Ode to David and Jane Fife - A Poetic History of Red Fife

Introduction

This is the story of David Fife

And how he developed the staff of life

Searching for a solution

To agricultural pollution

Wheat crops ravaged by frost and rust

Finding a better grain was a must

He searched in Canada and Scotland too

He obtained some seeds from a friend he knew

A new strain of wheat from a ship docked in Glasgow

Save some for the spring, plant the rest now

The fall planting did not survive

The spring planting did indeed thrive

In 1842, David Fife developed Red Fife Wheat

For 50 years, Red Fife reigned supreme and could not be beat

The wheat known as Red Fife

Has a renewed shelf life

In 2003, Slow Food Canada nominated Red Fife for the Ark of Taste

Renowned for its nutty and robust flavor, it should not go to waste

Organic farmers consider it the best heritage wheat

Discriminating consumers consider it a nutritious treat

Artisan bakers use a slow wild yeast fermentation

To develop a richer and fuller wheat taste sensation

Chefs discovered its hearty flavor

And diners have bread they can savor

Red Fife has been rediscovered; it is a revival

Red Fife’s place in history is more than archival

Red Fife is a story of myth and legend and mystery

Who is David Fife and where is his place in history

And what about Jane, his wife

Who played a key role in developing Red Fife

There is much to tell and the tale should be told

Children should know it before they grow old

Without David Fife, who knows what might have been

The story begins with David at age fifteen.

Section I – From Scotland to Canada

Riding a white horse, his father, John, rode through each town

Announcing the news with a bugle, Napoleon was down

In Scotland, there was not that much to do

After the Battle of Waterloo

In 1820, David and John and the rest of the clan Left Kincardaine, Scotland for a new land1

