Working with local farmers offers distillers a connection to the stewards of their agricultural inputs. It's an opportunity to explore new flavors from unique grain varietals, a chance to make spirits with a sense of place, and a concrete way to support local farm economies. Explore the resources below to learn more about how to work directly with local grain farmers, find growers in your region, and connect with like-minded distillers at our 2026 field day events.

The Guide: A New Distilling Resource for Navigating Local Grain Sourcing

AGC is pleased to present a new reference guide designed especially for distillers interested in working with local growers for their distilling grains. Developed with a wonderful team of contributors, the guide orients distillers to Midwest grain agriculture, working with local growers, and grain quality checks to confidently handle locally sourced grains in the distillery. Copies of the printed guide will be available at three 2026 Distiller Field Days, and the digital edition can be accessed from the button below. We recommend bookmarking this page!

View the Guide

2026 Distiller Field Days

The Artisan Grain Collaborative (AGC) is excited to invite you to a series of special educational events for Midwest craft distillers to learn together and celebrate the release of The Midwest Craft Distillers Guide to Local Sourcing. Each event will include a distillery and/or farm tour, an educational panel or featured speaker experienced with sourcing and using local grains, appetizers, and a spirits tasting focused on the specific event's theme.

Participation and Travel Support
Please register for one of these events by clicking one of the registration buttons below. To support your attendance, AGC is pleased to offer mileage reimbursement. When you register, you will be prompted to identify the level of travel support you need.

Granor Farm

The Michigan Grain Value Chain + Rye Varietals

Wednesday, June 3, 2-6 PM ET
Granor Farm
3480 Warren Woods Rd, Three Oaks, MI 49128

Granor Farm is a diversified organic farm turning farm-grown ingredients into unique products for their CSA, farm store, farm dinner series, and microdistillery. Attendees will be treated to a rye tea and farm field walk to learn about Granor’s initiative to produce small-batch spirits and liqueurs made from their own grains and botanicals. After the tour, enjoy farm-inspired appetizers from Chef Alex Skrzypczyk and Granor culinary staff. A panel discussion will explore perspectives from across the Michigan grain value chain on topics ranging from emerging grain varietal research, tips for distilling with local grains from fellow Michigan craft distillers, and strategies for engaging consumers with Michigan-grown craft beverages. The evening will conclude networking, paired with a rye sampling and featured cocktail.

Grain Handling + Distilling in Season

Tuesday, June 16, 1-5 PM CT
Wollersheim Winery & Distillery
7876 WI-188, Prairie du Sac, WI 53578

Set amongst the rolling hills of the Wisconsin River Valley, Wollersheim Winery & Distillery crafts products borne of its agricultural surroundings. Head Distiller Tom Lenerz will lead a distillery tour followed by a field trip to the neighboring Keller farm, which supplies the distillery’s corn. From farm to still, we will learn about forecasting and planning with local growers, grain cultivation, grain handling, and grain quality control checks along the way. Attendees will be treated to a whiskey tasting, featured cocktails, and appetizers from Wollersheim Bistro.

Wollersheim Winery & Distillery

Judson & Moore Distillery

Digging Into the Terroir of Whiskey

Tuesday, July 14, 3-6:30 PM CT
Judson & Moore Distillery
3057 N Rockwell St Building 5, Chicago, IL 60618

Judson & Moore Distillery released its first bottle in 2022 with the aim to make whiskey with a sense of place— Midwest grain, Great Lakes water, and Minnesota white oak. Their red corn bourbon whiskey uses an heirloom corn variety, Bloody Butcher, unique to the Illinois farm where it has been raised through years of careful seed selection and cultivation. Head Distiller Collin Moore will lead a tour of the J&M distillery, sharing grain handling topics for working with local growers. He'll then guide a tasting to compare corn varieties used in their bourbon whiskey. Stay tuned for updates on panelists who will join us for a discussion on terroir in the current context of a challenging whiskey market.

Partner Events

3rd Annual Food-Grade Grains Field Day: Highlighting the Steps from Field to Mug, Spoon & Jug
Wednesday, June 17, 9 AM - 1 PM ET
MSU’s Kellogg Biological Station
9693 N 40^th St., Hickory Corners, MI 49060
REGISTER
Join Michigan Ag Advancement and Michigan State University at the Kellogg Biological Station for a collaborative conversation and field tour about food-grade grains in the Upper Midwest. Topics will include agronomy, variety selection, processing, and end markets. Attendees can enjoy a delicious locally-powered lunch featuring Michigan grain creations crafted by Zingerman’s Bakehouse and Field & Fire. ‍

Organic Seed to Spirit Field Day
Friday, July 24, 10 AM - 4:30 PM CT
Silver Tree Spirits
115 W Pells St, Paxton, IL 60957
REGISTER
Join OGRAIN, Artisan Grain Collaborative, The Land Connection, IDEA Farm Network and Rodale Institute for this unique field day designed for both farmers and distillers to learn in the field and distillery. Dallas and Will Glazik will lead a tour of the organic fields and discuss proper food-grade grain handling at Cow Creek Organic Farm. Lunch at Silver Tree Spirits will feature a farmer & distiller panel followed by organic buyer/seller networking time. The afternoon will include a distillery tour, grain-quality discussion, and an optional off-flavor spirit tasting, offering participants a hands-on opportunity to understand how grain quality influences flavor outcomes in distilled products.This event is for organic grain buyers and farmers—whether organic, transitioning, or curious about organic production. Come out to explore and network across the grain chain.

The Land Connection

Distiller Technical Assistance

Need additional information or want to learn from like-minded Midwest craft distillers on how to source from local growers? Click the button below to submit your request for more information or to connect directly with distillers who can help. AGC’s Brewing & Distilling Member Coordinator will follow up with next steps.

Distiller Support

About the Artisan Grain Collaborative

AGC is a peer education network of farmers, makers, and advocates working to strengthen the Midwest grainshed from seed to table. Click the button below to learn about the benefits of joining the AGC network and how to apply for your free membership.
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Become a Member

Contributors

Thank you to the community of farmers, millers, distillers, researchers, and advocates whose contributions made these resources possible!

‍Authors
Gabe TothBarb McDonald

Contributors
Mark Anunson, State Line Distillery - WI; Jill Brockman-Cummings, Janie's Mill - IL; Bentley Gillman, Tattersall Distilling - WI; Dallas Glazik, Silver Tree Spirits & RoseLee Farms - IL; Andy Hazzard, Hazzard Free Farm; Jennifer Henshaw - IL; Gary Hinegardner, Wood Hat Spirits - MO; Ari Klafter, Thornton Distilling Company - IL; Tom Lenerz, Wollersheim Distillery - WI; Jace Marti, Black Frost Distilling - MN; Collin Moore, Judson & Moore Distillery - IL; Felicia Ohnmacht, Whiskey Sisters Supply and Gergen Farms - CO; Christian Ramsberg, Hartville Elevator Co. - OH; Katie Ruebush, Ruebush Farms - IL; Nicole Shriner, PhD., Michigan State University - MI; Mike Swanson, Far North Spirits - MN; John and Halee Wepking, Meadowlark Organics and Meadowlark Community Mill - WI; Brook Wilke, PhD, W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University - MI‍‍

Funding provided by Builders Vision Philanthropy