Events

Join Berkeley alum and Lentil Underground author Liz Carlisle and organic farmer Bob Quinn for a launch of their new book, Grain by Grain. When Bob Quinn was a kid, a stranger at a county fair gave him a few kernels of an unusual grain. Little did he know, that grain would change his life. Years later, after finishing a PhD in plant biochemistry and returning to his family’s farm in Montana, Bob started experimenting with organic wheat. He learned that the grain he first tasted at the fair was actually a type of ancient wheat, kamut, and he went on to found a multimillion dollar heirloom grain company, Kamut International. Hear Bob Quinn’s compelling story, and how his regenerative agriculture practices can serve as a model for growing a healthy future, grain by grain.

Followed by a reception featuring ancient grain and upcycled grain snacks.

Sponsored by the Center for Diversified Farming Systems. Cosponsored by the Berkeley Food Institute, Graduate School of Journalism, and ReGrained..

RSVP: https://bit.ly/2RPvFqT

Please join us for a book launch party in celebration of Bob Quinn and Liz Carlisle’s new book "Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food."  Bob and Liz will speak and sign books, and we’ll have ancient grain goodies on hand for tasting.

"A compelling agricultural story skillfully told; environmentalists will eat it up." — Kirkus Reviews 

When Bob Quinn was a kid, a stranger at a county fair gave him a few kernels of an unusual grain. Little did he know, that grain would change his life. Years later, after finishing a PhD in plant biochemistry and returning to his family’s farm in Montana, Bob started experimenting with organic wheat. In the beginning, his concern wasn’t health or the environment; he just wanted to make a decent living and some chance encounters led him to organics. 

But as demand for organics grew, so too did Bob’s experiments. He discovered that through time-tested practices like cover cropping and crop rotation, he could produce successful yields — without pesticides. Regenerative organic farming allowed him to grow fruits and vegetables in cold, dry Montana, providing a source of local produce to families in his hometown. He even started producing his own renewable energy. And he learned that the grain he first tasted at the fair was actually a type of ancient wheat, one that was proven to lower inflammation rather than worsening it, as modern wheat does. 

Ultimately, Bob’s forays with organics turned into a multimillion dollar heirloom grain company, Kamut International. In Grain by Grain, Quinn and cowriter Liz Carlisle, author of Lentil Underground, show how his story can become the story of American agriculture. We don’t have to accept stagnating rural communities, degraded soil, or poor health. By following Bob’s example, we can grow a healthy future, grain by grain.

Harnessing the Creative Potential of Design for Social Good
Cheryl Heller with Rosanne Haggerty

Designer and business strategist Cheryl Heller, author of The Intergalactic Design Guide, talks with designer Rosanne Haggerty about how social design can help address our most pressing challenges, from poverty to climate change.

Design has built global brands, disrupted industries, and transformed our lives with technology. It has also contributed to the complex challenges we face today. Social design is a new kind of leadership. Cheryl and Rosanne discuss some innovative approaches for increasing creativity, strengthening relationships, and developing our capacity to collaborate—with the potential to transform everything from corporations to cities and to design ourselves for change.