Research from CRAFT at ChathamU Shows the Benefits of Buckwheat
Nutrient-rich, gluten-free, pollinator-friendly... all these foodie buzzwords belong to just one crop, and it grows especially well right here in Western Pennsylvania: Buckwheat! Thanks to research and interviews by the Center for Regional Agriculture, Food, and Transformation at Chatham University (CRAFT), we’re gaining new understanding of how this unsung crop has proven integral to Pennsylvania’s economy and heritage— and how it can be an important tool in creating a more sustainable farming future.
During research for the “Babka and Beyond: Bread, Grains, and Baked Goods in Western Pennsylvania” oral history project exploring in-depth stories on how agriculture and baking contribute to larger regional themes of identity, community, and social capital as part of CRAFT’s Western Pennsylvania Foodways Collection, CRAFT discovered that at one time buckwheat was so prevalent, Butler County used to be nicknamed “Buckwheat” County.
“Today, there are very few buckwheat farmers in the region,” says Cassandra Malis, CRAFT Program Manager. “This project aims to discover how and why this decline happened, who is still producing the agricultural product, and who and where the market is for this product now.”
Buckwheat groats
While CRAFT researched buckwheat during its “Babka and Beyond” oral history project that focused largely on grains, buckwheat is actually a fruit seed and not a grain proper. Classified with quinoa and amaranth as a pseudo-cereal, buckwheat is not a relative of wheat and is therefore gluten-free. With gluten sensitivities on the rise, buckwheat is becoming an increasingly popular ingredient in both sweet and savory applications.
Beyond being a friendly food to those with gluten sensitivities, buckwheat is also uniquely suited to Western Pennsylvania’s famously finicky weather, growing best in moist, cool climates. It also makes a useful cover crop that helps enrich soil and reduce erosion. Adding to buckwheat’s buzz: its flowers are highly attractive to honeybees and other pollinators. With honeybee population dwindling in recent years, the crop could bolster existing bee populations.
“Many of the new immigrant communities coming to Pittsburgh use buckwheat in their cuisine, so there may be an emerging market for buckwheat that is different from the past, but ties together Pittsburgh’s past food identity with the more diverse and global food identity of today.”
In addition to the research housed in their Western Pennsylvania Foodways Archive, CRAFT at Chatham University offers a wide array of community-facing culinary workshops, resources for farmers, bakers, and other food producers, and are proudly hosting the 2020 Three Rivers Grain Gathering from July 23-25th, in collaboration with Washington State University’s Bread Lab. Learn more about all of CRAFT’s offerings here.
