Kneading Conference 2025

Join Heather Kerner, Founder and CEO of The Good Crust, for a panel conversation about the project 'Good Grains on the Go' which is working to get local grains into school food systems. A homestead gardener, professional feltmaker, and pediatric Occupational Therapist of 28 years, Heather launched The Good Crust, a company manufacturing the first pizza dough made from 100% Maine Grains, in Fall 2020. Drawing on her expertise as an occupational therapist, Heather uses dough manufacturing as a platform for workforce development and inclusion. To date, she has created 24 jobs for a diverse workforce including individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, brain injury, and addiction recovery, and mobilizes the rapid growth of The Good Crust to purchase close to 150,000 pounds of local grain annually. A 2024 Maine recipient of a 1.5 million dollar “School Food System Transformation Grant,” Heather leads a project called “Good Grains on the Go” aimed at innovating new breakfast and lunch items for school nutrition made with Maine-grown grains and other local ingredients.

This presentation will include an overview of "Good Grains on the Go" and a panel discussion with project partners Tristan Noyes of the Maine Grain Alliance, Shawn Duffy of The Good Crust, and others. The talk will be followed by an experiential R&D opportunity for participants to use dough and a variety of Maine-only ingredients to innovate their own "new products" for schools. Be ready to roll up your sleeves and get your hands in some ingredients!