In these Cascade foothills of northern Washington, both western and mountain bluebirds return early each spring and dot the April landscape about the time the last snow patches dissipate and we begin working our fields. We think the birds define the health of our home place and, ultimately, our farm. Thus, Bluebird Grain Farms came to life!

First from emmer
We are about health here at Bluebird. It begins with maintaining a healthy landscape so we can grow nutritious crops to pass on quality food that we feel confident in feeding our children so we can, in turn, feel confident in sharing it with our customers. Here's the good news we try to keep in mind: All that we need to grow highly nutritious grains is available from nature. Learning the ways in which foods grow naturally can require some serious patience at times, but, in the end, we feel this is the sustainable way. The fun is in each new discovery, the implementation thereof and, eventually, realizing the benefits. This is the premise in which we operate our 200-plus acres of farm land. "Pure and simple."

Grains are among the oldest foods known to man. Of the wild grains, emmer is thought to be the first "cultivated" grain on the Fertile Crescent. After following this grain around as he did wild meat and other foods, man began to collect and plant the emmer seed. Many believe this was the cornerstone of permanence: the "dawn of agriculture."

The fact that emmer was one of the primary staples in man's diet for 10,000 years comes as little surprise given its genetic simplicity and nutritional attributes. This dense grain is very high in simple, complete proteins, available amino acids, abundant trace minerals and fiber. And so man made flour, cereals, pastas, beer ... first from emmer.

Once we began growing emmer we fell in love with most every aspect of it, from planting to the table. The fact that it jumps right from the ground within a week of planting and affords a deep, green field for weeks to come so bluebirds can flit about made us feel OK. Then to watch it stretch up waist high at its peak, then slowly cure beneath our dry, late summer skies and eventually droop and turn to a silvery-gold for harvest.

Visionary delight aside, emmer did present some challenges at harvest, as we used much more modern mechanics than were applied 10,000 years ago, and again in the final milling stages, separating the hull from the fruit in a fashion that would give us a perfect whole grain. But then the taste -- the nutty, chewy, yummy cooked grain itself. And the naturally sweet, whole flour for muffins, breads and pastas. Now here was something we were proud to feed our children -- and our customers!

Field to table
In honor of this special, old grain, and in keeping with the tradition we'd begun of growing quality grains, we felt it very necessary to see the emmer from field to table and all steps in between. It is our belief that being fully integrated is an excellent way to ensure we have a nutritious, tasty product to offer in the end. The intimacy we strive to have with our soils and crops is, we hope, realized in our finished products. One of the perks to this, of course, is getting to know people and build relationships with so many customers who share some of these beliefs. By caring about and enjoying good food, our customers sanctify this intimacy with what we grow and eat.

To be sure, our soil tests and the brix tests we perform on our grains tell the story of whether or not we're maintaining a sound stewardship of our fields and of our food. However, I like to think we can tell by taking stock in the variety of wildlife from the deer down to the earthworms that favor our fields. And by the feedback from our customers, such as, "Jeez, this tastes good and it just feels good eating it."

Brooke and I feel honored to have the opportunity to work with nature. If we can continue to grow pure grains up here in the foothills and make a living for our family by helping feed the population nutritious food, then in our estimation Bluebird Grain Farms has been a success. And if we can leave the land in as good or better shape for future generations, then we can feel extra satisfied to live and raise our family in this extraordinary countryside.

Sam and Brooke Lucy are the founders of Bluebird Grain Farms in north-central Washington's Methow Valley. Learn more about Bluebird Grain Farms, Bluebird Emmer Farro and other Bluebird grains at bluebirdgrainfarms.com.