Many things can be grown in small plots right in your backyard, it kind of depends on your backyard size.
We are going with the thought of having 1000 Sq Ft or more for a plot or growing trays for animal fodder. We will be posting an article on Fodder Growing soon and it will be documented on this page soon.
One of the big issues with growing Grains is thinking about harvesting them. We are working with Goat Mountain Custom Milling to help you do that efficiently. Read about that here.
1 Acre equals 43,560 Sq Ft or approx. 200′ x220′
1000 Sq Ft is 100’x100′ or 50’x200′
1000 Sq Ft of wheat could potentially yield you enough flour for one hundred loaves of bread, that’s 1 loaf every 3 days. Or enough for 1 loaf every week for 2 years.
This 1000 Sq Ft space is bigger than your average town yard but pretty small for many of the acreage dwellers and homesteaders out there.
As far as the seed goes, we did our best to layout seeding rate. Plants per square foot is the best sowing rate available and we will work to get these done. Seed size makes it difficult to be by weight all the time.
1 Lb = 16 Oz (ounces)
The area used for planting should be well-draining and in direct sunlight. Seed needs to be lightly raked into the soil surface. Mulch or straw over the area may help to determine birds and pests from eating the grains being used as seed.
| Grain Type | 1 Lb | 5 Lb | 10 Lb | Amt per 1000 Sq Ft |
| barley | $1.29 | $4.30 | $6.45 | .8 – 1.5 Lb |
| brassica forage blend (northstar seed) | $8.20 | $33.00 | $58.00 | 1.5 – 2 Oz |
| buckwheat | $3.90 | $13.00 | $19.50 | .75 – 1.5 Lb |
| canola | $2.46 | $8.20 | $12.30 | 2 – 3 Oz |
| clover – hula white dutch (northstar seed) | $13.50 | $54.00 | $97.00 | 1/4 – 1/2 Lb |
| dual max (northstar seed) | $12.52 | |||
| equine grass max (northstar seed) | $10.69 | |||
| lentils green | $2.64 | $8.80 | $13.20 | 1 – 2 Lb |
| millet red | $2.52 | $8.40 | $12.60 | 1/2 Lb |
| millet white | $2.43 | $8.10 | $12.15 | 1/2 Lb |
| oats whole | $1.83 | $6.10 | $9.15 | 1.5 – 2.25 Lb |
| peas green | $1.95 | $6.50 | $9.75 | 7 – 8 plants sq ft |
| peas maple | $2.40 | $8.00 | $12.00 | 7 – 8 plants sq ft |
| timothy express (northstar seed) | $7.50 | $30.00 | $52.00 | 4 – 6 Oz |
| western grass max (northstar seed) | $9.96 | |||
| wheat white | 32 plants sq ft | |||
| wheat red | 32 plants sq ft |
Barley
Barley is not native to North America but grows very well here. Barley will establish well in cool, dry areas, but can also be grown in hot, humid regions. The latter sites tend to be prone to fungal disease, however. It is a quite adaptable grain which requires minimal care once it is established.
Home beer brewers can go a step further in their craft by growing their own Barley. This grain is also used in bread, soups, stews and animal feeds.
90 days seed to harvest in rows or by simple broadcast spreading. The seed needs to be in direct contact with the soil and should be slightly covered to ensure birds and animals do not eat it all on you.
Barley requires a well draining soil and full sun for best success.
Aphids and Grasshoppers can make short work of a Barley field, you may need to be proactive with pest control.
High winds can easily make an entire crop lay over on the ground. A slightly protected area would be best for this crop.
Once seed heads have formed, turn brown, and are falling over it is harvest time. Cut the grain at the base and tie it up into bundles to allow proper drying. The grain must be dried prior to Threshing.
Brassica Forage Blend
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Buckwheat
Buckwheat is naturally gluten free, deters pests and is a great cover crop for replenishing lost soil nutrients.
It makes an excellent source of Fodder for your Animals. Your chickens will love the fodder and your entire garden will appreciate the pollinators which will be attracted to it.
You could also use Buckwheat seed from your plot to stuff brand new pillows for your bed. I bet that few people replace their pillows as often as they should. Pillows should be changed every year or two because they are a prime location for mites, bacteria and many more bad things. New pillows could keep you healthier!
Canola
Canola is a great cover crop for replenishing your soil, it is not really feasible to grow enough to make oil from but you can eat it raw in salads, steamed with melted butter, or by using it in a recipe that calls for sautéed greens.
Aside from a cover crop or rotational crop, Canola may be best used as a hay or silage crop. It needs to be dried and stored properly for this purpose.
Clover White Dutch
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Lentils Green
An excellent treat for your flock of Chickens, easy to sprout and a healthy snack with a unique flavor that offers something different.
Lentils are a highly valued food due to their good taste and nutritional quality, which people think makes them too expensive to be fed to livestock. If you grow some of your own this is a Moot point.
Lentils rank 5th among the most important legume grains in the world and are extremely important in the diets of many people in India and the Middle East
Millet Red & White
Millet is an important grain and fodder crop. It is a short duration plant and excellent for dry areas. The plant naturally has high tillering and is quite drought and heat tolerant.
This crop adapts very well to differing soil types, it has a high protein content and good production.
It contains important nutrients such as proteins (11.4 per cent), starch (47.1 per cent), fat (0.5 per cent) and minerals (2.7per cent). It is an excellent source of feed as dry hay for cattle in winter.
Excellent to be grown as a fodder and a valuable crop for storage feed for your Animals.
Even distribution of water and good land preparation will help to yield increased production of the crop.
Oats Whole
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Peas Green
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Peas Maple
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Peas Trapper
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Timothy Hay (Express)
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Wheat White
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Wheat Red
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