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Growing wheat in the Big Apple"We want to promote the life cycle of grain, from farm to plate and teach the urban audience about agriculture, specifically wheat production," says Cindy Falk, nutrition coordinator for Kansas Wheat and board member of the Wheat Foods Council. "We're after a broad audience. There are adults who don't know that white bread is made from wheat. We also think this is a great opportunity for New York classrooms and youth clubs to learn about agriculture." Kansas The frenzied pace of a typical Kansas wheat harvest is a stark contrast to the oft-relaxed atmosphere of Kansas. The hustle-and-bustle of a full-swing harvest somewhat resembles the hectic schedule one might experience in, say, New York City. Come Oct. 6 to 8, the Kansas wheat harvest and New York City will collide, as the Wheat Foods Council will team up with dozens of sponsors to bring the "Urban Wheat Field" to the heart of the Big Apple. The quarter-acre wheat field, which will be located in the South Street Seaport area of New York City, will showcase the different stages of a growing wheat crop, from early season lush green growth to the golden grains of harvest. It's not every day that a wheat field is planted in the middle of New York City. The Wheat Foods Council is banking on that novelty to introduce production agriculture to the urban media, consumers and children. "We want to promote the life cycle of grain, from farm to plate and teach the urban audience about agriculture, specifically wheat production," says Cindy Falk, nutrition coordinator for Kansas Wheat and board member of the Wheat Foods Council. "We're after a broad audience. There are adults who don't know that white bread is made from wheat. We also think this is a great opportunity for New York classrooms and youth clubs to learn about agriculture." The Urban Wheat Field will address the hot-button issues prevalent in the urban media, such as the price of food, and food-to-fuel myths, Falk says. Dozens of pallets of growing wheat will be hauled into the city by semi-trucks, giving passers-by the chance to see what a wheat field looks like. Participant interaction is encouraged, with a full-sized CaseIH combine cab provided by CNH Global and miniature grain mills, courtesy of ADM, will be in operation for folks to learn how grain is made into flour. If city officials can work out the logistics, plans are underway to bring a brand-new combine to the exhibit. This display will surely catch the attention of the urban audience. "We want to showcase every aspect of grain production. So we really want to have a combine there," Falk says. "But it's not easy to bring a combine into downtown New York City." The educational and media exhibit--the largest in the history of the Wheat Foods Council, according to Falk--will be manned by volunteers, staff and volunteers from state wheat associations, the U.S. Wheat Associates and National Association of Wheat Growers. Falk will dispense nutrition and baking information about wheat and wheat foods products, while Kansas farmers will be available for one-on-one sessions with passersby and media. "Every segment of our industry, from wheat producers to millers to manufacturers, will be participating," Falk says. In addition to the hands-on component of The Urban Wheat Field, live Internet video feeds, video clips and a blog from Wheat Foods Council President Marcia Scheideman will help tell agriculture's story to Web visitors beyond New York City. The Wheat Foods Council Web site, www.wheatfoods.org, will soon have more information about the Urban Wheat Field initiative. 7/14/08 Date: 7/10/08
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