WHY GRASS?

Q: What do most mammals eat? I've heard that 5% of mammals are carnivores, which makes me wonder... Are most mammals herbivores?  (YES, human beings are MAMMALS!)

A: Most animals (roughly 85%) eat plants or their products (such as seeds, fruit, and nectar). Plants are the most readily available food.
Animals eat to get energy for reproduction and to maintain life. The Sun provides Earth’s energy. Only plants convert the Sun’s energy directly into sugar and starches, the chemical energy that feeds life. Furthermore, that energy is cheaply available since its raw materials (sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water) are plentiful.
So, animals must eat plants or plant-eating animals to get food energy. Plants are abundant and, therefore, most animals have developed traits (like a cow’s three stomachs) that help them eat and digest plants in quantity. Actually, almost all animals eat plants to some extent, even carnivores.

Wheatgrass is also a blood purifier, cleanser, detoxifier, and has chlorophyll (the green stuff) which helps to carry oxygen to every cell in your body.  Oxygen in your cells will help to fight off diseases, bad bacteria, and cancer (written material available in any book written by Brain Clement or Ann Wigmore, I also suggest the book by Steve Meyerowitz, 'Wheatgrass, Natures Finest Medicine' for the most up-to-date information on wheatgrass).  A person, on average, will drink 1-2 ounces, daily, on an empty stomach (no more than 2 ounces at any on given time as that is all any persons body will need).  Wheatgrass must be "sqeezed" or juiced in order for our body to assimilate the nutrient .  We cannot just put some on our salad's as we will not be able to pull the nutrient out of the fibers.

Wheat is an annual seed and will not keep growing back everytime it is cut, like your front lawn does.  Wheat will actually produce more seed when grown to maturity and wheat is grown all across the United States.  Every state and every farmer has a different variety of wheat seed.  That is why Michael and Hippocrates will test their seed all year round for the best growing quality.  Wheat was the 'chosen' grass as it has a more palatable taste than most others.  (when you have tried our grass, you have had the best and will taste a difference)

F.A.Q.'s

Q: How long will wheatgrass last in the fridge after it is harvest?

A: One week, or 10 days in an 'Evert Fresh' bag, now called "GREEN BAGS".  These bags work awesome.  Just clean them after each use and they will last for up to 5 months.  Hippocrates store sells them if you can't find them in your local store.

Q: How long do you soak the seeds?

A: 8-12 Hours, or overnight.  (never soak longer than 24 hours with any seed)

Q: What kind of seed do I use for wheatgrass, sunflower greens, buckwheat lettuce and pea greens?

A: Hard winter wheat-wheatgrass (wheatberries or hard red wheat or even hard spring wheat), Black Oil Sunflower-sunflower greens (black oil bird seed works great!), Whole Buckwheat-buckwheat lettuce, Snow Peas or Peas for "shoots" (speckled pea) -pea greens.  Visit  www.gotsprouts.com  or   www.sproutman.com or www.sproutpeople.com to order all seeds and have them shipped to your door.

Q: How much light do I need to grow greens and wheatgrass?

A: Always in the shade, never direct sunlight for any greens.  If you have to put your wheatgrass in a basement for the winter months and there are now windows, then you would just need to replace the light bulbs in the room with Full or Wide Spectrum lighting.  Check out www.ottlite.com for more information on this type of lighting.  Keep them on in the room as the sun is shining, and turn them off at night.

Q: What kind of soil do I use?

A: Any basic potting mix or top soil mixed with peat moss will work fine.  I don't suggest an organic soil out of a bag as it might be a bit too acid base and might cause you to have even more problems.  Understand, as I wrote in detail on this website, the reason I will always use soil for my wheatgrass is for the "vibration / energy" of EARTH itself.  Not for nutrional value, but for the connection within all of us, the unconditional connection.  What is nutrient anyway?  Vibration, energy, life, love, etc... 

Q: How often do I need to water?

A: Always water 'heavy', once a day.  First 3 days water twice a day (heavy in the AM and mist seed in the PM) and keep seed covered.  (water is very important, seed must not ever dry-out)  Don't concern yourself to much with the type of water being used as you will not effect your seeds in a bad way with whichever water you choose.

Q: When do I harvest my greens?  (How long does it take?)

A: Wheatgrass: When a second blade is visible.  Sunflower Greens: When a second set of leaves start to grow between the first set.  Buckwheat Lettuce: Approx 10-12 days.  Pea Greens: Approx 10-12 days.

Q: What is the ideal Temperature?

A: 60-80 is ideal.  Always keep it above 50 and if it is 80 or above, increase air circulation to prevent mold.

Q: After I juice the grass, how long will wheatgrass last?

A: Try to drink the juice within the first few minutes for max benefits.  More than two hours, start all over again.

Q: Can I buy wheatgrass and other sprouts from Hippocrates?

A: Right now (5/10), sorry, but no.  Soon Hippocrates will be shipping grass and other greens via next day air, right to your front door all over the U.S.  In the mean time, for overnight wheatgrass, sunflower or pea greens, please call 1-561-723-6447, Sean from www.gotsprouts.com

Q: Are the powdered or frozen grass' any good?

