Reflections from a Fledgling Grain Grower

[homemaltster]

http://www.sprowtmalt.com/2016/12/27/grain-growing/

I wrote an article about my experience growing 25 varieties of barley, 2 varieties of buckwheat, oats, paddy rice, and corn at several different scales. I’ve harvested with machete, scythe, and combine, and gained a basic understanding of how you can, and can’t, grow grains on a small scale. Who else is combining their gardening and brewing hobbies?

 

[treebeerd]

Great article. I haven't combined the two yet, but plan on doing so. Hopefully next growing season.

 

[homemaltster]

Do it!

What kind of scale and planting/harvest setup have you been thinking about? If you have any questions, feel free to PM me

 

[treebeerd]

I'll probably start with hops, I'd like to get 4 or 5 varieties going in the next couple of years. But in the longer term I'd like to have somewhere around an 1/8 to 1/4 acre for growing grain. (Hopefully enough for a few batches at least)

I saw that in your first year you planted a 1/8 acre plot; approximately how much did you harvest? (Before your other complications hurt your supply.)

 

[homemaltster]

Hops take a couple years before they start producing in a big way, so it's smart to get a jump on them.

I wasn't keeping great records my first year growing barley. This past year, I grew about 50 bushels per acre. On a 1/8 acre plot, that would be 6.25 bushels, or 300 lbs. That's a lot of beer!

 

[treebeerd]

Should be enough for a few batches I guess! That's inspiring to hear that a quantity like that can be produced in a fairly small area.

 

[homemaltster]

Right? It's totally feasible to get a year's worth of grain out of your yard. Or more. 300 pounds of grain would be about 250 pounds of malt. Do you think you go through that much malt in a year?

 

[treebeerd]

Definitely not at this point, half of that would probably be plenty.