Inspiration is Mega Fun

The imagination is sparked by the Lawns to Loaves project. Even in this cold wet winter, the inbox continues to fill with stories of  how Lawns to Loaves has inspired. Check out some excerpts from a photo essay by Derek Spragg, a neighbour who attended the Lawns to Loaves celebration:

This first photograph got me so excited I had them put it back up on the screen three times as things kept going wrong for me in the rush; running out of camera memory, didn’t need the flash, etc, etc.  I loved it immediately because it said so much in such a simple manner.  And it epitomised exactly what these (mainly) young people were trying to do.  I told them it reminded me that, as a young boy during the war – 2nd WW if you’re wondering 🙂 – I remembered learning that some children in London were asked where their milk came from.  Their answer? … from a bottle.

In this simple photograph I see the wheat beautifully linked to one of its end products … the loaf.  And if the London children had seen it, it would answer another question they probably wouldn’t be able to respond to correctly, “Where does your bread come from?”

And talking of children, I was delighted to learn that these young folks organising this event, also went out into our schools – around the Grade 9 age I was told – to give them a hands-on experience.  As a retired teacher myself, I couldn’t help but feel good about that.

…

Later, when I got home, I summed up my experience to friends with a simple term … ‘Mega Fun’.  The social aspect of this simple activity was something I didn’t expect.  It, like the wood stove, gave me a warm fuzzy feeling, something I mused that we may have moved away from over the years, living in our concrete jungles like Vancouver.

Wheat by Numbers

As 2011 Lawns to Loaves draws to a close, we’ve crunched some numbers as well as crunched some tasty local grains! After a year of growing and processing our own grains, everyone is even more grateful for the farmers and processors who take on producing our daily bread. Learning hands-on what it takes to produce flour has been a memorable experience for all.

The Lawns to Loaves workshops were a huge hit. We had more requests than we could accommodate. 

Students Reached: 190

School Yard Planted in Grains (approx.): 60’ x 60’

The learning objectives were:

• Describe some of the different elements that compose our modern food system;
• Describe different ways in which our food system impacts human and environmental health;
• Describe how food has helped to shape human culture and civilizations through history;
• Collaborate to construct a vision of a future community that is socially responsible and ecologically diverse;
• List the steps in planting, caring for and harvesting wheat.

Culture and food have always been linked.

The first year of Lawns to Loaves supported individuals, schools and community  groups to plant red spring wheat.

So far we’ve milled 50 pounds of wheat

Lawns to Loaves is growing! In 2012 the list of local wheat cultivators is increasing. It will include more schools, a bakery, more neighbours, and you? If you’d like to get contacted in the spring about planting local grains email: lawnstoloaves@gmail.com

Doh!

By popular demand here is the pizza dough recipe. Some say it was the best pizza they’d ever had.

Lawns to Loaves Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sifted whole grain flour (red spring wheat)
• 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten
• scant ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 ¼ cup warm water
• 2 tsp local unpasteurized honey
• 1 pkg dry active yeast

1. Mix warm water and honey. Add yeast and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Mix flour, gluten and salt. Mix well.
3. Add yeast mixture to well. Mix with wooden spoon. Add olive oil and mix again until combined.
4. Sprinkle flour over a clean counter surface. Roll dough into a ball on the counter. Add flour as needed. (Can be generous here.) Kneed in long strokes until nice ball forms.
5. Place ball of dough in large bowl and cover with tea towel for 45min to 1 hour. (Option to kneed again and let rise a second time for another 45min.) Should double in size.
6. Split into 2 halves. (Each half makes one large pizza.) Stretch into circles by hand (use rolling pin if necessary.) Add more flour as needed.
7. Place on parchment paper or pizza stone, and top with favourite ingredients.

Wood fired deliciousness