{"id":19,"date":"2021-01-07T16:01:42","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T16:01:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/?p=19"},"modified":"2021-02-28T13:51:56","modified_gmt":"2021-02-28T13:51:56","slug":"2-grains-weeks-3-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/2021\/01\/07\/2-grains-weeks-3-4\/","title":{"rendered":"#2: Grains (Weeks 3 &amp; 4)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2a: Film Series: Program Questions in Scenes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4>&#8220;A Grain to Dismantle Late-Stage Capitalism&#8221;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Unbroken Ground | A New Old Way to Grow Food\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3Ezkp7Cteys?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption> This film from Patagonia attempts to explain the critical role food will play in the next frontier of our efforts to solve the environmental crisis. <em>Unbroken Ground<\/em> explores four areas of agriculture that aim to change our relationship to the land and oceans. My scene focuses in on the &#8220;Magic Skagit&#8221; Valley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> I titled my scene from the Patagonia film\u202f<em>Unbroken Ground<\/em>, \u201cA Grain to Dismantle\u202fLate-Stage\u202fCapitalism\u201d (13:34 \u2013 16:11) to explore\u202fthe two program questions: \u201cHow can terroir\/meroir best be understood, represented,&nbsp;and shared? What disciplines, practices or media are needed and why for knowing and communicating the following aspects of terroir\/meroir?\u201d and, \u201cWhat is meant by regenerative agriculture and how can it guide us towards farming and food system sustainability?\u201d I\u2019ll call my audience\u2019s attention to\u202fthe \u2018magic\u2019 Skagit Valley, the light and uplifting music, the \u201cpatchwork quilt\u201d of fields, the pastoral\u202faesthetic of the shots, and the tiny seed at the center of it all, as well as the words of breeders and farmers working within the Skagit Valley.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The beginning of my scene introduces the viewer to the \u2018magic\u2019 Skagit\u202fValley;\u202flight,\u202fethereal music plays over a high&nbsp;aerial&nbsp;shot of the idyllic farming community:\u202fa patchwork quilt of fields.\u202fLocal\u202ffarmer Dave Hedlin of Hedlin\u2019s Family Farms\u202fcredits the success of Skagit Valley\u2019s agriculture\u202fto the maritime climate and wonderful soil: the terroir.\u202fThe scene cuts from Hedlin to an extremely pastoral scene: a\u202fpair of farmers\u202friding a tiny combine through a small patch of grain.\u202fHedlin continues, \u201cFrankly,\u202fit&#8217;s\u202fa real privilege to farm here, but\u202fit&#8217;s\u202falso a\u202fbig responsibility because you don\u2019t want to be the generation that let it go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u202fOver scenes of healthy fields and active farm work, Dr. Stephen Jones, Director of WSU\u2019s Bread Lab, explains\u202fthat his mission in selectively breeding grain is to make what they do \u201cwork for the farmer.\u201d\u202fHe continues,\u202f\u201cAs plant breeders, [who] don&#8217;t do GMO or genetically modified anything, make a crop that can yield a little more for the farmer and\u202fhave the right functionality and flavors\u202fand nutritional value.\u201d\u202fThe scene now cuts\u202fto Keith and Crystie Kisler of\u202fFinnriver\u202fFarm and Cidery, who\u2019ve grown 4 acres of\u202f<em>Koto\u202f<\/em>buckwheat; Keith explains that the\u202fbuckwheat is special in that it will feed humans as opposed to becoming animal feed, and\u202fhe displays a unique and impressive attitude regarding the interconnectedness of human and environmental health. Over scenes of his buckwheat harvest and close-ups of the soil at\u202fFinnriver\u202fFarm, Kisler says,\u202f\u201c[It] would be easier if the whole valley was one crop;\u202fyou know,\u202fwe just went and did that crop and sold it on contract.\u202fBut I think it&#8217;s healthier for the farmer to have this diversity:\u202fit&#8217;s healthier for the soil,\u202fit&#8217;s healthier for the community\u201d.\u202f<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The voice of\u202fDoctor Jones\u202fappears over wide shots of\u202fthe buckwheat field and a close-up shot of the seeds in the\u202fKislers\u2019 hands. \u201cBuckwheat. We use this sort of a symbol of attempting to keep value where it&#8217;s produced. It&#8217;s really a nice model of this. It&#8217;s a\u202freedy\u202fdecentralization of what we do.\u201d\u202fThis spoke to me in the same way\u202fof\u202fKristy Mucci\u2019s article in Heated,\u202f\u201cA Chicory to Dismantle Late-Stage Capitalism\u201d, hence the name of my scene.\u202fHedlin reappears at the end of the scene with a stack of fresh barley, some set to be malted and some to be shipped to an organic distiller. Hedlin goes on to say that he will measure the&nbsp;success&nbsp;of\u202fhis farming methods\u202fthrough\u202ftheir\u202flong-term circumstances: \u201cIf a hundred years from now there\u202fare viable family farms on this valley\u202ffloor and salmon in our rivers like\u202fthere are now and ducks and waterfowl\u202fand shorebirds and everything that we\u202fhave here:\u202fif a hundred years from now\u202fall that still exists everybody wins.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scene ends with a sunset shot over a farm and orchard, the sun blazing center screen\u202fcovering the landscape in warm tones\u202fand leaving the viewer with closing\u202ftext describing the continued mission of the WSU Bread Lab to develop diversity in locally grown organic grains. I\u2019ll share how this scene compelled my learning\u202fsurrounding\u202fthe marketing of&nbsp;regenerative\u202fagriculture\u202ftechniques,\u202fdiversified crop development,\u202fand terroir\u202ffor\u202fmy audience to better understand\u202fthe interconnectedness of the health of\u202fenvironments, people and economies.\u202f&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4> &#8220;The&nbsp;Horse Is Not Economically&nbsp;Independent, Nor Is&nbsp;the&nbsp;Woman\u201d <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How Grains Domesticated Us, James C. Scott, SOAS, University of London\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QO__r8Q0bmU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption> This SOAS Food Studies Centre Distinguished Lecture titled &#8220;How Grains Domesticated Us&#8221; was given by James C. Scott (Sterling Professor of Political Science and Professor of Anthropology and Co-Director of the Agrarian Studies Program, Yale University) on 11 December 2014. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p> I titled my scene from the James C. Scott lecture&nbsp;<em>How Grain Domesticated Us<\/em>,&nbsp;\u201cThe&nbsp;Horse Is Not Economically&nbsp;Independent, Nor Is&nbsp;the&nbsp;Woman\u201d (46:30 \u2013 48:11) to explore the program question: \u201cWhat model best&nbsp;enables you to articulate what you are learning about&nbsp;your&nbsp;taste of place&nbsp;in relation to history, nature&nbsp;and culture.\u201d I will call attention to&nbsp;Dr. Scott\u2019s&nbsp;research connecting&nbsp;grain and animal domestication to female domestication&#8211;&nbsp;at the reproductive service of&nbsp;the patriarchy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout my scene&nbsp;Dr. Scott stands behind a&nbsp;lectern&nbsp;in dim lighting. He states, \u201cthe systematic use of products&nbsp;of the living animal,&nbsp;particularly its&nbsp;reproductive functions,&nbsp;are&nbsp;what sets&nbsp;animal domestication is apart from&nbsp;intensified hunting.&nbsp;Although I don&#8217;t&nbsp;have time to make the argument&nbsp;here,&nbsp;I&nbsp;think I might argue that the way to&nbsp;understand domestication is the way in&nbsp;which Homo sapiens takes over and&nbsp;manages the reproductive functions of&nbsp;plants and animals that are domesticated.