Ute Mountain tribe opens modern corn mill

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The Cortez Journal 10/06/2014 | Ute Mountain tribe opens modern corn mill
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Home Page » News » Local News »
Ute Mountain tribe opens modern corn
mill
Bow and Arrow brand will produce cornmeal varieties
By Jim Mimiaga Journal staff writer
Article Last Updated: Wednesday, October 08, 2014 12:58pm
Keywords: Agriculture, Process industry, Ute Mountain
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Sam Green/Cortez Journal
Tribal Chairman Manuel Heart addresses the crowd at the Ute Mountain Farm and Ranch corn meal factory
ribbon­cutting. The Bow and Arrow brand of meal will be processed from corn grown on tribal land.
Columnists in News
Looking back
By by Carrie Smith Dunham
T
owaoc, Colo. – “Value­added agriculture” is a popular buzz phrase in rural areas
for locally processing a raw crop into a more profitable, packaged food item.
Looking Back: Eleven of us came to
Telluride in 1882
The Ute Mountain Ute tribe is done with the talking.
On Sept. 30 they took action with the official opening
of a $4 million corn­mill facility on their farm and
ranch enterprise.
Leave them alone: Helping
baby wildlife can kill
The state­of­the­art mill will produce and package
several varieties of food­grade cornmeal under the
Bow and Arrow brand name.
Sam Green/Cortez Journal
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The Cortez Journal 10/06/2014 | Ute Mountain tribe opens modern corn mill
Paul Evans explains the processing
equipment at the Bow and Arrow brand
mill on Ute Mountain tribal land.
White, yellow, blue and Indian corn are planned for
processing using 3,000 acres of corn grown on
adjacent tribal farmland, located south of Towaoc.
“As proud members of the Ute Mountain tribe, we
move into the future with this enterprise,” said tribal
Chairman Manuel Heart, during an open house and
ribbon cutting ceremony.
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Sam Green/Cortez Journal
Executive Secretary of the Colorado
Indian Affairs Ernest House, Jr. joins the
celebration of the Bow and Arrow Brand
corn meal new processing facilities.
“Our children and grandchildren will benefit from the
jobs and economic growth that our new mill brings.”
Hundreds of invited guests gathered at the sprawling
farm operation for the annual Ute Mountain harvest
feast, featuring barbecued meet and corn bread
made from the new product.
Spiritual leader Terry Knight performed a ceremonial blessing in the Ute language, and
several speeches were made by local dignitaries and farm managers.
“It’s amazing what you can do with a little bit of water,” said farm foreman Eric White.
“Get ready to taste something good.”
Then the factory bay doors were rolled up, revealing gleaming new equipment
positioned on upper and lower floors, just waiting to be turned on.
“We can’t wait to flip the switch, which is actually on a Palm Pilot,” said marketing
consultant Mike Abeyta. “We have buyers lined up.”
The milling will begin soon, said Farm and Ranch manager Paul Evans, once the corn
is harvested in the coming days.
“It is the workers that made this happen,” Evans said. “I’m filled with gratitude that the
tribe has faith in our farm and ranch operations. We know we will be successful.”
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The mill expands a small­scale operation that already provides whole and milled corn
products for local stores in Pleasant View, Mancos, and for the Durango snack maker.
the Chip Peddler.
The major ramp­up in operations allows the tribe to expand its market. Negotiations are
ongoing with Affiliated Foods, an undisclosed baking company, and Kroeger Co., which
includes City Market grocery stores.
“Our goal is in five years for Bow and Arrow to be a national and international brand, a
household name that reaches our target of 1,100 stores,” Abeyta said.
The 7,200 square­foot mill is unusual in the country because of its highly efficient
milling process, said head miller Britni Beck. It can process 180 to 215 bushels per
hour.
To get to the edible cornmeal, the corn is dehusked, the cob is removed and the
kernels cleaned. It then goes through a degerminator and is processed through
different­size roller mills and screens before moving to the packaging line and onto
trucks.
Hominy, a byproduct from processing the corn, will be sold for livestock feed.
The mill will create four or five new jobs, Evans said, which could increase, along with
the corn crop, based on demand for the product.
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The Cortez Journal 10/06/2014 | Ute Mountain tribe opens modern corn mill
Said Chairman Heart, “Other tribes will look to our mill enterprise as a model for tribal
self­sufficiency. It’s an investment in the best interest of the community.”
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com
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