Teff in Oklahoma, Michigan & Nevada (was Re: Collab Digest, Vol 3, Issue 13)
Quick follow-up on one of the the topics raised in this exchange that began with Steve DeWitt's intro - teff. I hope to come back to the other topics later. And thanks to Joni for her input. I was curious to know more about teff in Oklahoma, and in the process found out something unexpected about teff in ... Michigan. In both locations, according to the following article, teff is grown as forage and fodder. The same article also discusses teff as a grain crop in Nevada - specifically Churchill County (a location that I've seen several times in articles about grain teff). Apparently it is irrigated there, but not as much as other crops.: Chris Bennett, "Grain or Grass, Teff Fits on Right Farm," AgWeb, 17 Dec 2019 https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/grain-or-grass-teff-fits-right-farm From here down, I'll briefly discuss teff in each of the three states. OKLAHOMA The segment of the article cited above on Oklahoma mentions Brian Pugh, an agronomy specialist with Oklahoma State University. He indicates that Oklahoma has seen a consistent rise in teff acreage in recent years, and that in trials, "teff worked well in the east, and fairly well in the west" of the state.(The west is drier.) I came across a video of a talk by Mr. Pugh in 2018 about teff for forage. Pretty technical stuff here, and one imagines that the research has progressed since, but it's an example of how much attention this crop is getting. See: https://youtu.be/XsiH_L77Ows Also saw an item entitled "Growing Teff as Dual Purpose Alternative Crop in Oklahoma," which suggests teff can be grown in Oklahoma for both the grains and feed for horses and ruminants. "Teff can yield 1.6-2.3 tons/ha grain and 3-4 tons/ha forage in Oklahoma." No info on whether any irrigation, but it does suggest N fertilizer for grain production. (This was apparently from a poster session from a conference in 2009.) Uploaded by one of the authors to: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323561403_Growing_Teff_as_Dual_Purp... MICHIGAN The Bennett article (at head of this post) quotes a Michigan State University extension agent Jerry Lindquist (now retired) as indicating that teff often serves as a rotation hay crop in the upper Midwest. He gives a balanced assessment of teff's benefits as a rotation crop, and of its being a competitive hay crop (esp; for the horse market). Mr. Lindquist was based in Reed City, MI, which is almost 44°N, for anyone keeping track of northern limits for cultivation of various millets. NEVADA Of the three cases in Bennett's article, Churchill County, NV was the only one where teff was grown for grain. Teff was apparently introduced there in 2004 by Jay Davison, a University of Nevada, Reno Cooperative Extension alternative crops specialist. Teff is irrigated in this area. Mr. Davison is quoted as indicating that harvests average 1600-1800 lbs/acre (≈1800-2000 kg/ha) and as high as 2600 lb/acre (≈2900 kg/ha). Grain farmers can then also sell the fodder. The University of Nevada, Reno Extension site says that "Last year Extension assisted 11 producers to grow teff grain and forage in Churchill, Lyon and Pershing counties. Extension faculty members led Nevada teff producers to Idaho to study agronomic and harvesting techniques with longtime teff farmers and teff buyers." https://www.agweb.com/news/crops/grain-or-grass-teff-fits-right-farm (accessed 15 April 2022). Bennett's article indicates that most growers in Churchill County are under contract with Desert Oasis Teff & Grain. (Does that make 3 US companies dealing in teff grain, along with the Selam Teff & Barley mentioned by Steve in his post, and the Teff Company?) Jay Davison is quoted as saying regarding teff that he has "seen grain acreage in Texas, Idaho, Oregon, New Mexico and into the Midwest." DO, EL, MI, US ------- Original Message ------- On Monday, March 28th, 2022 at 2:07 AM, D. Joni Kindwall-Moore <joni@snacktivistfoods.com> wrote:
Ok, I’m out of town this week. Let me do some thinking and I’ll make some introductions that can be helpful. If you don’t hear back from me by next Tuesday, please give me a reminder!