It was a dull day in May when they set sail

On a ship called Hope, how could they fail

In mid September, they came to the village of Port Hope

Arriving via ferry drawn by horses on shore with a rope

In the township of Otonabee

David settled there with his family

Lot 23, Concession 4

200 acres, a log cabin and more

Indian River runs through the north end

To a place where it takes a bend

On its way to the village of Lang

Where meetings were held with rest of the gang

David met Jane Beckett one day

Marriage plans were quickly underway

In 1825, they were wed

A bright future lay ahead

As the daughter of a seed merchant

Jane knew a thing or two and had a penchant

For seeking a better way

She was sure to have her say

David and Jane kept a watchful eye

For new grains they could try

There had to be something that would beat

The tired and troublesome Siberian Wheat

Planting wheat in the soil

Involves much blood, sweat and toil

Reaping the wheat harvest

Weather permitting is hardest

Using a scythe to cut a swath to make a sheath

Stooking sheaves to prevent moisture underneath

Modern technology brought the threshing machine

With the combine, operations became lean and mean

Section II – Red Fife Wheat developed in 1842

Early in the 19th century

Settlers faced a climate of hostile fury

Plant diseases such as rust, mould and rot

1 The Peterborough Evening Examiner, January 30, 1909; The Peterborough Weekly Examiner, July 15, 1920

And in case it should be forgot

There were pests and floods and storms

And rapid temperature changes beyond norms

Farmers dreamed of rejoicing and bringing in the sheaves

Growing wheat for export is an idea no one believes

In 1812, the Selkirk settlers came2

From Lord Selkirk they got their name

In Canada, he received a land grant

Providing these Scottish fishermen a place to plant

The first crop of wheat of record on Canadian soil

With no proper tools, they used a hoe to toil

Seeds planted too late did not survive

In 1818, wheat crops were eaten alive

It was a severe and devastating attack

The grasshopper plague turned the sky black

Wheat harvesting conditions would become less severe

In his search for seed, David Fife did persevere

His friend, Will Struthers, in Glasgow

Should be able to help somehow

Will sent samples of wheat to Port Hope

After winter storage they were taken from the envelope

The wheat was sown

Nothing was grown

David sent word to his friend, Will

To be on the lookout still

Down by the docks, Will took a trip

He spotted some grain from a Polish ship

From the Ukraine, direct from Danzig

The freighter was a mighty rig

He scooped up a sample and put it in the mail

Not realizing the puzzle it would entail

Not knowing whether to plant in spring or fall

David decided not to plant it all

He sowed half in the fall and it did not survive

He sowed half in the spring and five stalks did thrive

When David was not in the field with the horse and plows

He tended to chores with the pigs and chickens and cows

While David was working under the hot summer sky

Jane worked in the house always keeping a watchful eye

2 Buller, A.H.R., Essays on Wheat (New York, 1919) Chapter 1, section 1 – 5.

The five stalks of grain were growing well

Jane looked through the window and let out a yell

Two oxen had broken loose

She chased them and made them vamoose

They had munched on the new strains of wheat

Jane caught them in time to limit their treat

Of the five stalks, Jane saved three

More care was needed, it was plain to see

Jane took special charge of the experimental plot

Reaping three stalks of grain did not yield a lot

The wheat was hung on the kitchen rafters with care

In hopes that a bountiful yield would soon be there

Every year yielded more of this rust-free variety

And soon the Fifes provided wheat to all of Otonabee

By 1848, they had 260 bushels to provide3

They were very gracious, it could not be denied

No patents, no desire for personal gain

Everyone should try this new strain

Section III – Red Fife Wheat spreads to the West

By 1851, its popularity had spread

Farmers were keen to get this wheat that was red

Through Ontario and into Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin4

Red Fife was sown, grown and stockpiled in the wheat bin

This sturdy, high-yielding red wheat

Rust resistant, it could not be beat

With its superior quality of flour, it met the test

These qualities led to its adoption throughout the West

In the prairie soil, Red Fife seeds produced great yields

Across the United States and Canada were golden wheat fields

Section IV – Red Fife’s Origins

Where did Red Fife originate

It is a subject of great debate

Some believe it came from the Ukraine

Where it was a very hardy strain

3 Old Farmer’s Almanac, 2001: The Day Jane Fife Saved Canada’s Wheat Crop. 4 Old Farmer’s

Almanac, 2001.

This strain was known as the Halychanka variety4

With records dating back to the 12th century

It is unique and valuable due to its stability

Cultivated over centuries with great ability

By Ukrainian peasants

Using basic common sense

This variety was not grown on experimental fields

By a plant breeder or geneticist to increase yields

Halychanka also known as the Galician variety

Stems from Galicia, an historical region of Ukrainian society

Located between Poland and Ukraine

In old folk songs there was a refrain

Of ‘dear spring wheat’

It was known as a treat

Of happiness and prosperity

The truth will be known to posterity

Section V – Canadian Confederation, July 1, 18675

In 1867, the Dominion of Canada was created

Political deadlock issues with Great Britain were placated

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia joined the unification

The new country focused on economic development and diversification

In 1870, Manitoba became a member of the Dominion

In 1871, British Columbia joined the union

In 1873, with a ferry link promise

Prince Edward Island became the seventh province

In the Prairies it would be necessary to forgo

The idea and dream of one province called Buffalo

In 1905, the vast Prairie became Alberta and Saskatchewan

“King Wheat” was the dominant crop on this new land

In 1949, Newfoundland joined the country

O Canada, we stand on guard for thee

Section VI – Expansion of the West6

In 1870, a decade of improvements to flour-milling began

A technical revolution that facilitated a wider wheat growing plan

The invention of the first flour-milling purifier created a huge demand

4 From a single seed: Tracing the Marquis wheat success story in Canada to its roots in the Ukraine, by Stephan Symko, a Web

Publication of Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1999.

http://www.careerchem.com/NAMED/Patents/SSymko-wheat.pdf

5 Wikipedia articles.

6 Wikipedia articles.

Spring wheat production had to expand

To meet this growing need

Minnesota supplied Manitoba with Red Fife seed

Transportation problems proved to be a bit of a kink

In 1878, this was solved by a rail line to provide a direct link

In 1871, Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald proposed a transcontinental railway