&nbsp;That is to say,&nbsp;to change the&nbsp;reproduction and control of plants in&nbsp;order to produce the seeds and fruits&nbsp;that are desired to in a sense take over&nbsp;what had been wild animals&nbsp;(herd animals)&nbsp;and tutor and to organize their&nbsp;reproductive functions so as to maximize&nbsp;the amount of&nbsp;meat or other products that they&nbsp;produce.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;And I would argue that if we are&nbsp;to understand domestication as the&nbsp;control over production,&nbsp;it is fruitful&nbsp;to extend it to the first agrarian&nbsp;societies in which you have property&nbsp;relations and the patriarchal family,&nbsp;in&nbsp;which the reproductive services of women&nbsp;become extremely central and their&nbsp;productivity in producing laborers,&nbsp;and&nbsp;if you like domesticated animals,&nbsp;for the&nbsp;patriarchal family is absolutely central&nbsp;as well.&nbsp;It&#8217;s when you get the Domus,&nbsp;and you get the statues of women in which their reproductive functions are exaggeratedly represented in the sort of Neolithic statues of women,&nbsp;that I think points in that direction.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is interesting to note that after announcing that he will not make one, Dr Scott&nbsp;goes on to make an excellent argument tying the&nbsp;patriarchy to domestication and the early formation of states.&nbsp;I connected this lecture to Richard Wrangham\u2019s book&nbsp;<em>Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human<\/em>, as well as Charlotte Perkins Gilman\u2019s book&nbsp;<em>Women and Economics: A Study of the Economic Relation Between Men and Women as a Factor in Social Evolution<\/em>, from which I drew the title of my scene.<em>&nbsp;<\/em>In her book, Gilman states, \u201cThe labor of women in the house, certainly, enables men to produce more wealth than they otherwise could; and in this way women are economic factors in society. But so are horses&#8230;the&nbsp;horse&nbsp;is not economically independent, nor is the woman.\u201d<em>&nbsp;<\/em>I\u2019ll share how this scene compelled my learning about\u202fproto-terroir, domestication and women in order&nbsp;for\u202fmy&nbsp;audience to better understand that the patriarchal&nbsp;control of women\u2019s bodies has occurred since before the existence of the state&nbsp;and that the domestication of plants and animals led to the domestication of women. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2b: (un)Natural Histories<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"395\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM-1024x395.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM-1024x395.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM-300x116.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM-768x296.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM-945x365.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM-600x232.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screen-Shot-2021-01-20-at-4.18.07-PM.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>&#8220;Brewfest Trifold&#8221;<br><em>Image by Stephen Bramwell.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We had the opportunity this week to read and annotate Stephen Bramwell&#8217;s grain project report &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/terroirw21\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/611\/2021\/01\/BIOAg_Barley_Final_2019.pdf\">From Ground to Glass<\/a>&#8220;, as well as talk to the author in person. The WSU Westside Cropping System project evaluated nine varieties of barley for special flavor characteristics. The goal was to generate demand for barley varieties that local farmers can sell into high value markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-211\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642-945x532.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-092642.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>My annotations in hypothesis.is of  &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/terroirw21\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/611\/2021\/01\/BIOAg_Barley_Final_2019.pdf\">From Ground to Glass<\/a>&#8220;.<br><em>Image by Sarah Dyer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, the project  demonstrated  enormous  interest  among  the  craft  malting  and  distilling industries, as well as the general public. Locally produced, experimental malting barley varieties were met with  initial  skepticism  among  brewers,  but  eventually  great  enthusiasm. The general  public  indicated overwhelming  interest  at  the  sensory  evaluation  held  at  the  Tumwater  Brewfest  in  August  2019. Additionally, well established craft  distillers in Seattle, WA and elsewhere are eager to be involved in and  support additional WSU varietal and flavor evaluation research that could supply the industry with regionally distinctive malt. Brewers purchased over 3,500 lbs of malt to experiment with, and had placed orders for more malting barley at the completion of the final report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ground to Glass | WSU Extension ANR\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tnz50rmu9Q8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption> Stephen Bramwell talks about how supporting local farmers can influence what farmers do with their land. <br><em>Video by Flowstate Creatives. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Barley<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Soil Health Minute: Oats &amp; Barley as Cover Crops\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4kFp0cmRad4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Perennialized Grains<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Global Inventory Project: Transforming Agriculture with Perennial Crops\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/prUpO8jzoec?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Chestnuts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"A Low Tech Organic Chestnut Farmer\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6JBwqJ0tIN8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2c: Regenerative Agriculture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4>Weeks 3 &amp; 4 Regenerative Agriculture Workshop: Grains<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Why grain plants? List benefits as food, straw, soil conservation.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Multiple avenues of value-added products.&nbsp;Feed and fodder&nbsp;for&nbsp;various kinds of animals.&nbsp;Thatching for roofs&nbsp;and cob houses.&nbsp;Ability to weave baskets, and some clothing.&nbsp;Cover crop and green manure amendment.&nbsp;Sustenance. Root systems preventing erosion. Nitrogen fixing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. List challenges\/problems with grain crops for human and environmental well-being.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Grain crops must be rotated, or they will deplete the soil. Health issues&nbsp;(e.g.&nbsp;diabetes)&nbsp;caused by over-consumption. Ergot-ism, like the Salem Witch Trials.&nbsp;Deforestation to produce boutique ancient grains like quinoa in monocultures.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. What is meant by spring, winter, and facultative grain crops (e.g.,&nbsp;barley or wheat)?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Winter crops are sown in fall and are harvested in summer;&nbsp;winter wheat must undergo a process called vernalization, which is the&nbsp;induction of a plant&#8217;s&nbsp;flowering&nbsp;process by exposure to the prolonged cold of winter, or by an artificial equivalent.&nbsp;Spring crops are sown in spring and harvested in fall. Facultative crops are sown in winter or spring and need a vernalization time of 15 to 30 days of temps around 37 to 59.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. What is vernalization and why is it important to understand for growing grain crops?