Emmer Wheat, Spring, 10,000 years old wheat

Emmer is part of a prestigious lineage of ancient "hulled" wheats, known in Italy as Farro Medio.

• The Mother Grain: Emmer is one of the ancestors of modern durum wheat. Unlike modern varieties, the grain is "hulled," meaning the husks (glumes) cling tightly to the kernel, protecting it from pests and disease in the field.
• A Biblical Staple: It was a staple throughout the Fertile Crescent for millennia, prized for its ability to thrive in poor soils and dry conditions where modern wheat varieties would struggle.
• The Sourdough Original: For the home baker, Emmer represents the "original" gluten structure—one that many find easier to digest and more flavorful than industrial wheats.

If you love rustic, nutty flavors and dense, nutritious textures, Emmer is a powerhouse for your kitchen.

• Flavor: It has a distinctively sweet, rich, and nutty flavor that is much deeper than modern bread wheat.
• Versatility:
  • Whole Grain: Cook the whole "farro" berries for salads, risottos (farrotto), or breakfast porridges.
  • Flour: Mill it into a dark, flavorful flour perfect for sourdough, flatbreads, and pasta.
• Nutrition: Emmer is significantly higher in fiber, protein, and antioxidants than modern white wheat.

Emmer is a beautiful, tall, and "bearded" grain (possessing long awns) that looks spectacular in the garden. Because it grows taller than modern semi-dwarf wheat, it requires a slightly lower planting density to ensure the stalks stay strong and upright.

Garden Bed Coverage: One packet from Firefly Farm & Mercantile is designed to perfectly seed a 20 square foot bed (roughly an 8' to 10' long by 2.5' wide garden bed).

"Emmer is the ultimate 'low-intervention' grain. It is incredibly hardy and competitive against weeds, making it a joy to grow for the home gardener. There is nothing quite like seeing a 10-foot bed of golden, bearded Emmer swaying in the breeze—it feels like looking back in time to the very beginnings of civilization."

• Sowing: For your 20 sq. ft. bed, you will need approximately 400–500 seeds. Broadcast them evenly across the prepared soil and rake in to a depth of 1 to 1.5 inches.
• Support: Because Emmer grows tall, try to avoid over-fertilizing with nitrogen, which can make the stalks too soft. The density of 20–25 seeds/sq. ft. allows the plants to support each other without overcrowding.
• Threshing: Note that because Emmer is a "hulled" wheat, the kernels will not fall out of the husks easily (like modern wheat). You will need to "de-hull" the grain after threshing if you intend to mill it into flour.