I live and work on my farm in the mountains of Worcester, Vermont. As a single mother of three grown children, financial sustainability and health for humans and planet are urgent and essential to me. The mother tree, found in many places around Mama Tree Farm, supports those around her and yet also needs care to continue her work. She symbolizes all that we do and we honor, respect, and care for her.

In the spring of 2023, after discovering that I am highly gluten intolerant and missing the delicious flavor of whole grain toast and all bready things in the morning as well as cookies for my afternoon break, I undertook a journey to create delicious and nutritious gluten-free baking mixes from ecologically diverse food plants. My long term hope is to help grow the market for organic farming of diverse and gluten-free grains in Vermont, Maine, and New York.

When I finally made the perfect pancake, it seemed essential that I share it with anyone like me who wanted an alternative to gluten options. It turns out, many people love these pancakes gluten intolerant or not! I like to have them on hand all week for an easy breakfast so I make a batch of fluffy, thick pancakes by removing one cup of regular milk and using three eggs instead of two. Cook them on low heat with a lid for fluffy perfection. These can be frozen and popped in the toaster for a quick weekday breakfast. Open their steamy center and slide some butter inside. Similar to a moist English muffin but possibly better—in my humble opinion, divine. I call them Mama Tree Muffins, more Mama less drama.

At the same time, I was beginning to explore the potential for ancient grains to grow on my farm in Worcester, Vermont. This passion emerged from my work in regenerative design and biodiverse farming for human and planetary health (see footnote.)

On my farm, I am growing experimental plots of millet, teff, sorghum, and amaranth. I also grow cut flowers for mental wellbeing which I sell to local markets and florists. I will be growing medicinal flowers to incorporate into herbal cocktails to support those in recovery or who might prefer herbs to alcohol. (non-hemp, non-cannabis)

Since October, I have produced three really delicious mixes: Ancient Plant Pancake Mix, Ancient Plant Brownie Mix, and Ancient Plant Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. All are gluten-free. They are now sold throughout Vermont and in New Hampshire, Boston, MA, and New York City, NY. I have an Ancient Plant Bread Mix on the way which is deliciously filled with flavor and texture. Next, a gluten-free, ancient plant, no-sugar, high protein blondie bar with chocolate chips.

The mixes celebrate and promote food plant diversity and use gluten-free*, ancient grains—millet, teff, amaranth, sorghum and two roots—arrowroot, and tapioca. I also experimentally grow these grains on my farm in order to support farming research of these grains and promote their growth in the Northeast to increase local and diverse alternative to wheats.

My son, Julian Kelly, a graphic designer in Brooklyn, NY designed the packaging. Together, we are a perfect team.

The kraft bags holding the mix are compostable.

* For now, I mix at the Vermont Food Venture Center in Hardwick, VT which is a facility that also processes wheat. Therefore I am not labeling the package "gluten-free." However, I hope that one day I will processing in a "gluten-free" facility.

Active Values

Live and promote human and planetary health through food and farming

through using and promoting ancient food plants, agrobiodiversity, and using low-till and organic practices

Create and promote community for connection across difference and mental wellbeing

Use local resources

Support local food sovereignty

Contribute

Strive for excellence

Create beauty

Giving

My hope is to contribute a percentage of profit to support

recovery for partners and families of substance abusers

and victims of emotional abuse.

Footnote

Agrobiodiversity helps mitigate rapid climate change, reduce humanity’s environmental footprint, and increase food security. Conventional farming does not. Growing climate resilient alternatives to wheat which use less fertiliser and pesticides, people and planet benefit from reduced water pollution, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and less disease due to chemical toxicity.

Limited food sources increase food insecurity. 75 percent of the world’s food is now generated from only twelve plants and five animal species, which means that climate disruption, disease, or pests can create food production and supply failure very quickly.

Of the four percent of the 250,000 to 300,000 known edible plant species, only 150 to 200 are used by humans. Only three - rice, maize and wheat - contribute nearly 60 percent of calories and proteins obtained by humans from plants (FAO).

It’s recently been estimated that the global food systemis the number one source of biodiversity loss. (World Bank)