What are ancient grains? The most nutritious whole grains have been unaltered since their domestication. Add value to your farm and nutrition your plate by including them in your garden.
Ancient grain” is a term commonly used as a marketing device by the health-food industry. Although there’s no technical definition, it’s widely accepted that “ancient grains” are grown for their edible seeds and have remained relatively unaltered since their original domestication. Modern grains, such as commercial wheat, have been dramatically altered from their original state through extensive breeding. While this has led to the creation of crops better suited to large-scale commercial production, these modern crops often lack the nutrients available in their ancient counterparts. Most ancient grains are part of the grass family, Poaceae, although there are a few exceptions, such as the pseudo-cereals amaranth and buckwheat.
In recent years, especially since the pandemic, there’s been an incredible surge of interest in local foods, gardening, and sustainable food production. Of course, the foundation of a sustainable food system is locally grown grains, since these staple crops provide a majority of our caloric intake. Luckily, there’s a diverse selection of nutritious ancient grains, with seeds available for private growers. It doesn’t matter if you’re a small-scale farmer, a homesteader, or even a dedicated home gardener; there’s sure to be an ancient grain that’s perfect for you!
Wheat
A few species of wheat are considered ancient grains. Each of these species was domesticated around 10,000 years ago in an area of the Middle East commonly known as the Fertile Crescent. In fact, many foods can be traced back to this region, including garbanzo beans, peas, lentils, flax, barley, and figs. Wheat varieties are either considered spring or winter, depending on the time of year the seeds need to be planted. Spring wheats, as the name implies, are planted in early spring, while winter wheats are planted in fall and allowed to overwinter in the field. Each species of wheat offers both spring and winter varieties. Aside from differences in planting times, all wheats are grown and harvested the same way.
Einkorn
Einkorn is considered the oldest of all domesticated wheat. The name “einkorn” is used to describe both the wild species Triticum boeoticum and its domesticated counterpart, T. monococcum. This wheat is the most primitive species, having only 14 chromosomes compared with modern wheat, which has 42. Einkorn has larger seeds and more protein than other wheats. It’s easier to digest, and people who suffer from gluten intolerance are often able to eat this ancient wheat without issue.
Emmer
Emmer wheat was once widely grown but has largely been replaced by modernized wheat. The species T. turgidum is believed to have resulted from a spontaneous cross between einkorn wheat and another wild grass species. Much like einkorn and spelt, emmer seeds don’t thresh free from their hulls, and they need to be milled or pounded to separate the grain.
Khorasan
This species of wheat, T. turanicum, is named after the area of the world from which it originates. It’s quite rare but produces large, flavorful seeds. Commercially, this grain is known as Kamut. Unfortunately, this wheat was renamed, patented, and trademarked by a company in Montana.
Thankfully, unpatented Khorasan wheat seed is still available through smaller, regional seed companies. The grains are up to three times larger than typical wheat, and Khorasan is free-threshing, making it an excellent choice for small-scale growers.
Spelt
Spelt, or T. spelta, is thought to have originated from a cross between emmer wheat and another wild grass species. Spelt is a popular grain for brewers and distillers, but it’s also a fine choice for the home garden. Although yields are lower than modern wheat, spelt is high in protein and offers an enjoyable nutty flavor. Modern varieties of spelt are higher-yielding and are considered superior for bread-making.
Rye
Rye is an ancient grain originally domesticated in the area now known as Turkey. The scientific community debates on exactly when the first domestication of rye took place, but it’s believed to have happened anywhere from 10,000 to 13,000 years ago. Rye, or Secale cereale, is typically planted in fall in most areas, anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks earlier than winter wheat would be planted. Rye is a free-threshing crop and exceptionally easy to harvest and thresh on a small scale. Rye seeds are larger than commercial wheat, and the plants are also hardier. In the early 19th century, breeders began to attempt crossing rye with wheat, resulting in a hybrid known as triticale. Although triticale was originally sterile and low-yielding, in recent years, varieties have been developed that are competitive with commercial wheat yields.
