If you’re heavy into health and sustainability, eventually you’ll want to try growing your own whole grains. Wheat is surprisingly easy to grow and can produce a completely natural product without commercial processing.
If you’re heavy into health and sustainability, eventually you’ll want to try growing your own whole grains. Wheat is surprisingly easy to grow and can produce a completely natural product without commercial processing.
Wheat can grow just about anywhere in the U.S., and you don’t need a ton of space to grow it. Even a 100 square foot wheat field can end up producing about 50 pounds of grain! You can grow the grain in large blocks in a field or in wide rows in a garden.
Before you dedicate a large area to your wheat crop, do a small test section of the garden to see how it turns out. This practice run will help you understand how the grain reacts to climate and soil conditions, as well as how long it takes to harvest.
When you’re sure you’re ready for it, choose which wheat to plant. Spring wheat is planted in the spring and harvested in fall. Winter wheat is planted in fall and harvested in May (in the South) through July (in the North.) These varieties are further divided into divided into soft wheat (used primarily for pastries and crackers), hard wheat (used for breads) and durum wheat (used for pasta.) Your cooperative extension office can help you choose the right type of wheat for your region.
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