GrowNYC is proud to participate in the second annual Rye Week, a celebration of rye as an agricultural product in New York State, which will take place from October 15 – 21.

October 19^th will be Rye Day at the Union Square Greenmarket. Johanna Kindvall, author of Smorgasbord: The Art of Swedish Breads and Savory Treats, will be at market signing books and demonstrating how to prepare flat breads with rye flour. Also in attendance will be Strong Rope Brewery, Breuckelen Distilling, Hillrock Estate Distillery, and the GrowNYC Grainstand. 

The Union Square Greenmarket will also host a number of Empire Rye producers on October 17 and October 20. Three years ago, six prominent New York State distilleries came up with the concept for Empire Rye, a whiskey style for the Empire State. Similar to the way Kentucky has a style of bourbon with strict standards, each Empire Rye distiller must adhere to the same specifications in producing their rye. 

“Not only does New York State’s craft beverage program create jobs, boost local economies, and financially benefit local grain farmers,” says GrowNYC President and CEO Marcel Van Ooyen, “it’s also great for the environment. Small grains are good for the soil when used in rotation with other crops. As the demand for grains like rye increases, so does the health of the soil on New York farms.”