Amber Waves of Grain

14-06-26 pp1-12_Layout 1 6/25/14 2:31 PM Page 1 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE PARK SLOPE FOOD COOP Established 1973 Volume II, Number 13 June 26, 2014 Amber Waves of Grain By Alison Rose Levy ver the last decade, a regional grain initiative has been spearheaded Oby farmers, artisanal bakers and a trio of regional non-profit and educational institutions. These include Cornell University College of Agricultural and Life Science’s Small Grains Project, the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) and Greenmarket GrowNYC. On June 23rd, their event, “Reinventing the Hudson Valley Breadbasket,” was held in Red Hook, New York to showcase small grains varieties for local and specialty markets. Why Eat Ancient? starch,” says Russell. “Starchy mother grain—the original ILLUSTRATION BY DEBORAH TINT Emmer, an “ancient” grain, foods are not healthy. Some the others descended from. differs from the refined and people feel grain must be fer- The heritage grains grown in bleached wheat used in mented to promote better this region include rye, buck- Walk-to-Live: Imani House Wonder Bread. The vintage, digestion—as is done in wheat, non-GMO corn—and ecological role and nutri- preparing sourdough bread. barley for both food and Fights Childhood Obesity tional composition of each But mass produced food beer,” says Russell. By Ed Levy “Fruit for life” was this grain is unique. According to products are cooked rapidly. igh-poverty communities year’s walkathon theme, June Russell, Manager of This doesn’t allow the Receiving Coordinator Hmust take the keys to inspiring many parents and Farm Inspections and Strate- enzymes to break down. Ron Zisa reports that the health into their own hands. children to wear the colors gic Development at Green- Along with bleaches, brown- Coop currently offers This is the message of Coop and photos of their favorite market, GrowNYC, healthful ing and caking agents and member Sister Bisi Iderab- fruit. After-walk festivities ancient and heritage grains other unlabeled additives, all spelt flour and berries, and dullah, founder and head of included music, African are nutritious and flavorful, of this may contribute to the emmer flour and berries Imani House, a youth devel- drumming and dance, CPR with good vitamin and min- uptick in allergy incidence.” from Small Valley Milling, opment and family support and health demonstrations, eral uptake and higher pro- Ancient and so-called her- a Pennsylvania-based mill organization that addresses prizes and, of course, lots of tein content than refined itage grains also have a lower which sells organic products. issues of poverty and nutri- free fruit. and denatured flours. It’s glycemic index and higher This summer, the Coop will tion. In keeping with that Sister Bisi created the these refined, commodity protein content, making mission, Imani House spon- Walk-to-Live Walkathon as a grains and their products, them good transitional foods also begin carrying sored its second Walk-to-Live way for communities in high- which most people con- from high meat consump- oats from Maine Grains, Walkathon on Sunday, June ly affected areas in New York sume, which may have given tion, Russell says. Plus they a mill in Skowhegan, Maine. 22, when adults and children City, especially communities grains a bad name. taste good. came together in Prospect of color, to take preventive “All the nutrition is “Emmer tastes sweeter. Park to walk off extra calories, action against childhood stripped out and what’s left is Einkorn is nutty. It’s the Finding the Best develop the habit of exercise obesity. The walk is a chance Grain Varieties and learn about healthier to counter the cultural con- Via a four-year long grant eating. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 from the federal government, Cornell’s Dr. Mark Sorrells is Next General Meeting on July 29 identifying the grain varieties The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held on the that grow best in New York’s last Tuesday of each month. The July General Meeting will be on varied micro-climes. He Tuesday, July 29, at 7:00 p.m. at MS 51, 350 Fifth Ave., between notes that both ancient and Fourth and Fifth Sts. Enter on Fourth St. cul-de-sac. The Fourth heritage grains are older and St. entrance is handicap-accessible. in many cases more adapt- For more information about the GM and about Coop CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 governance, please see the center of this issue. Update on Location of IN THIS ISSUE June 26 CB6 Landmarks/Land Use Why Isn’t Anybody Listening to This Guy? . 3 Committee Meeting Puzzle . 4 Calendar of Events . 5 The meeting will be Coop Calendar, Governance Information, held at the YMCA on Mission Statement . 7 Ninth St. between Fifth Letters to the Editor . 