General Grains

Image by Bronwyn8 Broomcorn is in the same genus as the sweet sorghum we use for grain and syrup. Its purpose is more serviceable, however. The plant produces big, fluffy seed heads that resemble the…

Image by Siriwachara Growing your own grain in the garden, like wheat or rice, is a practice that’s gaining in popularity, and while it’s a little intensive, it can also be very rewarding. There’s a certain…

Image by Bronwyn8 Do you wonder where those broom straws originate, the ones that are bound tightly into the broom you may still use for sweeping porches and hardwood floors inside? These fibers come from a…

Image by xalanx Grains provide the basis of many of our favorite foods. Growing your own grain allows you to control whether it is genetically modified and what chemicals are used during production.…

Image by Milkos Many growers are familiar with summer garden favorites like tomatoes and peppers, but more and more gardeners are beginning to shift their attention to multi-purpose crops like small grains,…

Image by Mary Burrows, Montana State University, Bugwood.org Most wheat, oats, and barley varieties grow during cool seasons and mature as the weather warms. Growing from early winter with a late spring…

Image by Colby Lysne Have you heard of the phrase ‘separating the wheat from the chaff’? It’s likely that you didn’t give too much thought to the saying, but the origins of this adage are not only ancient but…

Image by Howard F. Schwartz, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org Growing grains and hay can be an interesting way to make a living or enhance your garden experience, but with great grains come great…

Image by EKH-Pictures It looks like a corn seedling, but it’s not. It’s wild proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), and for many farmers, it’s considered a problematic weed. Bird lovers know it as broomcorn…