I am thinking about squares. Of about 10'x10'. Except the rice, the valley leading to the pond is to channel the water, and it is not particularly square. And I will have to cage it to keep the poultry and goats from getting into it, since the pond is in the pasture. I also plan to plant some in containers, and not have all my (rice) eggs in one basket. I used kids sand boxes for tomatoes last year, that didn't work so great, but they might work fine for rice! Although I may have to figure out a way to hold water in them, since I put holes in the bottoms. The information on rice is: it does not have to live in a flooded area, that is to keep down weeds... so the sandboxes should make that job easier.
Apparently grains don't like fertile soil, or at least don't require it, but to prevent lodging, you don't grow it in fertile soil? At least, that is how I read it.
I have about 600 feet underneath the power line, that I have to keep cleared, or the electric arrives with their poisons. So, I am thinking, why not use that area, for grain, even amaranth wouldn't be too tall for there, the first 12 feet vertically are mine, and the rest is the electric companies! Problem is: the black locust, did not die out from their poisons... it sort of turned into bushes and popped up all through that area, worse than before!
Goats love locust, so they will be willing to help me to clear it out.
