Quinoa was a staple food of the Inca people of the mountains for millennial and was so important to Andes people that it was considered "sacred" and in their mother tongue, Quechua, referred to as Chisiya Mama or the "mother grain" and the Inca emperor broke the soil with a golden spade and planted the first seed. That said as a member of the aramanth [Amaranthaceae ] family, it is not a true cereal [grass] like oats, rye, barley, rice and wheat, but actually an herb.
In the altiplano areas of the Andes it is still a major source of protein as nutritionally, it works as a good substitute of meat. It is still eaten by the Quecha people residing there.
In the altiplano areas of the Andes it is still a major source of protein as nutritionally, it works as a good substitute of meat. It is still eaten by the Quecha people residing there.
Higher in lysine than wheat but lower than wheat's cousin corn, the amino acid content of quinoa seed is considered well-balanced for human and animal nutrition, similar to that of [milk protein] casein. It's seeds are high in protein and fibre, and its young leaves are also nutritious and can be eaten as a vegetable similar to spinach (to which it is related as they are all part of the Goosefoot family).
Touted for its health benefits, quinoa is now grown in a number of countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Italy, Sweden, and India, but current estimates of U.S. production are minimal, at less than 10,000 pounds.
According to the Food & Agriculture Organization, world production of quinoa in 2010 was a paltry 71,419 metric tons (MT) on 86,203 hectares. Peru produced half of that at 41,079 MT in 2010 on 35,313 hectares followed by Bolivia with 29,500 MT.
The price of quinoa has increased dramatically over the past 10 years due to high demand by U.S. and European consumers. [oh that explains that issue]
It can be used to make flour, soup, breakfast cereal, and alcohol. and can be used as a starch extender when combined with wheat flour or grain, or corn meal, in making biscuits, bread, and processed food. The Washington Post did a big writeup and touted it like the new sliced bread. Also its temperature requirements rather limit it's planting opportunities.
The plants s grow from 1 1/2 to 6 1/2 ft in height, and come in a range of colors that vary from white, yellow, and pink, to darker red, purple, and black. I do not know of the different nutritional value of the Quinoa flower colours so I imagine you should just plant the colour you like. It matures rather quickly, about 90 to 125 days after planting and because it comes from the mountains it requires short day lengths and cool temperatures for good growth.
In South America where it is still produced, quinoa tend grow in marginal agricultural areas that are prone to drought and have low friable soils and can reproduce seed at elevations between 7,000 and 10,000 ft. High temperatures, like 90's kill it which is why quinoa is generally not a widely available. I of course in the Endless Mountains, at very low elevations, 2000 Ft should have no problem. They are trying to export it to the Himalayas and parts of Indonesia.
from Britannica and Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation ( 1989 ) / Quinoa
According to the Food & Agriculture Organization, world production of quinoa in 2010 was a paltry 71,419 metric tons (MT) on 86,203 hectares. Peru produced half of that at 41,079 MT in 2010 on 35,313 hectares followed by Bolivia with 29,500 MT.
The price of quinoa has increased dramatically over the past 10 years due to high demand by U.S. and European consumers. [oh that explains that issue]
It can be used to make flour, soup, breakfast cereal, and alcohol. and can be used as a starch extender when combined with wheat flour or grain, or corn meal, in making biscuits, bread, and processed food. The Washington Post did a big writeup and touted it like the new sliced bread. Also its temperature requirements rather limit it's planting opportunities.
The plants s grow from 1 1/2 to 6 1/2 ft in height, and come in a range of colors that vary from white, yellow, and pink, to darker red, purple, and black. I do not know of the different nutritional value of the Quinoa flower colours so I imagine you should just plant the colour you like. It matures rather quickly, about 90 to 125 days after planting and because it comes from the mountains it requires short day lengths and cool temperatures for good growth.
In South America where it is still produced, quinoa tend grow in marginal agricultural areas that are prone to drought and have low friable soils and can reproduce seed at elevations between 7,000 and 10,000 ft. High temperatures, like 90's kill it which is why quinoa is generally not a widely available. I of course in the Endless Mountains, at very low elevations, 2000 Ft should have no problem. They are trying to export it to the Himalayas and parts of Indonesia.
from Britannica and Lost Crops of the Incas: Little-Known Plants of the Andes with Promise for Worldwide Cultivation ( 1989 ) / Quinoa
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