Harvesting Buckwheat and Processing It for Food

In addition to being a cover crop, buckwheat is also delicious in cooking.

Reader Contribution by Mari Stuart and Carbon Harvest
Updated on July 23, 2024
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Adobe Stock/Igor

Buckwheat is a popular cover crop and also a flavorful, protein-rich food. Learn about harvesting buckwheat, processing it, and using it in a delicious buckwheat recipe.

Homegrown buckwheat is a fantastic grain to grow on a small scale. Many gardeners grow buckwheat as a cover crop, but they don’t end up harvesting buckwheat and using the groats. But since you’ve gone through the trouble of growing it, you might as well eat it, too! The sweet, nutty kernels have a favorable nutrient profile, forming a complete protein. Buckwheat is also gluten-free, making it a great alternative grain to use in breads, muffins, and pancakes – or on its own as a cooked grain.

(Technically, buckwheat is not a grain but a seed, or a pseudo-grain, like amaranth or quinoa. But for the sake of brevity, I’ll refer to it as grain.)

If you want to learn more about heirloom wheats, check out our podcast episode about it!

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