Grains in Maine :) (Ashland, Washington, Penobscot: how much, buy, live)

[ChrisC]

How well do wheat and oats grow in northern Maine? I know northern Maine is not noted for grains (wheat, oats, etc), but I have read that they were commonly grown in the past, and that recently there has been more interest and experimentation in finding the best varieties of wheat for northern Maine's climate. Any experience with grains in the Aroostook County area with wheat? Oats? Other grains?

[maineguy8888]

I think you will find that grains are grown by many County farmers, primarily as a rotation crop.

[Maine Writer]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

I think you will find that grains are grown by many County farmers, primarily as a rotation crop.

I buy oat straw grown in the County. It's part of a three-crop rotation of oats, potatoes and corn. Grains seem to be gaining popularity. There's a grain workshop in Washington County each year.

[Coaster]

Grain grows very well in northern Maine. Borealis Breads sources all its wheat and oat flour from northern Maine, last I knew. Buckwheat grown in the St. John Valley is the basis for the famous French-Canadian pan bread called ployes. Oats are a common rotation crop with potatoes and field peas. Barley is also grown up there, both for flour and for some Maine craft beers. Historically Maine was the bread basket of Boston and New York City before upstate New York and then the Midwest took over.

[Submariner]

I have bought spelt from a family up near Smyrna for our bread.

Each year I buy Barley from up around North-Central Aroostook; oats from near the Southern tip of Aroostook, and Corn in Western Penobscot county. That is mostly for our livestock. I was getting a ton of each and mixing them myself along with molasses, but I may need to double how much I get this time around.

There is a flour mill that opened in Skohegan a year ago, they have been developing connections for various grains.

I picked up a winnowing machine from an wheat farm in Ashland a couple weeks ago. It should be fun learning to operate it.

[Pastor Blacksmith]

There's a big push for growing grains in New England and Maine is making the most of it.

Google 'The Kneading Conference' and 'Northern New England Local Bread Wheat Project'. More info at both websites on Maine growing.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

Each year I buy Barley from up around North-Central Aroostook; oats from near the Southern tip of Aroostook, and Corn in Western Penobscot county. That is mostly for our livestock. I was getting a ton of each and mixing them myself along with molasses, but I may need to double how much I get this time around.

This thread has got me thinking about growing some barley myself, but I wouldn't be wasting it on livestock.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Zymer

This thread has got me thinking about growing some barley myself, but I wouldn't be wasting it on livestock.

I hear you.

Between our livestock and our medicinal uses, we go through a lot of it.

[RiverBird]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I hear you.

Between our livestock and our medicinal uses, we go through a lot of it.

Hey Forest

Barley is a great grain that's good for infants/youngsters and elderly folks (easy on digestion).How do you use it for medicinal purposes?

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by newenglandgirl

Hey Forest

Barley is a great grain that's good for infants/youngsters and elderly folks (easy on digestion).How do you use it for medicinal purposes?

When our eldest son was born he had stomach problems [long story], we were advised to feed him barley tea. He never had milk only barley tea, and today he is four inches taller than either me or his mother.

Barley tea was the common milk replacement from before they invented powdered milk for infants.


Also barley works great for fermenting. It goes into making beer as well as for making whiskey. Whiskey is a good medicinal for snake bite [and in case you have no snakes near you it is always a good idea to keep a pet snake just in case].


Barley was the preferred grain during the Roman Empire era, the Roman Armies marched on a barley diet. It gave them the strength and the orneriness to defeat every nation they marched against.