Red Fife wheat facts for kids
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Red Fife wheat is a special type of wheat that became very important in Canada. It originally came from Western Ukraine, where it was known as "Halychanka." This wheat is known for being strong and good for making bread. Its stalks can grow quite tall, from about 0.9 to 1.5 meters high.
From the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, Red Fife was the most popular wheat grown in Canada and the northern United States. Farmers loved it because it was tough, resisted a plant disease called rust, produced a lot of grain, and was excellent for milling into flour and baking bread.
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What Makes Red Fife Wheat Special?
Red Fife wheat is a type of "hard red spring wheat." This means it's planted in the spring and harvested in the summer. The "hard" part refers to its strong gluten content, which is great for making chewy bread. Its grains have a reddish-brown color when they are fully ripe.
Why Was Red Fife So Popular?
Red Fife had several qualities that made it a favorite among farmers:
- Hardiness: It could survive tough weather conditions.
- Rust Resistance: It was good at fighting off a common plant disease called rust.
- High Yield: Farmers could harvest a lot of wheat from their fields.
- Baking Quality: It made excellent flour for baking delicious bread.
The Story of Red Fife Wheat
Red Fife wheat first arrived in Canada in 1842. A farmer named David Fife in Otonabee Township, Upper Canada, received some seeds from a friend in Scotland. These seeds were the "Halychanka" wheat from Ukraine. David Fife planted them, and that's how Red Fife wheat began its journey in North America.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The name "Red Fife" comes from two things:
- Red: This refers to the reddish color of the wheat grains when they are ready to be harvested.
- Fife: This part honors David Fife, the farmer who first grew it in Canada.
Sometimes, farmers in the United States called this wheat by other names, like Canadian Fife, Fife, Saskatchewan Fife, or Scotch Fife.
Red Fife's Rise and Fall
After 1860, Red Fife wheat became very well-known. Farmers shared their success stories in farming magazines, recommending this new type of wheat to others. By 1876, Red Fife was replacing other wheat types in Canada, like Siberian and White Russian, which hadn't grown as well. It was also widely grown in the northern states of the U.S.
Red Fife remained the top wheat variety until the early 1900s. Then, a new type of wheat called Marquis wheat took its place. Interestingly, Marquis wheat was created using Red Fife as one of its parent plants!
Red Fife's Comeback
Even though Marquis wheat became more popular, Red Fife didn't disappear forever. In 1988, a group called The Heritage Wheat Project (HWP) started growing Red Fife again. They wanted to bring back this important historical wheat. Their efforts were successful! In 2007, over 450 metric tons of Red Fife wheat were harvested in Canada. Today, you can still find Red Fife wheat being grown and used by bakers who appreciate its unique qualities.
