Emmer Wheat
Triticum aestivum
Price: $3.95
SKU: 36000821Choose a variant:
Emmer wheat is one of the oldest grains grown by people. It was among the first crops farmed in the Near East, in the region called the Fertile Crescent. Some of the earliest samples have turned up at old farming sites in Turkey and Greece. Emmer is one of the parents of modern wheat, and you may also know it by its Italian name, farro.
As a whole grain, emmer has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. It is naturally low in gluten and high in both fiber and protein. Milled into flour, it carries that same nutty, sweet taste into baked goods. Many cooks use it as a rice substitute. Soaking the grain overnight cuts the cooking time to about 15 to 20 minutes. In Mediterranean cooking it shows up as farro in soups, salads, and other traditional dishes.
Emmer is a tall wheat, with plants reaching at least 3 feet (1 meter). One of its best traits is that it does not depend on fertilizer. It produces a solid crop even on poor, marginal soils. Soil that is too rich can actually cause the stems to fall over, a problem called lodging, which leads to a poor harvest. Emmer also stands up well to fungal diseases in wet soil.
As a whole grain, emmer has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor. It is naturally low in gluten and high in both fiber and protein. Milled into flour, it carries that same nutty, sweet taste into baked goods. Many cooks use it as a rice substitute. Soaking the grain overnight cuts the cooking time to about 15 to 20 minutes. In Mediterranean cooking it shows up as farro in soups, salads, and other traditional dishes.
Emmer is a tall wheat, with plants reaching at least 3 feet (1 meter). One of its best traits is that it does not depend on fertilizer. It produces a solid crop even on poor, marginal soils. Soil that is too rich can actually cause the stems to fall over, a problem called lodging, which leads to a poor harvest. Emmer also stands up well to fungal diseases in wet soil.
Lifespan: Annual
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Genetic Classification: Open Pollinated
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Genetic Classification: Open Pollinated
Emmer can be grown as a winter or spring grain. For a winter crop, sow in fall about 6 to 8 weeks before your first hard frost so the plants get established before cold weather. For a spring crop, sow as soon as the soil can be worked in early spring.
Site and soil: Pick a spot in full sun. Poor to average soil is fine and often gives the best result. Skip heavy fertilizer and rich, high-nitrogen soil, since that makes the tall stems fall over and cuts your harvest. Emmer handles wet soil better than many grains and resists fungal disease.
Sowing: Plant seed about 1 to 2 inches deep. You can broadcast the seed evenly over the bed or sow in rows about 6 to 8 inches apart. Water lightly to settle the seed in.
Growth: Expect plants to reach at least 3 feet (1 meter). Keep weeds down while plants are young. After that, emmer needs little care.
Site and soil: Pick a spot in full sun. Poor to average soil is fine and often gives the best result. Skip heavy fertilizer and rich, high-nitrogen soil, since that makes the tall stems fall over and cuts your harvest. Emmer handles wet soil better than many grains and resists fungal disease.
Sowing: Plant seed about 1 to 2 inches deep. You can broadcast the seed evenly over the bed or sow in rows about 6 to 8 inches apart. Water lightly to settle the seed in.
Growth: Expect plants to reach at least 3 feet (1 meter). Keep weeds down while plants are young. After that, emmer needs little care.
Customer Reviews:
Do you have experience with this one? 📝 📣 Write a review!
No reviews have been posted yet.
