The Lentz family came to farm on the Columbia Plateau in 1898, settling near Marlin. With only about 8 to 10 inches annual precipitation, the Marlin area is arid even for dryland farming. Without irrigation, cropping choices here are limited to cereal grains.

Wheat and barley had been the cash crops at the Lentz farm. In the 1990s progressive farmers throughout Washington explored alternative cropping, to get out from under the production of commodities that are increasingly controlled by huge corporations and the government. This led us to investigate einkorn, emmer and spelt as possible dryland crop alternatives.

We found that spelt in particular was in growing demand, mainly at West Coast natural food stores and artisan bakeries. We also ascertained that under Eastern Washington growing conditions, spelt crops attained better quality than those grown in other regions.

In 2000 we were the first farm to plant a spelt seed field that the Washington Crop Improvement Association certified after the required lab tests by the department of agriculture. Two years later we were the first to certify emmer seed, as well.

Lentz Spelt is raised as a winter crop. The seed is drilled from September to November, on fields that had not been planted to any other type of small grain in the past year or two. In early June the fields are rogued. Harvest is by combine, mid- to late July.

Lentz Emmer Farro is grown and managed the same way, although it's a spring crop, so roguing and harvest are a few weeks later, respectively.

From seeding to harvest, to bin storage, to de-hulling, our crops are stringently kept isolated, guaranteeing contamination-free grain and product. By lot number we can show you exactly the field where your spelt and emmer was raised.

To fill all our contracts with flour mills, we in turn have some of our crops raised on contract, on irrigated ground. We're selective in how we chose our contract growers; they include certified organic producers as well as conservation farmers, one of whom won the state's conservation districts' Wildlife Farmer of the Year Award a couple of years ago.

We also work together with several small companies who make a variety of products for us, from rolled spelt flakes to whole grain emmer nuts to spelt soap. We're always developing new products, check our list.

Spelt is a striking crop after it's headed out in May. It's taller than wheat, darker in color, with long, robust heads. If you'd like to see spelt growing, give us a call and arrange for a farm tour. We'd love to have you come visit.