The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

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Ed Dicken on Wheat

Dr. Edward Dickin is a lecturer in crop physiology and plant breeding at Harper Adams University. His research and teaching focus on several key areas, including crop growth and management, crop production systems, sustainable crops, crop science and sustainable systems, and advanced agronomy. He is especially interested in the physiology of crops, plant stress, barley for healthy food, beta-glucans, plant breeding, and traffic and tillage systems.

Among his notable publications, Dr. Dickin has explored various topics relevant to wheat and barley. These include the effects of tillage and traffic systems on cereal yields, the impact of environmental factors on the concentration of mycotoxins in wheat, the breeding of low glycemic-index barley for functional food, and the study of agronomic diversity in naked barley as a potential resource for new food barley in Europe. His work also delves into the effects of genotype, environment, and agronomic management on beta-glucan concentration in naked barley grain, aimed for health food use, and the growth and yield responses of UK winter wheat cultivars to different environmental stresses.

As Vanessa explores the history of wheat and delves into Ed’s amazing work, you will be treated to an up-close relaxed insight and look at the wheat fields, experiencing the beauty and complexity of the breeding process. These films offer a rare glimpse into the heart of wheat cultivation, blending expert dialogue with the visual splendour of the grains and fields. Join us in discovering the science, passion, and dedication that Dr. Dickin brings to the world of wheat breeding.

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All reasonable care is taken when advising about health aspects of bread, but the information that we share is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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