Welcome to a special episode of the Sourdough Podcast. Tonight I am sitting in the living room of Jon Eck. Jon is a third generation farmer in my hometown of Turlock, California. This summer Jon and his family harvested their first wheat crop. I’m here to talk to him about this latest project, how he got here, what he’s learned this last year, and what he thinks the future holds for Eck Farms wheat and our local grain economy here in the Central Valley of California.
“Farmers are like anyone. Old and tired and probably have a lot of debt. But they got into it for some reason because - soil, and plants, and the sunrise, and flavors and smells, that you can’t describe because they are too beautiful - thrills our hearts. And sometimes, farmers need to remember why they started. And if someone can go to them and say ‘we can create something beautiful and good’ most farmers would be willing to take a pay cut to do it.”
On this episode of the Sourdough Podcast, I introduce you to my friend and local grain grower Jon Eck. Jon describes the successes and failures of his first year of wheat farming as well as what drew him to plant wheat in the first place. We talk about what it takes to do business in the “wild west of wheat farming” AND how his first harvest is already feeding students and transforming California schools. This episode examines our newly established local grain economy through the perspective of the wheat grower. I always love talking with Jon and I am so glad to be able to share this conversation with you.
Sunrise over Eck Farms’ first wheat crop. April 2021. Photo © Jon Eck
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