Millet
“Millet” is a term used to describe many small-seeded members of the grass family. Most of these grains were domesticated in either Asia or Africa and have been used as a food source for both people and animals for thousands of years. More common species of millet include foxtail, pearl, and fonio, which has the smallest seeds of all the millets. Both white and black fonio are important staple food crops of western Africa. Millets are an excellent choice for growers with short seasons and hot, dry conditions. Millets are typically small plants that grow best in full-sun areas and will produce a mature seed crop in as little as 60 days.
Sorghum
In many places, Sorghum bicolor is considered a millet grain, and it’s sometimes referred to as “great millet” because of the size of the plant. Sorghum is native to Africa but is now grown in many warm regions around the world. The plant is used as a food crop, cattle fodder, and occasionally in the production of ethanol. Sorghum is grown as an annual, although it’s actually a perennial plant that loves heat. The grain is harvested and used to make flatbreads, while some varieties have seeds that can be popped and enjoyed like popcorn. Sorghum stalks can also be pressed for their sweet juices, which are cooked down like maple sap to create a flavorful syrup. On average, sorghum needs 120 days from planting to reach maturity.
Teff
Teff is a small-seeded grain native to eastern Africa that has been grown as a food crop for at least 6,000 years. The grain is sometimes considered a millet because of the size of its seeds. In fact, teff, or Eragrostis tef, has the smallest seeds of all the cultivated grains. Because of this, it cooks very quickly, making it an ideal food source that doesn’t require much energy to prepare. Teff thrives in both dry and moist soil conditions but requires hot weather to produce. A quick summer crop can be achieved in as little as 50 days. Teff is also grown as a hay crop and can be harvested multiple times throughout a season.
Barley
Barley is another ancient grain domesticated in the Fertile Crescent around 10,000 years ago. Less popular as a food crop than wheat, barley has long been used as a fodder crop and as an ingredient in the brewing process. Two distinct types of barley are available: two-row and six-row, accurate descriptions based on the number of rows of grain along the head of the plant. Six-row barley obviously offers more grain per plant, but the seeds from two-row types are larger in size. Most European brewers as well as smaller-scale artisanal brewers in the U.S. seem to prefer two-row barley, but most of the larger-scale commercial breweries in the U.S. use six-row types in their beers. Although hulless barley varieties have existed since antiquity, they’re more popular in modern times, and now numerous hulless barley varieties are available to the small-scale grower.
Oats
Although closely related to wild plants found growing in the Fertile Crescent, oats were first domesticated farther west, in parts of the Middle East and Europe. Oats, or Avena sativa, are more tolerant of cooler, wetter weather and are an ideal crop for growers in temperate regions. One of the challenges of small-scale oat production is the oat’s husk, which is difficult to remove without specialized equipment, such as a grain mill. Thankfully, huskless varieties of oats are available, making oats a much more attractive grain option for small-scale producers. Traditional husked oats are excellent as a feed and straw crop for cattle or as fall-planted green manure. Oats can be planted in spring to produce a seed harvest within 100 to 120 days.
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Ancient-Adjacent
Corn and rice are two grains that easily fit the description of “ancient grains” but are rarely labeled as such. Both are members of the grass family Poaceae, produce edible seeds, and have remained basically unchanged since their original domestication took place.
Corn
Although modern commercial field corn and sweet corn have been altered, especially in the past hundred years or so, Indigenous North Americans have maintained old varieties of flint corn (Zea mays) for thousands of years. Corn was first domesticated in the area now known as Mexico approximately 10,000 years ago. While these old flint corns are different than the wild grass they were developed from, these staple grains have remained unchanged for countless generations. These ancient corns can be harvested green to be roasted and eaten fresh or allowed to mature and the seeds utilized as a grain. Flint corns can be ground into flour as is or nixtamalized and crafted into a flavorful dough known as “masa.” Corn can be grown as a seed crop in most parts of North America and is quite easy to grow, harvest, and process on a small scale.
Rice
There are two different species of rice available to growers: Oryza sativa, often referred to as Asian rice, and the less common O. glaberrima, or African rice. Within both species are distinct cultivars of rice with notably different growing requirements. Some rice is considered lowland rice, which is heavily irrigated, while upland, or hill, rice is touted for its drought tolerance. Upland rice that doesn’t require heavy irrigation might be the most reasonable choice for small-scale producers. Another type of rice, North American wild rice, or Zizania spp., isn’t a cultivated crop, but is instead harvested from the wild. Although you might not include wild rice in your garden plans, it does meet all the requirements to be considered an ancient grain.
