Because nothing tastes better than bread made with hyperlocal, freshly ground flour from the world's healthiest grains.
By Amy Grisak, Rodale's Organic Life
Grains were some of the first
crops to be domesticated, and yet for some reason growing them holds an
air of mystery for home gardeners. Thankfully, people are beginning to
discover that grains,
particularly the heritage varieties that grow tall and produce many
seed heads per plant, are a beautiful and delicious addition to the
garden. (Here are the 11 healthiest whole grains you should be eating.)
[post_ads]“Growing your own wheat is a natural progression of the local food movement,” says Jacob Cowgill of Prairie Heritage Farm in
Power, Montana, where he and his wife Courtney have grown more 250
modern and ancient grains, some of which can be traced back thousands of
years to the beginnings of human domestication. “From a plant
perspective taller is better,” explains Cowgill, because those roots dig
deep within the soil to keep the plant upright, ultimately pulling more
nutrients from the soil.
(Whether you're starting your first garden or switching to organic, Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening has all the answers and advice you need—get your copy today!)
They also have higher protein contents than many modern varieties and a more complex nutrient profile. For example, Khorasan,
or Oriental wheat, is known for its high selenium content and
subsequent antioxidant properties. Some of the ancient grains are also
better tolerated by many people who normally can’t eat wheat. This is
not to say that someone with Celiac disease can consume them, but many people who have an intolerance to modern wheat often feel fine when consuming older varieties.
For example, Khorasan wheat,
which is similar to durum, is exceptional for pastas and breads. It has
a sweet, nutty flavor. And even if you don’t grind it into flour, you
can cook the wheat berries for a delicious side dish. With its large
kennels and black beard, it is also a beautiful addition to the garden.
White Sonora is a heritage soft, white wheat from the American Southwest
that works very well when making tortillas because it creates a
stretchy dough. “It was grown in California extensively in the 19th
century,” says Cowgill. It’s also a very drought tolerant variety, which
is a huge plus in many parts of the country. And out of Scotland comes
Red Fife, one of the parent varieties of modern Canadian wheat. It’s a
hard red wheat that is growing in popularity, particularly among bread
bakers.
Here's what you need to know about seeding, harvesting, and threshing your own grains.
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Seeding
[post_ads]A 20-by-20-foot plot yields roughly 15 to 20 pounds of
grain—probably not a year’s worth but more than enough to grind into
flour for special occasions or to have whole grains for cooking. And the
good news is you don’t have to heavily amend the area before planting.
Grains typically don’t have high nutrient requirements and are often
planted in fields after other crops. “They tend to be light feeders,
although it depends on the variety,” says Cowgill. “The more fertile it
is, the taller the plant, and it can fall over more easily.” He notes
that if the soil is very rich, you should consider seeding less to give
the plants more room to grow since they are bound to be larger.
In most of the country wheat and other grains can be sown
in the fall. However, spring seeding may work better for gardeners. The
seed germinates best when the soil temperature reaches 40 degrees.
Consider planting wheat at the same time as potatoes or when the
dandelions are blooming in open fields.
The traditional way to plant wheat is by broadcast
seeding, although this tends to be the least efficient means as you must
use more seed. After seeding, go over the area with a shallow
rototiller, or work the seeds into the soil with a vigorous raking. You
can also plant it by hand by creating furrows roughly an inch deep and
placing the seeds 5 inches apart, which can be just as easy depending on
how much you’re growing. Cover them, and lightly pat down the soil.
Related: 5 Ways You Can Improve Your Soil
It’s particularly important to water earlier in the season
while the wheat is growing, although as the plant matures you’ll want
to start backing off. You’ll have a good idea the wheat is ready to
harvest when the grain is golden and you can’t make a dent in a kernel
with your thumbnail. But you don’t want to dawdle before you cut it, as
the birds will take advantage of a ripe crop in short order.
Harvesting
There are
some parts of the country where the birds barely give the wheat a chance
to ripen before they descend upon the field. In these instances, you
might want to harvest when the wheat is in what’s called the “dough”
stage. This is when it’s turning from green to gold, yet you can still
make a mark with your fingernail. If you harvest at this time, cut a
longer stalk and stand the wheat in upright bunches (shocks). Then cover
them with a light cloth and allow to dry for seven to ten days before
threshing.
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You don’t need the machinery commercial growers use to do the cutting. Scissors or shears work just fine. A hand sickle works
equally well, letting you grasp the heads and slicing the stalks with
the blade. Cowgill says he just stuffs the wheat heads into a bag as he
goes along.
Threshing
There are several ways to thresh small amounts of wheat,
and many of them can be fun for the family. “Put them in a wooden box
with slats on the bottom of the box for friction. Then rub your feet on
(the wheat),” says Cowgill. “Or keep the seed heads in the bag, and
stomp on it or hit it with a stick.” A plastic baseball bat also works
pretty well to knock the seeds out of their hulls.
Related: How To Make Sourdough Bread
To blow away the chaff, one of the easiest methods is to
slowly pour the threshed grain from one container to another in front of
an electric fan. The wheat berries will fall as the debris is blown
away, although you still might have to pick through it a little bit
afterwards.
Once you have your wheat cleaned, store it in airtight
containers such as food grade buckets, or better yet, sealable glass
containers.
