# Growing grain crops for 2



## GoldenBear (Oct 29, 2016)

Hello y'all,
I am trying to find some information on growing an grinding my own grains for flour an meal. Does anyone know or direct me to the information I need?

Thanks,


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

I used to get wheat from Wheat Montana, through an organic co-op, and one time I got a 25 lb. bag of organic flaxseed. After using it for a year, I threw the last of it in the garden, and every bit of it came up! In my opinion, they are a good source for fertile grain seeds.

One other thing.... My mom was a teenager during the Great Depression, and they depended a lot on corn. They ate a lot of cornbread and cornmeal mush, and they cracked it to feed to their livestock. Nowadays, though, it helps to be a distance from any farmers growing corn, so it won't cross-pollinate. Corn is wind-pollinated, and most of the corn grown in the U.S. now is genetically modified. Even the crows won't eat it.


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## timmie (Jan 14, 2012)

Starcreek said:


> I used to get wheat from Wheat Montana, through an organic co-op, and one time I got a 25 lb. bag of organic flaxseed. After using it for a year, I threw the last of it in the garden, and every bit of it came up! In my opinion, they are a good source for fertile grain seeds.
> 
> One other thing.... My mom was a teenager during the Great Depression, and they depended a lot on corn. They ate a lot of cornbread and cornmeal mush, and they cracked it to feed to their livestock. Nowadays, though, it helps to be a distance from any farmers growing corn, so it won't cross-pollinate. Corn is wind-pollinated, and most of the corn grown in the U.S. now is genetically modified. Even the crows won't eat it.


somebody forgot to tell the crows at my house.lol


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

I was just looking at grain rollers on amazon. I have a wheat grinder, that is run by hand. Was looking for a grain roller to flatten whole wheat and other grains and to crack corn. There are a lot available. One of them is a Kitchen Aid attachment to my hand crank Kitchen Aid. I'm thinking animal feed, but people also eat animal feed. Fried Mush is still very popular where my family lives.
I would just buy some seed and see what can grow in your area.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

And don't forget that there is a good reason that many people buy the electric motor attachment for their hand grinders after the first year.


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## Starcreek (Feb 4, 2015)

timmie said:


> somebody forgot to tell the crows at my house.lol


Could be something different than what is grown around here. There are crows everywhere, but I just drove down a road between two harvested grain fields yesterday and looked to see if there were any birds gleaning the fields -- not a one, on maybe 50 acres of field.

Last year, we stopped by a corn field that had been harvested about 4 months earlier, and found whole ears of corn -- whole ears -- lying untouched in the field. With as many raccoons as we have around here, I was shocked that the corn was untouched. And there were no signs of deer or birds in that field, either.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

What I found:

Corn ranks high on lists of food products most likely to contain GMOs, or genetically modified organisms. 

Since 1996, corn has been genetically modified, and according to the USDA, 93 percent of the corn crops planted in the United States contained GMOs in 2014. But keep in mind that most of that corn is field corn, much of which will be fed to animals, although some may be made into corn-based products like cereal.

Special: GMO Foods: Are We Unknowingly Poisoning Our Families? 

In 2011, Monsanto introduced GMO sweet corn, but according to the Non-GMO Project (NGP), a couple of years later it looked as if farmers were not embracing the product. Citing a 2013 Friends of the Earth study that looked at 70 different sweet corn products, including canned and frozen products, the study found that only two of the corn products contained GMOs.

“GMO sweet corn is genetically engineered to be herbicide resistant (Roundup Ready) and to produce its own insecticide (Bt Toxin). Like all GMOs, genetically modified sweet corn has not been thoroughly tested to ensure that it is safe for consumption,” NGP reported. 

“Monsanto’s genetically engineered sweet corn appears to be a big flop in the United States," said Friends of the Earth's Lisa Archer. "Companies here are starting to reject genetically engineered foods, and rightly so. They know their customers, particularly parents, are leery of unlabeled, poorly studied GMOs.”

Special: Are We Unknowingly Poisoning Our Families With GMO Foods?