A: Powdered is better than frozen, but both are just "alternative's" and there is no substitute for the fresh wheatgrass juice.  Powder is a good alternative when traveling and a better choice than frozen wheatgrass.  Always keep this in mind, what FRESH wheatgrass does for the body in one weeks time, it will take a powdered grass ONE YEAR to do the same thing. (frozen wheatgrass juice will take two years)  Please do not email regarding what you have read about the frozen and powders, I have read it too.

Q: How much seed do I use per tray?

A: Depending on the size of the tray, the seed amount will vary.  Just cover the soil completely with seed.  This will look like too much seed, but the wheat will grow fine.  In the summer, you may plant a bit less to allow for more air movement through your wheatgrass.  For the Hippocrates large trays (17"x17"), use one pound of seed per tray (2 1/2 cups) and for the small trays (10"x10"), use one half pound of seed per tray (1 1/2 cups)

Q: How much wheatgrass should someone drink?

A: 1 - 2 ounces at any one time is all someone should drink.  Never more than 2 ounces at one time.  The body only needs two FRESH ounces of juice as that is equal to up to 5 pounds of fresh vegetables.  More is NOT better.  2 ounces, once in the AM is plenty.  If you are detoxing, you can also drink 2 ounces in the PM, always on an empty stomach!

MOLD:  (Wheatgrass mold, mold wheatgrass, wheatgrass and mold, mold on my wheatgtrass)

In my opinion, there are several different "mold" issues.  I don't think you can just say the word mold and mean what people see in their wheatgrass.  

 
A:  Spider- webby / Cotton mold that grows up the grass.  -  This is the most common of the what people call "mold" on their wheatgrass.  This is the airborne mold and can be rinsed off.  It is what we are breathing in on a daily basis.  I don't see that this causes any harm to the human body.
 
B:  Mold on the SEED itself.  -  This type of mold (blue-green fuzz) forms on the 'cracked' wheat seed which has been in every wheat seed I have ever purchased in the past 16 years.  I have never grew a wheat that did not have this mold on the seed themselves.  One reason not to juice the entire product if growing hydroponic wheatgrass.  We always harvest above this type of mold, so it too is no harm for us.
 
C:  Brown mold on the root system.  -  This is mainly found int he heat of the summer months and will 'eat' the root matt eventually showing up in the surface of the wheatgrass.  This is the only "harmful" mold I have ever heard of.  However, it will KILL the wheatgrass when it gets into the blades and the person will not be able to harvest it as it will be dead.  Many times throughout the year, a person will see the brown spots on the root system, but it is of no harm as it never gets any higher than that.  There are two things to do at that point after you harvest the grass.  1.  Clean the planting tray with bleach (grapefood seed extract, hydrogen peroxide, whatever you feel safe with using.)  and water and let dry out in the sun.  (not too long as the sun will dry out the plastic and cause them to crack.)  2.  Let the tray soak in water that has a product called 'Pool Perfect' which can be found at any pool supply store.  It is a natural enzyme and will destroy / eat the mold on the tray.  30 minutes soak time is all that is needed.
 
D:  The "spider web" mold on the seed itself in the first few days of growth.  -  This is NOT mold, but it is a good sign that the seed is drying out and needs more water or to be kept covered.  This mold is the hairs(villi) of the roots from the seed.  Look really close and you will see it.
 
E:  Brown spots toward the bottom of the blade of grass.  -  This is caused from heat or too much seed in one spot.  Mostley caused in the summer months.  Not harmful as the grass still will grow and when you see it, just cut it off from the grass you will be juicing. 
 
The thing that makes most people sick when drinking wheatgrass juice, is bad grass.  Not because of mold, for the most part, but because of the age of the grass (like people, the older, the more bitter tasting it becomes).  One day without water and the grass begins to die.  If you don't harvest when it splits, it ages 40 years each day in the tray.  Not visable to the naked eye that the grass has aged that much, but when you taste it and it makes you sice, that is the reason.  In 16 years, ONE out of every 500 people get sick from MY wheatgrass.  Grown right and harvested at the right time, the grass should never make you feel "bad".  Don't forget why wheat was chosen in the first place 50 years ago.  The animals picked it out because it taste better than most others.
MORE WHEATGRASS MOLD HELP:

Moving to CA in 1990 to take a job at the Optimum Health Institute, there were no thoughts of every becoming a wheatgrass grower. After 3 months of changing jobs within this alternative health field, the greenhouse manager position was offered. I took it. There was MOLD everywhere and on every tray of wheatgrass. The grass was running out for the guests who were there to heal. Having to travel to three different growers in the local area to buy the OHI supply of grass was not solving the mold issue. When we talk about mold, we are meaning the ‘spider-webby / cotton’ looking mold that grows up the grass. When the seed is still within it’s first few days of growth and you notice this cotton looking mold, it is NOT mold. Look closer at it and water your seeds. It is actually the root hairs that are reaching for food (water). When the grass is mature, there might also be a greenish type mold on the seeds themselves. Do not be concerned as we always harvest the grass above the seed. Here are the steps I took to solve this, as well as a brown mold on the seeds that were not growing. Please note that there is no “quick fix” to get rid of the mold once it is on your grass. Also, you can still use the grass. Just rinse it off before juicing as this mold is ‘around’ the grass.