With the Pacific Scandal, there was a major delay

The railway contract proved to be a great temptation

Allegations of bribes led to Macdonald’s resignation

In 1874, the Liberals were voted into power

Prime Minister Alexander Mackenzie was the man of the hour

With an economic depression, the Liberals reigned for just four years

The Liberals free trade policy was rejected due to economic fears

In 1878, Macdonald’s Conservatives won the election

At the time, his National Policy was deemed perfection

In this era of defensive expansionism

High tariffs on manufactured items were considered necessary protectionism

The National Policy focused on increased immigration

To increase the Western Canada population

During this economic expansion, threats to Canadian independence abated

Corporate concentration emerged by monopolies that were created

The latest flour milling processes were adopted by William Watson Ogilvie

With the Canadian Pacific Railway, he formed a monopoly

Ogilvie’s grain elevators were competition free

Built on valuable land it was plain to see

In 1895, WW Ogilvie was the world’s biggest individual flour miller

In business and financial and philanthropic circles, he was a pillar

In 1880, the CPR received a loan of $25 million and a federal grant of 25 million acres of land

An incentive for westward railway construction to meet increasing demand

A decade of delays must be overcome

CPR took the incentives and then some

$25 million was a deposit but they needed more

Another $25 million or so doubled the score

The Dominion of Canada footed the bill

For an impressive feat of engineering and political will

In 1885, the transcontinental railway to BC was completed

With the final spike, threats of BC secession were defeated

The promise of a railway link enticed BC to join the federation

Years of delay and scandal had created some resignation

In 1886, Vancouver received its first train

From Winnipeg, it was loaded with grain

Bushels of wheat for export so the world could be fed

Red Fife Wheat satisfied the world’s need for bread

Section VI – Marquis Wheat7

Since railway construction required a major government subsidy

Improving wheat production became a necessity

In this agricultural country, wheat was the shining star

Its contribution to the economy led all others by far

In 1886, the government established the Dominion Experimental Farm

Controlled experiments under ideal conditions could do no harm

Initial studies concluded Red Fife was critical to any test

Its attributes were superior to the rest

Hard Red Calcutta from India matured 20 days prior to Red Fife

With early frost ruining crops, early maturity would ease the strife

In 1892, Red Fife and Hard Red Calcutta were crossed

Markham, an early maturing new strain may avoid early frost

There would be a delay in new wheat development however

It would take several years to re-start this endeavour

In 1903, Charles Saunders re-examined cross bred strains of previous years

Proving that discoveries are made if one perseveres

In musty bottles, he discovered Markham filed away on a shelf

His brother, Percy, had determined the discovery routine in and of itself

For some reason, Markham caught Charles’ eye

He thought he would give it a try

This strain was plucked from obscurity

He renamed it Marquis due to its strength and early maturity

Charles did not have a proper lab, an oven or a mill

He chewed a few grains, testing them at will

Although it may sound somewhat uncouth

Chewing grains created dough in his mouth

Based on this crude test, he took a stab

At flour and bread qualities later confirmed in the lab

It supplanted Red Fife and is remembered still

It could be considered grist for the mill

In 1910, Charles Saunders was named Dominion Cerealist

The first of many titles on his list

He received honorary doctorates and degrees

In 1934, he was on his knees

King George V bestowed on him a knighthood

7 From a single seed, Stephan Symko.

For his contribution to agriculture and all things good

Canada became known as ‘granary to the world’

As the details of history are unfurled

There is one obvious certainty

Without Red Fife, there would be no Marquis

Section VII– The role of Senator JJ Duffus8

In 1929, it was Senator McGuire

Who created quite a fire

A David Fife Memorial he dared to propose

Most listeners did oppose

With hard times and a major war, it fell on deaf ears

He soldiered on for many years

In 1938, a roadside cairn was on the slate

For a House of Commons debate

“Totally inadequate and unbecoming such an outstanding achievement”

