I arrived in Portland, Oregon on 17th May and it's here where my Churchill Fellowship journey begins. I have been spending my first week with Lane Selman of the Culinary Breeding Network, and since my arrival, a little jet lagged and dishevelled from a 9+ hour flight, I have been made to feel nothing but welcome and at home.
The Culinary Breeding Network (CBN) is dedicated to bridging the gap between plant breeders and eaters here in Oregon and beyond. Their mission is 'to create unique opportunities for stakeholders to engage with in-development vegetable and grain cultivars, share insights, and actively contribute to the development of flavourful, resilient varieties suited to organic systems. Through innovative events and initiatives, CBN is reshaping the landscape of sustainable agriculture and culinary innovation.'
I first heard about CBN a couple of years ago, initially drawn in by the beautiful Radicchio artwork that found it's way into my Instagram feed. It turned out these illustrations were promoting Chicory Week, and the Culinary Breeding Network's answer to the Italian Sagra del Radicchio: an inspired and collaborative celebration of all things Chicory. The Sagra aims to spotlight a crop that grows really well in the local area, but up until now has been relatively under appreciated. Participants get to sample delicious, simple and easy to recreate recipes curated by local chefs and food advocates. CBN’s focus on Radicchio has led to it becoming a firm local favourite. It can now be found on the menu and shelves of many local Portland establishments when in season, and there's the development of the Gusto Italiano project in partnership with Uprising Seeds, offering special lines of certified organic Radicchio seed and other Italian speciality crops to farmers.
As well as these regular Sagra’s, CBN also run Variety Showcases - events dedicated specifically to revealing the hidden world of organic seed, with an emphasis on inclusivity in the plant breeding process for all members of the food system. I find the concept of this incredibly exciting, and observing Lane plan the upcoming 10th annual Variety Showcase has really highlighted how bringing people together at these events can be a catalyst for all sorts of innovation and unexpected partnerships. The seed work showcased at these events addresses a wide range of critical issues, from climate resilience, culinary excellence, nutritional richness, cultural heritage, seed sovereignty and more. They bring people from all sectors together under one roof in a vibrant celebration of all their work.
These celebratory events are just one of CBN's approaches to cultivating community and collaboration around food. Another is imaginative story telling: conjuring up beautiful campaigns to spotlight the unique qualities of seasonal varieties and draw people into conversation about what they are, or are not, eating.
But at the heart of CBN's success lies connection. Lane is an expert networker. She has been part of the wider organic farming community in this region for two decades, and has nurtured a vast network of colleagues, collaborators and friends. As she explained to me on our first day as we wandered around the stalls of the PSU Farmers Market, all of these people were already here doing all these great things prior to CBN - the organic farmers, the plant breeders, the seed growers, the chefs - but she just helps to join up the dots. She listens to what the farmers are saying is missing in the performance of their crops, and brings plant breeders and seed growers into the conversation so they can directly respond. Chefs and consumers are introduced to the people growing their produce, and then given the opportunity to collaborate and give feedback on what could be improved with existing cultivars, with a big emphasis on flavour. CBN 'nurtures a sense of belonging and cooperation within the food community, fostering mutual support and shared goals.'
It's been inspiring to spend time with Lane and observe first hand how empowering this participatory way of working can be. Through CBN's initiatives, everyone is invited to contribute and help to shape the crops that are grown and made available here. There's a strong sense of community amongst those involved in growing and eating food that reaches beyond the usual farmer to farmer networks. From farmers, to food writers and chefs, to book store owners, to folks buying their groceries at the local store - everyone we encounter seems very clued up and aware of not only where their food comes from, but also the processes and dedication involved in getting it onto their plates.
Now I realise that Portland may be somewhat of a bubble, a unique city where the local supermarket shelves are, as default, stacked high with organic produce and countless local artisanal products. But it is inspiring to see that this localised food system is possible. Short supply chains are fairly normal here, shops often buying directly from the farmers, and it's been incredibly powerful to witness how flavour and seed are often at the heart of any discussion between stakeholders. And through Lane's passion for flavour and her commitment to the organic movement, the Culinary Breeding network has been pivotal in promoting this seed to table conversation, and uniting people in a shared joy and passion for food.
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