Planting wheat in Alabama?

[St-Hubert]

My wife had a wonderful garden last year.....snap peas (snow peas), green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes....lots of goodies. She has started an expanded garden this year, and things are growing quite well so far. Our ultimate goal is to become self-sufficient as far as veggies, but we still have quite a-ways to go.

Now, to my reason for posting....I am interested in growing wheat for flour purposes. I realize that it's not the most economical route for a backyard grower, but I have perhaps an acre and a half to two acres of land that hasn't been touched yet. I'm interested to find out if anyone else in Alabama (or the surrounding States) has grown wheat. I've done a bit of reading on the subject, and I believe that winter wheat would be my best option. I'd start with a smallish plot....maybe 20ft x 20 ft....and if that's successful, I'd increase it each year. The goal is home-ground flour.

So, any advice, suggestions, warnings...I'll take anything you folk have.

 

[Katy]

We grow winter wheat and I don't think it would do well in your warmer climate. We plant it the last of september into october. It grows until it gets too cold and then goes dormant over the winter. When warmer temps come it breaks dormancy and starts growing again. We harvest it the end of June into July depending on the weather. It really needs a cold period to do well. There are different types of wheat.....I know further north they grow spring wheat which they plant in the spring and harvest in early fall, but I imagine it takes cooler temps since they grow it further north and it doesn't do well here.

 

[St-Hubert]

Thank you for the info!
Our winters here aren't as bad as elsewhere. We do get some snow, but not often, and the temperatures stay below freezing for quite awhile. It appears I may have to do some further research on the type of wheat I will be able to grow!

Thank you again.

 

[Katy]

Find a local agricultural seed dealer...they should be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[St-Hubert]

Thank you. That's really something I would not have thought of until much, much digging!

 

[Katy]

I googled and found these links....looks like they're growing soft red winter wheat as opposed to the hard red wheat that we grow. There were more, but these were the first couple listed. I'd still find a seed dealer to talk to.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=259995

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0oGkxkFp...9/**http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0992/

 

[St-Hubert]

Wow. I really do appreciate that! Thank you! The second link looks like it's just what I have been seeking!
I'll still be sure to talk to a seed dealer. We have several feed stores and farmer co-ops in the area.

(I'm at work....kinda hard to do much of anything in the area of web-searching....but I have to have my BYC fix!) Once again, thank you for going above and beyond in answering my question.

 

[wsmoak]

Find your Cooperative Extension agent and see if he or she has any advice: http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

 

[St-Hubert]

I definitely asked this question to the right group of folk. Thank you for the link!

 

[RoseHawke]

A bit late for this. But someone else may find it handy:

Alabama Cooperative Extension System: ALABAMA WINTER WHEAT (link to .pdf file.)