How do I Harvest Amaranth Seed?
The Incas and Aztecs first cultivated amaranth seed for use as a food crop, cash crop and in human sacrifice ceremonies, according to Oregon State University. The Spanish Conquistadors decided to ban the Incas and Aztecs from growing amaranth for this reason. Amaranth seed survived, and 2,000 years later this grain is still growing in home gardens and in farmers' fields. Does this Spark an idea?
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Timing
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Grain crops dry best standing in the fields where they were grown. Timing is critical to properly harvest amaranth seed, according to the University of Wisconsin. Allow a killing frost to hit the amaranth crop, and then let it stand in the field for at least a week. If rain is expected, check the crop to see if it is dry enough to harvest.
Harvesting Methods
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Combines make easy work of harvesting large fields of grain. Harvest amaranth seed by hand or by machine. Harvest small crops by cutting the dried seed heads off, placing them in a paper bag, and then shaking the plant material so the seeds fall off inside the bag. Fields of amaranth seed are harvested using combines, according to the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute.
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Cleaning the Seed
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Screens can be used to remove large amounts of plant material from amaranth seed. Combines harvest and clean amaranth seed in one step. Farmers use specialized machines if additional cleaning is necessary. Cleaning amaranth seed at home requires removing the chaff, or plant material, from the seeds. Do this using a technique known as winnowing, which is simply picking up the seed, holding it over a plate, and allowing the wind or a fan to blow the chaff away. The seeds, which are heavier, will fall back onto the plate.
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References
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- Photo Credit wheat field image by citylights from Fotolia.com combine harvester image by asmik from Fotolia.com black mesh image by paul mitchell from Fotolia.com
