Two years ago Shelley Spruit’s cooking was the highlight of the LWCCN Europe Conference in France. But Shelley is more than a cook – she’s a grain farmer in Ontario, Canada, working with her husband Tony to grow and distribute ancient traditional grain varieties to other farmers, chefs and restaurants. Here’s Shelley’s latest note to us:
This has been an exciting and humbling journey this year at Against the Grain. Once again; as farmers we have experienced the climate challenges as our unusually wet, cold long spring left spring planting three weeks delayed. We had over 29 varieties of heritage wheat, barley in grow outs and 22 heritage dried beans. We harvested a variety of black barley that has taken 4 years of grow out to re-establish seed stock and was such a joy to see it come off the field. Many visitors including chefs, bakers, consumers and ecologically concerned came to the farm and I have been able to share the wonder of God’s goodness by providing seed to all. I believe this is my mission field and sharing with others the importance of bio-diversity and seed sovereignty is part of my passion as I acknowledge they are His seeds, not to be owned or controlled.
Learn more about Shelley and Tony at
savourottawa.ca/against-the-grain/
And here’s a great video profile of Shelley from the Europe Conference:
https://vimeo.com/236053515
