Homestead mailing list

[<eureka AT hctc.net>]

I'm open to suggestions, as I've never grown grain before. 
According to historical records wheat was once grown here, 
and the grist mill was across the street (the stone is in 
the local history museum which keeps such odd hours I have 
yet to visit). Our favorites to eat are: wheat, oats, 
rice, quinoa, millet & teff. I know amaranth grows well in 
the southwest but every time I cook it the stuff becomes 
gruel. We have recently discovered teff as a breakfast 
grain and since it grows in Africa it might do well here.

Although Fukuoka is able to grow rice without a paddy I'm 
reluctant to try in this semi-desert. He says the only 
reason rice is flooded is to cut down on competitive 
weeds. Rice is grown in Texas, but closer to the Gulf 
Coast. I have an oddball 15 foot round metal stock tank 
like swimming pool cut down by the previous owners into a 
pond in the middle of my back yard that might make a good 
paddy. As it is, it's just an eyesore in full sun.

Across the creek I probably have 3 or 4 sunny areas in 
speargrass I don't particularly care about preserving that 
could become grain beds. These areas would be about 
200-250 sq. ft. Is this enough space to grow grain for two 
people?

I read a lot online about grain but it's all from a 
northern perspective. I need some information for Zone 8a. 
Unless you are managing for white tailed deer, the local 
extension agency is useless.

We have a rogue sorghum plant that comes up in our garden 
every year. Has anyone ever grown it and made their own 
molasses?

--Sage
Way Out in Texas

On Fri, 31 Oct 2008 17:19:03 -0400
 EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net> wrote:
> I just took a cursory look, but that's cool.  Tonight I 
> will look at it 
> a bit closer..thanks for the link.
> How much and what type of grain are you thinking of?  I 
> know we touched 
> on this a few weeks back.
>
> B