L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2019 www.italoamericano.org 12 L'Italo-Americano W heat fields have decorat- ed the rolling hills of Tus- cany for thousands of years. Interspersed amongst linear vineyards and sil- ver-leafed olive groves, the gold- en grain has nourished genera- tion after generation, just as it continues to do so today. In recent decades, however, a silent but profound change has taken place with hardly a notice from most. The once prolific ancient strains of wheat have been pushed aside, forgotten, as hybridized and modified strains have taken their place. Hearty, robust loaves of bread eventually gave way to industrialized soft- textured varieties. C h a n g e a l w a y s b e g s a "Why?" And in most cases, the answer seems to be entwined in t h e a n s w e r o f " M o n e y , o f course." Ancient grain varietals produce a long-stalked wheat low in gluten, high in nutrients, and self-reliant against insects and fungus due to their height and deep root system. They also break easily in windy conditions a n d p r o d u c e a l o w e r o v e r a l l yield. Along came moderniza- tion and technology — not a bad thing generally — and farmers were presented with modified varieties of seed that produce short-stalked, rapid growing, high gluten (good for mass pro- duction of products), and dam- age resistant crops. Even with the need to incorporate pesti- cides, herbicides, and fertilizers, f a r m e r s c a n p r o d u c e h i g h e r yields with less cost to meet bur- geoning export needs world- wide. Along with the demise of these ancient grains, old meth- ods and traditions faded from use as automated, industrialized methods took over. It would be unfair to call this modernization disingenuous, but the long-term effects became a p p a r e n t : n u t r i t i o n a l v a l u e diminished, chemicals entered the food chain, gluten sensitivi- ties increased, and bread just wasn't as good as it used to be. People noticed; the pendulum of change was set in motion. "Ground Zero" movements formed in many Italian commu- nities (as too in the United States for similar reasons) as a means to educate, as well as promote short food chains — locally pro- duced, seasonal food from a known source. One such initia- tive was the Filiera Corta estab- lished in 2002 in Montespertoli, an agrarian Tuscan community of about 12,000 located just southwest of Florence. This m o v e m e n t s o u g h t t o b r i n g together community farmers and bakers who could then sell their wares within a limited 40-mile radius of production. Happily joining the program was Gianni Pasiscopi, the local owner of the one remaining mill in Tuscany with stone-grinding capability. As great as it sounds, the pro- gram sustained only minimal success. The bread produced by a few local bakeries just didn't o f f e r e n o u g h u n i q u e s e l l i n g points to maintain ongoing inter- est. In the meantime, just a short distance away at the University of Florence, a plant geneticist by the name of Professor Stefano B e n e d e t t e l l i w a s d e e p l y involved in research focused on r e v i v i n g a n c i e n t g r a i n s . H i s vision was to resurrect these v a r i e t a l s , r e i n t r o d u c i n g t h e health and cultural benefits they could provide. It made perfect sense, then, to seek out a like- minded person to explore these ideas with – and he found that with Gianni Pasiscopi and his mill. The two met in 2008, and it was soon apparent they had a shared vision. The groundwork was laid for what would become G r a n i A n t i c h i d i Montespertoli — The Ancient G r a i n s A s s o c i a t i o n o f Montespertoli. H o w w o u l d t h i s d i f f e r , though, from the earlier Filiera Corta project other than using ancient wheat seed? Benedettelli a n d P a s i s c o p i k n e w a m a j o r component was relationship – b r i n g i n g t h e f a r m e r , m i l l e r , baker, and citizens together for the united cause of resurrecting old methods, traditions, and con- n e c t i o n . B e n e d e t t e l l i w o u l d facilitate providing already-in- production ancient wheat to be stoneground at Pasiscopi's mill. But a baker was needed, and Pasiscopi's friend, the local baker Marco Panchetti, entered the collaboration. Soon others followed – old w a y s h a d t o b e t a u g h t a n d relearned. Farming techniques, stone milling, revival of tradi- tional cultural methods, from planting to baking…it was the "new old" for this community willing to give it a try. By 2010, wheat production had begun. Integral to the success of any paradigm shift is support. To facilitate this, the Grani Antichi designed and oversees what is a called a Short Chain System. In short (pun partially intended), farmers sustainably grow ancient durum and common wheat vari- eties; the miller stone grinds, as well as stores seeds; pasta mak- ers and bakers get the resultant flour while farmers get seed; bread and pasta products are sold within the region. The broader scope includes ongoing research and support from the University of Florence, as well as hands on p r o f e s s i o n a l o v e r s i g h t f r o m a g r o n o m i s t s a n d i n p u t f r o m association members, which includes any citizen wishing to join. This project, however, has not yet been embraced by national government. Profit margins are lower, and the large agro-indus- try model doesn't mesh with small scale, traditional practice. Fortunately for Grani Antichi, Florence's city council has rec- ognized the inherent value to the environment and community and promotes the Association's goals — as does the local government of Montespertoli. In fact, the mayor's policy is zero interfer- ence with regulation and pledged support for citizen initiatives. T h e A n c i e n t G r a i n s Association isn't the only pro- gram of its type in Italy; howev- er, it is proving to be one of the most successful due in part to its pledge to make sure the farmer is well-paid. And perhaps the true glue is the focus on relationship, on bringing together the cast of townsfolk necessary for the fin- ished project, which absolutely includes the consumers…the cit- izens of the region. To their credit, Grani Antichi also sees supporting the creation of other successful associations within Italy as one of its main purposes. To this effect, citizen associa- tion members are also given a voice in decisions and growth directives. But it's not all boring m e e t i n g s a n d l o n g a g e n d a s ! Events and festivals featuring demonstrations of traditional f a r m i n g m e t h o d s , p a s t a a n d bread making, and all things related to field to table produc- tion are held throughout the year. Community ties and traditions lost with modern automation are experiencing a renaissance along with the sustainable, land-heal- ing old methods of farming and healthier ways of eating! Demand for the Association's products is ever-growing, despite the higher supply chain prices necessary. Awareness of the added personal health benefits, as well as supporting a self-sus- taining environment and healthi- er economy are big motivators – along with the satisfying taste. But possibly even more reward- ing – the tangible joys of break- ing good bread with a united c o m m u n i t y a n d r e v i v i n g t h e roots of a lost cultural past. New life for ancient wheat: Montespertoli's Ancient Grains Association PAULA REYNOLDS The unmistakable gold of the wheat fields of Tuscany LIFESTYLE FASHION FOOD ARTS ADVICE LANGUAGE The Grani Antichi di Montespertoli association wants to value the old, tradi- tional cereal cultures of Tuscany (Copyrights: graniantichitoscani.com)

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