So, I was talking on the phone to Mom today and I saw that the chickens had scaled the garden fence (yet again!) and were eating my wheat. Stinkers!!! Ug. I rescued what was left and quickly cut it down to dry the rest of it out. Most of it was already dry, but there were still a few stalks left that were a tad green and needed to finish out the drying process. For those of you who don't know, wheat has three stages:

1. milky...when you squeeze the seeds, it produces a milky-like substance.
2. doughy...when you squeeze the seeds, they are doughy in feel and appearance.
3. hard/finished...the seed is completely hard and if properly stored, you can save it to plant in the next planting season OR you can grind it up into flour.

I don't have a grinding mill just yet. Still trying to figure out which kind to buy. I don't want something expensive due to the fact that I'm not going into the wheat business. I grow it for the experience and to make a few loaves of bread. I don't want an electric one, but non-electric GOOD grinders are hard to come by. We shall see.

For now, my wheat is drying and I will use the seeds from spring to plant in the fall. I won't be grinding it since I don't have a grinder or enough to grind in the first place. :)