On Fri, Mar 25, 2022 at 8:53 AM Steve DeWitt via Collab <collab@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
Yes, I have been talking with Jennifer Kocher about sorghum. The only teff grain producer I know of in the southern plains is Dean Smith at Hydro, OK. He does irrigate. I was previously working with Tesfa Drar of Selam Foods In Minnesota. His growers are in Oregon and Nevada and he and the Boise group are staunch competitors. The extension service here only knows of millet as a forage and are no help on grain production.
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Today's Topics:
1. Introduction (Steve DeWitt) 2. Re: Introduction (Don Osborn) 3. Re: Introduction (D. Joni Kindwall-Moore)
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Message: 1 Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2022 08:14:44 -0500 From: Steve DeWitt <wcfarms2010@icloud.com> To: collab@lists.millets2023.space Subject: [Collab] Introduction Message-ID: <3A71E2C1-EEDA-46E5-89FE-BF185EBE8DE9@icloud.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
I?m Steve DeWitt, a Regenerative farmer from northern Oklahoma, growing heritage wheat, sorghum and diverse cover crop mixes for grazing. I tried growing Teff for grain production a few years ago but without irrigation and with hot weather during flowering it was not successful. I do still grow it as a forage crop for the premium horse hay market. I?m interested in growing other millets that are more adapted to my climate, such as Pearl. I?ve been looking into setting up a gluten free mill for sorghum and look forward to learning more about millets. Regards, Steve DeWitt
Sent from my iPhone
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Message: 2 Date: Fri, 25 Mar 2022 06:16:00 +0000 From: Don Osborn <donosborn@protonmail.com> To: Steve DeWitt <wcfarms2010@icloud.com> Cc: collab@lists.millets2023.space Subject: Re: [Collab] Introduction Message-ID: <eElZAYg1ydhNdCBZT2CZbAQhbi3mSB_wMVENqyHTZ5v_3-tTsQrrNyP4aOFt9Tw8ZBh_KjfxENnus2tJ1Il-OraOvhfjBUVedHtK-vJ4xiY=@protonmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Thanks Steve. Interesting information, thanks for sharing.
With regard to teff, do you know of any other farmers in your area who successfully grow it as a grain crop? Although it is said teff is grown in at least 25 US states (mostly as a forage crop), I am not finding information on how widely it is grown for grain production. I was a bit surprised several years ago, when I first learned of teff - a crop of the Ethiopian highlands - being grown for grains in Idaho. Apparently the conditions there work well for this crop.
Regarding pearl millet, it is known to produce with low rainfall (and in very hot places). I'd be interested to know of anyone in North America is growing it for its grains as a food crop, and where they source seeds. If teff grains (flour, etc) can be marketed to the Ethiopian communities in the US, perhaps food grade pearl millet grown in the US (or Mexico?) could find a market in Indian or some African communities. (Currently, pearl millet grains, flour, and products are imported from India; so when I want that grain, I look in South Asian food stores for "bajra" or "bajri.").
May I ask if your extension service has been any help regarding millets? Also, what format of information about millets would work best for you as a farmer and potential mill owner/operator?
We're hoping to increase interest in millets as both crops and foods, which are of course interrelated goals.
Don
Don Osborn East Lansing, MI
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, March 24th, 2022 at 9:14 AM, Steve DeWitt via Collab <collab@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
I?m Steve DeWitt, a Regenerative farmer from northern Oklahoma, growing heritage wheat, sorghum and diverse cover crop mixes for grazing. I tried growing Teff for grain production a few years ago but without irrigation and with hot weather during flowering it was not successful. I do still grow it as a forage crop for the premium horse hay market. I?m interested in growing other millets that are more adapted to my climate, such as Pearl. I?ve been looking into setting up a gluten free mill for sorghum and look forward to learning more about millets.