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vernalization&nbsp;is defined as the qualitative or quantitative dependence of plants on&nbsp;exposure to a low temperature to flower. Temperature affects flowering, metabolic activities, and germination of seeds in plants.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plants such as wheat and barley have a \u2018spring variety\u2019 and a \u2018winter variety\u2019. The \u2018spring variety\u2019 is usually planted in the spring season. As a result, it flowers and produces grains by the end of the growing season. The \u2018winter variety\u2019, however, is planted in autumn. It germinates over winter, grows in the spring and is harvested in summer. In contrast to the spring variety, the winter variety will not flower or produce grains within the flowering season if planted in spring.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"972\" height=\"717\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085329.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085329.png 972w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085329-300x221.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085329-768x567.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085329-945x697.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085329-600x443.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 972px) 100vw, 972px\" \/><figcaption>Image Shared by Steve Scheuerell, Regenerative Agriculture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. For barley, explain how growing degree days are used to predict plant development.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Growing degree days are calculated using temperature variations and are used alongside phenology models to forecast crop stages. This helps accurately predict and anticipate plant development phases.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp;6. Grass-family grain root systems \u2013 what is the general form the root systems take and how can this positively&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>impact<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;soil structure?<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Grass-family grain root systems are extremely long and thick.&nbsp;Grass roots&nbsp;help improve&nbsp;soil structure&nbsp;by increasing porosity and adding organic material that helps bind&nbsp;soil&nbsp;particles together. In compacted or clay&nbsp;soils, spreading&nbsp;roots&nbsp;break up&nbsp;soil&nbsp;and create pathways through which water&nbsp;can&nbsp;seep deep within the subsoil.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"928\" height=\"609\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085200.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-208\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085200.png 928w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085200-300x197.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085200-768x504.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-085200-600x394.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 928px) 100vw, 928px\" \/><figcaption> Image Shared by Steve Scheuerell, Regenerative Agriculture.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Discuss what you have learned about using grass-family grains for cover crops.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They are cheap to plant&nbsp;and easy to manage.&nbsp;They\u2019re easy to control, and the threat of weediness is low if they are properly controlled.&nbsp;They are good at&nbsp;uptaking&nbsp;nutrients, and&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Their root masses penetrate downward and outward, scavenging nutrients from manure applications and leachate from the previous crop.&nbsp;They are among the best sources of over-winter soil organic matter, and small grains are a better source of active carbon than legumes, which has many benefits for soil. Soil organic matter supports improved soil biological diversity,&nbsp;water infiltration, drainage, nutrient availability, and retention of water and nutrients.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Small grains begin growth quickly, especially in early fall with late summer residual heat. Even a few weeks into their growth, soil infiltration is improved. All small grains are valuable to break up a rotation with early or late season vegetables, anything from garlic to tomatoes to pumpkins, since they provide the break of grasses in a heavily broad-leaf-based rotation.&nbsp;They buffer soil against extremes in temperature.&nbsp;There are few pests or diseases they host that will be a problem for the rotation as a whole \u2013&nbsp;unless you have an exclusively small grain rotation (not advised).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>Comparative Analysis of Annual Spring Barley, Perennial Kernza, and Chestnut Trees<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"454\" height=\"743\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-043637.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-182\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-043637.png 454w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-043637-183x300.png 183w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 454px) 100vw, 454px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><strong>\u2022#2d: Case Study Tasting Research: Grains<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h4>Cascadia Grains Conference<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404-1024x577.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404-945x533.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035404.png 1041w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Image by Aba Kaiser of Cascadia Grains.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035440-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-204\" width=\"375\" height=\"355\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035440-1.png 514w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-035440-1-300x284.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 375px) 100vw, 375px\" \/><figcaption>Cascadia Grains Conference Group Values<br><em>Image by Aba Kiser.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p> On Tuesday, January 19th, Aba Kiser presented a short lecture to our program concerning the Cascadia Grains Conference. This yearly event connects grain enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest and provides an environment for brewers, bakers and farmers to network, listen, share, and taste.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Conference provides an opportunity for stakeholders to grow a local grain economy &#8211; connecting with each other and consumers to regionalize craft grain production in the PNW. Cascadia Grains&#8217; mission as re-vitalizing a culturally-relevant, environmentally-sound, regional grain movement in the Cascadia bioregion that is focused on equitable access, health and nutrition, and taste and flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cascadiagrains.com\/\">Cascadia Grains<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4>Terroir of WA Grains: Malt Sensory Lab<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We welcomed Stephen Bramwell, Director of the WSU Thurston County Extension Office, to our program meeting this week to lead us through a Malted Grains Sensory Lab. We also had the opportunity to study and annotate his grains project report, &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/terroirw21\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/611\/2021\/01\/BIOAg_Barley_Final_2019.pdf\">From Ground to Glass.<\/a>&#8221; (See #2b) Our tasting matrix is adapted from the 2019 Tumwater Brewfest Sensory Ballot provided by Stephen Bramwell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Directions<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use about 1\/4 of each of the 3 grain samples when answering questions in Part I; use remainder in Part II. In preparation for the barley tea in Part II, boil water and pour 1\/2 cup over each sample in three separate clear or white lined glass cups or heat safe glasses. Set aside and let steep for 15 minutes.