Despite all the buzz around ancient and heirloom grains, einkorn wheat doesn't get much attention. Considered the oldest grain known in the history of agriculture, this superfood is delicious in all kinds of baked goods. Einkorn also is the only wheat known to not have been hybridized. Einkorn wheat once grew wild around the world, but, like many other heirloom grains, it was weeded out as farmers cultivated modern crops and easier-to-harvest varietals. Still, this ancient grain is prized for its nutrients, lower levels of gluten, and non-GMO status.
112-140 days (outdoors) 10-14 days (wheatgrass/fodder) – Heirloom. Einkorn is
considered the most ancient wheat. It grows on a finer stalk, more like a grass than normal wheat. Einkorn is packed with more nutrients, vitamins, and dietary minerals than regular wheat. It can have as much as 40% more protein and 15% less starch than commercial wheat varieties. This is why it is so beneficial to use this ancient grain for growing wheatgrass. Einkorn makes wheatgrass juice a real powerhouse in nutrients.
Einkorn natively grows in a hull that does not separate from the kernel during harvest. Most Einkorn berries that are available on the market have gone through a dehulling process, so it can be used in baking purposes and grinding into flour.
This Einkorn seed is very unique because it still has the hull on it. For the purpose of sprouting and growing the Einkorn, it is best to have the hull still intact. Experts say that the hull protects the kernel from disease and rot, allowing the kernel to sprout well and have better germination, which is what you want when growing wheatgrass or fodder.
Germination
Direct sow in weed-free, well-prepared soil September to October, or during a dry spell in early spring. Optimal seeding rate is 20 seeds per square foot, best sown 10 seeds per row foot in rows that are 6? apart for ease of cultivation and harvest. Einkorn is usually very frost tolerant.
Plant 2-3 seeds 1/2 inch deep and 6-8 inch apart in fertile, loamy, well-drained soil in full sun. Seeds germinate in 5-10 days, with no thinning required. Harvest the heads of seeds when dried, hard, and heavy at the end of summer.
Prepare your soil with a light raking. It does best when planted roughly an inch apart with rows that are 6 inches apart. Sowing at ½ inch depth is optimal. Einkorn can be sowed in Fall for a Spring harvest or in the Spring for a Fall/Winter harvest. Einkorn wheat differs from modern wheat hybrids.