Sprouting 35 Year Old Wheat Berries

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Last week we were given some #10 cans of wheat that had been packed in the 1970’s without the use of any oxygen absorbers.  This wheat had not been stored under the best conditions, the cans were rusty from have been recently stored outside under a tarp.  We found the rustiest, nastiest looking can in the bunch and opened it. The wheat looked fine, so we decided to see if it would sprout.

We have a Victorio 4 tray seed sprouter that we had picked up at Emergency Essentials in Utah.  It was still new in the wrapper so we decided this was a good chance to try it. The wheat berries were placed in the trays and water added.  The directions were easy to follow and took very little work. Anyway, to make a long story short, this morning the wheat is sprouting.  I don’t think we will get 100% to sprout but a fair amount is sprouting.  For wheat this old and stored under adverse conditions, I think this is really good results and shows just how well wheat stores.

If you don’t have a sprouter, you can use a mason jar and some cheesecloth.  Thoroughly wash 1/4 cup of wheat berries.  Place the berries in a dish or jar and cover with water.  Let them sit overnight in a cool place, then drain and rinse the wheat

The Victorio 4 Tray Seed Sprouter

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Place the wheat in a clean mason jar and cover the top with two layers of cheesecloth.  Fasten the cheesecloth on the jar with a screw top canning jar lid ring.  Lay the jar on its side in a warm dark place (68 degrees-75 degrees F). Each day, rinse the sprouts by pouring lukewarm water into the jar.  Shake the jar wetting all the grain kernels, then drain off the water.  The grain should sprout in three or four days,  Once grains have sprouted, keep refrigerated till served.

Howard

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