Radical seed
Gerrard realized that the restoration, preservation, and sharing of seeds that was once a major farm practice is now a radical political act. In fact, it’s all part of the fun. Gerald is famous for driving his tractor from Pembrokeshire to London and even Brussels to participate in farmers’ demonstrations. They demanded a fairer and more equitable seed and food system.
However, Tractor Odyssey is in poor condition globally, in terms of the diversity and resilience of our food system.
Over the past century, corporate control has been growing in the global seed and food system. today, Only four companies (Bayer, Corteva, ChemChina and BASF) control more than 60% of the global seed market. The increase in corporate control has led to a corresponding sharp decline in seed and agricultural biodiversity.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 75% crop diversity Lost between 1900 and 2000.
In the dark days, he seemed to never rediscover the oats once grown in Caerhys. The knowledge of this amazing loss and the need to eliminate the damage prompted Gerrard to continue his search for black oats.
He inquired about the nearby farm. He published articles in newspapers all over Wales. He even managed to purchase some black oats from Ireland through the Rugby Tour. But the Welsh black oatmeal of his childhood continued to discourage him.
However, Gerrard’s story is after all a story about persistence being rewarded. There is a happy ending.
Like-minded people
A few years ago, at a gathering of farmers, growers and grain lovers who would continue to form the new Llafur Ni (our grain) network, Gerald met the Welsh folk singer Owen Shiers.
“When I met Gerald Miles, he impressed me. He was an inspirational man, a visionary. He told me the story of looking for these black oats, and he was looking for them after they disappeared from Wales. These oats are 20 years old,” Owen recalled.
“At the time I was studying the ancient folk songs of Ceredigion. During the research, I met a farmer named Iwan Evans Coedfadre, who shared a song or two with me. It turned out that Iwan is growing these oats-black oats! “
“For me, we should do something together. These (seed preservation) skills are very fragile and can be passed on to the next generation,” said Irving, who quickly organized a meeting between Gerald and Ivan.
100 years of black oats
Ivan, maybe the last one, if not This The last farmer who grew Welsh black oats recalled his childhood oats in Talgarreg, Ceredigion.
“I want to say that since my grandfather was here in 1920, oats have been grown here, about a hundred years ago, more or less,” he said.
According to Ivan, the number of people who grow black oats has decreased since he was young due to changes in technology — the combine harvester — and changes in attitude. However, despite these changes, Ivan continued to plow his own furrow and grow black oats.
“In the end, it turns out that I was the only one left,” Ivan said.
Ivan is tired of keeping the oats alive for so long. However, when the two met for the first time, Gerrard did not forget the importance of his low-key and low-key supervision of black oats to the country and the world. Ivan showed him the black oats barrel in his polyethylene tunnel. .
“It’s like finding gold, finding these black oats,” he said.
Cultural return
Since they first met, Gerald and Ivan have become firm friends and began to share seeds and exchange stories. Black oats have returned to Caerhys for the first time in decades, and Gerald is now growing 20 acres of black oats above the turbulent waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Irving said that this revival of Welsh black oats has broader implications for the Welsh countryside and agricultural culture, surpassing Caerhys and Talgarreg.
“There is a clear connection between the agricultural world and the broader culture. Growing food is one of the activities where people gather to celebrate a good harvest. For example, it is these activities that maintain the culture, and it is these activities that maintain the language. I feel enthusiastic. I think we need to work hard to maintain what we have.”
Labor us
The next step for Gerald, Iwan, Owen and more and more farmers and growers is to plant Welsh black oats seasonally to increase the small remaining supply of these seeds.
“We are now creating the Llafur Ni network with Katie Hastings from the Gaia Foundation, which means’our grain,'” Gerald said. “Katy met other farms in Wales. They had old seeds and let us create Llafur Ni, bringing people from all fields of agriculture together.”
The members of the Llafur Ni Network have also revived other traditional grain varieties. This process is bringing back better farming methods that are older and closer to the land, and Gerrard says this is exactly what we need in these difficult times.
“It’s very important to come here, meet with Ivan, thresh together, and share our understanding of grains. It combines old language with old ways of thinking and makes people respect the old ways again,” Gerald said .
“I believe that these ancient ways will create food for us and keep us in food in this world where we are experiencing disease and weather changes. Together, rebuilding diversity is more important than we realize.”
This author
Hannibal Rhoades is the communications director of the Gaia Foundation.
Watch our labor Check out the work of filmmaker Andy Pilsbury The beautiful accompanying photos are here.
For more information on seed sovereignty and the urgent need to bring diversity back to our food system, please visit: www.seedsovereignty.info
see more Andy Pilsbury’s work is here.
