The Man Who Planted Wheat
Reintroducing Organic Grains to Western Washington
Dr. Stephen Jones talks about a barley trial at the Washington State University Research Center in Mt. Vernon.
Although it is rare today, Western Washington was once a vibrant wheat-growing area. Between 1850 and 1950 at least 169 different wheats were grown in Washington, many in the Puget Sound region. In the fertile soil and luxurious rainfall on the Pacific side of the Cascades, wheat plants grew 5 to 7 feet tall. These had tendency to “lodge” or fall over before the grain was ready for harvest.
The “Green Revolution” of the 1950s and 60s changed that. Using semi-dwarf wheat variety genes from Japan, soft whites, bred to be shorter and therefore mechanically stronger, transferred the energy from stem height to grain growth. Increased fertilizer enhanced this effect. The new high-yield soft whites fit the bill for industrial-scale agriculture, and as production soared the number of wheat varieties declined. Soft whites, with their lower protein content and unsuitability for the best breads, became the predominant kind in Washington State. Indeed, short soft white varieties comprise about 90% of the wheat grown today in (mostly eastern) Washington.Video: Dr. Jones Talks About Growing Grains
Dr Jones and his staff at Washington State University (WSU) Mt. Vernon know that the rebalancing of grain varieties in Western Washington would have many valuable economic consequences. At the WSU Research Center, his team is growing and testing 100 kinds of commercially available winter wheat, various kinds of spring wheat, spring and winter barley, and 25 different heritage grains. Their test plots track a variety of factors such as disease resistance, harvest data and yields.
Transforming the Agricultural Economy
These grains have the potential to transform the agricultural economy in Western Washington in a number of ways:
• Hard wheats with higher protein make a better forage for livestock. They could be crucial to the growth of a local organic poultry industry by providing reliable and affordable organic feeds. Feeds with more protein produce better eggs and meat.
• Hard Spring and Winter wheats are the foundation for the growing health-oriented local baking sector.
• Entrepreneurs could make a host of added-value products from local organic wheat, rye, barley, and oats, providing much needed employment in the processing of these products. A move in this direction also would generate investment to rebuild agricultural infrastructure, which would create permanent employment and ensure food security.
• Local organic grains could supply the material for Western Washington’s growing microbrewing and distillation industries, and help the region burnish its luster as one of the premier agricultural regions in the world.
Related Articles:
Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill: The Only Organic Flour Mill in Washington State
Breadfarm: An Artisan Bakery Looks to Local Grains
I am seriously looking for a breed of wheat that I can plant in my yard for my family consumption. Would you please contact me with reccomendations and contact point information for purchase of seed. I will eagerly look forward to your contact.
Many Blessings,
Deborah Osborn
The best varieties depend on your location. Gene Logsdson’s book, Small-Scale Grain Raising (shown above) has valuable information on planting, harvesting and seed sources. Best of luck!
This is a very exciting prospect! Just a small note that hard red winter wheat (HRW) is actually considered by many artisan bakers to be more desirable for bread due to enzymatic qualities that allow it to withstand longer fermentation times. The high protein content of hard red spring wheat (HRS) can require longer mixing times which are actually detrimental to flavor and crumb in the final product.
I have been following the vulnerability of monoculture grain production to fungal epidemics. Does the reintroduction of organic wheat seed help to insulate wheat crop failures from becoming epidemic? Thanks for your insight.
Best regards,
Virginia