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Tag: Wheat

Kansas 4-H/FFA Wheat Expo Reminder

There’s still time! Register now for the Kansas 4-H/FFA Wheat Expo. This annual event will be on August 8th in Pratt, KS.

What can you enter? A jar of cleaned wheat, yeast rolls, cookies, muffins, photography, education posters and Cloverbuds can also participate. Exhibits must all use wheat.

There are educational activities and two tours of local agriculture operations. All ages are encouraged to attend!

Learn more and register at www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/conferences-events/wheat/index.html.

The Wheat Expo is in different locations across Kansas every year. So come learn about a “new to you” Kansas location!

2023 4-H Wheat Expo

Registration is now open for the 2023 Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo.

This years event will be held in Pratt, KS on August 8, 2023. Registration is required.

Sign up to have your favorite wheat recipe judged, enter your wheat photos in the photo judging, or participate in the wheat judging. All participants also have the opportunity to participate in the tours. This year, we’ll be touring the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the local ethanol plant, Pratt Energy, LLC.

For questions, contact Kelsey Nordyke.

 

2022 4-H/FFA Wheat Expo

Save the date for the 2022 Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo on Thursday, August 4th at the Stafford County Annex Building in St. John, KS.

The Wheat Expo will be a fun, educational and hands-on program for all Kansas 4-H members, siblings, parents, grandparents, and KSRE Extension staff.  You do not have to be enrolled in crops/plant science projects to participate.  4-H members enrolled in Food and Nutrition, Photography and Field Crops projects are encouraged to participate.

For complete details and registration go to www.kansas4-h.org/events-activities/conferences-events/wheat/index.html.

 

2021 Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo

wheat

The 2021 Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo will be on Wednesday, August 11, 2021, at the Butler County Community Building in El Dorado, KS.  The 2021 Wheat Expo will be one of Kansas 4-H’s first face-to-face state 4-H events since COVID-19 shut down physical/face-to-face 4-H programming in March 2020.  We are excited to bring the Wheat Expo back for a fun, educational and hands-on program in person for all Kansas 4-H members, siblings, parents, grandparents, and KSRE Extension staff.

There will be eight contests open to youth members with cash prizes and ribbons awarded.  Youth may bring multiple exhibits in Divisions 3-9. Classes include: (1) 1 lb. bin run for crops members; or (2) 1 lb. bin run for “adopt a producer”; (3) 1 quart jar sample of cleaned wheat; (4) three standard yeast rolls; (5) three standard sized cookies; (6) three standard muffins; (7) wheat photography contest; (8) wheat educational posters and (9) Cloverbuds, (5-6-year-olds) with participation ribbons.

See details on the Kansas 4-H Wheat Expo website.

Registration https://www.kansas4-h.org/events/index.html

EatWheat.org—Telling the Story

Speaking with one voice is the mission of EatWheat.org to speak for agriculture and farm production practices.

This campaign is driven by Kansas wheat farmers to help consumers learn where their food comes from and how it is grown by caring farmers. After one year of operation, EatWheat.org has reached millions of people. Read farmer stories; learn about wheat and the foods made with wheat; get inspired with wheat décor; and enjoy tasty recipes for any occasion. Follow them on a variety of social media platforms.

EatWheat.org is sponsored by Kansas Wheat and the Wheat Foods Council

 

Durum Wheat Going Soft

Artisan bread made with soft durum wheat

Durum wheat has long been used for making pasta because of its yellow color and high protein content for a firm ‘bite.’ It is also used to make couscous and a few Mediterranean breads. But research, conducted by the USDA Agricultural Research Service, now offers a new soft durum wheat called “Soft Svevo.”

Soft Svevo was created with classical breeding methods by introducing two genes from soft bread wheat into Italian durum Svevo wheat. This new variety has flour quality similar to soft bread wheat. It is appealing for making pizza crust, baguettes, pan breads, and other breads.

Traditional durum wheat is very hard and difficult to mill into flour. This new variety can save 75 percent energy and 15 percent water during milling.

Learn more about this new wheat at https://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2017/sep/wheat/.

 

Sprouting Up: Wheat Foods for Kids

Looking for a way to teach kids about wheat and foods made with wheat?

The Wheat Foods Council has a fun and informative resource that shows how wheat is grown, harvested and made into flour and foods. They also have a presentation, recipes and games to help kids learn even more.

On this website, www.wheatfoods.org/resources/73, look for this resource and other ideas for all ages.

The Whole Grains Council has more information and ideas on wheat at http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/wheat-july-grain-of-the-month

 

Eliminating the Gray

If you’ve ever made homemade noodles, you’ve probably seen the noodles turn a gray color after drying. This is due to polyphenol oxidase enzymes in hard white wheat flour.

White Asian Noodles
White Asian Noodles

Polyphenol oxidase is found in all plants and causes browning in cut apples, black spots in cut avocadoes, and dark marks on banana peels.

USDA Agricultural Research Service researchers have now developed a new wheat variety with practically no polyphenol oxidase. They crossed two Australian wheat varieties from a germplasm collection in the 1930s. This variety will benefit the milling industry and exporters to Asian markets.

Learn more about this wheat variety in the April 2016 issue of AgResearch Magazine at http://agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov/2016/apr/wheat/.