The same did not hold true in Canadian stores and roadside stands in 2013. The Canadian Biotechnology Action Network examined 43 samples of “conventional fresh, sweet corn,” and found that 15, or about 35 percent, contained GMOs. 

NGP has created a program that allows companies to certify their project as being GMO-free. There are numerous corn products – everything from popcorn to corn syrup and corn flakes – that have taken advantage of that labeling to promote their products. 

Special: GMO Foods: Are We Unknowingly Poisoning Our Families? 


Read more: Is All American Corn GMO?


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

Starcreek said:


> Could be something different than what is grown around here. There are crows everywhere, but I just drove down a road between two harvested grain fields yesterday and looked to see if there were any birds gleaning the fields -- not a one, on maybe 50 acres of field.
> 
> Last year, we stopped by a corn field that had been harvested about 4 months earlier, and found whole ears of corn -- whole ears -- lying untouched in the field. With as many raccoons as we have around here, I was shocked that the corn was untouched. And there were no signs of deer or birds in that field, either.


My White Leg Horns will not touch the corn in a commercial scratch grain mix. They will eat the other grains and leave the corn lay. The Rhode Island Reds will eat it all.


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

GoldenBear said:


> Hello y'all,
> I am trying to find some information on growing an grinding my own grains for flour an meal. Does anyone know or direct me to the information I need?
> 
> Thanks,


A book called: Small-Scale Grain Raising by Gene Logsdon
There is a lot of information in there.

BTW: About where do you live? It would help giving you advice.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Planting and Growing
Grains are easy to plant: Simply work the soil into a good seedbed and broadcast the seed by hand or with a crank-type seeder. Rake the soil lightly to work the seed into the top 2 inches of ground. Spread a 2- to 4-inch layer of loose straw mulch after seeding to help conserve moisture and control weeds.

You can purchase small amounts of common grain seed at most farm stores. Some general garden seed catalogs carry a few types, too.

Wheat
Wheat (Triticum spp.) is the most widely consumed grain in North America. It makes excellent bread and pasta, and has tasty whole or cracked kernels. Wheat sprouts also are very tasty. 

Wheat prefers a nearly neutral soil (about 6.4 pH), and does best with a cool, moist growing season followed by warm, dry weather for ripening.

Winter wheat is planted in fall, stays green until early winter, then goes dormant until spring. The onset of warm weather causes rapid new growth, and seed heads develop within 2 months. Winter wheat ripens about the first week of June in the South, later in the North.

Spring wheat is planted at the beginning of the growing season and ripens in mid- to late summer. It tolerates drier conditions than winter wheat, but doesn’t yield as well.

Hard red winter and hard red spring wheat are used for bread baking. Soft red winter and white wheat are used primarily for pastry flour. Durum wheat is used for making pastas. Regardless of their commercial use, all the wheats make good bread. There are many cultivars; choose those commonly grown in your area.

Plant spring wheat at about the same time as the average last killing frost. Plant winter wheat at about the time of the average first fall frost. If Hessian fly, a common wheat pest, is a problem in your area, be sure to plant after the “fly date.” Check with your local extension office for this date. Use about 4 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet.

Spelt
Spelt (Triticum spelta), also called spelt wheat, is an ancient grain grown for its nutty-tasting, highly nutritious seeds that are easily digested. Spelt is used to make pasta, breads, and flour, and the seeds also are sold for sprouting. Many individuals who are allergic to wheat can tolerate spelt, and spelt contains a different form of gluten than wheat does. If you have a wheat or gluten allergy, check with your doctor before trying spelt products. 

Spelt grows successfully in poorer soils than wheat, including heavy clay, and tolerates dryer conditions as well. Grow it as you would winter wheat, planting in fall and harvesting in spring.

Rye
Rye (Secale cereale) adds a rich flavor to bread or rolls. Cracked rye can also be used in other baked goods or served as a cooked grain. Rye sprouts are sweet and crunchy. 

