The deer feasted on our entire 4 acre 2021 buckwheat field; so we have no buckwheat flour currently available.
We will be planting buckwheat in the summer of 2022 and hope to have buckwheat flour in the fall of 2022.
Westsylvanian Common Buckwheat Facts 2019
Buckwheat Fields 2019
In 2019, Westsylvanian Common Buckwheat was grown in Independence Township on 4.27 acres on our home farm. The farm is part of a 436 acre grant (known as Extravagance) surveyed to John Doddridge on April 6,1786. According to the Caldwell Atlas , the farm was established by M.T. Murdock in 1825. Murdock is listed as a farmer, grain, stock and wool grower (with 150 sheep). The farm was later a dairy operation (the Patterson family: 1945-1966) and a cattle operation (the Eastham family: 1966-1986). In 2008, we began raising historic grains on both the home farm and neighboring farms. The grains were certified organic in 2009 . In April 2014 Weatherbury Farm began stone-grinding flour. Weatherbury Farm also raises grass fed beef.
The buckwheat was planted on August 3, 2019.
Clover was inter-seeded on the buckwheat fields on August 6, 2019. The clover suppresses weeds, aids in holding up the buckwheat and eventually provides nitrogen to the next crop. In our crop rotation, Wapsie Valley Corn follows buckwheat.
The buckwheat was swathed on October 19,2019. At Weatherbury Farm, when the buckwheat is ~ 3/4rds mature, we utilize a swather to cut buckwheat into windrows to stop deer and bird pressure on the crop. The windrow is laid on stubble for good air circulation. In the windrow, some dry matter will translocate into the nearly mature seeds and they will ripen. Windrowing increases the yield and also helps reduce shattering because it is done when the maturity is right, with the seed caught among the stems.
The buckwheat was combined (harvested) on November 10,2019, allowing the buckwheat to cure for several days after it was swathed.
For an illustrated explanation of how Weatherbury grains become flour, visit the from seed to flour page.
More information on Westsylvanian Common Buckwheat below the pictures!
Planting Buckwheat
To our minds, there is nothing prettier than a buckwheat field in bloom.
Swathing Buckwheat
Harvesting Buckwheat
About Westsylvanian Common Buckwheat
Buckwheat is a pseudo-cereal crop (it closest relative is rhubarb) that produces short, wide-spreading plants bearing bright green, heart-shaped leaves and lovely white flowers.
Since circa 4000 B.C. in the Balkan region of Europe, Buckwheat has been providing essential nutrients, vitamins, energy, and fiber to humanity. Buckwheat arrived in the U.S. with the European colonists. And, since that time, can be found growing in just about every corner of the globe.
While buckwheat can be planted in the spring, at Weatherbury Farm it is planted after wheat to provide two crops in one year (an excellent soil utilization strategy). Buckwheat hulls make excellent garden mulch.
Products Milled from Westsylvanian Common Buckwheat
Buckwheat is milled into organic unbleached buckwheat flour.
Health benefits of Buckwheat
Buckwheat provides a high quality protein with all eight essential amino acids and is one of the best sources of protein in the plant kingdom. Despite its name, buckwheat actually doesn’t contain any wheat or the protein gluten. It is milled, however, on the same mill as wheat at Weatherbury so traces of wheat may remain, despite purging of the mill between flour types. Buckwheat contains Rutin, a phytonutrient, which is an important antioxidant for heart health supports liver, brain and digestive health.
More Information
Buckwheat flour can be ordered either for our monthly on-farm pickup or you can have your order sent to you.
To read more about buckwheat flour, please visit our products page.
More information on buckwheat and other grains grown at Weatherbury Farm are on the grains we grow page.