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| Quinoa |
Chenopodium quinoa
A high protein staple green and seed “grain” from the Andean highlands, with thicker and juicier leaves than lambs quarter, its close cousin. Leaves are a nice salad size with salty spinach-like flavor. Thrives in dry periods of summer. Sow 1” apart in rows for cutting 6-8” plants for greens, or space 12-14” apart for picking leaves (which may be followed by grain production). Maturing seed heads are very brightly colored, ornamental, and high yielding.
After decades of obscurity, Quinoa has recently
swept to the attention of farmers and gardeners in
North America. Washington State University has
an extensive testing program ongoing to find South
American varieties that will perform well in the
Pacific Northwest. Quinoa is largely adapted to
cool, dry, upland conditions, and will fail to make
seed if temperatures are too hot for pollen tube development. This temperature sensitivity is variable
across varieties. The Willamette Valley is too warm
some years, and with warmer climates ahead, it is
not too early to begin the process of adaptation.
Quinoa Cultivation for Grain:
As a mountain farmer from way back, quinoa has
always been a natural crop for my home ground.
Quinoa is a mountain peoples' crop, particularly
suited to marginal soils, cool nights, and dry conditions. I began growing it in 1983 on a mountain of
glacial till near Puget Sound with great success, and
never had a failure until recently, while sowing into
great soil in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, where the
nighttime temps are higher and grass seed fields are
full of lygus bugs (that suck nutrients from blooming
seedheads). Five miles away in the foothills where I
live, simultaneous crops were as full as normal. We
cannot say exactly why, but we believe this relates to
some critical threshold temperature for pollen tube
development, a phenomenon well understood in
growing seed of spinach, a relative of quinoa.
Kevin Murphy, WSU quinoa researcher in Pullman,
WA, tells me that temperature sensitivity and varietal performance are variable in his trials, and are
likely dependent on the South American latitude
and micro-climate that gave rise to each variety. We
have noted that our quinoa feedback has been very
positive from western Canada, Washington, Idaho,
Montana, and other northern mountain States. We
would love to hear from others about their quinoa
seedcrop experience in other places.
Our best success with quinoa "grain" comes with
planting from mid-April through May. Direct seed
into 24" rows. Thin to 3-4" apart in the row to
produce single-headed plants that mature uniformly
for harvesting in a single pass. Maximum seed yield
comes from 12" or greater in-row spacing that
makes a branched crop. This may require an initial
harvest of primary heads, followed in another 7-14
days with a final harvest of whole plants. Harvest
when seedheads are still brightly colored, and
thresh with a rubbing action of the head (by hand
or feet, or belt thresher). Grain is easy to clean with
1/8" and 1/16" hardware mesh, and careful winnowing.
Seeds Per Packet: 500
Seeds Per Gram: 714
Seeds Per Ounce: 20,000 Oregon Tilth Certified Organic Seed
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Biobio
A short season, short stature white-seeded quinoa from Chile. We found it as an off-types in purchased 'Kaslaea' seed last year, but have strong confidence it is actually 'Biobio.' Looks very similar to Redhead, also with very white seeds. 'Biobio' seems to have smaller seeds in general, but I did make some larger-than-average seed selections from this population. Earliest maturing kind in our tri... pricing and more
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Brightest Brilliant Rainbow  
This diverse selection includes our most striking color choices. Hot pink to royal burgundy, red, orange, yellow, white, green, and every bright combination. Large, branching plants can reach 7’ tall. pricing and more
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Fingerhead GP
This interesting variation in seedhead formation popped out of our breeding population in 2018, probably originating in either Kaslala or WSU germplasm. The panicle appears to be comprised of many upward pointing fingers (or dreads, or foxtails, or flames). My initial attraction was aesthetic, then I thought about airflow through the mature seedhead, and only later did I appreciate some large-seed... pricing and more
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Golden Afternoon
A new variety from crossing Oro d' Valle with lines from Washington State University's breeding program. Seeds are a sunny yellow fresh from the plant, and have good resistance to head sprouting in trials for 2 years running. pricing and more
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Incred Mix
Closely related to the ‘Fingerhead GP’ with Kaslala influence on seed size and color. Seeds are larger than our original varieties. Seedhead colors are white, pink, yellow, and orange with corresponding seed colors of white, cream, gold, and walnut brown. Could be used as an interesting seed mix, or selected for refined qualities. pricing and more
