Organic Grain Production
Grow against the grain! Grain is not often thought of as a crop of New England, but historically it has been successfully grown for hundreds of years. There has been a revival of grain production in the Northeast, with many farmers trying to align their grain with organic practices. Learn more about what local and national farmers and organizations are saying on growing grain organically.
Organic Small Grain Production Overview is an ATTRA resource that breaks down the organic practices of growing small grains, including wheat, rye, oats, barley, and sorghum. This resource does cover the challenges of growing grains organically. But by going over production principles, such as soil health and cover cropping, it helps guide you into growing grains that can reach higher prices in markets.
Maine Grain Alliance is a great New England-based education resource on grain production. They have a large list of educational grain events each year, including an annual Organic Grain and Seed Summit where you can network and learn about grain production in New England.
Northern Grain Growers Collaborative has educational material on not only growing grains, but also marketing opportunities and grant funding. They have resources for all steps in grain production, including sourcing, planting, diseases, soil health, harvest, and storage.
The Organic Grain Grower is a book by Jack Lazor that breaks down how grain production on an organic farm can increase biodiversity, resilience, and whole-farm management. Focused mainly on smaller-scale grain operations, Lazor covers how to grow and store many grain varieties for personal and commercial use.
Cooperative Extension: Grains, Pulses and Oilseeds is an extensive resource by the University of Maine with videos, fact sheets, and research reports on varieties, seeding methods, weeding, fertility, and more. Their research was carried out through multiple states, allowing NH farmers to also gain insight. This site also holds issues of the Maine Grain and Oilseed Newsletter.
Bob Quinn: Grain by Grain was featured on the Real Organic Project to discuss his book. Though Quinn is a farmer from the West, he has important insight about organic grain production through his work on the National Organic Standards Board. Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food demonstrates his work to revitalize organic grain and share the research that made it possible.
There is so much exciting momentum with the grain movement. Whether you are interested in growing oats, wheat, barley, rye, or more, there is an exciting community and interest forming. Growing grain is one step toward creating a more resilient region; hopefully, this resource can be the start of your grain journey!
This resource was funded in partnership with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program