Vancouver Island Heritage Wheat Project
“Utrecht Blue” bread wheat
D. Eisenhawer and S. Rempel’s Metchosin field, 2007
(photo credit Sharon Rempel)
‘Bishop’ bread wheat
D. Eisenhawer and S. Rempel’s Metchosin field, 2007
(photo credit Sharon Rempel)
The Hand that Holds the Seed Controls the Food Supply
(photo credit Terry Chapelas)
Mike Doehnel’s been doing field trials of heritage wheat for the past five years growing on leased land in the Saanich area. The Glenora Farm in Duncan has grown ‘Red Fife’ and a diversity of other wheats both as spring and winter wheats for the past two years. In the spring of 2007 Sharon Rempel planted 10 wheat plots on the organic land of Deiter Eisenhawer in Metchosin (Victoria) area. That same spring Tom Henry and Vio Mitchell planted an acre of ‘Loiselle Red Fife’ in the same area; they harvested 1980 pounds from the field using a 1906 combine.
Sharon hosted two field days in the area in summer 2007; 70 people attended the events. This ‘local wheat network’ has formed a core for the formation of regional pockets of local wheat growing.
In the fall of 2007 Sharon created Canada’s first ‘Bread and Wheat’ Festival (www.breadandwheat.com) to bring together 8 local bakeries to offer people ‘natural’ bread and develop a ‘taste’ for natural bread. IT was a party to celebrate ‘Red Fife’ wheat’s return to the area and it’s Ukrainian roots. The event drew 800 people! Exhibits included the Heritage Wheat Project, small scale millers, seed growers, holistic nutritionists, artists and musicians including Phil Vernon and his ‘Red Fife Wheat’ song. http://kootenaycoopradio.com/deconstructingdinner/112207.htm