I planted three different types of grain in 2024: Hope Red Dye amaranth, proso millet, and Red Head quinoa. I picked up the amaranth and quinoa on sale last fall during West Coast Seed‘s annual “end of season sale”, and I received the millet from the 2024 Qualicum Beach Seedy Saturday.
Grains were always a novelty item, and there was no growing space set aside for them in the Market Garden. May was a very busy month, and planting them out kept getting put off. Finally, I struck them off my “to do” list, acknowledging that I didn’t have to do everything in the first year, and that these particular crops were superfluous. By the end of May, I found the time to scatter a few seeds knowing that the grains may not have the 100+ days of good weather that they need to ripen seeds.
I harvested the amaranth last week, but I haven’t had time to process it. Most of the flowers have been removed from the stalks and put into a cloth bag that I have been tossing frequently in hopes that it will dry out more. I harvested the millet a few days ago, and because the seeds are so easy to separate from the plant, I’m almost finished threshing and winnowing. I have increased my little Seedy Saturday packet of millet seeds to about two cups.
Grains are not something that I invested much time in researching before sowing them. I didn’t assign them any growing space, and they were constantly getting bumped to the bottom of the “to plant” list. I was growing anxious about getting them in the ground as May wore on. I reminded myself that these were “extra” and struck them from the list so that I didn’t feel pressured to do everything. Mid-June, I had a little bit of time, so I scattered some seeds and hoped for a long summer.
I also didn’t do much research on harvesting or processing. I harvested the amaranth about 10 days ago, but I haven’t processed it completely. The flowers aren’t dry. The millet was harvested a few days ago, and I have almost finished threshing and winnowing it.
Right now, the amaranth is in a canvas bag in the dryer. I put it on “low” and I’m hoping that this will help it dry out. And perhaps thresh it for me. I have no idea if this is a brilliant idea of just madness, but we’ll find out later today.
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