&nbsp; Complete the following analysis by tasting each malted grain variety and cleansing your palate in between tastings.&nbsp;Use water and crackers to rinse your palate between samples, if you would like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I) Malted Kernel Tasting<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>Taste one sample at a time<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Provide a short description in your own words<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Then rank the samples in your order of preference<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sample 1 Description: (Skagit=100)<\/strong> &#8211; Extremely nutty and sweet. Pecan pith and nutmeat. Savory finish akin to garbanzo beans. Tea.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sample 2 Description: (Wheat=200)<\/strong> &#8211; Mild and gluey. Almost no definable taste. Thick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sample 3 Description: (Copeland=300)<\/strong> &#8211; Grassy and bright. Slightly bitter. Chalky. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rank the samples <\/strong>by writing the three-digit sample number in the appropriate box <strong>based on your overall liking <\/strong>of each sample. When determining <strong>overall liking<\/strong>, consider the sample\u2019s&nbsp;<strong>appearance, flavor\/aroma, mouthfeel, and aftertaste<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"476\" height=\"57\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051026.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051026.png 476w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051026-300x36.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 476px) 100vw, 476px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Now choose as many attributes as you would like from the provided MALT FLAVOR Maps that you think best differentiate the samples.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051146.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-185\" width=\"432\" height=\"370\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051146.png 320w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051146-300x257.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 432px) 100vw, 432px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Weyermann-Malt-Aroma-Wheel_Weyermann-Abbey-Malt_Whole-Kernel.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-187\" width=\"430\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Weyermann-Malt-Aroma-Wheel_Weyermann-Abbey-Malt_Whole-Kernel.jpg 973w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Weyermann-Malt-Aroma-Wheel_Weyermann-Abbey-Malt_Whole-Kernel-300x296.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Weyermann-Malt-Aroma-Wheel_Weyermann-Abbey-Malt_Whole-Kernel-768x757.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Weyermann-Malt-Aroma-Wheel_Weyermann-Abbey-Malt_Whole-Kernel-945x931.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Weyermann-Malt-Aroma-Wheel_Weyermann-Abbey-Malt_Whole-Kernel-600x591.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 430px) 100vw, 430px\" \/><figcaption>Malt Flavor Wheel<br><em>Image by Weyermann.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>II) Hot Steep Analysis: Adapted as \u201cHot Malted Barley Tea Analysis\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It should now be about 15 minutes since you boiled water and poured \u00bc cup over each malted grain sample in three separate clear or white lined glass cups or heat safe glasses.&nbsp; Complete the following analysis by tasting each tea and cleansing your palate in between tastings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choose as many attributes as you would like from the provided MALT FLAVOR Maps<strong> that you think best differentiate the samples<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-051401.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-186\" width=\"432\" height=\"370\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408-1024x575.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408-945x531.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408-600x337.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-052408.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Malt Flavor Wheels: Wheat, Skagit Malt, and Copeland Malt<br><em>Image by Sarah Dyer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/craftmalting.com\/malt-sensory\/\">Craft Maltster&#8217;s Guild: Malt Sensory<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.brewersassociation.org\/attachments\/0001\/4752\/Malting_Barley_Characteristics_For_Craft_Brewers.pdf\">Malting Barley Characteristics for Craft Brewers<\/a> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.craftbeer.com\/craft-beer-muses\/beer-malt-science-breakthroughs\">Breakthroughs in the Science Behind Malt Flavor<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.craftbeer.com\/craft-beer-muses\/new-research-links-base-malt-flavor-to-drinkers-beer-preferences\">New Research Links Base Malt Flavor to Drinkers\u2019 Beer Preferences<\/a> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2e: Stuckey\u2019s Taste Book Experiments<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"633\" height=\"820\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-16-012403.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-285\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-16-012403.png 633w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-16-012403-232x300.png 232w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-16-012403-600x777.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 633px) 100vw, 633px\" \/><figcaption>Caleb Poppe leads our program through two experiments , a modified <em>Nose Smelling vs Mouth Smelling<\/em> and the <em>Spice Rack Challenge.<\/em><br>Image by Sarah Dyer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In this week&#8217;s taste experiments we dove deeper into our own senses of smell and aroma. Led by program aide Caleb Poppe, we walked through 2 experiments this week, a modified <em>Nose Smelling vs Mouth Smelling <\/em>on page 75&amp;76 and the <em>Spice Rack Challenge <\/em>on page 77&amp;78. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Supplies you\u2019ll need: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Spices, fresh AND dry if possible (10 max) <\/li><li>A couple of clean cups<\/li><li>A rag or paper towel<\/li><li>A clean piece of paper<\/li><li>Paper and pencil\/pen<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\">1<sup>st<\/sup> Experiment: \u201cTaste what you\u2019re missing: Spice Rack Aroma Challenge\u201d pages 77, 78 <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In this experiment we  put our powers of olfactory recollection to the test! After we had gathered up some of our spices, we were asked to put a small amount of each spice into its own individual cup so that you have various cups each containing a single spice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For some of our fresh spices it was good to rub them back and forth in our hands a few times before placing them into the cup to release some of the volatiles \u2013 once the spices were in the cup, we gathered them close together and covered them with a towel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the spices staged \u2013 we randomly pulled-out a cup with a mystery spice, smelled it, and guessed which one it was! No peeking! Once we made our guess, we opened our eyes to see if we were correct! If we guessed correctly, we set it aside (to use later). If we guessed <em>incorrectly we <\/em>put it back under the towel and gave it another go.  We did this until we hd blindly guessed all of our spices! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>**Challenge Stage!