This is one of the easiest grains for home gardeners to grow and eat. At this point we may be looking at an interesting diversion from our standard diet -- in a few years we may be relying on it heavily. At my house we already rely on it heavily. It is time to walk the garden, and make Captain Crunch walk the plank!

Requires a hot sheltered position if it is to do well. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.2 to 7.5. Plants should not be given inorganic fertilizers, see notes above on toxicity. Often cultivated, especially in tropical areas, for its edible leaves and seeds, there are many named varieties. This is the most robust and highest yielding of the grain amaranths, though it is late maturing and therefore less suitable for northern areas.

Harvest: Wait until the seed is completely mature in the seedhead -- rub the head between your hands and if mature seed falls out, then its done. If not, then let it mature some more -- it won't hurt a thing! Harvest in the afternoon of a bright and sunny day (see harvest pictures, attached). Lay the seedheads out in the sun on tarps to dry, turning regularly and covering to disallow morning dew. Or, lay the seedheads out on racks in the dry shade or in an unused solar greenhouse. Once thoroughly dry, beat the heads with flails made of green willow or rub the heads through a 1/2 inch hardware cloth. Then, wind winnow on a sheet, allowing the chaff to blow away, and keeping the grain behind. If you have seed cleaning screens then the job will be easier and faster. Once the seed is clean, store it in jars in the kitchen.

It will last many years (if you don't eat it faster than that, that is.) I use 1/2 cup per person for breakfast, simmered in five times as much water. In other words, a standard breakfast for 2 people would be one cup of grain to 5 cups of water. Bring rapidly to a boil, then set to low and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the water is absorbed by the grain and the cooking gruel reaches the "pukka-pukka" stage where the bubbles burst out of the thickened gruel with a popping sound. Then, turn off the heat and cover for about 10 minutes. Then eat naked, or embellished by milks, raisins or other dried fruits.