Stated MP Mr. JJ Duffus in his speech so eloquent

In 1954, Senator JJ Duffus

Created quite a ruckus

In his speech titled, A Debt Unpaid

He was warming up to the best speech he ever made

Canada became “the greatest wheat producing country in the world”

He continued to praise David Fife as his speech unfurled

Red Fife Wheat was not only good for one’s health

It “added millions of dollars to the national wealth”

In 1955, he achieved notable success

In his speech to the Senate, he made a formal address

Recommending a Memorial to the late David Fife

For the unbending efforts of David and his wife

He “revolutionized world wheat farming”

It is rather alarming

The Senator declared

That we have erred

“Canada owes more to David Fife than anyone can tell”

The Senator went on to explain it very well

Without Red Fife, Canada would have been put to the test

“There would have been no rush of settlers to the Prairie West”

“The importance of Red Fife

In the development of our economic life

8 Duffus, J.J., Debates of the Senate of Canada (Ottawa, 1955)

Cannot be exaggerated”

The Senator deftly orated

“It is time the debt was given national recognition”

He further advised he was seeking permission

To construct a school and a hall

And that was not all

He proposed that it be called Fifeville

A fitting tribute to a man of iron will

11.5 acres next to the Indian River

Senator Duffus could not deliver

The Senator made a vivid proclamation

He described the sought-after memorial in his great oration

“As practical as was the great discovery of this sagacious pioneer”

In reality, the tribute was delayed year after year

Senator JJ Duffus made his final plea

On deaf ears again, it was plain to see

In 1957, he came to the end of his life

Without achieving recognition for David Fife

Finally, a roadside cairn was unveiled in 1964

The Senator had wanted so much more

His words echo as a tribute to his stamina

“Has he not been just about the most forgotten man that ever lived in Canada?”

Section VIII – Tributes to David Fife9

In the words of Senator Duffus, “What of David Fife”

And what of Jane, his wife

In 1959, the David Fife Memorial School opened in Otonabee

In 1990, the David Fife Elementary School closed and is now a faded memory

In 1963, David Fife’s portrait was unveiled at the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame

There was little fanfare and little acclaim

Duffus declared a cairn to be “totally inadequate” in 1938

In 1964, a cairn was unveiled, a case of too little, too late

The cairn was erected on the side of the Trans Canada Highway

Only local traffic had an interest in this display

David Fife’s log cabin was considered great heritage

In 1967, it was moved to Lang for the opening of the Lang Pioneer Village

In 1977, the roadside cairn found a new place to dwell

The David Fife Memorial Cairn was moved to Lang as well

And so with much chagrin

Tributes to David Fife are rather thin

9 From a single seed, Stephan Symko.

PART II – REVIVAL OF RED FIFE WHEAT

Section I – Saved from Extinction

In 1988, Sharon Rempel initiated the Heritage Wheat Project10

She believed heritage wheat had been the subject of neglect

Of all the heritage wheats that were embraced

Red Fife thrashed them all in milling and baking qualities and taste

Rempel had a vision that one day Red Fife would be re-commercialized

Organic farmers, artisan bakers, pastry chefs and consumers would crave this grain so prized

The Red Fife Wheat Project does not want GMO

Rempel believes it is not the way to go

In 2001, Marc Loiselle, began growing Red Fife on his organic Saskatchewan farm11

