The Big Picture: yes, you can grow your own grains

We're all pretty used to grain being grown in the Prairies on massive tracts of land, relying on tractors and combines and other expensive machinery. And yes, it makes sense to grow grain this way, in order to produce enough to feed Canadians and those in other countries. That said, it is entirely reasonable to grow grains on a small scale -- enough to feed yourself, your family, and maybe some friends. While yields vary depending on the grain, your climate, soil fertility, weather, and other factors, it's entirely possible to grow 60lbs of wheat (for example) on 1/40 of an acre, or approximately 1,100 sq.ft.

Unapologetic Promotion of Gene Logsdon

Island Grains was inspired by an amazing book called Small-Scale Grain Raising, written by an Ohio farmer named Gene Logsdon back in 1977. First edition copies recently sold for almost $200 on eBay, but the true value of this book is its accessible, practical, organic approach to backyard grains. We were lucky enough to score a copy at the Times Colonist Book Sale in 2008, but you're lucky too: the 2nd Edition of Small-Scale Grain Raising has now been released by Chelsea Green publishing. This is the best book we've found on small-scale grain growing.

Some Inspiration From the Grand-Daddy of Small-Scale Grains

Here's an excerpt from Small-Scale Grain Raising:

What is necessary to raise grains successfully is an understanding of planting, harvesting, and processing methods that are no longer common in commercial farming. . . . In some instances, the right way for you [to grow grains] requires a use of the latest technologies; in other cases it requires a reaching back for knowledge now almost lost. It takes both to make grain growing and grain eating the cottage industry it once was, and the key to food security it must become if personal independence is to be maintained and personal freedom preserved.

Now that we've got you excited about the skills you're going to learn, how you're contributing to food security on Vancouver Island, and how we're all going to change the face of agriculture as we know it by dusting off our scythes, here's how you can be involved in Island Grains:

Workshops

Our spring 2009 workshop series filled to capacity with 51 families participating in the 6-7 month course. We will be offering workshops again as part of our 2010 Grain CSA: please click here for details.

Online Resources

There are many, many individuals and organizations out there with invaluable information of benefit to small-scale grain growers. We hope that this website will become a central resource to help connect potential grainies with that information. To this end, we will continue to update our Information & Resources webpage as our own learning increases. Other helpful webpages under ongoing development are: