Comments on: Welcome http://www.islandgrains.com grow your own pancakes Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Marcu Z http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-510 Marcu Z Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:56:00 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-510 I have seen a number of small scale walk-behind combines such as this one: <a href="http://detail.en.china.cn/provide/detail,1085477670.html" rel="nofollow">http://detail.en.china.cn/provide/detail,1085477670.html</a> Usually produced in China seemingly for the east Asian market. They come either self-propelled, or as an attachment to a walking tractor, costing (if my conversions are correct) between $1000 and $4000, and in most cases the specs claim that they work for both rice and wheat. Does anyone have any experience with these? I am sure they work, given the apparent size of the industry. How hard are they to import to the US/Canada? How reliable/efficient? How adequately do they thresh? I have seen a number of small scale walk-behind combines such as this one:

http://detail.en.china.cn/provide/detail,1085477670.html

Usually produced in China seemingly for the east Asian market. They come either self-propelled, or as an attachment to a walking tractor, costing (if my conversions are correct) between $1000 and $4000, and in most cases the specs claim that they work for both rice and wheat.

Does anyone have any experience with these? I am sure they work, given the apparent size of the industry. How hard are they to import to the US/Canada? How reliable/efficient? How adequately do they thresh?

]]> By: Teri B. http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-174 Teri B. Mon, 04 Apr 2011 18:25:46 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-174 We don't see much of this out East, unfortunately! I live in Quebec and have been interested in backyard grain growing since my grandpa started talking about it years ago... nice info, thank you... We don’t see much of this out East, unfortunately! I live in Quebec and have been interested in backyard grain growing since my grandpa started talking about it years ago… nice info, thank you…

]]> By: Andrea http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-149 Andrea Fri, 25 Mar 2011 22:33:10 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-149 I am a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica. Finding your website has been such a help here. I have been growing some organic grains and teaching others, but I needed to know more. Thank you. I am a Peace Corps volunteer in Jamaica. Finding your website has been such a help here. I have been growing some organic grains and teaching others, but I needed to know more. Thank you.

]]> By: Island Grains http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-100 Island Grains Sun, 20 Feb 2011 16:54:58 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-100 I definitely want to visit Cortes! I'll send you an email to discuss this further -- thank you for visiting our site :) I definitely want to visit Cortes! I’ll send you an email to discuss this further — thank you for visiting our site :)

]]> By: Tamara http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-86 Tamara Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:21:08 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-86 Greetings! Would love to host you up here on Cortes Island at Linnaea Farm for a workshop. Interested? Tamara Greetings! Would love to host you up here on Cortes Island at Linnaea Farm for a workshop. Interested?
Tamara

]]> By: Kathryn Kerby http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-36 Kathryn Kerby Thu, 13 Jan 2011 14:31:03 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-36 I was absolutely thrilled to find your site. We're a small farm just southeast of you in Snohomish County. We've been experimenting with small grains for both rotational crops, human consumption and livestock consumption. All the small grains we've tried to grow have grown very well but harvesting has been an issue. We've been reviewing the equipment options for harvesting amounts from 1/8ac up to about 5ac. I did find the Ferrari site and looked through those options, but top of the candidates list right now is an AllCrop if I can find one. Thank you for all the work you're doing to bring small grains production back to Western WA and backyards everywhere. I was absolutely thrilled to find your site. We’re a small farm just southeast of you in Snohomish County. We’ve been experimenting with small grains for both rotational crops, human consumption and livestock consumption. All the small grains we’ve tried to grow have grown very well but harvesting has been an issue. We’ve been reviewing the equipment options for harvesting amounts from 1/8ac up to about 5ac. I did find the Ferrari site and looked through those options, but top of the candidates list right now is an AllCrop if I can find one. Thank you for all the work you’re doing to bring small grains production back to Western WA and backyards everywhere.

