday July 23, 2026 3:00pm - 5:00pm EDT
The Skowhegan Hotel 7 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

Organic Farmer Track

7:30am EDT

Breakfast

Friday July 24, 2026 7:30am - 8:15am EDT

The Skowhegan Hotel

Locally-sourced meals facilitated by the Miller's Table.

Details coming soon!

MGA Members: Enjoy an exclusive conversation over breakfast with our accomplished presenters!

Friday July 24, 2026 7:30am - 8:15am EDT
The Skowhegan Hotel 7 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

12:00pm EDT

Local Lunch

Friday July 24, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT

The Skowhegan Hotel

Locally-sourced meals facilitated by the Miller's Table.

Details coming soon!

Friday July 24, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EDT
The Skowhegan Hotel 7 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

1:30pm EDT

Gather With Purpose: Designing Baking Classes That Matter

Friday July 24, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT

The Skowhegan Hotel

If you've ever thought about offering a baking class — or you're already teaching and want to bring more intention to it — this one's for you. We'll use Priya Parker's *The Art of Gathering* as our framework for designing classes that go beyond technique, ones with a real sense of purpose and space for genuine connection. You'll walk away with the tools to build your own class, including the planning materials and run-of-show resources we use at Rebel Bread's Teaching Kitchen.

We'll cover everything from figuring out who your class is really for, to the logistics of recipes and timing, to pricing and booking. You'll pick a class idea at the start — real or imagined — and run it through each step of the framework as we go. Plan to leave with a solid start plus new, unexpected ideas from the bakers around you.

Speakers

Zach Martinucci

Founder + CEO, Rebel Bread

Zach Martinucci founded Rebel Bread in 2018 — a community bakery and bread school in Denver, CO — after studying Culinary Anthropology at UCLA and completing a professional bread program at the San Francisco Baking Institute. He's spent years designing and teaching baking... Read More →

Friday July 24, 2026 1:30pm - 3:30pm EDT
The Skowhegan Hotel 7 Island Ave, Skowhegan, ME

Business