8 and Sixth Aves. The Plow-to-Plate Movie Series Presents: Nothing Like Chocolate. 10 meeting will begin at Classifieds . 11 6:00 p.m. Exciting Workslot Opportunities . 12 Thank You . 12 14-06-26 pp1-12_Layout 1 6/25/14 2:31 PM Page 2 2 June 26, 2014 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY Grains enriches the soil, prevents CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 soil depletion and helps to lessen the prevalence of able and resilient than the insects, disease and crop grains developed after the loss in all crops rotated, so-called “Green Revolution.” says Sorrells. That so-called revolution occurred in the 1960s, and History of the resulted in the hybridization Grain Renaissance of many grain crops for ease According to NOFA-NY’s in mass production. Robert Perry, the grain resur- Green revolution grains gence began about a decade were bred for specific traits, ago, when New York’s Green- such as shorter height to market began requiring bak- facilitate fertilizer use, ers to use 15% grains from aimed at enhancing mass the local region in their output. In contrast, ancient baked goods. “That started and heritage grains, most of the hunt for products. which are organic, still have Although Champlain Valley the genes that can adapt to Milling and Wild Hive Mill fluctuations in weather pat- began to grow local grains, terns and other risks to good many artisanal bakers seek- crop yield. ing to fulfill that quota lacked “When you grow different access to the necessary crops, they are attacked by grains. There was not a lot of different insects, fungi and hard red or white wheat ILLUSTRATION BY LYNN BERNSTEIN bacteria, and when you grown in the region—for the rotate, that breaks up the new artisanal bread market,” ding grain resurgence. They cycle of diseases and insects Perry recalls. also offer an annual winter GRAINS: HEALTHY OR NOT? that attack just one crop. It conference, along with field reduces the problems,” Sor- “Using fresh flour days and workshops for For decades, grains have been considered a “healthy rells says. is similar to using farmers and others. Perry food,” by health-oriented people as well as the USDA fresh garlic or vegetables, estimates that there are food pyramid. Nearly 20 years ago, the USDA Food Regional Food Resilience currently 3,000 acres of Pyramid recommended six to 11 daily servings. But One of the prime goals of and more people are alternative small grains recently, the obesity epidemic has led researchers to expanding ancient and her- discovering that. grown in New York State. rethink the health up and down sides of widespread itage grain cultivation is to If you pick up a Most are either organic or grain consumption, especially of refined grain prod- assure food resilience in the loaf of bread—it makes a could be so certified if the ucts, including breads, crackers, pasta, pizza, cereals Northeast. Traditional crop difference whether it is from farmers elected to go and sweets. varieties developed over cen- China or the Hudson Valley. through the process. He is Recent research connects high glycemic foods with turies may withstand chang- pleased with this develop- weight gain—leading grains to fall from favor. With ing weather patterns and That is a food choice ment. “I can grow vegeta- current books like Grain Brain and Wheat Belly urging resist disease better than and if we want to be bles and sell them at the people to reduce their consumption of high carb newfangled hybrids. Accord- self-sufficient in this region, market in 30 to 60 days. processed foods, it may come as a surprise to find a ing to Russell, “Emmer is it’s important to Grain takes longer. These grain resurgence—here in New York State, and else- resilient and scrappy—it’s understand that.” are grains we haven’t grown where in the Northeast. But the distinctions between hardy.” Getting grains back —Robert Perry, in 75 years—so to bring processed grains and heritage or ancient grains makes into production is important them back entails a learn- all the difference. because “if we are going to NOFA-NY ing curve. It is not as easy have a decentralized food as putting seeds in the system we need to have Cornell, NOFA-NY and ground. There are new demonstrates equipment understand that.” grains.” the Greenmarket partnered kinds of challenges. But we new and old. “I take old “If it works here, it can Rotating ancient and her- to obtain a grant to develop are meeting them.” threshing tables, and show work elsewhere,” says June itage crops with first, veg- and research the grains and At the events NOFA-NY the process from the freshly Russell. “New York is the etables and then, legumes processes to help this bud- hosts, and others, Perry picked grain to the flour to place to leverage these the bread and pasta,” he things.” reports.

Load more