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Harvesting unripened cereals/grain

pollinator

Posts: 356

Location: Portugal (zone 9) and Iceland (zone 5)

posted 12 years ago

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Hello all,

We have short and cool summers. Any cereal growing is quite challenging in Iceland.

Usually, oats, rye, rye or barley, they start growing by late spring (after thawing), head by July, but then seeds never ripen, as weather becomes cold and extremely wet in August and September.
Now my grain is still unripened and green, but some kernels have good size. Winter weather will soon arrive, and I MUST do something.

Should I cut the straw with the kernels and just let it dry indoors? Does it work?

Our projects:
in Portugal, sheltered terraces facing eastwards, high water table, uphill original forest of pines, oaks and chestnuts. 2000m2
in Iceland: converted flat lawn, compacted poor soil, cold, windy, humid climate, cold, short summer. 50m2

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4142

Location: Kansas Zone 6a

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posted 12 years ago

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Best thing is to harvest green (milky seed heads) and ferment to silage for animal fodder. Not sure what to do for human consumption

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