On Gold Hill A Personal History of Wheat, Farming, and Family, from Punjab to California

A young South Asian American woman's story of reconnecting with her identity, family, and heritage through sustainable farming. In 2012, 25-year-old Jackie Moyer-the daughter of a forbidden marriage between a white American father and a Punjabi American mother-was a new organic farmer with 10 acres of land in Gold Hill, California. With a fractured relationship to her heritage, Moyer saw an opportunity for repair when she decided to grow an heirloom wheat variety called Sonora. Sonora wasn't just an heirloom wheat strain; it was her own cultural heirloom. Its history can be traced back to Punjab, the Indian state where Moyer's own roots are planted. From California to Punjab, the past to the present, Jackie uncovers how the history of this hardy wheat mirrors her family's multigenerational story of resilience. Along the way, Moyer learns about the connection between the earliest strains of domesticated wheat to the rise of big agriculture. With a passion for dismantling the exploitative big-agriculture industry, she examines how the development of high-yielding varieties and chemical fertilizers has harmed our relationship with food, the planet, and each other. With this simple strain of wheat and a probing inquiry into the value of small-scale organic farming, Jackie Moyer weaves a brilliant tapestry of respect for the land and reconnection to one's heritage.