OCTOBE R 20 1 6
NEW S OF T H E WORL D L EA DER IN ESS ENTIAL OI L S
D. Gary Young shares his personal perspective about the Einkorn harvest at the Skyrider Racnch.
FOUNDER’S MESSAGE: THE FIRST EINKORN HARVEST AT THE YOUNG LIVING SKYRIDER RANCH D. Gary Young Shares His Discoveries About Growing and Harvesting Einkorn
We are experiencing a lot of excitement here at the Young Living Skyrider Ranch in Tabiona, Utah!
focuses on growing tall. One morning we will walk out
phase of maturity, which is called the hard dough stage,
into the field and will be amazed to see that the einkorn
where the kernel is rock hard and ready for threshing,
After the ranch was purchased, I looked out over the
has grown 2 inches overnight. Every day the shaft grows,
which is separating the kernel from the skin that covers
fields and the majestic mountains that span from the
preparing the foundation to feed the baby kernels that
it, called the husk.
Duchesne River at 6,500 feet to the mountain tops on
soon start to form.
Another phenomenon takes place while the bundles
the ranch at 10,000 feet, and I started imagining all the
As the einkorn here grew taller and taller, I knew I
are standing in the field and maturing with the rain and
potential this 4,500 acres of God’s paradise could bring
had made a good decision. By July the heads were
dew. The daily sunshine evaporating the dew stimulates
to our Young Living family, from corporate activities to
about 3 feet tall, and by mid-August they had grown
the enzymes in the kernel to germinate, putting the
member retreats. Then I started thinking about einkorn
to my shoulders.
kernels into a predigested state ready for human or
and wondering how well it would grow at this altitude of 6,700 feet.
When we hear in our minds the words “for amber waves of grain” in the song America the Beautiful, we
animal consumption that is easily digested, as it is supposed to do.
So I decided to prepare the ground, and in May the
immediately see miles of wheat gently waving back and
Today, hybridized grains in conjunction with the fast,
seed that came from our farm in France was seeded
forth in the wind. But here at the ranch, the waves are in
modern way of harvesting and threshing make the grain
into 100 acres here for trial planting and growing.
the beautiful fields of einkorn.
difficult to digest, which causes all kinds of problems.
Normally, einkorn does the best with late fall planting;
I felt a little emotional knowing that hundreds of
This way of harvesting takes the life force out of what
however, because of the late fall rains, we were unable
tons of grain from these fields will feed people around
nature has created and has made our modern wheat,
to get a crop in the ground before it was too late. I felt
the world, who now will have a choice to eat a safe,
which has been called by many “Frankenwheat,” which
we were better off experimenting with spring planting
nutritious, non-hybridized grain.
is damaging the health of the world.
to see what it would do rather than wait another year to find out.
I watch for three stages of growth and maturity in my einkorn to determine the best time for harvest:
Like the ancient farmers, I waited until our einkorn had reached the soft dough stage, and then I started to
I was constantly watching the fields with great
The first stage is called the milk stage, when the kernels
harvest. I was so impressed when Janay Standifird, Nikki
anticipation. At this altitude it was a “roll of the dice”
start to form, you squeeze them, and what comes out
Davis, Eddie Silcock, and Lee Bowen, with their very
whether it would germinate in time to grow to full
looks like white milk.
busy office schedules, came to help in the beginning
maturity before the fall frost would come. Einkorn is a
The second stage is the soft dough stage, which is
of the harvest. They stood in awe as they watched me
unique grain, and since it is considered a dry land crop,
when the kernels are completely formed, and the heads
on the old-fashioned three-horse-drawn binder start the
many people get fooled by its behavior. When planted,
are turning yellowish in color. The stalk is still green, but
harvest by cutting and tying the einkorn into bundles.
it will germinate and come through the ground in 7 days
when you peel back the husk, there is a living substance
Putting the stalks into “tepees,” referred to as shocking
and grow like crazy until it reaches a height of 4 to 6
called the kernel. It will appear completely formed;
the grain, was so gratifying for everyone. The farm crew
inches, and then it stops growing.
however, half of it will still be slightly green, and the rest,
finished shocking the bundles the second day, leaving
a yellowish tan color. When you pinch the kernel, it will be
tepees standing everywhere in the fields to give the
firm, but the interior will come out like soft dough.
einkorn time to germinate—a scene from times long ago
After einkorn pokes its head through the soil, it doesn’t grow for 3 to 4 weeks and appears to just be enjoying the sunshine, the beautiful air, and the freedom
When the kernels are fully developed, they will fall off
of being above the ground. However, a phenomenon is
with rain, the movement of the wind, or the harvesting
taking place during this time of false dormancy.
that can only be seen at the Young Living ranch or one of our farms.
machine. In ancient times when farmers harvested with
In about 10 days, we will thresh the grain and be ready
The einkorn never really stops growing but is taking in
a scythe, the knife blade slicing through the stalks
to send it into the production of our products—but will
the carbon dioxide and electromagnetic energy from the
would knock off the kernels, so the people knew they
hold some for planting later this month.
sun and sending it to the roots to give the nutrient support
had to cut before final maturity. They then began the
I’m sure that many of our new members are curious
for them to grow fast and deep in preparation for the
harvest but cut in the soft dough stage and tied the
about einkorn, which is why I wrote my book Ancient
third phase of its life cycle. At this point the growth is all
stalks into bundles to let them stand on end in a teepee
Einkorn, Today’s Staff of Life, which I encourage everyone
beneath the surface as the roots push deeper into Mother
shape so that the wind would not knock them over. This
to read.
Earth to reach the best minerals and nutrients as well as
also allowed the rain or dew to fall and run off without
water before it returns to its journey skyward.
causing mold from lying on the ground.
Once the einkorn has reached optimal root depth, it
After 7 to 10 days, the kernels reach the third and final PAG E 1