 In this issue
Extinct Masada wheat in the Judean Hills
Cheeses from
Sde Bar
Shavuot
Wishing all our friends a Happy Shavuot!
|
Shavuot in the Judean Hills
This Shavuot in the
Judean Hills
Almost Extinct Masada Wheat
to be harvested a new
Abundant remains of wheat were found in the 1970s by Prof. Yigal Yadin, translator of the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Masada overlooking the Dead Sea. The grains were stored 2,000 years ago in earthen jars by King Herod for his palace-fortress. It is rare to be able to identify archeo-botanic material to the level of a specific variety. The shape of the inner spine that holds the kernels on and the kernels themselves were identified by an Israeli archeo-botanist as Jaljuli and Hourani, however the fragile remains of these ancient wheat lay for three decades on a dusty laboratory shelf, almost forgotten.
Terraces of Hourani in Tekoa
Since, all the commercial wheat grown in Israel are
modern hybrids, the indigenous Eretz Israeli varieties
are extremely rare. The Masada wheat have almost
disappeared. However they can be found in remote
villages, or in gene banks from collections last
century.
Living seed of the almost extinct Hourani and Jaljuli
-Masada wheat have been found by a researcher at the
Israel Gene Bank by searching in gene banks world-wide.
Seeds were collected by Nikolai Vavilov, a renowned
plant explorer who combed the southern Fertile
Crescent for rare wheat varieties in the 1926. Vavilov
reported 'The Hourani land race deserves great attention
because of its exceptional quality, yield and fine
appearing grain. It is distinguished by early
maturity, drought resistance and resistance to
lodging, as well as delicious flavor.
Tekoa Terraces
Hourani
Jaljuli has an equally impressive history. The name
'Jaljul' evolved from an ancient Hebrew place-name
'galgul' meaning 'circle of stones'. Galgul (or
Gilgal) ancient sacred circles are described in
several places in the Torah. Joshua and the 12 tribes
placed twelve stones in a galgul circle (Josh. 4-5).
The ancient Israeli prophets prayed in a galgul (2
Kings 2:1-2). A stone circle galgul is mentioned as
the holy place where the Prophet Samuel anointed
Saul's kingship (1 Samuel ch. 7 and 11). Later
prophets were concerned about pagan rituals in galul
sites (Amos 4:4, 5:5, Hosea 4:15). An Arab village in
central Israel, called 'Jaljulya', is near ruins of a
'stone circle' site.
Field trials to evaluate the health, yield and flavor
of the traditional heritage wheat are being conducted
this year at Volcani, Israel's national agriculture
research institute. When Jaljuli and Hourani scored
highest in all categories, this highlighted their
immense bio-cultural value.Perhaps these wheat have
evolved for millennium to the well-adapted to their
ancient homeland.
Hourani
Biblical Diet
The diet of the ancient Israeli consisted of a daily
fare of over one half wheat, supplemented with legumes
(such as lentils and chickpeas), olives and olive oil,
fruit, (especially dried almonds, figs and dates),
pomegranate, apricots, wild-gathered vegetables such
as mallow, nettle, mustard, purslane and herbs,
cultivated garlic, onions, native cucumber and melon,
with weekly goats milk, goat cheeses, fish, egg and
wine. Meat was eaten only four times a year (and then
only by the wealthy), during the three harvest
holidays of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot, and Simchat
Torah.
This Shavuot after wheat harvest, the grain weight per plant will
be compared at Volcani research center, and the wood-fired oven will be rekindled in the Judean Hills to bake traditional breads
with the restored terraces greened by Hourani and Jaljuli.
To learn more about this project, visit the website:
growseed.org/isc.html
Hughes Merle (1823-1881) Ruth in the Fields
Say Cheese! With Sde Bar
Sde Bar is an agricultural village and farm located next to the Herodion mountain. It is a one of a kind rehabilitation community officially recognized by Israel's Ministry of Labor. and Social Affairs. It is a warm community and school for more than 50 teenagers who have no other place to call "home". A peaceful haven of fields, flowers,and fresh air in the Gush Etzion hills. Since 1992 Sde Bar has been providing a stable nurturing home environment to troubled teenagers where they can achieve a meaningful and responsible life. Also living in the village are soldiers and families, graduates of Sde Bar.
The ideology behind the farm is to create Zionist values in the children, while working the land and contributing to ones community. The soldiers of Sde Bar serve in the highest elite units of the IDF. All of the residents contribute to the maintenance and development of the farm such as: the daily chores of, organic vegetables, horse stable, animal pens, herbs,chickens for eggs, olive trees for oil, and the main source of their livelihood the goat dairy.
Today there are over 200 teenagers knocking on the Sde Bar doors to "come home". Unfortunately there are not enough resources to take them in.
Gathering olives for oil
A source of special pride to the Sde Bar community is their great success story , the goat dairy and the selection of gourmet cheeses they produce. The products are all licensed from the Ministry of Health and have kashruth certification. This amazing dairy that not only creates a livelihood for the farm, most important returns to the children the self confidence that they have lost and the trust that they have now regained. They have all together succeeded in a great accomplishment that has incredible results for all.
The goat dairy has 180 goats, that produce 180 liters of milk, the goats are led to pasture daily by the kids, milked twice a day and there are new births around the clock.. The farm is looking to increase the herd. The milk is used to make , yogurt in different flavors, labane, soft, hard and gourmet cheeses, that are all in great demand and are sold to stores all around the country. Most of the equipment for the dairy was made possible through generous donations from various private people and organizations.
The kids on the farm take care of the dairy with great love and commitment so that the results are not only the most delicious but of highest quality. Now all that is left to do is to enjoy and order.
In Israel only- 052-5255710 or 02-9964227
Cheeses in Refrigeration
 
Goats in pasture, Herodion in background
You can help Sde Bar! Make a difference !
help increase the herd one goat is $200
http://gush-etzion.org.il/donate_now1.asp
|