Celebrate Ancient Grains
Ancient grains are relatively easy to grow, harvest, and process, even on a small scale. They add value to the farm and nutrition to the plate. As the desire for local food continues to grow, let’s meet that challenge by including ancient grains in our gardens!
Delicious Dishes
Sometimes when discussing “ancient grains,” you’ll hear about bulgur, farro, and freekeh; these aren’t grains, but actually names for various preparations of dishes typically made from wheat.
Bulgur, also known as “riffoth” or “burghul,” is made from cracked wheat berries that are first parboiled and then dried before packaging. It’s a West Asian dish that’s easy to prepare and versatile enough to incorporate into different meals.
Farro is made from any of three species of wheat: einkorn, emmer, and spelt. Commercially available farro is often “pearled,” meaning part of the bran has been removed from the seed, but whole-grain wheat is commonly used for this dish. Although farro is often considered an Italian preparation, this dish is made in similar fashion in many other regions.
Freekeh is a Middle Eastern and North African dish made with green durum wheat harvested before maturity, roasted, and then rubbed to create a distinct flavor. The grains are then cooked in water, either whole or cracked, until they absorb the water and soften.
Pseudo-Cereals
A handful of plants that are often referred to as “ancient grains” aren’t technically grains at all, since they aren’t part of the plant family Poaceae.
These plants are still great options for nutritious, edible seed crops that can be grown and processed on a small scale. They’re known as “pseudo-cereals.”
Amaranth
Amaranth is an easy-to-grow crop that produces well in most environments. Varieties grown for seed production can also be enjoyed as a vegetable crop, especially when harvested young. The seeds can be cooked, popped like popcorn, or ground into flour.
Quinoa
Quinoa is similar to amaranth in how it’s grown and processed. They’re also quite similar nutritionally. The notable difference between these two seed crops is that amaranth prefers hotter, drier weather, and quinoa performs best in cooler, wetter environments. Quinoa is native to the Andes Mountains, while amaranth originates in the warmer, drier lowlands farther north in Central America.
Buckwheat
Despite its name, buckwheat isn’t related to wheat at all. It’s actually more closely related to rhubarb! Buckwheat was first domesticated in Southeast Asia more than 5,000 years ago and today is grown around the world for its edible seeds. It thrives in poor soils and will produce a seed crop within 10 to 12 weeks from planting. Buckwheat prefers cooler weather and should be planted in spring after risk of frost has passed.
Chia
Chia is a member of the mint family and is native to Mexico, where it’s been considered an important food crop for thousands of years. Chia needs anywhere from 120 to 180 days to produce a seed crop, so it’s better suited to Zones 8 to 11. An interesting thing about chia is how the seed coat becomes gelatinous once the seeds are exposed to water. This is a technique the plant evolved to help the seeds remain moist to encourage germination, but it also makes chia seeds a fun textural option for smoothies.
Educational Resources About Growing and Using Grains
- Maine Grain Alliance: Supporting small-scale grain production since 2007. Organizers of the annual Kneading Conference.
- Great Lakes Staple Seeds: Purveyors of high-quality seeds, such as wheat, rice, barley, and other staple crops.
- Anarchy Acres: A Wisconsin farm specializing in the preservation of ancient wheat varieties.
- Anson Mills: A South Carolina business growing and selling many heritage grains.
- Carolina Gold Rice Foundation: An organization committed to the preservation of ‘Carolina Gold’ rice and other grains while encouraging, supporting, and promoting education and research activities focused on heirloom grains.
- Grains from the Plains: A small family farm in Colorado growing and selling heirloom wheat and millet.
Bevin Cohen is an award-winning author, herbalist, seed saver, and educator. He’s the owner of Small House Farm and the founder of Michigan Seed Library Network, a community seed-sharing initiative that has helped establish more than 100 seed library programs. Bevin offers workshops and lectures across the country on the benefits of living closer to the land through seeds, herbs, and locally grown food. He’s a freelance writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including Mother Earth News, Grit, and Modern Farmer. Bevin is the author of four books, including Saving Our Seeds, The Artisan Herbalist, and his latest book, The Complete Guide to Seed & Nut Oils.
