This Montana Farm Family Is Rethinking the Way We Eat Grain

I'll be the first to admit that getting my family to eat healthier isn't always easy. We try to avoid a lot of junk food, but "How about some whole grains?" isn't exactly the dinner-table equivalent of announcing there's pizza.

A fourth-generation Montana farm family is hoping to make that conversation a little easier. Crystal and Jody Manuel, owners of Gruff Grains and Cream of the West, are taking a closer look at where our food comes from, starting with the grain.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than half of the calories consumed by American adults come from ultra-processed foods. At the same time, whole grains make up just a fraction of the grains Americans eat.

Read More: Spiclypeus Shipporum, The Only One Of Its Kind Found Near Winifred

white rice on stainless steel bowls

For the Manuels, that disconnect starts in the field.

The family farm near Harlowton transitioned to USDA Organic certification between 2007 and 2011 and adopted regenerative organic practices in 2021. That means practices like crop rotation, keeping soil covered, minimizing disturbance, and using rotational grazing to help build healthier soil.

The family also grows ancient grains, including farro, spelt, rye, and Kernza, a perennial grain that remains in the ground for multiple years.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

That eventually led to the launch of Gruff Grains in 2023.

The company produces ancient grain grits using Montana-grown grains, which are cleaned and cracked at a small Montana mill before being packaged at the Cream of the West facility in Harlowton.

Get our free mobile app

Gruff Grains says the grits can be used for everything from a breakfast bowl topped with berries and honey to a savory meal with mushrooms and herbs, or as a side dish with roasted meat and vegetables.

a white plate topped with meat and vegetables

Montana's original instant hot cereal.

Meanwhile, Cream of the West carries on a Montana breakfast tradition that dates all the way back to 1914. The company's hot cereals use 100% whole grains, including the bran, germ, and endosperm.

Crystal and Jody became owners of Cream of the West in 2022, bringing the same focus on Montana agriculture and recognizable ingredients to a company that's been putting breakfast on tables for more than a century.