On Thu, 20 May 1999, Don Wiss wrote:

> But you're forgetting that until man selectively bred it all the seeds
> spontaneously fell off at the same time, when they were ripe. And with
> their points they stuck into the ground. Not at all easy to gather, unless
> you pick them before they ripen.

No, I'm not forgetting that.  They don't fall off *instantly*,
and shortly before they do they can be easily gathered by shaking
the stalk over a basket.  Likewise, Native Americans have
gathered wild rice for a long time using just a basket and a
stick to knock the stalks, causing the grains to fall.

> Somewhere there is a web article that discusses that gathering in the Near
> East started about 17,000 years ago, then about 11,000 years ago they
> starting planting it. Tools are required to make grain seeds edible, and
> this leaves evidence behind.

The grains are edible raw when in the "green" state, i.e., just
before they are ready to fall from the stalk, just as "green"
beans are edible raw.

Todd Moody
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