If you’ve ever eaten a fresh tortilla in the Pacific Northwest, the corn was probably shipped in from Mexico. That’s because corn is a crop that typically requires longer days than you’ll find in that region for much of the year.

But that may soon change. The Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) research farm in Chimacum, Washington, on the northeast edge of the Olympic Peninsula, is working with farmers to breed, test, and ultimately adapt corn varieties to this unique location. It’s part of a larger effort to create viable pathways for farmers and chefs to collaborate, and it’s also a key strategy in OSA’s larger work to make growers more resilient in the face of the climate crisis.

A few years back, Micaela Colley, OSA’s program director, heard from several farmers in the region who identified tortilla corn as something they were interested in trialing.