Sorghum: From the Garden to the Table

Whole grain sorghum flour is a wholesome, hearty, gluten-free grain that provides important fiber and has a mild flavor. Fluctuating grain prices, along with a demand for gluten-free products, have sparked a renewed interest in homegrown grains, and gardeners may find it easier to grow and process than they originally thought.

From experience, homegrown grain users find grain sorghum flour, with some tweaking to recipes, makes pastries equal to, if not better than, whole wheat flour, and it’s easier to thresh than wheat.

Americans find it strange to see grains growing in small areas or rows in gardens. They also don’t see grains as food derived directly from plants in the same way they view fruits and vegetables. They often think of grain as factory manufactured. A good ten-speed blender or kitchen mill can turn homegrown grain into flour easily.

Grain sorghum flour should be stored in moisture-vapor-proof, air-tight glass or metal containers or plastic freezer bags and kept in a cool, dry, dark place if it will be used within a few months. If not, store it in a refrigerator or freezer so it will last longer.

Below is a recipe provided courtesy of Twin Valley Mills, LLC.

Apple Crisp
4 cups sliced apples
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Slice apples into an 8 x 8 inch greased pan.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Crumble topping:
1 stick (½ cup) margarine
¾ cup of sugar
¾ cup sorghum flour
Bake at 350°F for approximately 1 hour or until topping turns light brown.

Mexican grain buyers spend the week in Kansas and Texas

Shelee Padgett, our Member Services Director, spent the last week with 10 agri-businessmen and women from Mexico with hopes of strengthening export markets of the U.S. sorghum industry. The United Sorghum Checkoff Program and U.S. Grains Council sponsored the trip as part of the education and market development function of the national sorghum checkoff.



Tours and visits included:

• DeBruce Grain elevator in Abilene, Kansas


• Cargill Ag Horizons with Clayton Short, a sorghum producer, in Assaria, Kansas


• AgMark, a grain marketing organization, in Concordia, Kansas


• Scoular, an agriculture marketing company, in Downs, Kansas


• ADM at the Port of Corpus Christi, Texas


• Planter's Grain Coop's facility in Taft

Kansas and Texas are the two top sorghum-producing states in the U.S., which make them the primary focus for sorghum exports to Mexico. The cattle and poultry producers in Mexico have a high interest in U.S. sorghum as an alternative feed source. While on their visit, members from Mexico also learned about how grain is stored, merchandised, transported and prepared to be shipped to their country.

The Future of Ethanol

Last week, an informative article at seekingalpha.com highlighted the benefits of using sweet sorghum as an ethanol feedstock. Read more about sorghum for ethanol and "green" vehicles and power in this article: http://seekingalpha.com/article/105779-the-future-of-ethanol

NSP in the News!

NSP was featured in the news this week as Lubbock KCBD News did a story featuring a Levelland, Texas ethanol plant that is drawing nationwide attention. The plant is unique because it uses 100% local grain sorghum to produce its ethanol. Watch the news clip and read the story online now!

Green in More Ways Than One

Guest blogger Kristin Heinemann, Texas Grain Sorghum Producers Director of Producer Relations, was in College Station last week when Wayne Keith drove his "green" pickup to the Texas A&M University sorghum plots. Thanks to Kristin for her insight and photography!

What if I told you the truck that your great-grandchildren or even grandchildren purchase one of these days, might not be fueled in any part by gasoline OR diesel? You'd probably call me crazy!

Well, call me crazy because this idea became a reality to Alabama farmer Wayne Keith. He created a "Gasifier" fueled by biomass (ie. wood, switchgrass, sorghum) that powers his pick-up. This bright green truck is easy to spot on the road as it is cruising from coast to coast promoting this alternative fuel source.

Keith has teamed up with Auburn University professor David Bransby for this project. The pair made a stop in College Station at the Texas A&M University farm to demonstrate their project and highlight TAMU and Ceres' work on high energy sorghums. Check out the pictures and follow the link below to hear what KBTX News in Brian/College Station had to to report on the event.

Green Pickpup Stops Off in Texas

We have more information on that green pickup that runs off of biomass sorghum:

"The Lone Star State is known for its oil production, but some Texans are discovering other ways to power their vehicles. In fact, one pair of scientists are on a coast to coast crusade to promote a fuel that is grown all over Texas.

"The pair stopped in Brazos County to fill-up and show off their truck that doesn't use a drop of gas."

Read the rest of the story and watch the video at KBTX.com Brian/College Station.

The Non-Maize Maze

Look at this video! In a twist on the traditional corn maze, Tom Mickles of Oklahoma is planting his money-making maze in sorghum sudangrass because it is too tall to see over and too thick to see through. Watch the video....