Hi,

Here's my problem ... I'm hoping someone out there can help out... (I would even show financial gratitude to the person that comes up with a genuine solution... :-)

I purchased about (150) 50# bags of wheat (Hard red spring and soft white pastry) berries for ... you guessed it, Y2K. (I'll save you the math ... that's 3.5 tons, or 7500 Lbs.)

Ok, have you stopped laughing yet? :-) Good, 'cause this is serious. Really.

At the rate that we go through it now, my grandchildren will be passing it on to their kids. We would have been able to feed LOTS of people. But now it's just one big pain in the basement.

I've called the local / regional mills, and they have no interest ... either don't deal in those kind of berries, or want traincar loads. It's not organic, so interest from the local food co-op is minimal. Besides, it would probably go in onsie-twosie quantities.

Any ideas on how to get rid of it? I've thought of donating it, but most food banks, etc, aren't used to whole berries, have no way to grind it, etc. Composting it? I dont' want to attract mice. Have enuf of them already. Some people in 3rd world countries would LOVE this, but the shipping would be mucho expensive.

I would really appreciate ANY creative ideas anyone has, no matter HOW far-fetched. And please, no flames telling me how stupid I was in purchasing so much. We all have 20-20 hindsight, but I had a mountain of evidence that told me it (Y2K) could be bad.

I will happily send $25 to the first person who sends me the idea that WORKS to get rid of this. So put your thinking caps on ...

Thanks in advance!!! Dave

-- Dave (peasedj@sparc.isl.net), June 22, 2001

Answers

Oh, FYI ... I live in Southeast MN ... so if you live in the area & have any interest, you're welcome to all you can take with you! Email me for directions. D -

-- Dave (peasedj@sparc.isl.net), June 22, 2001.

I am sure anyone with livestock would be eager to take it off your hands as feed. In fact, if you have room, buy a steer calf and fatten it out on pasture, with the wheat as supplement, as freezer beef.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), June 22, 2001.

Plant some of it for a cover crop, feed the rest to livestock

-- Hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), June 22, 2001.

I agree with the above...feed & plant. Another idea, do you have a little "Fair" of some sort near. We have them in all the little towns near us all summer. Put it in small bags, sell cheap or give away. We have quite a bit of road wheat & do lots of crafts with it. Everyone there should be able to grow it. Good Luck!!!DW

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), June 22, 2001.

Hey, maybe you don't have your own livestock or acres to plant on.....You can sell it very cheaply in the local Bulletin Board Paper (ours has free ads). Sell it for a maximum of half your cost since a) its old now b) you had it for 'insurance' purposes, which it served and now is taking up space at zero value to you c) if you don't move it, it WILL rot/sprout or just plain age and have no value nutritionally or horticulturally. I'd like to see you get a little something for it. Maybe you could look in the bulletin board or contact your extension agent with your dilemma, and it could be there is a 4H'er or other that could really use the feed and you could trade it for beef or eggs or something.

-- Anne (HealthyTouch101@wildmail.com), June 22, 2001.

Contact your local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I'll bet the members there would be interested in buying it from you. Its their church doctrine to store and use stuff like wheat and they know how to use it. Good luck.

-- Marci Tomlinson (marci_tomlinson@hotmail.com), June 22, 2001.

Have you explored the possiability that home brewers might be interested? Maybe a quick classified ad would move the stuff.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 22, 2001.

Trade it to someone who keeps livestock in return for one ready to butcher animal, or something of equivilent value to you. Try someone with a larger operation who won't miss one animal. I'd make sure and mention how much (15% I think) can be mixed in with regular feeds to insure proper balence. My stepdad soaked wheat overnight before dipping it out and feeding it to hogs when the prices were low and there was lots of extra.

Hey, you were not the only one that bought a lot of extra to be safe from Y2K, I assure you. :-)

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), June 22, 2001.

When I worked for a large grain company we used to sell the wheat that didn't make grade to a local feed lot(beef). If you have some in your area that might be an option. Maybe hog or cattle farmers would like to buy it. Is there a feed mill in your area? Maybe they would take it.

If you can't find a buyer and don't mind donating it, try local colleges with livestock programs. They might like it and you could write it off as a donation, probably for the same amount as you orignially paid.

-- jennifer (schwabauer@aol.com), June 22, 2001.

contact other missionary group and such,, they ship wheat berries all the time. Those groups are one of the biggest buyers of american wheat. I also wouldnt mind some,, have to drive 2 hours to get any. How much for the shipping???

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), June 22, 2001.

Board dry milk cows for a dairy, using it as supplemental feed. That way you will get a return for it.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), June 22, 2001.

Wheat beer. Might last till Y3K but it will give you something to do. I have not tried making it but I like to drink it ).

-- ed (edfrhes@aol.com), June 22, 2001.

Dave if you really want to donate the wheat to another country talk to the local red cross office, they will be able to help you move it and they would probably pay the shipping too. Good luck. Wish I lived closer I'd be interested in it.

-- michelle (tsjheath@nci2.net), June 24, 2001.

HA!! Another Y2k person! Nope, I din't go that nutz with the wheatberries, but then, I'm just one person. Gotta admit 7500 lbs is an impressive amount. Me? I've grown to love those white plastic buckets, that I have... (you believe that, too, don't cha?) What to do with it? Gave one of 'em to a gal who helped me move a bunch of stuff & she's using it for decoration, from what all I can see...

Red Cross was a real good idea & would offer a tax deduction for the donation, too. Price it retail, blah blah blah. LDS folks was a good one too. How about any other local humanity helper organization in your area? Churches? Soup kitchens? Whatever - get inventive. Think tax deduction so you don't loose your butt on the deal, if you care anymore...

What do I do with mine? Treat it like rice - really good, actually. I do think 7500# is a BUNCH of rice tho... Got a small bag of something once that was called "kashi", which is nothing more than a bunch of different kinds of grains & figured out that since I probably had some of them, I'd make up my own. Yep, it works. Got any other grains? Add 'em to a bunch of the red & white wheatberries, use em like rice & enjoy.

Critter food may be the ticket. How about sprouts for them? Why not, what are you gonna do, run out? Not likely.. If you have critters like chickens or rabbits or hogs, the sprouts would even be better in the protein department.

I figure that by the time I've gone thru this lifetime, I'll have a few lbs left to be put in the burial chamber for the trip to the next afterlife world, you know? Now, if I can just find out what to do with all the different beans..................

By the way, loved the pain in the basement line - that was a goodie... Good luck..............Kt.

-- K-K-K-Katie (yarnspinnerkt@hotmail.com), June 24, 2001.

Chickens, especially laying hens, love wheat! Put up an advertisement at your local feed co-op, us chicken folk will buy it up at just a little less than market price.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), June 28, 2001.