Exploring the Science and Art of Baking with Sourdough + Alternative Grains
September 24-27 2026
Join us for a few days in the Adirondacks to gain hands-on experience diving into the world of baking and grains. This course will unfold over several days on campus with local instructors sharing knowledge on sourdough baking tips and tricks, baking with a variety of grains (such as rye, einkorn, and buckwheat), and wood-fired pizza baking. This workshop combines a blend of educational learning from experts, getting your hands deep in dough, and a field trip to a local grain mill and farm. Bakers of all levels are welcome to register; however those with existing experience of at-home baking may gain the most from the retreat offerings.
The Details
Craigardan is built around creativity in community. The weekend will be spent connecting and learning with fellow bakers, as we expand our collective knowledge and try new things.
PROGRAM. Learning from several experts throughout the weekend, this workshop will focus on leveling up your confidence in baking with sourdough and a variety of alternative grains. The goal is to share in the beauty and opportunity of experimenting with all different types of grains and techniques. The program will begin with an introduction to grain as a crop followed by a deep dive into the science and techniques of sourdough baking. Afternoon sessions will focus on baking with a variety of grains such as rye, einkorn, and buckwheat. We will get our hands dirty with dough throughout each day and enjoy the fruits of our labor all weekend. We’ll learn to prepare a pizza sourdough for a wood-fired pizza party, visit a nearby grain mill and farm, and return to the campus in the evening for a hands- on wood-fired baking session. We’ll be working in Craigardan’s fabulous pavilion kitchen with both traditional and wood-fired ovens. Attendees will leave campus with warm loaves, new baking inspiration and techniques, and a greater baking community.
FOOD. Cabin and on-site camping participants will enjoy self-serve breakfasts including yogurt, granola, eggs, bread, coffee, tea, etc. Lunches will be prepared by program staff and participants from the group farm share and fully stocked pantry. Dinners will include local produce and products from our farm and partner farms, fresh-baked bread, and wood-fired pizzas. Day-participants are invited to join lunches and dinners only.
ACCOMMODATIONS. In-residence participants sleep in their own tiny Artist Cabins, designed as a very modern take on the Adirondack Lean-to. Each beautiful cabin has a bed, writing table, good lighting, outlets, heat, closet space, and a small entry porch. The cabins are located on the main campus site, 1/3 mile drive or walk into the property from the farm and Farmhouse. They are situated at the top of the campus clearing next to a Bathhouse which has four individual full bathrooms. All participants have access to shared living space in the beautiful Applebarn. Our professional summer kitchen and dining area is in the Kilnhouse open-air pavilion.
On-site camping participants will have ample space to pitch their tents, either close to the buildings or anywhere off of the campus trail system. Campers will still have access to the Bathhouse, Applebarn and Kilnhouse Kitchen, as well as food from the farm share.
Day-participants have a variety of local accommodations to choose from in the nearby towns of Elizabethtown, Keene, and Keene Valley. Day participants are expected to arrive on campus each morning by 9am.
The Farm and Farmhouse is located 1/3 mile downhill from the main campus and houses our clay studio, farm store, offices, and laundry facilities.
Internet is available in the Farmhouse (at the farm) and in the Applebarn and Kilnhouse (on campus). Cell phone service is spotty in the Adirondacks and almost non-existent on campus.
Please note that while our new campus is designed to be universally accessible, we will have increasing ability to accommodate specific needs as the campus is built. If you are living with a disability, please discuss this with staff so that we can work to support you to the absolute best of our ability at this time.
Our in-process campus is like luxury camping at its best. This will be a very comfortable yet rustic Adirondack experience that may not appeal to everyone. Please reach out to speak with staff about your needs if you have questions.
SCHEDULE.
Arrive at Craigardan on Thursday between 2pm and 4pm to check in and participate in orientation and a welcome dinner
Friday morning sessions: What are Grains? and Sourdough 101
Friday afternoon sessions: Baking with Alternative Grains and Prepping the Levain
Saturday morning sessions: Prepping the Dough / Bulk Fermentation and Pizza Dough
Saturday afternoon/evening: Visit to the grain mill and farm and Wood-Fired Science / Baking Pizza
Sunday morning: breakfast bake and depart by 11am
TRANSPORTATION. Participants must arrange their own transportation to the Adirondacks. The region is served by Albany, Burlington, Plattsburgh, and Saranac Lake Airports. Montreal is also only two hours away.
