Grain Amaranth

[GaryD]

Hi,

Grain amaranth is another grain of the ancient Aztecs (or maybe it was the Incans).

We've grown these plants before and they yield large maroon heads full of seeds. The seeds are about the size of a pin head.

The grain is easily separated from the seed heads......or you can just throw the ripened heads into the chickens or quail and let them sort the "wheat from the chaff" so to speak.

Gary

[DaveOponic]

White amaranth - (Bayem in Indonesia) is one of the first things I grew in AP and it is a staple vegetable here in Asia. My mother in law has a great recipe with spring onions, galangal and a light stock. It is a very mild and light spinach type vegetable - apparently very healthy. The best thing is it is easy to grow, very easy.

[mornings]

Amaranth greens are quite good -- and nutritious.

One warning: pigweed is a close relative and it will cross. If you save seed and there is a cross you may find your amaranth plants get thorny; or, you may find your pigweed weeds getting larger.

m

[GaryD]

Hi mornings,

As you'd be aware (but other members may not), amaranth comes in two varieties......grain amaranth and a variety that is optimised for leaf production.

Gary