BISMARCK, N.D. – You’ve likely heard the phrases “Farm to Table” and “Farm to School,” but how about “Farm to Tap?” Though maybe not as common or mainstream, “farm to tap” is an appropriate way to summarize the path that grain, grown and harvested on family farms in North Dakota, takes to become the beer that’s poured from taps in local breweries across the country.

Molly Livingston and Jesse Jimerson were living in Northern Nevada while looking for an opportunity to get into farming. When they heard that Piper Mountain Christmas Tree Farm in Newburgh, Maine was for sale, they were interested.

How did a globe-trotting former diplomat and one of Washington’s top international lawyers end up running an award-winning winery along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River? The answer is pretty simple really. It was a place to put down roots.

The historic Woodstock, Va., property had rich soil that had been continuously farmed since 1792. When they contemplated dipping a toe into agriculture, Robert Muse made a convincing case for planting “a few grapes” and went on to expand the enterprise into a 35-acre vineyard after the first harvest in 2009.

After a long career in software development, Marci Wilde was ready for a change of vocation. Being a recreation enthusiast herself, she knew how much folks love to enjoy the trails, woods, and lakes year-round, especially up north. So, she packed up and moved to rural Cross Lake Township, Maine. The township is nestled in the “Crown of Maine,” near the northernmost part of Aroostook County and proximal to the Canadian border.

Since 2008, The Link has served as a central hub for people in need living in and around New London, Minnesota.

For nearly 50 years, Richard Smith has lived and worked on his farm in Morris. No stranger to the area, he grew up four miles from his current farm, where his sister lives now. Smith grows a variety of crops on his farm—including corn, beans, wheat, and alfalfa—and raises cattle, lamb, and hens, among other animals.

Nestled in the gently rolling hills of Newburgh, Maine, Nettie Fox Farm produces certified organic vegetables. Molly Crouse founded the farm in 2009. In 2013 her partner, Everett Ottinger, joined her in operating the 33-acre spread. They began steadily increasing the infrastructure on the site, adding a caterpillar tunnel, barn, and high tunnels in the ensuing years. The pair focused on selling their produce directly to consumers through a CSA program and various farmers’ markets.

The pandemic and

Brenda Dela Torriente twines the lines of fiber with precision. Her brows are furrowed as her fingers find the ridges between the cords, working them at an astonishing speed. It's a painstaking process. For the town of Montello, Nevada, it's also a deeply important one.

Those feet of fiber will go in the ground and connect to a miles-long circuit bringing jobs, healthcare, education, economic prosperity, and, of course, high-speed internet.