Grain

Domesticated cereals or pseudo-cereals grown for starchy seeds that can be milled into flour or eaten whole. Includes grasses like wheat and rice plus broadleaf “grains” such as quinoa and buckwheat. Grains are foundational staples across cultures and form the basis of breads, porridges, and beers.

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  Carolina Rice: An Agricultural Legacy of Enslaved Peoples

  Carolina rice, once lost after the Reconstruction era, is being revived as a heritage grain with deep historical roots. Its story uncovers a legacy of slavery, settler colonialism, and exploitation that shaped both the British Empire and early America.
  grain, wetland, staple
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  Maize: Sacred Plant, Global Commodity

  In 2014, mass protests erupted in Guatemala against the so-called “Monsanto Law,” which restricted the reuse of patented seeds like genetically modified maize. This story explores how the law threatened centuries-old cultural and spiritual ties to maize, highlighting the deep-rooted tensions between traditional knowledge and corporate control.
  grain, staple, temperate
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  Quinoa: From Indigenous Crop to International Superfood

  Quinoa became a global “superfood” almost overnight, but its roots stretch back thousands of years to the Andes, where it was a vital subsistence crop. This story reveals how rising global demand reshaped the lives of Andean farmers and raises important questions about food justice, sustainability, and cultural appropriation in global food trends.
  grain, high-altitude, staple, gluten-free
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  Soybean: The Versatile Miracle Crop

  Soybeans are everywhere—from grocery store shelves to livestock feed—covering six percent of the Earth’s surface and dominating global agriculture. This story explores soy’s journey from a humble wild plant to a genetically modified powerhouse entangled in issues of deforestation, food systems, and environmental politics.
  legume, grain, oilseed, nitrogen-fixer