Dinesh Rice & General Mills

Working at the Focal Point means we are surrounded by other shops and factories. It is a loud area, but we like being in the middle of all that activity. Dinesh Rice & General Mills isn't some big, shiny corporate building. It is a practical space filled with the smell of raw grain and the hum of motors. We spend most of our time looking at the machinery and making sure nothing has jammed up. There is always something to fix or a belt to tighten. The floor is usually covered in a fine layer of dust, no matter how much we sweep it. We have a small crew and everyone knows their role. We don't talk much while the machines are running because you can't hear anything anyway. Lunch is usually taken sitting on some sacks or on the steps outside. We see a lot of different people coming through here, from drivers to small farmers. It is a straightforward kind of business. We don't have any fancy brochures or a front desk person. If you come by, you’ll probably find us covered in dust or grease. That is just the reality of milling. We stay busy through the seasons and try to keep things moving. It isn't glamorous, but it is what we do every single day without fail. We just try to keep the motors running and the bags filled. Sometimes the work is tedious, but it needs to get done.