GLENN Is Leading the Way

March 9th update on Wheat Growing at Maggie's Farm

Some of the fallen wheat seems to be lifting.

Oberkulmer Spelt & Maverick Spelt

Both kinds of Spelt, traditional Oberkulmer and new Maverick, are well established and are beginning to gain some height.


Our test bed is doing well, especially the newer cultivars.

The big news is that our planting of GLENN wheat looks as though it will be the first to harvest.  A sampling of that first planting, now growing for almost 100 days, shows a height of more than two feet, with six leaves fully developed.

Awns showing through flag leaf collar

And that sixth leaf is the important Flag leaf, confirmed by the appearance of seed head awns (or beards) protruding from its collar.

Seed Head Swelling in Stem

This means that the inflorescence has climbed all the way up from the plant’s crown to the top of the pseudo-stem, and is now ready to emerge as a recognizable seed head.  On some of the plants, the young seed head can be seen swelling outward from within the stem, eager to be officially born.

Close Up of Seed Head Swelling

 This is the conclusion of the growth phase called jointing, or stem elongation.  And it is the beginning of the boot phase, after which the head emerges, blossoms, and ripens for the harvest.

Seed Head just Emerging from Stem

Stay tuned.  Four to six weeks until harvest.  Glenn is likely to be the first.