** <\/strong>With our eyes closed, we mixed a few of the spices together and shook them up so that they become homogeneous. This may also be done with already mixed spice blends that you may have in your spice rack, with blended curry seasonings, or even with coca-cola. Once we had a few cups of mixed-up spices, we covered them with the towel and did the challenge again, trying to differentiate which spices were mixed together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\">2<sup>nd<\/sup> Experiment: \u201cTaste what you\u2019re missing: Nose Smelling vs. Mouth Smelling\u201d page 75,76 <em>(MODIFIED)<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of using juice, butter, and peanut butter, we used the spice samples that we were using for the earlier experiment. We reset your cups so that they each contained a small amount of a single spice and covered them up with a towel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we had tested our nose\u2019s detective ability in trying to differentiate between smells, we played around a little with mouth smelling, that is, retro-nasally experiencing these spices. We were asked to have a clean piece of paper for this experiment in lieu of unnecessary plastic straws, instead rolling the piece of paper into a straw-like structure. Throughout this experiment, we kept our cups covered with a towel, ensuring that the majority of the volatiles remained within the cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now grab one of your spice cups and keep it covered, try to weasel your \u2018straw\u2019 under the rag so that we don\u2019t lose too many volatiles and go ahead a breath in through the straw. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still keeping the cups covered with a towel, we squeezed the paper straw under the towel and into the cup, careful that the straw is not actually in the spice. Breathing in through the straw, we were asked to remain reflective as we moved from one spice to the next. Did these spices retro-nasally smell differently than they nose smelled? How was this different than just smelling them with our noses? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We finished the experiment by taking small tastes of the spices that we had been using, paying attention to what senses were being triggered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\"> General Experiment Questions:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What spices did you decide to bring to this week\u2019s experiments?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I chose ten spices, all dried: Dill, Paprika, Coriander, Parsley, Sage, Black Pepper, Cloves, Thyme, Chili, and Cinnamon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is a <em>fond <\/em>memory that you have associated with a specific smell?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I  love the smell of wood smoke because it reminds me of my parents\u2019  restaurant and the wood smoke of the BBQ pit. All of our clothes carried  the smell as well, and while at the time it wasn\u2019t always pleasant, I  find myself drawn to the smell of smoke now.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What is an unpleasant memory that you have associated with a specific smell that you are willing to share?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I hate the smell of the industrial sanitizers they use in hospitals, which seem to be the same at all hospitals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\"> 1<sup>st<\/sup> Experiment Questions:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Did you find that you could easily differentiate between the smell of your spices? Do you think this is the case for all spices?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could easily differentiate between most of the spices,\n but after about 6 or seven, my nose became tingly and \u2018overwhelmed\u2019 by \nthe volatiles. I had a hard time distinguishing between coriander and \nblack pepper, both of which came toward the end of the experiment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What about when mixing them up and trying to tease apart the individual spices \u2013 did the smells mingle together or was it two distinct smells?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I  combined my spices into two mixes which I thought complemented each  other, which I will use for cooking later. I reserved my paprika for a garnish. The first mix is chili, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, and  cloves. The second is sage, parsley, thyme, and dill. Some spices in each mix seem to overwhelm others, which is why proportion is key when utilizing a mix of spices. The cinnamon and clove were the aromatic stars. The other mix was thyme and sage heavy, though both of those were my freshest spices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Were there any smells that surprised you when you opened your eyes and saw what spice you had been testing?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I thought I would more easily be able to distinguish between the spices  than I was. I\u2019m not sure if it is a failure of my palate or my old, old  spices.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"580\" height=\"605\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/image.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-269\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/image.png 580w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/image-288x300.png 288w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px\" \/><figcaption>This chart was taken from Nik Sharma\u2019s book, <em>The Flavor Equation. <\/em>It shows the relation and difference between enzymatic aromas and non-enzymatic aromas, stating that non-enzymatic aromas arise mostly from the process of heating\/cooking a substance, whereas enzymatic aromas arise from the natural biochemical processes of plant and animal cells.<br>Adapted from a document by Caleb Poppe.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What are your thoughts or takeaways from the Enzymatic Aroma Chart from Nik Sharma\u2019s Book, <em>The Flavor Equation? <\/em><\/strong><strong>Do you draw any parallels between what you just experienced in the 1<sup>st<\/sup><\/strong><strong> experiment?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It shows how aromas can transform once cooked, and alerted me to the fact that I had only tasted some of these spices after being cooked, which changed their volatile profile. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\"> 2<sup>nd<\/sup> Experiment Questions: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How did this experiment differ for you compared to the 1<sup>st<\/sup><\/strong><strong> experiment? Any of your spices stand out to you?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\n was so much easier than using my nose, as it utilized a mix of tongue \nand nose. The sensory experience of the volatiles on my tongue helped me\n to correctly identify each spice much easier than the previous \nexperiment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Between fresh and dry spices, which would you expect to have the highest amount of naturally occurring volatiles?&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fresh herbs or spices should have higher volatile levels, as they dissipate over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Imagine sitting down to a big bowl of hot soup, explain to me what you visualize is happening to the volatiles as they are leaving the soup and begin meeting your body.&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I imagine the volatiles wafting up towards me and when the aroma hits my nose being trapped in a steamy, aromatic cloud. As I open my mouth slightly, the aroma changes and I begin to salivate, the smell becoming deeper and more complex. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Once you had tasted your spices at the very end of the lab, were you able to differentiate between the interactions between your nose, mouth and tongue that take place to bring you the full picture of flavor?