Control the temperature: Always keep it between 60 – 80 degrees. Colder than 60 will not kill your grass, it will slow it down and even stop it’s growth.  If it gets above 80, then increase the air movement.  Fans work well.

Create Air Circulation: Air circulation blowing around the grass, especially if the temp. starts to get above 80 degrees. (ceiling fan, osculating fan, air condition, exhaust fan, in front of an open window, etc…) Air movement will prevent 90% of all mold issues. I have grown mold free wheatgrass in 95 degree weather in Florida as well as 110 degree heat in northern California.

Plant thinner: Plant less seed per tray. This will allow more air to flow through your wheatgrass.

Change your seed: If you have good air flow, and you are still getting mold, it is time to change your variety of wheat seed you are using. Note that there are approx. 1,500 varieties of wheat grown all across the US.

In my quest for “no mold”, I tried several different brands of soil as well as hydroponics (without soil). Just choose a very basic potting mix or top soil from a bag. A soil that looks dark, like the earth. Organic soil, out of a bag, might cause more problems with mold issues as that soil can be to acid based. The wheat likes more of an alkaline base soil. Personally, I will always use soil for growing wheatgrass as well as sunflower greens, pea greens and buckwheat lettuce rather than hydroponics. The reason for using soil is NOT for nutrition, however, something more than what science can prove at this time. It’s for the “vibration / energy / life force” that you can see, feel and taste in the greens. When Ann Wigmore healed herself from grass, it was grass grown in the earth. The message she learned was simple: Get the EARTH back into our diets and more Oxygen back in our blood. The farmer that is growing the wheat seed should be using these other products that add to the soil (Ocean Grown, Sea Kelp, etc…), so that the seed itself will have a better immune system. These products added to 7-10 old wheatgrass will not be as effective as once thought. Once a seed becomes a seed, there isn’t anything you can “feed” it within this short cycle that will help with its nutritional value or with mold problems. Use these products where they are needed, in the EARTH, your garden, your back yard fruit trees, etc…

Spray the grass with Hydrogen Peroxide, grapefruit seed extract, acid base water, etc… These are all nice ideas to get rid of MOLD, but they are not quick fixes. There is no quick fix to get rid of the mold. Once you get it, don’t let it get you down and don’t give up. Just rinse it off.

Change your seed source and this is what worked every time. Throughout the process of changing soil, temperature, watering, planting trays, air circulation, the things that worked the best for the spider web / cotton looking mold was “air movement” and then changing the seed. There are over 1,500 varieties of wheat seed out there these days, and every one of them grow differently. I try to buy my seed from farmers that “summer fow” and put the nutrient back into the earth before planting their next crop of wheat. So, in turn, I get a seed with a better immune system. This makes all the difference. When all else fails, try a different wheat. I choose “hard winter wheat” however; there is a hard spring wheat that might be good too. Soft wheat or white wheat will not work well at all. Hard wheat is at times referred to as “wheatberries”. However, they are not berries, they are seeds.

Michael’s background:

Michael has been growing wheatgrass since 1990 and designed / built the state of the art greenhouse at the Optimum Health Institute. In 1998, he then worked for three years with singer/song writer, Jewel. Still in the alternative health field, traveling as a nutritionist and working with Ellen Tart-Jensen (Ellen spent 12 years with Dr. Bernard Jensen), learning about the Colema Board and the importance of colon health. He then went back into the wheatgrass field working for the largest grower in Northern CA. Six months later in 2001, took the greenhouse manager position at Hippocrates Health Institute in FL. Getting back into lecturing, traveling to Expo’s and helping thousands to grow their own wheatgrass at home for pennies a day. Michael’s lectures are not only informative, but he adds a sense of humor and stage presence that will keep any audience entertained the entire time. He is available, year round, for lectures as well as greenhouse advice. In the near future, he is planning an overnight wheatgrass distribution (fresh grass, sunflower greens, pea greens, sprouts, seeds, planting trays, growing racks, juicers, etc…), and directing a new and improved alternative health retreat with long time friend and former executive chef of Hippocrates, author, Chef Kelly Serbonich. He will stay true to what Ann Wigmore brought to light, the Earth, the Oxygen and getting leafy greens back in the American Diet.  (check out the blog on the "Thank You" link to the left for more information)  Wheatgrass is the “Life-Blood” of any good cleanse and the most complete food on the planet today! You may contact him via email with any questions or for the below charts, at: wheatgrassking@yahoo.com 

 

Grass is the most complete food on the planet today!  If I had to survive on just one thing, I would choose grass.  Wheat was chosen by Hippocrates founder Ann Wigmore, and her cat, almost 50 years ago!  It is actually made from the wheat seed which is grown in almost every state.  Don't worry if you have any allergies to wheat.  The grass is a different product all together.  It is a leafy green, or vegetable, rather than having the gluten most Americans are having a hard time digesting.  Grass is also a complete protein when grown in a soil base.  (Yes, there is plenty of protein in the raw food diet, and it is digestable protein.)