Fall is a beautiful time to be in the garden. These days, we are busy trying to harvest all that autumn’s peak brings, as well as cultivate and plan for the winter season. Here at the Edible Schoolyard we grow several different types of grains: in the winter we plant wheat, barley, and oats; in the summer we cultivate millet, quinoa, and amaranth. Right now, the grains we planted in the summer are ripe and ready for harvest. Students will help with all aspects of the harvest and processing of our grains, but through a special lesson, we focus specifically on amaranth with our sixth graders.
Students learn that amaranth has been grown for 7,000 years and was of particular importance to the Aztec people in Mexico, both as a food crop and for ceremonial purposes. Through this lesson, we talk about what staple crops are and why they are relevant to our lives. Many of our students have never heard of amaranth before, even though it is seriously high in protein – higher than any other grain with a whopping 18%.
There are several steps to preparing amaranth and each sixth grader has a chance to do them all. After harvesting several plants, students gather under the oak tree to thresh the seeds off of the stalks onto a tarp. The falling seeds sound like pattering raindrops as they fall. We pass the seeds and the remaining plant material, called “chaff,” through a series of screens to separate out the seeds. Our final step is to winnow the grain, which requires great concentration to gently blow away the chaff from the seeds. The gathered seeds look like tiny jewels in the sun.
Our students get a good sense of how much hard work goes into collecting and preparing grains to eat by engaging in the process. Collectively, we are able to amass enough of the tiny seeds to make something with the amaranth. Next week, we will make a delicious snack called “alegria,” or “happiness” in Spanish, with amaranth. Stay tuned…
Red and golden amaranth beds
Ripe amaranth ready to harvest
Students threshing the amaranth stalks after harvest
A screen used to winnow the amaranth
Crushed amaranth chaff turned to die in the mortar and pestle
The beautiful amaranth dye
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Harvest, Thresh, Winnow, Repeat…
Fall is a beautiful time to be in the garden. These days, we are busy trying to harvest all that autumn’s peak brings, as well as cultivate and plan for the winter season. Here at the Edible Schoolyard we grow several different types of grains: in the winter we plant wheat, barley, and oats; in the summer we cultivate millet, quinoa, and amaranth. Right now, the grains we planted in the summer are ripe and ready for harvest. Students will help with all aspects of the harvest and processing of our grains, but through a special lesson, we focus specifically on amaranth with our sixth graders.
Students learn that amaranth has been grown for 7,000 years and was of particular importance to the Aztec people in Mexico, both as a food crop and for ceremonial purposes. Through this lesson, we talk about what staple crops are and why they are relevant to our lives. Many of our students have never heard of amaranth before, even though it is seriously high in protein – higher than any other grain with a whopping 18%.
There are several steps to preparing amaranth and each sixth grader has a chance to do them all. After harvesting several plants, students gather under the oak tree to thresh the seeds off of the stalks onto a tarp. The falling seeds sound like pattering raindrops as they fall. We pass the seeds and the remaining plant material, called “chaff,” through a series of screens to separate out the seeds. Our final step is to winnow the grain, which requires great concentration to gently blow away the chaff from the seeds. The gathered seeds look like tiny jewels in the sun.
Our students get a good sense of how much hard work goes into collecting and preparing grains to eat by engaging in the process. Collectively, we are able to amass enough of the tiny seeds to make something with the amaranth. Next week, we will make a delicious snack called “alegria,” or “happiness” in Spanish, with amaranth. Stay tuned…
Red and golden amaranth beds
Ripe amaranth ready to harvest
Students threshing the amaranth stalks after harvest
A screen used to winnow the amaranth
Crushed amaranth chaff turned to die in the mortar and pestle
The beautiful amaranth dye