Sprouting 101

Sprouting grain has been a traditional way of unlocking nutrients in grains for thousands of years. As grains are soaked, enzymes within the grain are activated which help break down carbohydrates and proteins and make other minerals and vitamins more easily absorbed from the grain. 

If soaking grains is already important to you, our grains will work wonderfully! We harvest our grains, clean and store the berries in order to maintain germination. Many of our seeds are heritage varieties that we replant from year to year, so maintaining good germination is very important to us.

If you are new to soaking and sprouting grains, there are tons of instructional videos online, so feel free to find a method and system that works well for you! The basic steps are as follows:

1. Rinse thoroughly to remove any debris
2. Soak the grain in water for about 12 hours under 2-3 inches of water. (note: grain will swell as it is soaked, so make sure there is plenty of space in your container for this! A quart jar, half full of grain should allow plenty of room) 
3. Drain water 
4. Place the soaked berries in a container that will allow constant drainage such as a mason jar with a sprouting lid or cheesecloth, or a covered colander, and place out of direct sunlight in a cool place. 
5. Rinse the soaked berries twice per day for 1-3 days, until sprouts begin to form. Allow the soaked grain to drain any extra water each time.
6. Continue this process until sprouts reach 1/8-1/2" long
7. At this point you can eat the grain raw in salad or other dishes, bon appetit!, or dry the sprouted grain in the oven on low heat and then mill the grain into sprouted flour! 
8. Store sprouted grain in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.