I was thrilled to take a look at Gene Logsdon’s updated 2009 edition of an old favorite of mine, Small Scale Grain Raising. Now in its second edition, the book is even more apropos today than the first edition was in 1977, when I was a budding young agriculturist. I devoured the first edition in the lab between analytical chemistry procedures and dreamed of growing all kinds of grains on a small-scale level. When I obtained a copy of the second edition, which was released last April, I devoured it in five evenings, between chores and bedtime. Actually it kept me up late one night – apologies to the GRIT staff for my fatigue the other day.

Small Scale Grain Raising is a stellar work that will inspire gardeners, farmers, dreamers and just about anyone else who cares about good food, good flavors and asking questions. Most small-scale agriculturists and gardeners never even consider adding grains other than corn (maize) to their crop rotation. This is in part because producing small grains like wheat and barley, or even pseudo-grains like buckwheat, is considered to be an arduous task at best that requires seed drills and combines to accomplish. Heck, the capital outlay for equipment is enough to turn off even medium-sized farmers who are tapped into the corn-soybean rotation. But it doesn’t have to be so. And Logsdon shows you how to make it happen on a backyard scale. Did you know that you can grow sufficient grains to feed your family and many of your animals all year on less than an acre of land with just a few hand tools?

Logsdon’s out of the box approach to farming is as fresh and informed today as ever before. He has bothered to ask, and answer, many of the questions that paralyze gardeners and farmers when faced with the expense of some conventionally recommended production practice. And he does all of this, while respecting and understanding how those recommended practices came into being.  The book is filled with anecdotes, advice, stories of success and failure – all steeped in the author’s delightfully wry sense of humor.

Worried about what to do with all that backyard grain when harvest season rolls around? All you need to know about cutting, curing, threshing, cleaning, hulling and eating grains is laid out on the pages of Small Scale Grain Raising. I recommend that you pick up a copy today. Who knows, you may start a small-scale grain project of your own, or perhaps you can convince your favorite market farmer to put out a spelt crop for you next year. In any case, you will be a lot smarter about all things agriculture if you spend any time with the wisdom-filled pages of Gene Logsdon’s Small Scale Grain Raising.

With the echo of the New Year still ringing in our ears we firmly vow to keep our resolutions. We raise our glasses, now filled with water and green tea, to a healthy New Year! Champagne sounds so much more elegant, but we have a new vision and what perfect timing … as we plan our garden for the new season, we envision ripe red tomatoes, green leafy spinach and our fit and trim waistline all the by-product from the homegrown goodness in our own backyard.

Along with many carefully chosen vegetables to grow, I am planning a special healthy herb garden.  I have a location in mind and the idea is to construct raised beds and hope the sun is not too hot in this location.  In the past I have grown herbs and used them in recipes fresh and have also dried them for future use.  Most air dry very well and add a nice taste of flavor to any dish.  I will be sharing recipes as the season moves along.  What inspired this herb garden-healthy eating notion was the fabulous Rosemary Cookies I made during the holidays.  Along with the usual Christmas cookie baking I wanted to incorporate herbs for healthy snacking.  I have to admit these cookies used the herb Rosemary but they really aren’t that healthy, they are extremely delicious though!  What makes them so good is the combination of light airy dough with the strong taste of rosemary … Superb!

Rosemary Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
4 cups flour
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Combine all ingredients, except rosemary and mix thoroughly.  Now gently mix rosemary into the batter.  Form dough into small balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten each one.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them as they bake since you don’t want to overcook them – a pale golden brown is the desired color.

The intent to bake healthy cookies was there and I am getting closer to fulfilling that intent.  Today I baked up these Flaxseed Cookies as my first hope to conquer the “Healthy Eating” resolution.  The recipe makes a nice huge batch that the family can munch on all week long as we withdraw from the continual stream of eating … and more eating, that possessed us during the holiday season.

Flaxseed Cookies 

1 1/3 cups butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups lightly packed brown sugar
2 1/3 cups flax seeds
3 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
3 cups oatmeal

Cream butter, sugars and flaxseed. Add beaten eggs and vanilla to mixture. Blend flour, baking soda and oatmeal and combine with other ingredients. Form dough into 1 ½” round logs and chill in the freezer. Cut into slices and place on cookie sheet in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes.

I have also decided to try growing some grains this year and I found it very interesting and frustrating searching for the seeds to purchase.  I have received many of the 2009 seed catalogs and have enjoyed reading through every page and description of listed offerings. A few do have some grain seed to purchase.  I am aware of my need to research grain growing for the small gardener.  Ideally, I would like several areas with wheat, oats, quinoa, millet and various other grains.  Farmers throughout the country grow acre upon acre of all the grains we consume in our daily diets.  Is it feasible for a small gardener to grow enough grain to be worth the effort?

My “Healthy Eating” resolution is taking shape and the research continues as I raise my glass wishing a healthy New Year to all!