The landrace wheat quickly adapted to the soil and could do no harm

Demand for Red Fife quickly spread across the land

Artisan bakers and discerning pastry chefs developed it as their own brand

Loiselle describes Red Fife as unexpectedly rich with a slightly herby and spicy flavour

with aromas of anise and fennel and a nutty taste to savour

In 1989, eco-gastronomists founded the International Slow Food Movement12

An alternative to the tediousness of fast food, it was a major improvement

Slow Food promotes food that is good, clean and fair

Their Ark of Taste is a project to catalog heritage foods to share

Only the best tasting endangered products make it onto the Ark

Foods at risk of extinction receive a check mark

The Slow Food Presidium Project would save foods from extinction

Promoting traditional forgotten foods provides a distinction

The Presidium promotes the work of the artisan

By cultivating consumer demand

In 2003, Slow Food Canada’s Vancouver Island Chapter13

Determined Red Fife should flourish hereafter

Red Fife was nominated to the Ark of Taste

Fears of extinction were laid to waste

Red Fife is Canada’s first and only Presidium

Between extinction and salvation, Red Fife found a happy medium

10 Rempel, Sharon, notes on her website. http://www.grassrootsolutions.com/

11 Loiselle, Marc, notes on his website. https://sites.google.com/view/loiselleorganics/page2

12 Slow Food Website. http://www.slowfood.com/

13 Slow Food Canada website. http://www.slowfood.ca/

Red Fife was re-introduced to artisan bakers

And is favoured by celebrated bread makers

Artisan bakers bake bread in small batches

In brick ovens with secure door latches

Hand formed loaves provide a personal touch

Fresh baked aromas are loved so much

Stone hearth ovens produce a reddish-brown crust

A richness of flavour with a taste so robust

Good for gluten-sensitive diets and so nutritious

Red Fife bread is simply delicious

Section II – Revival

For several years, Jamie Kennedy has served Red Fife bread14

Red Fife flour is a staple in his kitchens including Gilead

For a delicious Red Fife pancake

There are two good options to partake

Globe Bistro or the Windsor Arms Hotel15,16

Many Toronto chefs have found a new place to dwell

Edulis Restaurant, Ursa, Woodlot and Keriwa Cafe17,18,19

Serve Red Fife bread, scones, pasta or bannock in an impressive display

For fresh baked bread of course

Go straight to the source

St John’s Bakery offers Red Fife in Loaf and Peasant size20

At the Evergreen Brickworks Farmers’ Market, they have limited supplies

Clif Leir, a renowned chef on Vancouver Island21

Developed his first bakery and decided to expand

He sold Wildfire Organic Bakery and Cafe

And built Fol Epi Organic Bread and Pastry

In 2003, Slow Food Canada’s Ark of Taste Project

Approached Clif Leir with a stated object

Working together, they brought Red Fife back into production

In 2004, he took Red Fife bread to Italy for its Slow Food introduction

14 Jamie Kennedy, Gilead. http://www.jamiekennedy.ca/kitchen-about.php

15 Globe Bistro. http://www.globebistro.com/

16 Windsor Arms. http://www.windsorarmshotel.com/dining/prime/breakfast_menu

17 Edulis Restaurant. http://edulisrestaurant.com/

18 Ursa. http://ursa-restaurant.com/

19 Keriwa Cafe. http://www.keriwacafe.ca/

20 St. John’s Bakery. http://stjohnsbakery.com/breads-sweets/breads/sourdough/

21 Clif Leir and Fol Epi. http://www.farine-mc.com/2012/06/meet-baker-cliff-leir.html

In Italy, he met Marc Loiselle who produced and sold him the Red Fife grain

The goal of the Terra Madre conference in Italy was one of mutual gain

Clif and Marc were part of the “Red Fife Community”

Terra Madre provided a superb opportunity

Clif believes food community relationships could have a rebirth

Providing a better understanding of the larger relationship with food and earth

Clif built a silo exclusively for Red Fife at Fol Epi which is French for “wild wheatstalk”

As a miller and a baker, he not only talks the talk, he walks the walk

On Vancouver Island, Bruce and Leslie Stewart operate True Grain Bread

In 2008, they moved from Ontario to their new homestead

They continue the tradition of old-world style baking

Hand-scaling and carefully forming each loaf of bread they are making

True Grain is pleased that Red Fife was rescued from obscurity

They chose it for its unique flavour and its non-hybridized purity

True Grain slowly mills Organic Red Fife Grain at low temperatures to preserve the flavour

