Wheat

Wheat is worldwide the third most-important cereal after maize and rice, but it is the most important cereal of the temperate regions. It has been cultivated domestically for at least 11,000 years. Wheat flour has many uses, but its main use is to make bread, a staple food for many people around the world.

This page gives some basic information and facts about wheat, followed by some photos, wheat proverbs and wheat recipes.

Basic information and facts on wheat

Scientific name:	Triticum aestivum

Family:	Poaceae
Order:	Poales

English:	Wheat Common wheat Bread wheat
Dutch:	Tarwe Gewone tarwe
German:	Weizen Brotweizen Weichweizen
French:	Blé Blé tendre
Spanish:	Trigo
Italian:	Grano tenero Frumento

Origin:	Wheat's origin is in the Near East, Mesopotamia
Distribution:	Wheat is grown in temperate climates around the world. The main wheat producing countries are The United States, Canada, China, India, Russia, France, Germany, Ukraine and Australia.

Plant:	Wheat is a domesticated annual cereal grass.
Flowers:	Wheat flowers are complete and self-pollinate.
Climate and weather:	Wheat grows in a temperate climate.
Pollination:	Wheat is generally a self pollinating plant.
Height:	The height of wheat plants depends on the variety and is often between 0.5 and 1.2 meters (2-4 feet).
Growing period	The growing period of wheat depends on the location. For example in the United States, winter wheat is planted in the fall and matures in the summer, while spring wheat is planted after the last winter frost, and it also matures in the summer. In Bangladesh wheat is grown in the relatively cooler winter season (December -February).
Growth rate:	Depending on weather, seed type and soil conditions, wheat usually requires from 110 to 130 days between planting and harvest. However, winter wheats which are planted in fall will remain dormant during the cold winter time, and take much longer to maturity.
Spacing (close range)
Spacing (wide range)
Propagation:	Wheat is propagated by sowing the seeds.
Insect pests:
Diseases:
Harvesting:	When wheat is mature it gets a golden color. The heads of the grain get heavy with the weight of the kernel which causes bending of the stalks. Harvesting is done by cutting the stalks, either by hand or with special harvesting machines. After harvesting, the grains are separated from the stalks and chaff. The kernels can then be be ground into flour.
Uses:	Wheat grain is used to make flour for preparing breads, biscuits, cookies and cakes. It is also used to make pasta or noodles or couscous. Some breakfast cereals contain wheat. Other uses of wheat are to brew beer or to prepare other alcoholic beverages. A more recent use of wheat is as a bio-fuel. Wheat straw is often used as a fodder for livestock, while it is sometimes used for thatched roofs.

Wheat photos

Proverbs about wheat

You have to separate the chaff from the wheat.
There is no wheat without chaff.
If you borrow some chaff from the rich man you have to repay him with wheat.
A hungry hen sees herself in a wheat silo.
He knows how many grains to a bushel of wheat.
But what is the chaff to the wheat?
A hungry man is glad to get boiled wheat.
Who sows barley cannot reap wheat.
He that will have a cake out of the wheat must tarry the grinding.
Without sowing a single wheat you would not harvest thousand ones.
Wheat stalks heavy with grain learn how to bow their heads.
Even a blind dove finds a grain of wheat at times.
A blind crow may sometimes find a grain of wheat.
God gives the wheat, He doesn't bake the bread.

Quotes about wheat

And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. (Bible quote)
The first time I tried organic wheat bread, I thought I was chewing on roofing material. (Robin Willams)
An editor is someone who separates the wheat from the chaff and then prints the chaff. (A.E. Stevenson)
Plant a kernel of wheat and you reap a pint; plant a pint and you reap a bushel. (Anthony Norvell)

Did you know that?

More types of foods are made with wheat than any other cereal grain.
Whole wheat flour is produced by grinding or mashing the wheat's whole grain, which consists of bran, germ and endosperm.
To make white wheat flour the bran and germ are removed, so it contains only the endosperm.
Whole wheat flour is more nutritious than refined white flour.

Recipes

Whole wheat pancakes

Ingredients:

1.5 cup sifted whole wheat
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs beaten
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons salad oil

Procedure:

Sift together the dry ingredients. Combine eggs, milk and oil and add this to the dry ingredients. Stir all the ingredients and then bake in a hot lightly greased flat pan.
Serve with fresh fruit and whipped cream.