Remember the post I wrote talking about which kind of wheat flour is best? In that post, I told how both hard red wheat and hard white wheat are good for you. Both make whole wheat flour. They are simply different varieties of wheat.
Well, a few weeks ago, when we were visiting family in Kansas, wheat fields were ready for harvest – and so, so beautiful. I grew up in Kansas, and since I don’t live there anymore, I have really learned to appreciate the beauty of a wheat field. I tend to gush about it over and over when I see what used to just be a “boring ol’ wheat field”. That was a side note, but I thought you’d like to hear what Matt has to hear each time we go “home” for a visit. Wheat fields are so pretty!! (For the record, my California born and raised husband agrees with me.)
Anyway, we were driving back to my dad’s after church and I nearly came out of my seat belt as we drove past these wheat fields. Why had I never seen fields like this before? Had I simply not been paying attention? Check out the difference in these two fields:
My darling husband, seeing what I was pointing out, kindly slammed on the brakes (not really, but sort of), put the car in reverse, and pulled over so I could get some pictures. (Don’t worry. We were on a country road in the middle of nowhere. There wasn’t another vehicle around for miles.) There, side by side, was a field of hard red wheat, and a field of hard white wheat. Gorgeous!
The main reason we wanted pictures is to show you that indeed, red wheat and white wheat both make whole wheat flour – they are just different varieties of wheat. (Read through all of my grain and grain mill posts if you’d like to learn more.) And the other reason we wanted pictures is because wheat fields are beautiful and I wanted to gush about them to you.
If I could have recorded the sound they made in the breeze, I would have done that too. Okay, I’m done gushing now.
But tell me – is that not beautiful??! :)
Ros says
It’s true, isn’t it?! Wheat fields in Kansas, corn fields in Iowa, actually corn,soy beans,oats, alfalfa, wheat, cattle on the hill, etc etc. I grew up on a farm in Iowa along the mighty Mississippi. Didn’t know how powerful that was either till getting away from it. Thanks for your post.
Kristin says
I understand missing the beauty of home. I never thought I’d miss corn and soybean fields, but I sure do! In fact I miss the color green all together! Az…it doesnt haver much green.
Cynthia says
Beautiful pictures, Laura. I had no idea that there was this much difference in the color of white and red wheat!
Blessings!!
Katherine says
Awww. How beautiful! Thank you for the photos.
Marishannon says
Yes, it actually is a beautiful sight! What a color difference.
Tami says
I use a blend of hard red, hard white, and soft white as my “everyday” flour, and it is still so neat to look through the side of my collecting bucket before I pour it in the mill and see the different layers of color- so pretty!
Renee says
I grew up in Missouri (my husband’s from NE), but now I live in PA. While I love all of PA’s trees and hills (that I consider mountains), a big, flat scene of miles of crops always makes me feel like I can take in a deeper breath than I can in the hills. Being horizon deprived, any type of crop will do. I like Nebraska’s corn field rustles, too. Can’t wait for our trip back “home” later this summer.
Sarah Z says
Yup, I’m a Kansan and I LOVE watching the wheat grow and mature. And if we happen to pass a field being harvested (like the last 3 weeks) we always stop and watch for a while. We frequently see fields side by side like your pics and I agree, it is lovely! :)
Lyndsay says
I totally agree that wheat fields are beautiful. Being from a farm in NE, I have seen my share. And they look so soft and wonderful…but they are not. They are pokey and scratchy! Just a tip for anyone that thinks it would look fun to walk through one! I had never paid attention to the color as it grew though…wheat is wheat, after all, I see it every day! Although I don’t think anything beats the spring when all the fields go from brown to a beautiful green as the crops grow!
Lana says
I feel that way about corn fields as I am from Iowa. Beautiful picture.
Lisa says
I always tell my daughter her hair is the color of a wheat field…she loves that. :)
Deliciously Organic says
What a great visual! Thank you!
Maeghan says
I am married to a Kansas Wheat Farmer’s grandson and yes I never thought I would think the plains of Kansas beautiful but boy was I wrong. I am a Seattle native and while the Northwest has its on type of beauty I do love going to the farm in Newton (just north of Wichita) to visit. We live in Kansas City Missouri and hope some day to move to the farm and raise our sons there. They are the 6th generation.