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Incred White
From the Incred population, an early maturing snow white seed producer. Stems are striped green and white, panicle is green-white. Seeds are not as large as the Incred Mix. pricing and more
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Ivory
Selected out of Brightest Brilliant for resistance to downy mildew and head sprouting, better stem strength, and white seed color. White panicles help prevent seed staining from rain at maturity. This selection has endured 4 days of rain/dampness at maturity without head sprouting. pricing and more
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Kas Red
A “red seeded” line derived from ‘Kaslala’ with somewhat larger seed than our original varieties. The red color is a semi-durable pericarp that surrounds a dark seed. More red color is retained if seed is harvested while the panicles are still bright red, just before turning brown. pricing and more
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Kas White
At the opposite end of the pigment spectrum from ‘Kas Red’, this is a pure white derivation from the original ‘Kaslala’ variety we got through Bountiful Gardens. We have a large seeded selection from this population that we’ll be testing next year. pricing and more
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Kaslala Multicolor
This diverse variety has a number of unique qualities that have gained my attention. First, the plants themselves are striking, a large percentage having the "magenta leaf" trait in the young leaves, and growing to 7' tall, many plants with bright red stems. The seed is vividly multicolored from jet black through chocolate, nut brown, buff, pink, cherry, yellow and white. Seeds are larger than th... pricing and more
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Magenta Sunset
This year's selection was made for yield and stem strength, following two years of selection for head sprouting resistance. This strain is out of Brightest Brilliant Rainbow made with the cut flower grower in mind. The ripening panicles are brilliant magenta-orange, with stems that become red-pink-orange striped as they mature. Dru Rivers at Full Belly Farm in Guinda, CA pioneered the introductio... pricing and more
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Mint Vanilla
New selection out of 'Brightest Brilliant', bright white-headed quinoa with very white seeds in a green-tinged panicle. pricing and more
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Oro de Valle
This gold-headed strain has been selected out of our ‘Brightest Brilliant Rainbow’ for growing in the heart of the Willamette Valley. The head is composed of relatively loose seed clusters, which helps prevent molding or head-sprouting in humid conditions. Stocky plants are about 4’ tall at maturity. Seed is golden... pricing and more
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Peppermint
Some of the whitest seeds we’ve seen in trials in the past 3 years, and exceptionally resistant to wet weather head sprouting. Yield potential is very promising, with larger seeds and strong stems. Panicles are white, stems green with white stripes, growing 5-7 feet tall. Minimal branching with tight spacing. Looks like a winning quinoa pricing and more
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Pink Nugget
Named for the seed color and the aggregation of seed clusters in the seedhead. Seed has a semi-durable pink pericarp with a nut brown seed beneath. One of the most beautiful quinoa seed colors we’ve ever seen. These are tending toward larger seed sizes, and provide good opportunity for selection of this trait. Panicles are pink at maturity, and the brightest seed is harvested before the panicles... pricing and more
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Red Head
Our first selection from the original South American introductions of the 1980s. Sturdy high yielding strain with bright pinkish red seed heads, white seeds. Selected to withstand some rain at maturity without seed sprouting in the head, an important new trait in quinoa for North America. pricing and more
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Red Nugget
Sister line to ‘Pink Nugget’ with dark red seed pericarp, and walnut brown seed beneath. Like the other quinoa we sell, this one will give much brighter seed color if harvested just before the panicles turn brown. pricing and more
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White Nugget
Sister line to ‘Pink Nugget’ but with white seeds. The panicle is pink, comprised of an aggregation of rounded seed clusters that form a large head. I expect segregation of some large seeded types. pricing and more
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Wild Garden Breeder's Mix
We are engaged in a 5 year quinoa breeding project supported by the Clif Bar Family Foundation. One goal of the project is to increase the availability of quinoa germplasm that is adapted to growing in North America, and to share that germplasm with others involved in local attempts to develop regionally adapted varieties. One way to do this is to create and distribute finished varieties. Another... pricing and more
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