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Growing Spelt

 
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Hi,
I'm looking to grow a cash crop to help with bills etc, and spelt seems quite expensive, but I have no idea how to grow it. Can I autumn sow it? I have a mediterranean climate maybe 30 frosts never snow, and hot dry summers, wet winters annual avg 600ml of rainfall. I'm growing into acidic loess soils with a ph of 6. There is a lot of barley grown around here but I'd prefer a more profitable crop.

regards
 
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I've grown spelt as a late fall and winter to spring crop meaning I seed by broadcasting after plow down of old hayfield. . It makes nice straw. I've not grown it just for grain but the grain is more tightly bound and isn't easily removed from its envelope. It grows taller than wheat and fills out nicely too.
 
Andy Reed
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Thanks, I'm planning on eventually having a Fukuoka type system, at least no poughing fertiliser or weeding. But to start off I'll either have to plow or spray out the field. After that the straw will stay on the field as a mulch, and the grain will be the only thing removed. Unlike Fukuoka I'll still be using tractors for harvesting, and direct drilling instead of seed balls, at least untill I can get seed balls to work.
 
steward
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Location: Currently in Lake Stevens, WA. Home in Spokane
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Spelt is a great grain in my opinion.

For many decades, the Roman armies were fueled by spelt.
Each soldier was given about 2 pounds per day as his food ration.
(If they wanted meat, they needed to find something to hunt.)

I don't know how big a market there is for it, but it is not easy to find.

(I've made a great side dish of it to go with meat, and there has never been any leftovers.)

 
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