<\/strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I was able to distinguish the aromatic interactions between my nose, mouth, and tongue, though I was surprised to note that only after exploring each one singularly was I able to truly see a &#8220;bigger picture&#8221;. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>And lastly, my favorite question, what are some personal reflections that you had while going through these experiments?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I intimately connect these smells with the idea of work. Spices are one of the aromas that exemplify and permeate professional kitchens, and prep work will often involve having between 4 and 6 <strong>buckets<\/strong> of herbs and spices open at one time. I was also thinking about how much I appreciate pairing botanicals with cocktails, and how handsome a sprig of rosemary looks inside a glass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"This is How Smell Contributes to Flavor [From Our Sponsor]\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/w8P0Gc_Bbns?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption> Smell plays an incredibly important role in the way our brains perceive  flavor. The five tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami) are only  one part of the flavor equation, which also includes sight, sound, and  touch. Our sense of smell is what truly allows us to appreciate and  savor food.<br><em>Video produced by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mofad.org\/\">MOFAD<\/a> for their 2015 exhibition, Flavor: Making It and Faking It.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2f: Sustainable Entrepreneurship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644-945x532.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644-600x338.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061644.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Image by Sarah Dyer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Before helping build Group 2&#8217;s presentation last week, I was unaware of just how complicated the topic of GMOs could be; in exploring the confluence between GMOs, sustainability, food security, and entrepreneurship, I found no easy answers. What I did develop was the ability to critically analyze the tensions between science, public perception, and sustainability, as well as the means to identify and describe the enterprises and innovations surrounding GMOs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I narrated the portion of our presentation devoted to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.navdanya.org\/site\/index.php\">Navdanya<\/a>, an Indian Non-Governmental Organization, founded in 1987 by Dr. Vandana Shiva. Navdanya means both \u201cnine seeds\u201d and the \u201cnew gift\u201d in Hindi.&nbsp;Navdanya International, a sister organization, was founded as an NPO in Italy in 2011 to strengthen Navdanya\u2019s global outreach and mission.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728-1024x574.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728-1024x574.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728-945x530.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728-600x337.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-061728.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Image by Sarah Dyer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what is that mission? Navdanya is an Earth Centric, Women centric and Farmer led movement for the protection of Biological and cultural Diversity. They live and practice the philosophy of Earth Democracy (the basis of which is found in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bhagavad_Gita\">Bhagavad Gita<\/a> as Earth Family) with no separations between nature and humans and no hierarchies between species, culture, gender, race and faiths. For the purposes of this presentation, we focused in on Food Sovereignty and Seed Sovereignty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>FOOD SOVEREIGNTY<\/em><\/strong>\n is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food \nproduced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their \nright to define their own food and agriculture systems.&nbsp; It puts the \naspirations and needs of those who produce, distribute and consume food \nat the heart of food systems and policies rather than the demands of \nmarkets and corporations.&nbsp; It defends the interests and inclusion of the\n next generation.&nbsp; It offers a strategy to resist and dismantle the \ncurrent corporate trade and food regime, and directions for food, \nfarming, pastoral and fisheries systems determined by local producers \nand users.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Food\n sovereignty prioritizes local and national economies and markets and \nempowers peasant and family farmer-driven agriculture, \nartisanal-fishing, pastoralist-led grazing, and food production, \ndistribution and consumption based on environmental, social and economic\n sustainability.&nbsp; Food sovereignty promotes transparent trade that \nguarantees just incomes to all peoples as well as the rights of \nconsumers to control their food and nutrition.&nbsp; It ensures that the \nrights to use and manage lands, territories, waters, seeds, livestock \nand biodiversity are in the hands of those of us who produce food.&nbsp; Food\n sovereignty implies new social relations free of oppression and \ninequality between men and women, peoples, racial groups, social and \neconomic classes and generations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/seeds-of-hope-report.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-197\" width=\"302\" height=\"436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/seeds-of-hope-report.jpg 448w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/seeds-of-hope-report-208x300.jpg 208w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 302px) 100vw, 302px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>SEED SOVEREIGNTY<\/em><\/strong>  is the fundamental right of all peoples and generations to grow, use,  save, replant, breed, share, disseminate, exchange, barter and sell  seeds.&nbsp; It includes the right of access to open-sourced seeds that are  not genetically modified or otherwise altered contrary to Nature\u2019s own system. Seed  represents profound potential for improving our food and agricultural  systems. Plants can be bred to thrive without pesticides and to  naturally resist disease, and to be adaptable to changing regional  climates and environmental conditions; they can also be bred to improve  the quality of our food. However, to the seed company which has just  consolidated, maintaining regional varieties is less important than  providing increasingly productive seeds to for a limited number of  regions which produce most commercial fruits and vegetables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few issues surrounding the negative effects of corporate consolidation  in seed companies include both the availability of current varieties and  breeding of vegetable varieties for regional climates. Seed industry  consolidation leads to less choice and higher prices for farmers, as well as limiting diversity of seed in our landscapes and marketplace and weakens our food security. Often these companies are subsidiaries of chemical companies, creating a system in which farmers are kept reliant on inputs which are expensive and detrimental to the environment. These companies aggressively protect patent rights on seeds, which means less innovation and more restrictions on how seed is used and exchanged, including for seed saving and research purposes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When researchers use traditional knowledge without permission, or exploits the cultures they\u2019re drawing from, it\u2019s called <strong><em>BIOPIRACY<\/em><\/strong>. Biopiracy happens when researchers or research organizations take biological resources without official sanction, largely from less affluent countries or marginalized people. A less politically charged word for biopiracy is bioprospecting. This is more commonly used by research groups who attempt to search for biological resources in a legal and respectful manner.