Quinoa : The Mother Grain

Quinoa or KEEN WA is a native plant to the Andes Mountains in Peru, Chile, Ecuador,  and Bolivia.  The word, "quinoa" itself, means "the mother grain" in the Incan language, and is regarded by the culture as "a spiritual grain."  It is an annual plant that is hardy and can be grown in just about any soil or sand, dry or moist.  It needs the cold nighttime temps and cannot tolerate heat much over 90F. So far, it is proving to live up to its name surviving multiple snow storms, torrential rain, and cold temps.  I'm sure the 14,000 ft elevation in the Andes dish out some pretty nasty weather, so the intelligence of the seed knows how to survive.

Depending on soil and weather conditions, a Quinoa plant can grow between 1 1/2' and 8'.  Because Don and I put such a nice mixture of soil in these beds, I will be curious to see what happens.  (I am learning to curb my vocabulary---instead of anticipate I will choose witness....these plants have a  superior intelligence~ they know what to do...I just have to be patient).

As the plants grow and produce the seeds (which is actually considered a fruit, if you can believe that), the tops of the stalks will get heavy.  Also, by this time, the leaves will have turned various colors depending on the variety. (Good for additional salad greens)!  The seeds themselves have a waxy coating that protects them from birds and insects called saponin.  The seeds will be harvested, threshed, washed, and sundried to remove it.   

It is best to store quinoa in an air tight container.  Also, before cooking, you will want to soak it to get the most nutrient from the plant.  Generally, quinoa is made just as rice would be cooked.  A 2:1 ratio of water to grain should be sufficient.  Put the pot of water on the stove, 2 C water and 1 C quinoa, bring to a boil...reduce heat to low/md and cover.  Use it in place of rice in any style dish.  It has a light nutty flavor that will complement any veggie, legume, or meat dish.


This is my first experience growing any type of grain. I eat quinoa on a regular basis and after some research and contemplation about which crops to grow for market, I decided to give it a try.  I didn't want to grow (I still don't-except for Kevin and I) the standard "Kale, Carrots, Turnips, etc." that the other farmers grow on our circuit.  It just makes no sense.  The other farms produce faster and more product than I could ever dream of.  My intention to do this market is to work side-by-side with the same farmers that have been mentors to me over these past years and add some variety to the selection of goods we produce for each other.