Hummus is Conquering America: U.S. farmers now growing more chickpea, less tobacco

[OneGrassRoot]

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CLOVER, Va.—Prodded by the largest U.S. hummus maker, farmers in the heart of tobacco country are trying to grow chickpeas, an improbable move that reflects booming demand for hummus.

Sabra Dipping Co., a joint venture of PepsiCo Inc. PEP +0.43% and Israel's Strauss Group Ltd., wants to cultivate a commercial crop in Virginia to reduce its dependence on the legume's main U.S. growing region—the Pacific Northwest—and to identify new chickpea varieties for its dips and spreads.

For Sabra, which makes hummus at a plant near Richmond, Va., a secondary source of supplies could help protect the company if a chickpea shortage occurred because of crop failures in Washington or Idaho. Sourcing chickpeas locally also would lower its shipping costs. But the Virginia effort carries risk, because experts say the state's high summer humidity could prove a significant obstacle to its viability.

"We need to establish the supply chain to meet our growing demand," says Sabra's chief technology officer, Tulin Tuzel. "We want to reduce the risk of bad weather or concentration in one region. If possible, we also want to expand the growing seasons."


http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323798104578453174022015956.html

[Katashi_itto]

1. I smoke hummus often

[Phentex]

2. Whew! I thought you were going to tell us we were harming another country

the way the quinoa popularity is. I hope there isn't a chickpea shortage any time soon!

[OneGrassRoot]

3. lol....

I need to get up to speed on the quinoa thing.

This seems like an interesting article:

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/food/2013/01/quinoa_bad_for_bolivian_and_peruvian_farmers_ignore_the_media_hand_wringing.html

[KurtNYC]

4. I'm growing chickpeas this year

Experimenting with irrigation-free, drought resistant crops for the new normal -- hotter and drier.

Growing chickpeas, black beans, snow peas, soup peas, edamame and a couple others. It was 80 degrees here yesterday and no rain in the forecast so looks like I am getting my drought test conditions.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. Nice! Good luck! n/t

[stevenleser]

5. I love Hummus! nt

[onehandle]

6. Hummus is one of the greatest foods ever. A staple in our diet.

Now can someone tell me why I can't find Edamame that isn't made in China?

We're the largest producer and yet all of the grocery stores have poisonous Chinese soybeans?

[Cha]

15. Hey onehandle.. Cascadian Farms sells homegrown Edamame..

http://www.cascadianfarm.com/products/product_detail.aspx?cat=10&upc=0-21908-50347-9

they're in heath food stores all over.

[REP]

18. Same here! Has been long before it was cool

I'm lucky to be from a city with a large Greek population, so I knew about hummus about the same time I knew about food. I used to have to make it - not a big ordeal, but it's so much quicker to buy a tub if Trader Joe's and dive in

[ananda]

8. Hummus is a big staple here in Austin.

I like putting it on salad in place of dressing.

[HereSince1628]

9. aka Garbanzo Beans, and I like them, our meatless Monday often includes chick-pea masla

The SO likes hummus, I don't much care for vegetable spreads.

In late summer I surrender to zucchini-based Ikra as one of the ways to use it up.

[Buns_of_Fire]

10. I'd probably starve if it weren't for Sabra and Tribe.

And whatever pita bread I can find. Somehow, using Doritos to scoop up hummus just seems a little unnatural.

[LWolf]

11. That's great!

Now tell me that they aren't growing a patented Monsanto, round-up-ready chickpea.

[BlueToTheBone]

12. and chickpeas help fix nitrogen in the earth

while tobacco depletes it. What a win/win!

[flvegan]

13. Fucking veg*ns.

Those assclowns started this.

Or something.

[Cha]

14. Wonderful! Love some Huumous..Organic, roasted red pepper w/garlic..

preferably

thanks OneGrassRoot that's the perfect name for you~

[Fire Walk With Me]

16. Awesome, thank you :)

[Poll_Blind]

17. Good! Now if I can just get the other half to grow eggplant I can have...

...all the hummus and baba ghanouj I want.

Which is all of it.

PB

[REP]

19. Baba ghanouj is the only way I like eggplant ...

... and then I like it by the gallon

[Poll_Blind]

20. Yup. There's something about the delicate taste, like very fresh sushi.

Just delicate, delicate.

It's 2013. There really should be spigots for that shit in every home by now.

PB

[Hekate]

21. I like Sabra hummus -- very tasty, and available at Costco

More importantly, I am overjoyed to find there's a crop that can replace tobacco!