The soil beneath your feet
More and more my conversations seem to revolve around mud. Healthy soil is where it all starts for us as bakers, the fields that grow the grain. You might think you’re aware of these fields, you know them, you’ve seen the golden grasses moving in the breeze, maybe you think their harvest will result in some wholesome food for us…but you are fooled by romanticism and it’s just one of the many things we think we know about our food system which turn out to be an illusion.
Most grain grown in Ireland ends up as animal feed with some going to large scale breweries or distilleries, the main crops being Barley and Oat. Growing these crops often means a heavy-handed use of chemical spraying, to artificially fertilise the soil, to help the plant resist disease and pests, to suppress other plants and to encourage quicker growth. Cissy Difford has a great Substack post on flour, here. We are responsible for our own health, our choices are our own, except that without knowing it we are controlled beyond our comprehension. As a community baker I feel a huge responsibility to know more, I am constantly learning, it’s complicated, sometimes upsetting, it’s hard to find the time but for me it is vital.
When you’re surrounded by likeminded people it’s all too easy to presume that the majority thinks like you do too, we are all scrutinising our food aren’t we? Time and again my core has been shaken by the realisation that this is absolutely not the case and so I am wondering how many others are thinking daily about the glorious muck we stand on, what does it mean to you?
Our land, our soil, our health.
Let me take you to where we were on Sunday in sunny Kildare, a beautiful gathering of growers, farmers, millers, bakers and brewers discussing the future of grain on this island, The Irish Grain Network. We basked in positivity and common purpose, we have a goal, we are strong and courageous. Held in the mutual respect of a crowd of people, together we are poised to try and fix some of the utterly broken connections in our relationship with food; so much has been lost, the skill and knowledge of our ancestors slipping through our fingers whilst we’ve been distracted with convenience and courted by the powerful forces that drive economy…we took our eye off the ball and we have some serious restoration work to do.
Thankfully the future is hopeful, these people are demanding better and they are doing it for all of us. There is a greater good aspect at play. Out of the 60 or so people who were there, each with inspiring stories, here are a few.
Seamus; Without any farming knowledge Seamus sourced seed, prepared some land and sowed an acre of wheat by hand, he bought a mill to produce his flour and makes beautiful bread at Plur Bakery. He is hoping to sow 5 acres next year and 15 the next. He saw an issue, he made his own solution. Read more about Seamus from John and Sally McKenna here.
Kevin; even though he grew oats on his small family farm they all were going for feed, he had a lightbulb moment when his daughter asked if she could eat some out of the bucket. After investing in a mill Kevin and the family are now running an organic, wildlife friendly, oat farm with minimum environmental impact. We stock Merry Mill or you can buy online here.
Sarah; always championing Irish grain in delicious baking Sarah runs Seagull Bakery in County Waterford. Sarah is passionate about supporting Irish growers and millers and showcasing their beautiful grains her amazing bakes for her community and beyond. Sarah is a guiding light for me. If you are in the beautiful south east you must visit one of the Seagull branches, check them out here.
All working more, working harder, possibly earning less but happier! But we need you too, we need people to be questioning their food, becoming more informed and interested, I’ve written about this before. Don’t be overwhelmed, start small, think about what it means to you, your family, the planet and then make more conscious choices, well considered decisions. I’m here to help you x
If anyone with land is reading this and is interested in grain growing I urge you to get in touch me or directly with the Irish Grain Network.
Simple food, a crumble
This week I used some beautiful wholemeal flour to make a crumble for my dinner, I was feeling sorry for myself but knew a warm apple crumble with lots of cream would help.
60g cold butter
100g wholemeal flour
75g oats
40g light brown sugar
pinch salt
Add some nuts if you have any
A couple of cooking apples
40g caster sugar
Preheat the oven to 170 and have ready a baking tray or sheet. Flick the cold butter into the flour with your fingertips until you have coarse breadcrumb texture, add the rest, mix briefly then put on your tray and bake for around 15 minutes.
Meanwhile peel and core the apples, chop into chunks and put in a saucepan with the sugar over a medium heat, cook until softened.
Assemble and pour as much cream over it as you want!