Lesser Known Grains

Pearl Millet

We don’t usually grow grains at home for consumption. They are used in our gardens as cover crops or as cash crops by farmers. 

Whole grains are well known to be important elements in a healthy diet.  They contain fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals. Our dietary grains are usually obtained from wheat, oats, corn, and rice.  A recent article in the New York Times called attention to some lesser known grains that are exceptionally nutritious.  They can all be easily grown in our area and are high in fiber and protein, as well as supplying ample amounts of vitamins and minerals.  Some are grains, which are the seeds of grasses, and the others are pseudo-grains, which are grain-like seeds from plants other than grasses.

All of the plants listed here are spring crops. Cereal grains such as wheat, oats, and rye should be planted in the fall to over winter and mature in the spring.

Buckwheat

Buckwheat—The VegHeadz have long sung the praises of buckwheat as a cover crop, and as an attractor of beneficial insects.  It is very easy to grow, but we have most often chopped it down before the seeds mature. It would be worth letting it finish ripening to harvest the seeds for use as a cereal grain or grinding into buckwheat flour.  Kasha is dry roasted buckwheat which is soaked and simmered to provide porridge, pilaf, or grain bowls. Buckwheat flour is used to make crêpe-like pancakes called blini or cookies and crackers. It is high in a chemical called rutin, which is said to promote heart health because it makes blood vessels strong and flexible.

Amaranth

Amaranth—The protein in amaranth can be easily absorbed by our bodies and can be used as a substitute for other proteins.  Aztec and Inca civilizations used it as a staple. The amaranth we have grown as an experiment has had no problems with pests and diseases and produced an abundant crop of the tiny, crunchy seeds.  Amaranth is often grown as an ornamental because of the interesting flowers and seed heads, and the various colors available.  It produces nutritious cooked greens in the summer and the seeds can be used as a substitute for rice in most recipes.

Millet—We have grown pearl millet in the VegHeadz garden on several occasions and currently have a small amount of a beautiful ruby-colored variety.  This is another protein and fiber rich grain, which also provides iron, magnesium and potassium. It has a light, fluffy texture when cooked and a nutty flavor.  Millet cooks faster than brown rice and can be used as a base in grain bowls, vegetable fritters or whole meal salads.   

Pearl Millet
‘Purple Majesty’

Sorghum—The larger kernels of sorghum can be popped like popcorn or made into a creamy breakfast porridge similar to oatmeal. Sorghum flour can be used in gluten-free recipes and has a neutral flavor.  A variety called Sorghum bicolor is grown for the sweet juice from its canes which is made into molasses.  We have grown a cover crop which is a cross of sorghum and Sudan grass.  It is a large plant which grows rapidly and provides a huge amount of biomass for the garden.

Teff—The only one of the grains mentioned which we have not grown in the VegHeadz garden is teff. It is certainly worth trying because it is the most nutrient dense.   One cup of teff supplies about 10 g of protein and 7 g of fiber plus calcium and iron.  It is also high in resistant starch, which helps control blood sugar.  Its tiny seeds are gluten free.  Teff flour is used in Ethiopia to make a sour dough flatbread which is a staple there. Teff varies from white to red to brown with white being the most mild in flavor, deepening to a cocoa-like flavor in the darker colors. Teff needs warm weather to grow, and is tolerant of many soil conditions.  It should be our next growing adventure.  Maybe we can even try winnowing.

Threshing and winnowing grain is not something we usually experience as home gardeners. Things that need to be determined are the maturity of the seed heads, the moisture level of the seeds, and the humidity in the atmosphere. Manual harvesting methods for different grains can vary widely, and are usually quite labor-intensive. Once harvested the seed needs to be separated from the chaff (threshing), usually by beating with a stick.  Chaff consists of the empty seed heads and straw or other material from the plant. Winnowing involves pouring the grain from one container to another in front of a fan to allow the chaff to blow away from the heavier seeds.

Grains and seeds can be ground into flour with a high-speed blender, a coffee grinder, or an inexpensive grain mill.  There is even a grain mill attachment for KitchenAid stand mixers.

All of these grains and seeds can also be used as birdseed.  The grain heads can be left on the plants or cut and laid out for the birds to do their own harvesting, or they can be winnowed and stored like human food.

More about growing and harvesting grains here