A grain dating back thousands of years is sprouting up in the Okanagan. Doug Pedersen has poured his blood, sweat and tears into the repopulation of the ancient grain, amaranth.
“Amaranth is an ancient grain, it’s been cultivated for 8,000 years in Mexico and South America and it’s a high-protein, gluten-free grain,” Pedersen said.
Right now, he’s one of the few growers of the plant in the province. It’s been almost four years since he began cultivating and tending to his one-acre crop, which he hopes will only grow in popularity.
“(It had) been outlawed by the conquistadors 500 years ago. They found the Aztecs worshiped it as a god and they forbade them from growing it. So it’s been suppressed and just recently in the last 30 (or) 40 years it’s been revived as a food,” Pedersen said.
“I am trying to promote it as an alternative food source that’s sustainable and as a high yield, one little seed.”
To honour the history of the grain, Pedersen has hung a painting of the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli.
Pedersen says that from one plant he can harvest three to eight ounces of grain. Once harvested, Pedersen produces different items such as flour, and a sweet treat called alegria.
“I sell grain and flour at the farmers market, I sell alegria, which is a treat made with popped amaranth, it pops like popcorn mixed with honey,” Pedersen said.
Pedersen frequents farmers’ markets in Enderby and Armstrong, however, currently, he is on hiatus until harvest.