Rare Grain Attracting New Markets

Rare Grain Attracting New Markets CROPS Miscellaneous Interest in drought-resistant crops and healthy gluten-free grains is pushing U S research in teff a native Ethiopian grain “It grows well in California but has grown in other parts of the U S ” says Zion Taddese As the owner of Queen Sheba Ethiopian Food in Sacramento Calif she has a personal stake in teff a main ingredient in injura a fermented flatbread that is a staple at her restaurant While there are a few U S growers demand is growing - along with higher prices - and she sees opportunity for U S and Ethiopian farmers as well as consumers Teff has 3 times more iron and about twice as much fiber as traditional U S grains as well as many other nutritional benefits Taddese founded Sheba Farms LLC and collaborates with UC Davis University of California researchers to develop the best varieties and methods to grow teff in the U S The grain has its challenges As a tall grass it has lodging issues and it can lose as much as 20 to 30 percent of the ripe seed Plus the seed is tiny creating challenges for harvesting and cleaning it Made into flour teff can be substituted for other flours It is versatile and can be planted in April or July and is ready to harvest in about 3 mos Last year a couple of California farmers planted small 4-acre trial plots of brown and white varieties of teff netting 2 000 lbs of grain The grass can also be used for animal feed Taddese’s plans for Sheba Farms LLC include developing a processing center to mill and package teff according to USDA regulations It is also a center for sharing knowledge of best practice methods that help both U S and Ethiopian farmers Taddese welcomes calls from people interested in learning more and investing in Sheba Farms LLC Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Sheba Farms LLC 1704 Broadway Sacramento Calif 95818 ph 916 549-3919; www shebafarms org; zion@queenshebas com; Facebook - Sheba Farms LLC

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