Rye grows better than wheat in cold, wet climates. It also grows in poor soils that won’t support wheat, but yields about 30 percent less.

Plant rye in the same manner and at the same rate as winter wheat any time from late summer to late fall. Rye ripens 7 to 10 days before winter wheat.



Oats
Oats (Avena sativa) are highest of all cereal grains in protein and lowest in carbohydrates. Oats make tasty table fare, but most cultivars have a tough hull that’s hard to remove. ‘Freedom’ oats are virtually hull free. 

Oats need lots of moisture, and favor a cool climate and fertile, well-drained soil. In the South, plant oats in fall for harvest the following summer. But in general, it’s best to plant oats in very early spring. Plant about 2 to 3 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet.

Corn
As home gardeners, we think of corn (Zea mays) as sweet corn, but fresh ground cornmeal is wonderfully fragrant and tasty, too. Choose a dent or flint type for cornmeal, and a flour type for a finer meal, rather than a sweet-corn cultivar. Indian corn and field corn are familiar dry-corn types. 

Grow dry corn as you would sweet corn. Remember to separate dry- and sweet-corn cultivars, so they won’t cross-pollinate. Dry corn is normally left on the plant until after frost, but can be picked after the husks begin to dry. Bring husked ears under cover to finish drying.

Barley
Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is a delicious, nutty-tasting cereal grain, especially good in casseroles, soups, and pilaf. The grain has an outer hull that should be removed. Pearl barley has been milled to remove the tough husks. Barley flour is low in gluten and is mixed with other flours for making bread. 

Plant 4 pounds of seed per 1,000 square feet. Spring-sown barley matures in about 70 days, while fall-planted barley ripens about 60 days after growth resumes in spring.

Rice
Although we commonly think of rice (Oriza sativa) as a tropical crop, there are early-maturing cultivars that will grow in most parts of North America. Rice is often grown in flooded fields, but it will also thrive under the same conditions as corn. Wild rice (Zizania aquatica) is native to North America and grows in ponds and slow-moving water. 

Soak seed for 24 hours and plant in flats of moist, mucky soil about a month before your last frost. Prepare raised beds with plenty of organic matter and cover with a thick organic mulch. Transplant on 9-inch centers, pushing the mulch aside. Water rice once or twice a week so that it gets about 1 to 1½ inches from rain and irrigation combined. When rice flowers, make sure it gets plenty of water; cut back once the grain starts to harden. Rice is hard to hull.

Millet
Millet is a catchall name for at least five different genera and assorted species of cereal grains native to Asia and Africa, where the hulled grain is a staple food in many countries. We are most familiar with it as the shiny, little, round, yellow or orange brown seeds in birdseed mixes. It is higher in essential amino acids than other cereal grains and has a subtle, nutlike flavor when baked or cooked. To bring out its full taste, roast the grain in a pan with a little oil before using. 

Millet will tolerate poor soils. The plants mature very quickly—some in just 30 days. You can sow millet almost any time from spring 278through late summer. Plant about 1 pound of seed per 1,000 square feet. 

Supergrains
Amaranth and quinoa are both grown extensively in other parts of the world for their seed and edible leaves. Both types of seed contain about 16 percent protein and are high in fiber and in amino acids often absent in cereal grains.

Amaranth
Grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is a relative of the familiar ornamental amaranth. Amaranth seed is white to yellow, round, and very small. It makes a tasty porridge and can be toasted to make a crunchy topping. The flour must be mixed with other flour for baking. 

Grain amaranth matures in about 120 days. Start the plants indoors, or direct-seed in rows and thin to 1 to 3 inches apart. Seed is ready to harvest when it starts to dry. Cut the whole seed heads and hang them in clusters or in a cloth sack to dry. Thresh by beating the bag; sift chaff from seed with a fine screen.



Quinoa
Pronounced “ki-NO-uh”, quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) seed is the staple grain of the Andean highlands. It is a close relative of the potherb known as good King Henry (C. bonus-henricus). Quinoa seed is tiny and, when cooked, has a delicate flavor and a fluffy texture. It can be used like rice—just be sure to rinse the raw seed first or it will be bitter. Quinoa flour gives a moist texture to baked goods when mixed with other flours. 

