On our 7-acre organic farm in Granby, Massachusetts, my wife and I have built a vibrant homestead that nourishes our family and connects us deeply to the land. With 18 fruit trees, 3 nut trees, 65 raspberry bushes, 12 high bush blueberry bushes, and a thriving 35 x 65-foot garden, we grow a wide array of standard fruits and vegetables—everything from crisp apples to hearty winter squash. Our farm is a labor of love, rooted in sustainability and organic practices. Recently, an article from Modern Farmer titled "Grow and Grind Your Own Wheat at Home" (https://modernfarmer.com/2025/07/grow-grind-wheat/) caught our attention, sparking a new idea: adding wheat to our diverse crop lineup. Here’s why we’re seriously considering it.
Our Farm: A Snapshot of Abundance
Our Granby farm is a testament to what a small, non-commercial plot can achieve. The fruit and nut trees—apples, pears, cherries, walnuts, and more—provide seasonal harvests that fill our pantry with jams, sauces, and snacks. The raspberry and blueberry bushes are a summer delight, yielding buckets of berries for fresh eating, freezing, and baking. Our large garden, spanning over 2,200 square feet, is the heart of our operation. It’s where we grow staples like tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, greens, and herbs, ensuring our table is always stocked with fresh, organic produce. Every plant is tended without synthetic chemicals, honoring the land and our commitment to healthy eating.
This diversity has always been our strength, but we’re constantly exploring ways to make our farm more self-sufficient. The Modern Farmer article opened our eyes to the possibility of growing wheat, a crop we hadn’t previously considered for our small-scale setup.
The Case for Growing Wheat
The Modern Farmer article highlights how growing wheat at home is not only feasible but also surprisingly efficient, even on a small scale. It dispels the myth that you need vast acres to produce meaningful amounts of grain. According to the article, just 1,000 square feet—less than half the size of our current garden—can yield a bushel of wheat, or about 60 pounds of grain. That’s enough to bake 90 loaves of bread! With our 7 acres, we could dedicate a modest plot to wheat and still have ample space for our trees, bushes, and garden.
Wheat also aligns with our organic ethos. The article notes that most grains, including wheat, have low fertility requirements and can thrive in modestly prepared soil. Our farm’s rich, well-amended soil, already primed for vegetables, would likely support wheat with minimal extra effort. Plus, varieties like hard red winter wheat, recommended in the article, are suited for cooler climates like Massachusetts and can be planted in the fall for a late spring harvest, fitting neatly into our existing crop rotation.
Another compelling point from the article is the simplicity of processing wheat at home. While commercial wheat farming relies on heavy machinery, small-scale growers can harvest by hand and use basic tools to thresh and grind the grain. We’re no strangers to hands-on work—our berry harvests and garden canning sessions are proof of that. Investing in a small home grain mill, as suggested by the article, could turn our wheat into fresh, nutty flour for bread, pizza dough, and pastries, adding a new dimension to our kitchen.
Why Wheat Fits Our Vision
Growing wheat isn’t just about adding another crop; it’s about deepening our self-reliance and enriching our connection to the food we eat. Baking bread from flour we’ve grown and ground ourselves would be incredibly rewarding, transforming a staple we usually buy into something deeply personal. The article emphasizes the satisfaction of this process, and we can already imagine the aroma of fresh-baked loaves filling our home, made from wheat nurtured in our own fields.
Wheat also offers practical benefits for our farm. The Modern Farmer piece mentions that grains like wheat can improve soil health, especially when rotated with other crops. Our garden already follows a rotation to prevent soil depletion, and incorporating a grain could enhance this system. Plus, wheat’s deep roots can help reduce erosion on our gently sloping land, a bonus for long-term land stewardship.
Finally, there’s an economic angle. While our farm isn’t commercial, we’re always mindful of costs. The article points out that a small wheat plot can yield significant flour, reducing our grocery bills for baking staples. With wheat berries storing well, we could produce enough to last through the year, further cutting our reliance on external sources.
Challenges and Next Steps
Of course, growing wheat isn’t without challenges. The Modern Farmer article acknowledges that harvesting and processing grain requires some specialized knowledge, and we’d need to learn techniques like threshing and winnowing. Our climate in Granby, with its cold winters and variable springs, will also require careful variety selection—likely a winter wheat like the hard red type mentioned in the article. We’ll need to source organic, untreated seeds, possibly from suppliers like Johnny’s Selected Seeds, as recommended.
Equipment is another consideration. While we could start with hand-harvesting, a small grain mill would be a worthwhile investment for grinding flour. The article’s emphasis on home-scale tools reassures us that this is achievable without breaking the bank. We’ll also need to plan our planting carefully, likely dedicating a 20 x 50-foot section of our land to test the crop next fall.
Looking Ahead
Inspired by the Modern Farmer article, we’re excited to explore wheat as the next chapter for our Granby farm. It’s a chance to grow not just food, but a deeper connection to our land and table. This fall, we plan to prepare a small plot, source organic wheat seeds, and dive into this new adventure. By next summer, we hope to be kneading dough made from our own flour, savoring the fruits of our labor in every bite.
For now, we’ll keep tending our trees, bushes, and garden, grateful for the abundance they provide. But the idea of golden wheat swaying on our land? That’s a vision we can’t wait to bring to life.
Have you ever grown wheat or baked with home-ground flour? Share your tips in the comments below!