There were some really cool stories in the December Smithsonian and I just had to share them.
"Artisanal Wheat on the Rise" tells the story of small farmers around the U.S. who are giving old wheat stock a try. The jury is still out on whether the taste alone merits its cultivation, but the article touches on other benefits, too. Because I'm have a passion for history and the environment, I like to follow stories on rare breeds and seeds. It's fascinating to read about the way in which plants and animals were adapted to their environment. And I like to hear about the renewed appreciation for this specificity over one-size-fits-all monoculture with its intendant dangers. Besides preserving biodiversity, I love the thought of being able to taste a food the way my ancestors did, to put myself in their shoes for a little while.
Speaking of getting in touch with our ancestors, I was excited to read about a Smithsonian project with the Osage tribe in which early 20th-century busts of tribal members have been rediscovered and people are getting to meet their grandfathers face-to-face! The Smithsonian is working with family members and the tribal museum to have copies made for them. And from my part of the country comes a story about a dam removal project on the Elwha River in Washington State that will provide the opportunity for the Klallam people to walk their ancestral land for the first time in over a century.
(Also from my old stomping grounds, an article on Clarence Darrow, that asks whether he might have bribed a jury member, references the Special Collections at the University of Oregon.)
"Artisanal Wheat on the Rise" tells the story of small farmers around the U.S. who are giving old wheat stock a try. The jury is still out on whether the taste alone merits its cultivation, but the article touches on other benefits, too. Because I'm have a passion for history and the environment, I like to follow stories on rare breeds and seeds. It's fascinating to read about the way in which plants and animals were adapted to their environment. And I like to hear about the renewed appreciation for this specificity over one-size-fits-all monoculture with its intendant dangers. Besides preserving biodiversity, I love the thought of being able to taste a food the way my ancestors did, to put myself in their shoes for a little while.
Speaking of getting in touch with our ancestors, I was excited to read about a Smithsonian project with the Osage tribe in which early 20th-century busts of tribal members have been rediscovered and people are getting to meet their grandfathers face-to-face! The Smithsonian is working with family members and the tribal museum to have copies made for them. And from my part of the country comes a story about a dam removal project on the Elwha River in Washington State that will provide the opportunity for the Klallam people to walk their ancestral land for the first time in over a century.
(Also from my old stomping grounds, an article on Clarence Darrow, that asks whether he might have bribed a jury member, references the Special Collections at the University of Oregon.)
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