Weatherbury Farm Grain Tracker
From Planting to Harvest, Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat (Whole & Sifted Rouge de Bordeaux Bread Flour) in the field:
Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat is a facultative high protein heritage wheat, which means that it can be planted either in the fall or in the spring. By choosing to plant it in the fall, it gets a running start ahead of the weeds in the spring.
Before planting Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat, the fields are plowed and harrowed. The harrow (to the right) smooths the field after plowing.
Planting Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat
The Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat is planted using an air drill planter. At the front of the planter is a harrow, which smooths the soil in the field to give the Rouge de Bordeaux wheat seed the best possible seedbed.
Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat Seed
Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat is having a comeback with farmer seed sharing in the U.S. (In fact, our seed comes from a farmer that Nigel met at the 2023 Hudson Valley Grain School.) It has a sweet rich nutty flavor and an enticing aroma.
Rouge de Bordeaux Flour in the field
16 days later, the wheat is has germinated and is beginning to tiller.
Frost seeding clover into the Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat.
The clover suppresses weeds, aids in holding up the grain and, eventually provides nitrogen to the next crop.
Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat in the spring. A close-up of the wheat on the day when the farmers spun clover seed on the crop.
You can see how much the wheat has grown over the winter, giving it a head start on spring weeds.
In 2 months the Rouge de Bordeaux has grown from a tiny plant to a plant with the grain heads. The wheat grains that are milled into flour are in the wheat heads.
Rouge de Bordeaux Bread Flour in the field!
The Rouge de Bordeaux has dried down and is almost ready for harvest.
Harvesting the Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat
When we harvest the Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat, the wheat grain is stored in the body of the combine. Straw comes out the back of the combine and is deposited back into field. The straw is used either to bed animals or left in the field to increase the organic matter of the soil.
Nigel oversees the unloading the Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat into a gravity wagon to take the grain back to our home farm.
At the farm, we place aerators in the wagon to bring down the moisture of the grain further. The grain is stored in the wagon until it is cleaned in order that it can be milled into flour.
Times change and this land has been sold as a housing site.
We believe that farm land should grow food not houses. Farewell, fair farm land.
Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Spring Wheat Facts 2024
Rouge de Bordeaux Field Map 2024
In 2024, Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat was grown in Independence Township on the farm established by R. Meloy, Esquire in 1829. Meloy was a farmer, grain, stock and wool grower. More recently the farm was a dairy farm and a cattle farm. Weatherbury Farm has farmed this land since 2015. The farm has been certified organic since 2006.
Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat is a game changer — a facultative wheat, which means that it can be planted either in the fall or in the spring. Thus, it is a high protein wheat that can be planted in the fall and as such, is ahead of the weeds in the spring.
The wheat was planted on one field totaling 1.89 acres on October 13, 2023.
Clover was frost seeded into the wheat on April 16, 2024. (The clover suppresses weeds, aids in holding up the grain, increases soil organic matter, and eventually provides nitrogen to the next crop.)
The Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat was harvested on July 3, 2024.
At the 2024 Washington County Fair, the Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat sheaf won 2nd place and the jar of Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat grains won 3rd place.
For an illustrated explanation of how Weatherbury grains become flour, visit the from seed to flour page.
About Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat
Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat is a facultative wheat which was planted in the fall. As such, it is able to get ahead of spring weeds, while having the higher protein normally associated with spring-planted wheat.
RBD is a heritage high protein hard red wheat dates back to the mid-1800s in the southwest of France. This may have been the wheat that gave French bakers their reputation for making superb artisan bread!
It was quite popular until World War II when farmers shifted to modern high yield wheats. Now, Rouge de Bordeaux Wheat is having a comeback with farmer seed sharing in the U.S. (In fact, our seed comes from a farmer that Nigel met at the 2023 Hudson Valley Grain School.)
Products Milled from Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Spring Wheat
Rouge de Bordeaux is milled into organic unbleached whole and sifted Rouge de Bordeaux bread flour.
Health benefits of Wheat
Wheat is an excellent source of protein, dietary fibers, manganese and selenium. Wheat’s fiber boosts the digestive process and improves overall metabolism. The vitamin B content of wheat provides you with energy. Additionally, the complex carbohydrates in wheat keeps you feeling fuller longer and give you energy over a longer period.
Managanese, which wheat is rich in, acts as a co-factor for greater than 300 enzymes involved in the production of insulin and glucose secretion. Wheat’s betaine content prevents chronic inflammation, which is a key constituent in rheumatic pains and diseases. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory property reduces the risk of ailments like osteoporosis, heart diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline, and type-2 diabetes.
More Information
Rouge de Bordeaux bread flour can be ordered either for our monthly on-farm pickup or you can have your order sent to you from our online farm shop.
To read more about Rouge de Bordeaux bread flour, please visit our products page.
More information on Rouge de Bordeaux Hard Red Winter Wheat and other grains grown at Weatherbury Farm are on the grains we grow page.