E155: Growing Backyard Grains with Dan & Fran DeRuyck
Episode 155: Listen here!
Ever wonder if you could grow grains in your home garden? This week we are joined by certified organic grain farmers Dan and Fran DeRuyck from Top Of The Hill Farm who walk us through the many questions that come up as we contemplate a world full of backyard grain micro-farms.
The conversation takes us to many interesting places, with lessons on cover cropping, the value of regionally adapted seeds and heirlooms, companion planting, the strengths of an organic approach and ultimately the challenge of yields and processing of grains.
This episode covers:
Dan and Fran’s background in farming (28:15)
Becoming a certified organic grain farm (30:30)
Farm life heading into spring (33:20)
Growing grains, 101? (35:30)
Winter vs. spring sowing (37:40)
Timing and strategies for the spring sowing (39:40)
Soil fertility and type, sun exposure for grains (43:125)
Souring organic grain seeds for planting (47:00)
Planting the seeds and caring for the crop (53:10)
How much harvest can one expect and how to process grains? (59:05)
Rapid Fire questions (102:20)
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