Potential permie grain - in the ocean!

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/apr/09/sea-rice-eelgrass-marine-grain-chef-angel-leon-marsh-climate-crisis

I plan on being more mid-continent, but this use of seagrass as an edible grain source and exploring cultivation for it could be useful for coastal types/salt marsh owners.

Quote from the Michelin-starred chef funding and heading up the project in Spain:

“While the yield is about a third of what one could achieve with rice, León points to the potential for low-cost and environmentally friendly cultivation. ‘If nature gifts you with 3,500kg without doing anything – no antibiotics, no fertiliser, just seawater and movement – then we have a project that suggests one can cultivate marine grain.’”

Article also mentions natural increase in biodiversity once eelgrass got established and its high carbon sequestration, and gives a few ways León has experimented with cooking and baking with the grain.

All in all, an interesting project and potentially interesting edible grain that can be harvested from the sea!

Thank you so much for posting this Jennifer.  I live in Maine and we have this species growing native here.  I'll need to harvest a little and give it a try!  I posted that link to my local permaculture groups as I'm sure some folks here will be interested in looking more deeply into this.

Permaculture has focused more on land-based polyculture rather than lake or ocean, and I'd love to see more development in that concept. I'm told that seaweed is a healthy food, but don't know anything about how to harvest it safely and responsibly. All we tend to hear about in the news is ocean culture done bad with the same concept of CAFO's damaging water instead of land. I totally believe that permies can do better! If you try this Greg, please report back!

I too have heard that eelgrass is a keystone species that can heal damage and support biodiversity.

Interesting.  Similar to the wild-harvested aquatic grains that were a staple food for the indigenous peoples of the great lakes/upper midwest.