Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Flour on My Face and Flour on The Brain.

And thus it begins - three months covered in a perpetual layer of fine organic flour.

I'm working for my friend Aviv at his bakery, Sidewalk Citizen. It's a small operation (I'm his first employee) but a very busy one. So busy, in fact, that the phrase "remind Aviv to sleep" should be written into my job description.

When I'm not at the bakery I'm learning about a wheat variety called Red Fife, my topic for our final UNISG paper (which, as much as I'm reluctant to remind myself, is due very soon). The more research I do, the more interesting it becomes, and the more I feel like I'm drowning in a field of grain. The politics of seed are complicated, people.

I've heard from many wonderful farmers and bread bakers, and had the chance to visit a farm where Mark Gibeau grows Red Fife. He's now in the process of setting up a small mill and generously took the time to show Aviv and I his whole setup. Here are a few photos from the farm and bakery.

This has been a lovely break. I must now return to my beautiful and confusing field of wheat.