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Tuesday, January 03, 2012

"Park" wheat - our heritage variety

Over the years, we have found that the Park variety of wheat has been the most successful for us in our organic rotation. Park is a heritage variety that was finally released to the public in 1963. It has a lineage of parents that go back directly to North America's first commercial wheat "Red Fife".

Park Wheat - 1963 from "Thatcher"
Thatcher - 1935 from "Marquis" and a Durum variety (maybe this is why Park makes such great pasta?)
Marquis - 1910 from "Red Fife" and "Hard Red Calcutta"
Red Fife - 1885 See a bit of it's history in my video below.


We have grown several different varieties of wheat over the years. Our professional bakers have always been our best source of information as to the actual baking qualities of different wheats. Park Wheat flour from our farm is currently being used exclusively in Bon Ton Bakery's Heritage Whole Wheat loaf and other select products in their store.

This is the same wheat that my Grandfather grew in the 60's and 70's and today it produces as well as it did then. Park is our main wheat variety and as a heritage variety, we'll protect it for future generations to enjoy.

2 comments:

  1. We never get good brands here in Asia, though. :(

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  2. no you don't...that's because the Canadian Wheat Board only markets the most modern, registered varieties available from seed companies. I would not be allowed to deliver a de-registered variety like Park to a CWB elevator. When the CWB is not the monopoly on Canadian wheat marketing perhaps shipments of heritage varieties will be made overseas? The demand will dictate...that's why its important for people to demand heritage foods.

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