Wheat Farmer's Dilemma

A coworker asked me today if I was familiar with a book called "Bread Belly" or somesuch. "Wheat Belly? Yes," I said, "I'm very familiar with it."

Her husband bought the book after a friend of his raved about it, having lost 65 pounds on Dr. Davis's wheat-free, low-carb way of eating. The friend is a wheat farmer.

"What's he going to do, knowing that wheat is so bad?"

"I suppose he'll be like a diabetic sugar farmer, who can't have sugar even though other people can have it, or he could grow corn or soybeans."

If the wheat-free wheat farmer continues his food education, he'll learn that growing any of these things isn't any great service to his countrymen. Will he do something better with his farm? Or will he be like cigarette executives who don't smoke or entertainers who don't let their kids listen to their work?

Comments

Exceptionally Brash said…

If he is really smart, he'll catch him some Joel Salatin and then adapt some of the techniques to his area.

November 05, 2012

Lori Miller said…

I was thinking of Joel Salatin, too.

Knowing some of the people involved, the farmer probably lives where buffalo used to roam. Maybe they can do so again.

November 05, 2012

tess said…

my husband is going to be inheriting a quarter-section of land in Kansas one of these days, which has been planted to wheat since it was first cultivated.... we've talked a bit about what will become of it when we take possession, but nothing is decided at this point. we don't really think we're interested in farming it OURSELVES, but if there's a local guy who would be interested in growing emmer or einkorn (or another heritage crop), we would definitely consider letting him do THAT....

November 06, 2012

Lori Miller said…

If wheat consumption is down, as Dr. Davis says it is, then looking for alternatives makes good business sense as well.

November 06, 2012

tess said…

and it never has returned much on "investment" -- my MIL just has a sentimental attachment to the family "business"! if it weren't in such an unappealing part of the country, we might have considered moving there, but under the circumstances....

November 07, 2012

Lori Miller said…

There's a reason they call it "fly-over country."

November 07, 2012

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