THE SOUTHERN WILLAMETTE VALLEY BEAN AND GRAIN PROJECT
We hear the slogan "eat local" over and over again, but what does it really mean? It's more than just eating fresher food. It's about preserving local food systems. It's about food security and common sense management of the pantry. Here in Oregon's Willamette Valley we have the agricultural potential to feed the valley residents twice over. And yet we grow rye grass and fescue for grass seed and ninety-five percent of what we eat in this fertile valley is imported. With the price of all fossil fuels on the rise, this makes no economic or agricultural sense at all. Harry MacCormack of Sunbow Farm in Corvallis, Oregon has conceived a plan to turn this around.
The Southern Willamette Valley Bean and Grain Project is a step by step strategy to rebuild the local food system by increasing the quantity and diversity of the food crops that are grown in the Willamette Valley. The Bean and Grain Project also seeks to evaluate deficiencies in the food system infrastructure, build buyer/seller relationships for locally grown food, and compile information on organic and sustainable agricultural practices specific to this region. As the name of the project implies, central to the task is stimulating the cultivation and local marketing of organically grown staple crops like beans and grains to provide a foundation for year-round food resources in the Willamette Valley. See the Bean and Grain Project Report One for the foundational information of this work.
LOCAL FOOD CONNECTION:
Linking Farmers, Ranchers, Fisherman, & Food Buyers
February 6, 2012 Lane Community College
The Local Food Connection is excited to be celebrating its 6th annual event bringing local farmers, ranchers and fishermen together with area food buyers on Monday, February 6, 2012 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm in Eugene at Lane Community College. See Flyer. Read details about Food Connection.
BEAN AND GRAIN PROJECT INDEX
Below is a hyperlinked listing of all the Bean and Grain Project documents. The first column contains reports from the farm tours, farmer meetings, and market events held by the Southern Willamette Valley Bean and Grain Project. They are listed in reverse chronological order and provide a complete history of the project. The second column contains Youtube videos, interviews, and articles related to the Bean and Grain Project work. The third column is a growing list of bean and grain recipes (submissions welcome) intended to open readers to an expanded diet of a wide variety of beans and grains. There may be no better way to stretch your food dollar and increase the nutritional value of your meals than learning how to cook with bulk beans and grains.
There is an additional page of listings that relate specifically to Harry MacCormack and his work at Sunbow Farm. Go to Reports from Sunbow for access to this listing.
| B&G PROJECT REPORTS |
RELATED ARTICLES |
BEAN AND GRAIN RECIPES |
| Project Report Fourteen: November, 2011 Two Fill-Your-Pantry Markets. |
Reports from Sunbow: Harry MacCormack document list. |
Teff-o-Lenta |
| Project Report Thirteen, July-August, 2011: Two Farm tours. |
Compost Tea: Promises and Practicalities, Elaine Ingham. |
No-knead bread |
| Project Report Twelve, April 30, 2011: Fill-Your-Pantry Market 2. |
Bean and Grain Project YouTube Video: A nice encapsolation of the B&G Project as told by key members of the project. |
Falafel and Grilled Zucchini |
| Project Report Eleven, April, 2011: Spring Farmers Meeting. |
Crops and Yields 2008: Planting and harvest results from B&G growers. |
Barley, Beans, and Greens Soup |
| Project Report Ten, November, 2010: Fall Farmers Meeting. |
Why Beans and Grains? There are plenty of reasons to grow beans and grains. Dry storage, modest water needs, nitrogen fixing are just a few. |
Green Beans and Grain |
| Project Report Nine, October, 2010: Fill-your-Pantry Market. |
Clint Lindsey's Corvallis Farmer Blogspot: A Conventional Farm Transitions to Organic. |
Home Made Bread |
| Project Report Eight, August, 2010: Three Summer Farm Tours. |
A Visit to Open Oak Farm: Interview transcript and video. |
Potato-Garbanzo Bean Soup |
| Project Report Seven, March, 2010: Spring Farmers Meetings. |
A Conversaton with the Seed Ambassadors: Interview transcript and video. |
Punjabi Cholay |
| Project Report Six, October, 2009: Three Farmers Meetings. |
Agricultural Transition in the Willamette Valley: A look to the future of agriculture in the Willamette Valley. |
Garbanzo-Potato Salad |
| Project Report Five, July, 2009: Summer Farm Tour. |
Local Foods Project Final Report 2008: Ten Rivers Food Web. |
Garbanzo Bean Tempe |
| Project Report Four, March, 2009: Spring Farm Meetings. |
Rebuilding the Life of the Soil: An Interview with Shepard Smith of Soilsmith Services. |
Barley Risotto with Grilled Vegetables |
| Project Report Three, January, 2009: Winter Farmers Meeting. |
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Buckwheat Crepes |
| Project Report Two, June-November, 20008: First Growing Season. |
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Wheat Berries with Snap Peas and Magenta Spreen |
| Project Report One, January-June, 2008: The B&G Project Begins. |
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Gluten-Free Waffles |
| Southern Willamette Valley Bean and Grain Project Working Documents: Early documentation of the B&G Project. |
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