Quinoa is adapted to high mountainous areas, and most cultivars will not make seed in areas where temperatures reach 95°F. Plant seed ½ to 1 inch deep in cool soil; the crop is easy to grow. Its culture and appearance is similar to amaranth.

Buckwheat
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) isn’t a cereal grain. It belongs to the family Polygonaceae, as do rhubarb and garden sorrel. It is commonly grown as a green manure crop and as a bee forage plant. The amino acid composition of the seed surpasses that of all other cereal grains, and the flour’s earthy flavor makes it a welcome addition to treats such as flapjacks and breads. The seed matures in just 70 to 80 days; it makes a good second crop in a two-crop rotation. 

You can plant buckwheat almost any time from spring to late summer, in almost any type of soil. Generally, late-June or July plantings yield the most seed. Sow about 2½ pounds per 1,000 square feet. Buckwheat seeds ripen at varying rates, so watch the crop carefully and harvest when most of the seed is ripe.

Harvesting and Usin


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

part 2:
Harvesting and Using
Harvest cereal grains about 7 to 10 days before they're fully mature and dry. The grain heads should still be greenish or just turning yellow, the stalks mottled with green. Pinch a kernel with your thumb and index finger. It should be soft enough to be dented by your thumbnail, but not so soft that it squashes.

Cut the stalks just above ground, and gather and tie them into bunches. (The traditional tool for cutting grains is a scythe.) Stack or hang the bunches in the field or under cover to dry. The grain will cure in 10 to 14 days. When you bite a kernel between your teeth, it should be hard and crunchy.

Threshing: To thresh, put a bundle or two on a sheet spread over a hard surface, such as a patio or floor. Beat the seed heads with a length of rubber hose or an old mop handle to knock the seeds from the stalks.

Winnowing: Next, clean the grain of chaff and hulls. Pour the grain slowly from one bucket to another in front of a fan. The breeze should be strong enough to blow the chaff away, but not to take the kernels with it. Repeat until clean.

Storing: Keep small quantities of cereal grains in a refrigerator or freezer. You can also store thoroughly dry grain in a cool, dark place in sealed jars to protect it from insects.

Hulling: Hulling grain with tough hulls is one of the biggest stumbling blocks for home gardeners. You can hull small quantities by roasting the grain in an oven at 180°F for 60 to 90 minutes, and then running the kernels lightly though a blender and picking out the cracked hulls. For larger quantities, use a grain grinder.

Milling: Grains can be cracked or ground into flour in a good household blender. Grind ¼ cup at a time, taking care not to let the motor labor too much. If you make a lot of flour, you may want to buy a hand-cranked or electric flour mill. Grind only as much as you will use in a few weeks, and store prepared grains in the refrigerator or freezer; they go rancid rapidly.

http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/grains-growing-guide


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

NNY HAMMOND on OCTOBER 31, 2009
in FOODS,PLANT FOODS
Cows, sheep, and related animals are designed to eat grass. The enzymes, acids and microbes in their four stomachs can digest the cellulose in the green stuff that makes up your lawn. We humans, on the other hand, can’t eat regular grass. However, we can eat parts of certain foods in the grass family. We eat the seeds, or grain, of some members of this family – wheat, corn/maize, rice, oats, rye, millet, teff, wild rice, and others. They are also known as cereals; hundreds of years ago in the UK, all cereals were referred to as “corn” and the name ended up sticking with a new grain that came from the new world. Note that quinoa and buckwheat aren’t officially cereal grains – they’re from other families. The stalks of other members of the grass family are used – sugar, bamboo, and lemongrass.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

GoldenBear said:


> I am trying to find some information on growing an grinding my own grains for flour an meal. Does anyone know or direct me to the information I need?


Suuuuure is tempting, isn't it?

Let's do a little math to see how much you can grow...

In one acre of land is 43,560 square feet.

