PARAMOUNT SEED FARMS’ NEWS & RESEARCH
May 3-6 , 2011 — 3-I Show, Great Bend, Kansas.
Norman helping out at the booths
The 2nd booth was for Paramount Food Grains. Paramount Food Grains is a new division of Paramount Seed Farms. We decided that if we were growing whole grains we should be knowledgeable about the food and nutrition factors of them also. We looked into it and we found that a lot of information is coming to light about the goodness of whole grains. Whole food grains are making a comeback. Different universities are publishing studies siting how eating whole grain oatmeal, barley, cracked wheat, etc. can keep you healthy and prevent some diseases! Oatmeal is good for your heart and can lower your cholesterol, eating whole grain barley is good for diabetes, eating whole grain products will prevent some types of cancers, are just a few of the things mentioned. So…a new division was born. We wanted to let the folks at the 3-I show know that we exist and what is new at Paramount! Kathy demonstrated how to cook with whole grains. She also demonstrated how to use various small kitchen appliances to grind whole grains into the most nutritious flour. Paramount is proud to carry 4 different types of grain mills and 2 flaker/rollers. Paramount also tested to see if granola would be a good product to market. (Paramount is glad to report that it was a resounding success! Look for it to appear in the catalog this fall.) There seemed to be a good deal of interest in the Food Grain division, and it seemed as though people liked seeing the whole grain produce going from field to table!
Field Day was held at our farm 2.5 miles East of Quinter where folks followed the signs to the test plot tent. The wind blew but the day was beautiful nonetheless. Despite the lack of good moisture this spring the test plot looked beautiful. We had 2 speakers from local extension offices that went on the tour and spoke with our guests. Refreshments were served under the tent where a local 3 man jazz-band played. (And yes the cookies were made using fresh ground whole wheat flour and rolled barley.)
Click here to view the 2011 Test Plot Results
June 15, 2011 – The barley is ready to harvest and the wheat will follow 5 to 7 days later. Today we cut some of the hulless barley and it didn’t yield as well as we hoped, but it did okay considering the drought and getting it in the ground late last fall. This variety has been harvested in the east with an above 50 bushel per acre average. Storm clouds are moving in. Will we get any rain?
June 17, 2011 – Combine break-downs are a trial to us, as to most farmers! Repairs take time, when we need to be in the field bringing in the harvest! (Farmers tend to get a little cranky when they have to stop for repairs!) We managed to get some of the hulless barley in before the break-down. We will start on the Pennbar 66 as soon as we are up and running again!
June 20, 2011 – We had a little extra excitement today! Two tornadoes decided to pay us a visit! One was less than a half mile away and heading straight for us. When it was about a quarter mile away it just gave up the ghost! Whew!!! The other tornado went just a couple miles north of us. I haven’t heard of any real damage done in the surrounding area by tornadoes but many of our neighbors were hailed on, and received between 1 and 5 inches of rain. We were on the very edge of the storm and received about an inch of rain and a lot of wind.
June 21, 2011 – We did a little figuring and found that the Pennbar 66 yielded very well for a dry season! It made 75 bushels to the acre! Wonderful! Today we are cutting the Tambar 501 and the Beardless P-919 barley. An associate is helping us with our harvest as our combine is awaiting repairs again. (Thanks Merton!) The photos turned out great due to a breathtaking sky and great colors.
