How do you know when to pick millet?

If you want to increase the variety of your food plants, you probably want to consider a variety of grains and vegetables that are high in nutrients. Consider growing millet as it thrives remarkably well in a variety of climates and is delicious and nutritious.

Continue reading to discover more about this wonderful crop and how to cultivate it on your own property.

Parts of Africa and Asia are home to millet, a grass (Poaceae aka Gramineae) family member. Its mature grains are rich in various B vitamins, protein, iron, and carbohydrates.

Better yet, you can grow it in areas where few (if any) other crops can be grown because it adapts well to mostly infertile soils that are vulnerable to drought.

Here’s a bonus if you still aren’t persuaded: It’s naturally gluten-free. This makes it perfect for those of us who suffer from celiac disease and are unable to consume grains like wheat, barley, or rye.

Pearl Millet

The pearl millets, Pennisetum glaucum, or P, are the third group of millets. americanum. In the Southeast, pearl millet is frequently referred to as cattail millet because it resembles a cattail reed head more than a small foxtail grass. Pearl millet is grown almost totally in the South. The garden farmer processing millet for table use may find it more appealing because it threshes free of the hulls. However, proso is more preferable for grain or flour.

Growing Millet at Home

As with any crop, advice specific to your variety and growing conditions will overrule more general advice. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1

Millet seeds are often found in bird seed mixes, usually in red or white varieties. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Advertisement

Plant food can be dangerous to use on small or young plants. Add it at your own risk, and use 1/2 the recommended amounts or less. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 7 Not Helpful 3

Hybrid plants will produce seeds that may have different or inconsistent qualities compared to the parent plant. To ensure a good harvest each year, you will need to purchase new hybrid seeds. ⧼thumbs_response⧽ Helpful 5 Not Helpful 2

Advertisement

Potting Soil

Pot that drains well

Millet

Full or partial sun

How to Use Millet for Food

The fact that millet is useful for purposes other than human consumption is a plus. You can raise it to provide food for poultry like chickens and guinea hens as well as for herbivorous animal companions. I raise it for my own consumption as well as my pet birds and rabbit.

You can simply toss whole millet heads into their enclosure or outside into your yard if you are growing millet to feed poultry. The birds will happily peck the seeds free, having a great time in the process.

In fact, if your birds are (quite literally) cooped up for months during the winter, millet heads can be a great boredom buster.

On the other hand, millet needs some straightforward processing when used for human meals. Every homesteader needs a hand-cranked grain mill, especially considering how reliable they are in the event of a power outage. With these, you can turn any grain into flour, which you can then use for anything.

When I don’t feel like making flour by hand, I grind the millet in small batches using my reliable coffee grinder. This approach is much quicker and simpler, and it also makes combining easier.

For instance, I frequently combine the processing of millet, amaranth, and quinoa to create a multi-grain flour.

Note that millet is quite flavorless. This makes it the perfect ingredient to adapt to both sweet and savory recipes because it will absorb the flavor of anything it is added to. Just be aware that you’ll need to add spices or other flavorings to it if you’re using it as a base flour for items like pancakes or other sweet baked goods. Otherwise, it’ll be like eating sawdust.

With dried fruit and nuts, millet makes a delicious type of porridge that tastes similar to polenta. Then you can slice it thinly and fry it; it is delicious.

Growing millet is an easy way to increase the amount of food in your pantry. It is ideal for depleted soils and can feed you, your family, and many of your animals during hard times. You just can’t go wrong with this plant.

So We Grew Millet……Now What?