Keene and Keene Valley have regular bus service. Train service through Amtrak is possible from NYC or Montreal into Westport. From these locations we offer pick up/drop off for a $40 fee.
There is no Lyft, Uber, or other car service in the area. Rental cars are available at all airports.
Registration and Fees
There are three participation options:
1) $600 Day-Participation. Stay locally and arrive to campus each day by 9am. Fee includes lunches and dinners. Day-participants are responsible for their own breakfasts.
FULL PROGRAM. Fees include accommodations, all food, and instruction.
2) $825 On-campus tent camping: Three nights. Includes full program experience, dispersed camping with your own gear on site, access to all campus facilities, and all food.
3) $1200 On-campus Cabin: Three nights. Includes full program experience, private accommodations in a cabin, access to all campus facilities, and all food. Only six cabins are available.
There are a limited number of need-based scholarships available, please inquire by emailing: program@craigardan.org
To Register. Space is limited. We require a 50% non-refundable deposit to hold your spot, with the balance due in full by September 1st, 2026.
Cancellation Policy. The deposit is non-refundable. If you need to cancel after the balance is paid in full, you will receive a refund only if we are able to fill your spot. We reserve the right to cancel the retreat up to 1 month prior to its scheduled start due to unforeseen circumstances. Under no circumstances will refunds for travel expenses be made.
Your Guides
Chloe Wingerter. Chloe comes to the grain and baking world both personally and professionally. Her first intro to the sourdough world was through the book, Tartine, many years ago. However, it wasn't until a previous job introduced her to the regional grain economy of growers, millers, and bakers across New England and New York that she really became excited and interested in local and alternative grains. Today, she sits on the board of the Maine Grain Alliance and dabbles with different varieties of grain but rye is her favorite. She is excited to bring this retreat to Craigardan to share in the art, science, and community of grains and baking.
Triple Green Jade Farm is a small organic, diversified farm on 80 acres bordering the Boquet River in Willsboro. Dan and Kimmy Rivera are millers, bakers, and farmers. They turn local and organic wheat into fresh flour with a Vermont granite stone mill. They bake sourdough breads in a bespoke wood-fired oven and also produce fresh, bronze-die extruded whole wheat pastas.
Their farm is centered around healthy soils and the simple benefits good, green grass produces in raising chickens, pasturing pigs and a growing flock of dairy sheep.
Dan and Kimmy landed in the Adirondacks and Champlain Valley yearning for a sense of place among its forever wild and protected natural beauty with a mission to feed their community and to craft flavorful & nutritious foods that mirror their passion for this special place they get to call home.
Visit their website to shop online, view open hours and see their event schedule for classes, workshops and farm to table dinners.
Heather Darby. Heather is an agronomist with the University of Vermont. As an agronomist, she works closely with farmers in the region to address crop and soil challenges and opportunities. Over the last two decades, she has worked with farmers, millers, bakers, and other end-users to build the local grain economy. Throughout this time, Heather has helped farmers learn to grow food-quality grain for a broad market of consumers. She has provided education on how to produce grain that meets specific quality requirements for making delicious and safe baked goods. This includes information on variety selection, managing nutrients, growing conditions, harvest techniques, and storage requirements. Heather also owns and operates a diversified organic farm with her family in Alburgh, VT. She is strongly committed to helping her community grow and access healthy, locally grown foods.
Emily Small is a Vermont-based baker and the founder of Wild Yeast (2022), a small sourdough bakery focused on regional, stone-ground grains.
Emily began baking in 2019 in search of bread that supported her health. What started as a personal experiment quickly grew into a lasting curiosity about fermentation and grain. Over time, her work has led to relationships with farmers, millers, and bakers across the Northeast and beyond. Emily is motivated by the idea that bread can be both everyday nourishment and a way to bring people closer to the land and their communities. Learn more at www.wildyeastvt.com or @wildyeast_vt