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although biopiracy might happen within a country, with elite groups or  government officials taking resources from less influential citizens, it has more of a reputation for occurring between different countries. Biopiracy often accentuates power inequalities between wealthy,  technology-rich countries and less affluent, yet bioresource-rich, countries. Historically, biopiracy has been linked to colonialism, with formerly colonized countries having many of their resources forcibly removed. You might think of biopiracy as scientific colonialism.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Vandana Shiva \u2013 No Patents on Seeds!\" width=\"676\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/hjoT4kYmR3g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption> In this short video, Vandana Shiva explores some of her reasoning for  opposing GMOs through her organization Navdanya. Pay special attention  to what she says about biopiracy and patents on seeds.<br><em>Video by Navdanya.&nbsp; <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p><em>\u201cA patent on seed implies that a farmer saving seed is an &#8216;intellectual property thief &#8216;. But it means more. A system in which seed has become a corporate monopoly, a system in which a few companies control the seed supply is in effect a system of slavery for farmers. Where the freedom of seed disappears, the freedom of farmers disappears.\u201d<\/em>\u200b<\/p><cite>Dr vandana shiva<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>So why does Navdanya oppose GMO\u2019s?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419-1024x575.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419-945x531.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419-600x337.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-080419.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><em>Image by Sarah Dyer.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>Seed Sovereignty and therefore food sovereignty is not respected.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Biodiversity is compromised.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Health and wellbeing of all life is compromised.&nbsp;<\/li><li>Biopiracy is a threat to farmers and food systems. At present, Navdanya has filed suit and won in the EU against biopiracy patenting of Neem, Basmati Rice, and Wheat.&nbsp;<\/li><li>GMO companies ARE chemical fertilizer companies, as we will see.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>India has witnessed around 300,000 farmer-suicides over the past two decades. Biotech opponents attribute most of these suicides to the  monopolization of the cotton seed sector. Suspected links surfaced 3  years before the seed\u2019s commercialization by Monsanto They characterize  this distressing phenomenon as \u2018genocide\u2019, averring that such suicides  were unheard of prior to the commodification. They argue that the 2002 introduction of Bt. cotton dramatized the situation.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/video\/independent-lens-seed-untold-story-perils-chemical-farming-clip\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"574\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401-1024x574.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-198\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401-1024x574.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401-945x530.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401-600x337.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081401.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><figcaption> I shared a short clip from the film Seed: The Untold Story, which I hope added context to the subject of Bt. cotton in India and Navdanya\u2019s opposition to GMO seeds. <br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Holding transgenic seeds responsible, they dubbed them \u201cSeeds of  Suicide, Seeds of Slavery, and Seeds of Despair\u201d. Huge media coverage  and a parliamentary committee report have intensified the debate. The <em>Acharya<\/em> report attributes the increase of farmer-suicides after 2002 to Bt. cotton cultivation. Similarly, <em>Daily Mail<\/em> and <em>The Guardian journalists<\/em> and the award-winning documentary <em>Bitter Seeds<\/em>  also link Bt. cotton cultivation with farmer-suicide. This linkage was  alleged also by Charles, the prince of Wales. These allegations have been criticized by others for their lack of scientific rigor, especially the lack of transparency in their methodology.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To conclude my portion of the presentation, I called attention to the ownership changes occurring from 1996, when  the top three corporations in the global seed industry controlled 22% of the industry, to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930-1024x575.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-199\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930-945x531.png 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930-600x337.png 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Screenshot-2021-02-02-081930.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption> Note that the size of the largest circles is proportional to global seed sales, which are dominated by Bayer and Corteva.<br><em>Image by Dr. Phil Howard.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In recent years, the \u201cBig 6\u201d agrichemical\/seed firms have combined into the \u201cBig 4\u201d:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Dow and DuPont merged in 2015 and then divided into three companies, including Corteva&nbsp;<\/li><li>Chemchina acquired Syngenta&nbsp;<\/li><li>Bayer acquired Monsanto&nbsp;<\/li><li>Bayer\u2019s seed divisions were sold to BASF (BASF SE is a German multinational chemical company and the largest chemical producer in the world.)&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These four firms now control an estimated <strong>60+%<\/strong> of global proprietary seed sales.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Presentation.pdf\">GMO Presentation &#8211; PDF<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/02\/Presentation.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2g: Climate and Resilience Event Series\/Seminar<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2h: Foodoir: Your Story of Tasting Place<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\"><p> \u201cPeople ask me: Why do you write about food? Why don\u2019t you write about the struggle for power and security, and about love, the way others do?<\/p><p>They ask it accusingly, as if I were somehow gross, unfaithful to the honor of my craft.<\/p><p>The easiest answer is to say that, like most other humans, I am hungry. But there is more than that. It seems to me that our three basic needs, for food and security and love, are so mixed and mingled and entwined that we cannot straightly think of one without the others. So it happens that when I write of hunger, I am really writing about love and the hunger for it, and warmth and the love of it and the hunger for it\u2026and then the warmth and richness and fine reality of hunger satisfied\u2026and it is all one.<\/p><p>I tell about myself and how I ate bread on a lasting  hillside, or drank red wine in a room now blown to bits, and it happens without my willing it that I am telling too about the people with me then, and their other deeper needs for love and happiness.<\/p><p>There is food in the bowl, and more often than not, because of what honesty I have, there is nourishment in the heart, to feed the wilder, more insistent hungers. We must eat. If, in the face of that dread fact, we can find other nourishment, and tolerance and compassion for it, we\u2019ll  be no less full of human dignity.