Wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas and beans. These grains and pulses have been with us for thousand of years. Yet, we’ve become very wheat-centric in recent years and might not appreciate why diverse grains and pulses have always been a strategy for food security in the past. So they can be now. Local crops for local soils and climate – this, too, is what we need to return to. Find out why, and which crops suit the landscape in which you live.
Read more about diverse grains and pulses in my blog post for Ledbury Food Group:
Diversify Your Grains: Throw in Some Beans
“The nights are drawing in, temperatures are dropping, and our thoughts may turn to thickened winter stews, filling puddings and toast and butter. Now is a good time to think about your grains, peas or beans of choice. Diversify your grains (and your pulses). Look into where they came from and how they were grown too. As a result, collectively, we may do much to improve food security, local farming economy, soils, and the life of animals.
This is good news – hunker down for winter! “
Might embracing pottage, porridge and rye bread be a good way to rethink grains and pulses? Find pointers to these recipes in the blog post above (click the link). If you’re a local Herefordian, there are tips on where to buy local to Ledbury, Herefordshire and in and around the region. Think ancient and heirloom grains and working windmills too. Team your pottage and spelt bread with some traditional nose to tail eating from my great grandmother’s cookbook for extra nourishing food. Enjoy…
The featured image, above, is by Wesual Click on Unsplash
If you liked this post, you may want to take a look at my book about sustainable food. It’s centred on a journey around where I live, but it’s relevant anywhere. And, it’s out now…
