Black Emmer Ancient Wheat (De-hulled wheat berries) - Certified Organic

Coming soon!  We plan to have a small quantity available in late fall 2024 with acreage expanding as much as possible going forward each year.

Black Emmer is a very rare grain indeed...  We started with a VERY small seed packet and have grown, harvested and replanted by hand for three years until we were able to build enough of a seed bank to plant 4 acres in the fall of 2023.  

In order to be used for food, the grain must be de-hulled to remove the outer black husk.  This is an intensive process, but well worth it to enjoy this wonderfully healthy and flavorful grain!

Please join and support us as we expand our seed stock and explore this amazing ancient grain!

Use for topping salads, sprouting, breads ect.

Some additional background:

Black emmer, also known as farro nero or black farro, is a type of ancient wheat grain that has its roots in the Fertile Crescent, an area in the Middle East encompassing parts of modern-day Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan. Some estimates for old world cultivation of Emmer are around 9700BC. Emmer wheat, in general, is one of the earliest cultivated grains and was a staple crop in ancient civilizations.

Black emmer specifically is a variant of emmer wheat that has a darker color due to its hull. It's known for its nutty flavor and nutritional value, containing high levels of protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.

Throughout history, emmer wheat, including black emmer, played a crucial role in the diets of many ancient civilizations, including the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. It was a staple food source for these societies and was widely cultivated for its resilience to harsh growing conditions.  I like to imagine the apostles gathering this grain as they walked with Jesus in the book of Mathew. 

As agriculture evolved and modern farming techniques emerged, emmer wheat was gradually replaced by higher-yielding and easier-to-process wheat varieties. However, in doing so we have lost the unique flavors and nutritional value of these ancient grains. 

 Ref: Scott, M.F., Botigué, L.R., Brace, S. et al. A 3,000-year-old Egyptian emmer wheat genome reveals dispersal and domestication history. Nat. Plants 5, 1120–1128 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-019-0534-5