There’s been a budding movement over the last decade to reintroduce locally-grown grains into our over commoditized food system. Just a few years ago, consumers likely never considered nor cared where the flour in their bread was milled. But now a growing number of businesses from bakeries to restaurants to distilleries have started advertising the local grains used in products.

But what’s really the difference between store-bought and heritage grains? And why does Colorado grow some of the best? To answer these questions we dug deep into the state’s terroir and history behind the plants and the people who use these grains.