Grains are members of the grass family that are generally grown for their seeds. Amaranth and quinoa can be found under “Other Seed Crops” as they are not grains, but are a seed crop. Following is a selection of varieties of grains and cereals Jim has collected over the course of many years. This collection started by accident, beginning with ones that were very decorative. Jim acquired different varieties from all over the place and before he knew it, he had discovered a little known passion for the diversity in, and history attached to, all these different grains.
Carvelle had shorter green upright plants. The shorter plump black-hulled seeds weighed 4g/100seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulled OatsAvena Strigosa has blue-green upright plants. The small black-hulled seeds weigh about 1.5g/100seeds. We mistakenly listed the packet size in the paper catalogue as 10 grams but because of the much smaller seed we are actually offering it in 5 gram packets.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulled OatsBraunii #4970 is an oat with large loose inflorescence and black-hulled seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulled OatsTerra has large naked kernels and is (or was) grown on a field scale on the prairies.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulless OatsBaton is a newer cultivar, bred by Dr. Vern Burrows, Canada’s foremost oat breeder. It is a few days later than Terra, with a bit plumper seeds. It seems to thresh out more completely than Terra.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulless OatsVicar was developed in Winnipeg in the 1940’s and was the first licensed hulless oat variety in Canada. A mid-season to late variety. Named after George MacVicar of Portage la Prairie.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulless OatsTorch River is a very productive hulless oats that came to us from a Seeds of Diversity Canada member in New Brunswick. There is a Torch River in Saskatchewan (near Nipawin), probably unrelated to the oats. Using our hand threshing methods, it is more difficult to thresh free of hulls than the other hulless oats we offer.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulless OatsYung 492 is a Chinese cultivar with plump kernels and a good yield.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulless OatsKleiner Nackthafer, German for “small naked oats,” is a bit shorter and more upright than our other hulless oats producing a lot of tillers per plant. The small seeds thresh very clean and are about one third the size of our other hulless oats. About 100 seeds per gram. We mistakenly listed the packet size in the paper catalogue as 10 grams but because of the much smaller seed we are actually offering it in 5 gram packets.
Grains/Cereals / Oats / Hulless OatsBere has 6-row blond bearded heads. It is apparently the oldest barley cultivated in Europe.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulled BarleyWarrior has fat 6-row heads with unusual beards which are folded like a grasshopper’s leg.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulled BarleyPeru Cebada (means barley in Spanish) is a somewhat taller 6 row barley from Peru.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulled BarleyBlack Alberta is short and early with black heads. It is a 6-row barley.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulled BarleyBlackheart is also short and early with black heads but it is a 2-row barley. Blackheart also has darker beards than Black Alberta.
OUT OF STOCK
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulled BarleyHordeum Zeocrithon is apparently a different species than common barley. It is upright and very tall for a barley and is 2-rowed with long bearded heads.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulled BarleyEthiopian has large dark brown pointed seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulless BarleyExcelsior has attractive purplish bearded seed heads and purple seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulless BarleySpecial Mix contains purple, grey, and blond seeded varieties.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulless BarleyBlack Hulless is a very short, only about 2’ tall, 2-row barley with black seeds. The heads are dark but not black with lighter beards.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulless BarleyHordeum Nigrinudum (nigri=black, nudum=naked) is a 2-row barley of normal height with black heads, beards and seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Barley / Hulless BarleyA proso millet with blond heads and seeds. Readily self-seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Millet / Proso MilletA proso millet with dark heads and red-brown seeds. Readily self-seeds.
Grains/Cereals / Millet / Proso MilletDragon’s Claw Millet or Finger Millet is a 2’-3’ annual with heads resembling a dragon’s foot. Very decorative but mostly grown as a food crop (millet), especially in Africa and Asia.
Grains/Cereals / Millet / Flowers and Decorative Plants / Annual GrassesFoxtail Millet has heavy compact dark brown heads. Plants are tall and erect, bending over when the heads are mature, and very little stooled out. Often seen for purchase as bird food still in the unthrashed heads.
OUT OF STOCK
Grains/Cereals / MilletGrown on a field scale in Saskatchewan for birdseed. Also, the compact heads on tall stems are used in dried arrangements.
Grains/Cereals / Other Grains/Cereals