Winter wheat is a cereal. Winter wheats are planted in the fall, from September through December. Winter wheat sprouts before freezing occurs, then becomes dormant until the soil warms up in the spring. Persistent snow cover might be disadvantageous; however, winter wheat needs a few weeks of cold before being able to flower. The wheat grows and matures until ready to be harvested by early July.
Soft wheats are used to make all-purpose flour used in a wide variety of baked products. Hard winter wheats have a higher content in protein and gluten and are often used for yeast breads. Durum is the hardest wheat and is primarily used for making pasta.
Winter wheat is grown all through Europe and in northern Asia. It was brought to the United States by Russian Mennonites in the 19th century and is grown on the Great Plains often using the techniques of dryland farming.
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