]]> By: Heather http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-4 Heather Mon, 27 Dec 2010 21:17:35 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-4 Sequoia -- how wonderful! Grains would be a great addition to a CSA. For that size of production it would be helpful to track down a combine to use, if that's at all possible on your Island. In 2010 we cut our wheat and rye with scythes, transported it with pick-up trucks, and fed it into a stationary combine because 1/2 acre was just too much to process by hand. (1/2 acre of mixed grains just didn't warrant driving the combine to directly harvest the grains.) You can watch the video here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLEkOR5xGhw" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLEkOR5xGhw</a>. We harvested and threshed around 900lbs of rye and wheat this way. There are also thresher machines for your scale of growing grains, but they can be expensive. We add these tools to our "Info & Resources" page on this website as we find them. As for varieties: most wheats (not spelt!) are easy to hand thresh. We found Kamut ("Polish wheat") did really well, with very large seed heads which makes threshing more efficient. Red Fife grew 6' so risked lodging (falling over) in the wind/rain. The modern wheat we grew (hard white spring wheat) was only 2' high and consistent which makes harvesting by hand or combine very easy. Quinoa should grow well for you, since we can grow it here in the Cowichan: great yields, and very healthy. Rye grew spectacularly well, but was quite tall (8-9') so you risk lodging. The straw is a handy byproduct. Dan Jason of Salt Spring Seeds may have other recommendations for you: <a href="http://www.saltspringseeds.com" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.saltspringseeds.com</a>. Hope that helps! Please keep us posted on your own findings :) Sequoia — how wonderful! Grains would be a great addition to a CSA. For that size of production it would be helpful to track down a combine to use, if that’s at all possible on your Island. In 2010 we cut our wheat and rye with scythes, transported it with pick-up trucks, and fed it into a stationary combine because 1/2 acre was just too much to process by hand. (1/2 acre of mixed grains just didn’t warrant driving the combine to directly harvest the grains.) You can watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLEkOR5xGhw. We harvested and threshed around 900lbs of rye and wheat this way. There are also thresher machines for your scale of growing grains, but they can be expensive. We add these tools to our “Info & Resources” page on this website as we find them.

As for varieties: most wheats (not spelt!) are easy to hand thresh. We found Kamut (“Polish wheat”) did really well, with very large seed heads which makes threshing more efficient. Red Fife grew 6′ so risked lodging (falling over) in the wind/rain. The modern wheat we grew (hard white spring wheat) was only 2′ high and consistent which makes harvesting by hand or combine very easy. Quinoa should grow well for you, since we can grow it here in the Cowichan: great yields, and very healthy. Rye grew spectacularly well, but was quite tall (8-9′) so you risk lodging. The straw is a handy byproduct. Dan Jason of Salt Spring Seeds may have other recommendations for you: http://www.saltspringseeds.com. Hope that helps! Please keep us posted on your own findings :)

]]> By: Sequoia Ferrel http://www.islandgrains.com/#comment-3 Sequoia Ferrel Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:19:34 +0000 http://www.islandgrains.com/2011/?page_id=2#comment-3 I am starting up a community supported farm that will focus on growing grains and other staples. I am excited about this website. I have experimented with some of the grains for the last 3 years and have a lot to learn. It is especially a challenge to figure out the threashing on a small scale. For instance walking on the wheat in a box might be fine for the amount for one family but at the scale of 10, 20 families or more we need some intermediate scaled tools. If would especially like to have more info on specific varieties for this area. (I am on Guemes Island, East of you in the San Juan islands) I am starting up a community supported farm that will focus on growing grains and other staples. I am excited about this website. I have experimented with some of the grains for the last 3 years and have a lot to learn. It is especially a challenge to figure out the threashing on a small scale. For instance walking on the wheat in a box might be fine for the amount for one family but at the scale of 10, 20 families or more we need some intermediate scaled tools. If would especially like to have more info on specific varieties for this area. (I am on Guemes Island, East of you in the San Juan islands)

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