<\/p><p>There is communion of more than our bodies when bread is broken and wine drunk. And that is my answer, when people ask me: Why do you write about hunger, and not wars or  love?\u201d <\/p><cite> <strong>M.F.K. Fisher,&nbsp;<\/strong>The Gastronomical Me, Foreword<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-wordpress aligncenter wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-literary-hub\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"vlXzKEILp2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/lithub.com\/ruth-reichl-on-m-f-k-fishers-lifetime-of-joyous-eating\/\">Ruth Reichl on M.F.K. Fisher&#8217;s Lifetime of Joyous Eating<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe title=\"&#8220;Ruth Reichl on M.F.K. Fisher&#8217;s Lifetime of Joyous Eating&#8221; &#8212; Literary  Hub\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" src=\"https:\/\/lithub.com\/ruth-reichl-on-m-f-k-fishers-lifetime-of-joyous-eating\/embed\/#?secret=vlXzKEILp2\" data-secret=\"vlXzKEILp2\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>This absolutely wonderful article on M.F.K. Fisher&#8217;s life and writing influenced this first foodoir heavily, and while I was inspired by <em>The Gastronomical Me<\/em>, I found this window into Mary Francis&#8217;s last days poignant.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-center\"> Kirksville Calling <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The summer I turned sixteen, my younger brother and I were sent to visit  my maternal great-grandmother in Kirksville, Missouri. My aunt was driving a monstrous, black Chevy Suburban with my four cousins, younger brother and myself sprawled indelicately across the cabin; her goal was to deliver us to our grandmother&#8217;s house and to collect us two weeks later. I think it may have been the first time I&#8217;d traveled farther North than Tennessee, and I was terribly car sick for the entire ride.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Granny B, Bernice Olive Mullanix, was a hard woman. My grandfather  worked for the railroad before settling in rural Adair County, Missouri to open a general store, feed store, and eventually a dairy farm. My mother reports that she was always tough and strict while my great grandfather would whittle his granddaughters little toys or tell them stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The worst trouble of my mother&#8217;s young life happened upon the occasion of a visit to the Martinstown Store, in which she and her sisters wore their dress-up heels and climbed over all the feed bags, poking little heel-shaped holes in Every. Single. Bag. Granny B was livid and not even my Grandfather Beryl saved them from the switch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So this was the woman to whom we two teenagers were shipped for two  weeks. We were suspicious to say the least; it all seemed so much like a  punishment. That first night, we sat at her kitchen table waiting anxiously for our meal. Well, I wasn&#8217;t so anxious; I had always been an adventurous eater, not picky and willing to experiment. My brother, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I will never forget Granny B setting a large dish of canned green beans on the table, along with a bottle of French dressing, and saying,  &#8220;Here&#8217;s a good salad for you.&#8221; I looked at my brother and he looked at  me. I shrugged, loading my plate, and he pouted, pushing the beans around his in an effort to look engaged. It was one of the first things, we agreed, that stood out about this strange trip. But it wasn&#8217;t the last.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Don&#8217;t upset the pop on the Davenport!&#8221;, Granny B called from the kitchen. I didn&#8217;t understand a word of it, and went about my business. My brother sipped his Coke. &#8220;What&#8217;s a Davenport?&#8221;, he asks me. I don&#8217;t know&#8230; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Granny B took us on endlessly long car rides through rural Missouri, calling out local points of interest, sites of family history, and Grandpa Beryl&#8217;s grave. I don&#8217;t remember getting out of the car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We spent every day seeking a way to get out of the house. We wandered the streets of Kirksville, haunting the local mod bookstore and drinking free, bad coffee. My brother&#8217;s hair grew in beautiful, long black ringlets and we were mistaken for sisters on more than one occasion. We went to the pool only once: the water in June was still blisteringly cold and we left an hour later with blue fingertips, looking over our shoulders and wondering how the other kids could handle it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We left Kirksville two weeks later, traveled home, and it fell to the back of my memory. My sweet sixteen came and went, and a decade of birthdays after that, before I began to understand the power, potential and failure of that summer. My grandmother was a hard, strict, <strong>miraculous<\/strong> woman, and it took me many years longer than it should have to understand that fact in its fullness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She was the town&#8217;s first postmistress, she ran the dairy as a solo venture, and she managed the Martinstown Store. She lived through hardship, food insecurity, and was the master of her own destiny in a time when that was rare for women. She didn&#8217;t smile unless she meant it. She raised a daughter, who though stricken by polio, went on to attend New York University, earning a degree in journalism. She contributed recipes to her daughter&#8217;s newspaper for 20 years under the pseudonym &#8220;Grandma Neighbor&#8221;. She was the hero I needed as a teenager, but one whom I didn&#8217;t accept or appreciate at the time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t remember Granny cooking much. I vaguely recall a dish of kielbasa and overcooked cabbage, but nothing stands out more than those canned green beans. Granny wasn&#8217;t much for cooking: she didn&#8217;t seem to have time for it. And that seems to be as much a part of my terroir as anything else.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP-1024x686.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP-1024x686.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP-768x515.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP-945x633.jpg 945w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP-600x402.jpg 600w, https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/626\/2021\/01\/IMG_20210120_035910003_MP.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption> From the left: my mother Alice, Bernice &#8216;Granny B&#8217; Mullanix, and my aunt Jeannie. This photo was taken the summer we went to stay with Granny B in Kirksville. As you can see from the picture, my grandmother didn&#8217;t suffer fools well, as they say.<br><em>Photography by Sarah Dyer.<\/em> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2>\u2022<strong>#2i: Bibliography<\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2022#2a: Film Series: Program Questions in Scenes &#8220;A Grain to Dismantle Late-Stage Capitalism&#8221; I titled my scene from the Patagonia film\u202fUnbroken Ground, \u201cA Grain to Dismantle\u202fLate-Stage\u202fCapitalism\u201d (13:34 \u2013 16:11) to explore\u202fthe two program questions: \u201cHow can terroir\/meroir best be understood,&#8230; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/2021\/01\/07\/2-grains-weeks-3-4\/\">Continue Reading &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":455,"featured_media":334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/455"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":397,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19\/revisions\/397"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wordpress.evergreen.edu\/wintertastingbysarahd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}