And partnering with Vancouver Island Farmers to foster the 100 mile diet is something they favour

South of Madoc, Ontario, down on the farm

Patricia Hastings works her special charm

Her Organic Red Fife Wheat is much in demand

With her stone mill on site, she creates her particular brand

For Evelyn’s Crackers and Chef Jamie Kennedy

Other customers include St. John’s Bakery

Patricia is popular when the Royals are on the scene

Red Fife flour appeals to Prince Charles, Will and Kate and even the Queen

Toronto-based Grainstorm has a catchy marketing tagline

“Bake like it’s 1869”

They use only ancient grains and Red Fife Wheat

To produce baking mixes with real nourishing food and not too sweet

In both taste and nutrition, modern wheat is inferior

Red Fife has not been genetically modified and is thus superior

Red Fife Muffin and Loaf Mix is the base recipe

Baking bread and muffins and cakes is easy

These forgoing artisans are dedicated and diverse

Representing a portion of the ever-expanding Red Fife universe

The Red Fife Community grows and expands

All across Canada, the United States and other lands

Red Fife supporters are connected to this heritage wheat

Red Fife consumers are supportive and eager for the next treat to eat

New and different recipes support the revival

There is little question of Red Fife Wheat survival

Conclusion

David Fife developed Red Fife Wheat

Widely acclaimed as no mean feat

As you sow, so shall you reap

As the harvest is done, it is no big leap

Red Fife increased the land under cultivation

Red Fife played a key role in developing a nation

Development of towns and migration West

Rail lines through the Rockies put engineers to the test

All of the development was easy to sustain

Canada thrived due to an abundance of grain

“Granary to the world”, Canada did proudly proclaim

Red Fife Wheat was responsible for Canada’s nickname

The story of Red Fife Wheat is the story of Canada itself

Supplanted by Marquis, Red Fife was put on the shelf

All but forgotten in Canadian history

Relegated to a distant memory

“Those who don’t know history are doomed”

Repeating history isn’t pleasant it’s assumed

Red Fife Wheat is hardy and robust

Its traits include immunity to wheat rust

Through many centuries it remained genetically pure

Its unmodified nature means it will endure

David Fife and Red Fife Wheat are closely entwined

Canadian history has not been so kind

Red Fife’s history is one of survival

Red Fife will live on due to its revival

“Granary of the world”, proclaimed the Canadian Government

In 1903, the Department of the Interior ran the advertisement

U.S. settlers journeyed north to Canada at a rapid pace

Wheat farming promised vast wealth in this new place

In 1877, David Fife died and became a distant memory

In 1888, Jane Fife died and joined him in the Fife Cemetery

In the 19th century, Red Fife Wheat solved the problem of fungus and rot

In the 20th century, David Fife became the man Canada forgot

For three decades after the passing of David Fife

Red Fife Wheat’s increased production and cultivation supplied the staff of life

Canada evolved into a growing nation

Red Fife Wheat provided the foundation

Red Fife Wheat is revered

David Fife all but disappeared

Looking back one hundred years at this seeming paradox

There is no rhyme or reason, no thinking outside the box

With the revival of Red Fife Wheat, it begs the question

Where is David Fife’s place in the history session

His experimental farm led to the “Granary of the World” proclamation

A commensurate gift or tribute to this man is worthy of consideration

In this era of internet and cell phones and all that is new

Children teach adults a thing or two

Historians and educators had best move with due haste

Or children will teach them about David Fife and the Red Fife taste

Epilogue

Queen Victoria Day marks the beginning of the planting season

There is a rhyme and reason

To remember David Fife on this planters day

Red Fife seed benefited Canada in every way

David Fife and his wife developed Red Fife

A few seeds of grain created a better way of life

1842 was a very good year

Give a cheer

Halleluiah

David Fife, we are glad we knew ya

Ode to David and Jane Fife - A Poetic History of Red Fife

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