What is buckwheat? Smallholders and allotmenteers may associate buckwheat with a cover crop or green manure, while others may be familiar with it as a gluten-free flour that’s available through specialist outlets. Either way, it’s an interesting and versatile crop with loads of potential.
I grow buckwheat primarily as a green manure, but more recently I’ve become interested in its benefits in suppressing weeds, attracting bees and as a food crop. Despite its name, the crop is not related to cereals and it’s not a grain. It’s classed as a pseudo-grain, like quinoa.
The pyramid-shaped seed has a dark husk (hull) and a white kernel inside. It is rich in starch, protein, vitamin B and some trace minerals, plus, of course, it boasts no gluten.
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) belongs to the same family as docks, sorrel and rhubarb. It has a sprawling growth habit. Like docks, it has a tap root and brings up minerals, making it a great soil improver. It has been cultivated for thousands of years across Asia, and was introduced to North America by Dutch settlers.
A hundred years ago there were more than 1 million acres of buckwheat grown across North America, but the arrival of cheap nitrogen fertilisers meant that farmers could grow more lucrative cereals, such as corn, and it fell out of favour. However, it’s still grown in Eastern Europe, Russia and across Asia, where its seed is ground to make a flour that is used in pancakes, soba noodles and pasta. Russians are said to eat an average of 5kg a year of this staple crop, mainly in the form of grechka or porridge.
SPEEDY CROP
Bu hikaye Country Smallholding dergisinin October 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Country Smallholding dergisinin October 2020 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
