Grain

Our fields are certified organic by NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association).  We grow wheat, rye, and oats for flour production at the Champlain Valley Mill in Westport, NY.  This year, we are keeping a portion of the grains as feed for our animals. We grow our grains in a 3-year rotation, usually starting with a small grain, followed by 3 years of alfalfa, timothy and other pasture grasses.  Rotation helps with pest control and soil fertility.  Once we harvest the grains, the straw is baled and used as bedding for our goats through the winter.  When we clean the barns, that straw is then composted and used to fertilize the fields for the sowing of the next crop.  

Cornell Cooperative Extension ran wheat trials as an experiment on a farm in Willsboro which lead to some early inspiration for growing grain in the region.