Big River Bakery, in Shieldfield, started to believe a locally-sourced loaf would be impossible until a community group got in touch to offer a glimmer of hope.
Seeds sowed on the streets of Newcastle have produced the first wheat to be harvested on Tyneside in centuries, giving a community cause for celebration.
Bakers at the Big River Bakery, in Shieldfield, started to believe their dream of creating a locally-sourced loaf would be impossible after previous attempts were ruined by rodents.
But when a nearby Methodist arts project, Shieldfield Art Works (SAW), got in touch to discuss their current wheat growing project with urban agriculture specialist Dr Mikey Tomkins, who is based in Sussex, it sparked new hope and soon the Shieldfield loaf was born.
Andy Haddon, founder of the Big River Bakery, said: “This is the first time bread has been made out of wheat grown on Tyneside for hundreds of years and it is entirely appropriate that it should happen here in Shieldfield.
“The Newcastle Corn Riots Project, which uses the corn riots of 1740 to study the connections between poverty and food, was launched here last year by a collaboration of local community groups.”
He added: “Both the original riots and the current project raise awareness of the basic human right to good quality, healthy food at affordable prices.
“That is what the Big River Bakery is all about and I think right here, right now, that resonates with people.”
And local residents and pupils from Christchurch and Hotspur primary schools helped to plant the spring wheat before the first national lockdown while continuing to tend to it over the summer.
The community effort continued when the wheat was ready and residents offered their help to harvest the wheat with scissors.
It was then transported to the bakery for milling and baking during two bread baking workshops attended by 11 local residents.
Original Article:
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/wheat-harvest-newcastle-shieldfield-loaf-19319821
By Nicole Goodwin, Durham Reporter
29 December 2020