Most small grains are winter crops that need the cold of winter to produce a good crop of grain in late spring. For the home gardener or self-sustainable practitioner, eating bread grown from your own grains is the ultimate in food independence.

Plant your grains in well-prepared soil in late summer to early autumn. Do not apply too much nitrogen as this will cause your plants to “lodge” (fall over). In very early spring, cut the entire plant down to ground level and then allow to regrow. This will increase your grain harvest.