Regards,
Steve DeWitt
Sent from my iPhone
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Message: 3 Date: Thu, 24 Mar 2022 23:54:49 -0700 From: "D. Joni Kindwall-Moore" <joni@snacktivistfoods.com> To: Don Osborn <donosborn@protonmail.com> Cc: Steve DeWitt <wcfarms2010@icloud.com>, collab@lists.millets2023.space Subject: Re: [Collab] Introduction Message-ID: <CAHVJMLKyUpOE4TMceo0o4_3a7VrNvCGJi6ybbFgA2ovhWxFUzw@mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
Hi Steve, It?s Joni with NAMA and Snacktivist. Don thanks for the information. I wonder if there would be value in speaking with our Teff farmers and processors at Teffco/Meskal Teff in Boise? Good guys. I?m happy to connect you to discuss. They have had really great success even with limited irrigation in arid areas .They also mill it. I would be thrilled if there was milling set up in your area that could dehull and process small millets and milo. Do you know Jennifer Kosher in Ohio? She just set up a GF mill and we are working on projects together too. Happy to get you in touch. We are hoping to develop market for floured and whole millets such as pearl, foxtail and beyond via Snacktivist and allied brands with a focus on biodiversity. Don, I?ll ask Dr Alan Williams at Understanding Ag. We were just talking millets and I recall him saying they are growing them in the south. They are also hoping to see more market pull so we can harvest for sale rather than just cover crop value. Looking forward to more conversations. I still need to connect you with Don Scheuerman at Palouse Heritage Farms who has a malting and artisan bread making model integrated into his farm. Great guy, I?ll make this happen. Cheers Joni
On Thu, Mar 24, 2022 at 11:16 PM Don Osborn via Collab < collab@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
Thanks Steve. Interesting information, thanks for sharing.
With regard to teff, do you know of any other farmers in your area who successfully grow it as a grain crop? Although it is said teff is grown in at least 25 US states (mostly as a forage crop), I am not finding information on how widely it is grown for grain production. I was a bit surprised several years ago, when I first learned of teff - a crop of the Ethiopian highlands - being grown for grains in Idaho. Apparently the conditions there work well for this crop.
Regarding pearl millet, it is known to produce with low rainfall (and in very hot places). I'd be interested to know of anyone in North America is growing it for its grains as a food crop, and where they source seeds. If teff grains (flour, etc) can be marketed to the Ethiopian communities in the US, perhaps food grade pearl millet grown in the US (or Mexico?) could find a market in Indian or some African communities. (Currently, pearl millet grains, flour, and products are imported from India; so when I want that grain, I look in South Asian food stores for "bajra" or "bajri.").
May I ask if your extension service has been any help regarding millets? Also, what format of information about millets would work best for you as a farmer and potential mill owner/operator?
We're hoping to increase interest in millets as both crops and foods, which are of course interrelated goals.
Don
Don Osborn East Lansing, MI
------- Original Message -------
On Thursday, March 24th, 2022 at 9:14 AM, Steve DeWitt via Collab < collab@lists.millets2023.space> wrote:
I?m Steve DeWitt, a Regenerative farmer from northern Oklahoma, growing heritage wheat, sorghum and diverse cover crop mixes for grazing. I tried growing Teff for grain production a few years ago but without irrigation and with hot weather during flowering it was not successful. I do still grow it as a forage crop for the premium horse hay market. I?m interested in growing other millets that are more adapted to my climate, such as Pearl. I?ve been looking into setting up a gluten free mill for sorghum and look forward to learning more about millets.
Regards,
Steve DeWitt
Sent from my iPhone
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-- Joni
D. Joni Kindwall-Moore BSN-RN, BA Founder, Innovator, Mother, Nurse, CEO, Activist *SNACKTIVIST INC* P: 406-334-1608 *www.snacktivistfoods.com <http://www.snacktivistfoods.com/>*
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Don Osborn