Good land, dry (non-irrigated) in North Dakota will make 30 bushel an acre.
REALLY good (bottom land) dry land will do 60-70 bushels and acre.
Irrigated and fertilized land can do 100 bushels an acre!!

Let's say you only need 2 bushels for each year (61lbs x 2) ~122 pounds

If you are on dry land, (no irrigation) but can fertilize it some, & you are expecting about "30 bushels per acre rate", you will need 2904 sq feet of land in your garden area. That pretty close to 30' x 100'.

Wheat is pretty easy to grow. That's the easy part.

Going through all the steps getting it OUT of the field 
and having "cleaned" (no chaff, no weed seeds) wheat berries in 5-gallon pails

....is where the real work begins!

.


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## GoldenBear (Oct 29, 2016)

Being that I lived on a farm in kentucky for nearly 13 yrs I know about hard work. I now have relocated to Alabama an having to start all over again. Thanks for your information it is a help.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

GoldenBear said:


> .... for nearly 13 yrs I know about hard work.


Notice that I didn't say "hard" work.

I should have said was "detailed" work.

Have you ever grown grains? 
Do you have a method of cutting the wheat? 
Where will you thresh it? 
In the field, or at the farm?
How will you transport it?
If threshed in the field, how? Flail-&-chain on a tarp isn't easy at all.
If threshed at the farm, do you have a small threshing machine?
How will you transport it?
How will you separate the wheat?
What if you have no power?
How will you handle the cleaned wheat "berries"?
How will you store it?


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

I grew some wheat last year. Just a small 10x15 patch. It really wasn't that difficult. I just pulled the seed heads off of the stalks and put them in a bucket, stored it in a metal trash can. When I went to use it I put what I wanted to use in a cloth bag and rubbed the grains against each other and blew the chaff out. Then ran it through a sifter after grinding before using. We don't eat a ton of bread so we wouldn't need acres of wheat. We used the stalks for the goats.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I have two of these machines & a horse drawn hay rake.

A Short History of the Horse-Drawn Mower
A Short History of the Horse-Drawn Mower
by: Lynn R. Miller
Book Reviews • Equipment & Facilities • Farming Systems & Approaches
Mowers
Book Excerpt: The enclosed gear, late model John Deere, Case, Oliver, David Bradley, and McCormick Deering International mowers I (we) are so fond of had a zenith of popular manufacture and use that lasted just short of 25 years. Millions of farmers with millions of mowers, built to have a serviceable life of 100 plus years, all pushed into the fence rows. I say, it was far too short of a period.

I agree it is hard work, by hand or with horse.
But it can be done.
Also wild flours, like sandspurs or nuts:
http://www.eattheweeds.com/wild-flours/


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## JustCliff (May 21, 2011)

I have been researching small grain threshers from China and India. I have thought about importing a container of them and try to make a go at selling them. Here are some videos of some I like. 
The reason I have not yet ......Having a bit of trouble wrapping my head around knowing my time is running short. Thats for another thread.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

JustCliff said:


> I have been researching small grain threshers from China and India. I have thought about importing a container of them and try to make a go at selling them.


It all depends on the crop - - no such thing as "one machine threshes them all" ... except the Allis-Chalmers "all-crop", but even THEN you still had to buy a LOT of different screens to make the machine work.

Then there are varieties... I remember "Amidon" spring wheat - - VERY resistant to diseases and yielded very well.... and worked GREAT at plugging up your combine! It was VERY difficult to get your machine set "just right", or you were either dumping wheat on the ground behind it, or filling your grain tank full of "whitecaps". 

I did a little research on wheat breeding/hybriding a while back.... I seem to recall a dwarf variety that was bred in Oregon, that had AMAZING bred qualities across the board for the farmer! Until.......... they eventually found out it had horrible MILLING qualities! All the flour mills quit buying it!


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## Meerkat (May 31, 2011)

We have never grown grain crops. Tried corn but too much work for too little crop.

Wish we could grow corn though, we like corn meal recipees.


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