{"id":72220,"date":"2026-05-26T16:37:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T20:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/syrian-farmers-continue-ancient-tradition-of-harvesting-freekeh-grain\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T16:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T20:37:21","slug":"syrian-farmers-continue-ancient-tradition-of-harvesting-freekeh-grain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/syrian-farmers-continue-ancient-tradition-of-harvesting-freekeh-grain\/","title":{"rendered":"Syrian Farmers Continue Ancient Tradition of Harvesting Freekeh Grain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n

TAFTANAZ, Syria (AP) \u2014 Ancient agricultural traditions continue to thrive in northwestern Syria, where farmers maintain centuries-old techniques for cultivating freekeh, a smoky roasted wheat grain that serves as a cornerstone of Middle Eastern cooking.<\/p>

The distinctive grain comes from wheat that’s harvested while still young and green, then roasted using open fire methods. This process burns off the outer shells while keeping the inner grain intact, creating freekeh’s characteristic smoky taste that sets it apart from other wheat products.<\/p>

Around Taftanaz in Syria’s Idlib province, agricultural workers continue the seasonal ritual of gathering, moving and fire-roasting the wheat before cleaning it for sale at local markets. The practice has survived ongoing warfare and financial difficulties, representing a lasting element of Syria’s agricultural heritage. Throughout Syrian households and dining establishments, the grain typically accompanies meat dishes like lamb or chicken, often topped with nuts and fresh vegetables.<\/p>

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Despite ongoing conflict and economic challenges, farmers in northwestern Syria maintain centuries-old methods for producing freekeh, a smoky roasted wheat grain central to Middle Eastern cooking. The traditional spring harvest involves roasting immature wheat over open fires to create the distinctive flavor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":72219,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[862],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72220","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-agriculture"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/news-1779827841619.jpg?fit=1000%2C666&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pbtNqq-iMQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":26580,"url":"https:\/\/tvdelmarva.com\/wp\/midwest-wheat-farmers-using-advanced-techniques-to-boost-crop-yields\/","url_meta":{"origin":72220,"position":0},"title":"Midwest Wheat Farmers Using Advanced Techniques to Boost Crop Yields","author":"Admin","date":"February 24, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Agricultural experts in the Great Lakes region are helping wheat farmers increase production through improved management practices. 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