Connie says
For me, as a former Iowa farm girl, it will always be the corn fields and white-faced herefords grazing in the pasture. Mountains are beautiful, but the midwest has its own special beauty! Loved the pictures.
Beth says
Yes, very beautiful! I’m amazed at the color difference in the plants themselves.
Bev says
interesting and beautiful!
Crystal salazar says
We live in florida dont have beautiful fields like that to admire so thank you for this pictures.
MrsRobinett says
Very Cool! Thanks for sharing.
Christi says
I’ve always lived in Kansas and have never noticed the colors of wheat. This is a great reminder to slow down and appreciate the “ordinary”.
Jill says
Amazing picture! Being from Los Angeles we don’t see ANY of that out here.
I have a question…what are some of your other favorite sites for “real” recipes and cooking advice? I’m a new follower to your site (read through the last couple years posts though since I love it so much!) and to the entire real cooking thing and would love to have another couple of resources to pull from. Thanks!!!
Kresha says
The Nourished Living Network (nourishedlivingnetwork.com) has a couple dozen to check out, as well as Real Food Media (realfoodmedia.com).
Another blogger made a list of several dozen Real Food blogs (Heavenly Homemakers is definitely included!) plus at least 50 others are listed in the comments. I have it bookmarked on my computer. You can see the list here: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/01/20/other-real-food-blogs/comment-page-1/#comments
I must admit though – I’m immersed in the real food web “movement” and Heavenly Homemakers is one of the best resources available on the web. Many many kudos to Laura for keeping it REAL in every way possible. :-)
Kresha says
Sorry – here are hyperlinks for those sites:
Nourished Living Network – http://www.nourishedlivingnetwork.com
Real Food Media – http://www.realfoodmedia.com
Misty says
LOVE those pictures! What a difference. Thanks for sharing the pictures!
Wendy says
ok, that is so cool. I’d love to hear more about the difference between hard and soft wheat by the way.
Amber Rogers says
AWESOME!!! I would have stopped too!! I obsess over wheat, canning jars, bulk bags of anything, cloth diapers. Strange!! I totally get it. Ten years ago I would not even have known it was wheat in that field!!
April says
truly beautiful
Brooke says
Very beautiful! Being, like Matt, a SoCal native, you don’t see wheat fields here. That’s just beautiful! thanks
Laura says
Okay, I’ve been following your site for a while and I don’t believe I’ve read about how a California boy and a Kansas girl met, fell in love and ended up in Nebraska. That would be a great story! You can include recipes and pictures, if you’d like! : )
Kresha says
I’ll totally gush with you! I grew up surrounded by wheat and lentil fields in eastern Washington with summers spent with lots of wheat farming relatives on the Dakota prairies. Now that I live next to the ocean where there’s not much wheat (or open fields of any kind…) I miss those beautiful fields so much!
Growing up in that setting helped me understand the idea of “the wideness of God’s mercy” and the Scriptural promise that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has God separated our sin from us” in His grace and forgiveness. Beautiful lessons, indeed.
Thanks for a lovely post, as always!
mamashortcake says
Oh, how I miss the days before we had to be gluten free! All those buckets of wheat in my garage are sitting unused…at least we are able to give them to some friends who are going on the mission field!
Colleena Stark says
Well, I didn’t know! That was the neatest tidbit of knowledge I learned today! I’ll be studying the wheat fields more closely now! Wow, I just didn’t know! Thanks for the awesome picture!
kelly says
just wondering where I can get hard white wheat in the east? I know I have asked this before but I cant find an answer!
Laura says
I’m not sure. There are many online resources for ordering wheat. As soon as I find one that has reasonable prices and shipping, I’ll be sure to share about it!
amy@twobgardening says
Beautiful, just beautiful!
Ann says
I’m your “grew up in Nebraska, now live in Kansas” reader. Most of those beautiful fields are now equally as beautiful but dotted with hay bales. :) And I miss my corn fields! :)
Rebecca says
What have you found to be the best place to purchase hard (not soft) white wheat berries?
LindseyforLaura@HHM says
Azure Standard has been the best!