The
Sheffield
Wheat
EXPERIMENT
Re-imagining alternative grain economies through hand growing, harvesting and processing a population wheat for and of Sheffield.
Through understanding the impacts of industrialisation on our daily bread, this artwork and community heritage project reconnects people to the land and the seed. The experiment explores alternative systems that embody new values that make our food more than just a commodity.
Information
→ Growing Guides
→ Podcasts
→ In Pursuit of A Sheffield Loaf
→ FAQ’s
→ Links
→ Funders
→ People
Podcasts
This podcast series by the award-winning Farmerama Radio is in response to The Body Lab, a participatory arts and research project by baker Kimberly Bell artist Ruth Levene.
Body Lab explores the industrial process of grain testing and why reimagining this system could be positive for bakers, farmers and millers.
Consistency is at the heart of industrial bread production, from the farmers field to the mill to the oven. But what is it costing us? Is it possible or productive to organise around a common language in order to reimagine how we produce grain and bread?
The Body Lab is funded by Farming the Future. This series was produced by Lucy Dearlove and is published on Farmerama and Lecker.
In Pursuit of A Sheffield Loaf
Ruth Levene has been working with Miranda Macdonald (I Said Bread) to document her journey experimenting with the Sheffield wheat to produce a 100% Wholemeal Sheffield Loaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The micro-growing part of the project has now come to an end.
Keep an eye on our instagram @SheffieldWheatExperiment for any future opportunities.
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If you live in Sheffield then you can email Rich at sheffieldgrain@gmail.com for small bags of the Sheffield Population Seed.
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The wheat is growing in two larger sites in Sheffield and will be harvested and re-sown later in the year, getting us closer to our own Sheffield population.
The Experiment as it was, with its full programme and microgrowers has come to the end of its funded period.
Keep an eye on our instagram @SheffieldWheatExperiment to see how the wheat is doing and for any future opportunities.
Alongside our own wheat, some of the SWE are working as part of UK Grain Lab working towards an alternative grain economy in the UK.
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As we are now unfunded and busy working on other projects as well as growing our seed, we ask you to refer to the film and downloadable documents for more information. You can also find out about any news on our Instagram @SheffieldWheatExperiment
Funders
The Sheffield Wheat Experiment is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Sheffield Wheat Experiment was also funded by:
Arts Council England
Evan Cornish Foundation
J G Graves Charitable Trust
Sheffield Bluecoat & Mount Pleasant Education Foundation
Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust
Sheffield Grammar School Exhibition Foundation
Sheffield Town Trust
People
The Sheffield Wheat Experiment
By Ruth Levene
The Labourers
Camilla Allen
Hannah Fincham
Kate Langrish-Smith
Ruth Levene
Cara Sutherland
Tracey Shibli
The Kernel & Journey Companions
Camilla Allen
Anne Barber
Christopher Benjamin
Jonny Feldman
Toby Hyam
Ruth Levene
Nick Souček
Rich Swan
