I want to buy a farm. Like many Americans, I’d love to grow my own food. Not only does this save money in these challenging times, but it’s a sure bet that harvesting your own produce at its peak will pay off in an abundance of nutrition for a healthier you and your family.

Though I’ve yet to find the perfect property, I decided to prepare for my inevitable transition to country living. Last week, I signed up for my first gardening class with a local culinary gardener. Nöel Lopreore leads a "Plant a Culinary Garden with Bardessono" course this spring to teach us how to "grow our own" in the Napa Valley, where I live. My classmates ranged from a Bardessono hotel guest who had recently purchased a 4-acre farm in San Diego (and didn’t know much about gardening), to a local landscape architect who was there to extend her design expertise and embrace more of the hands-on aspect of gardening. I fit right in.

Whole grains have sustained families and civilizations, as a familiar and comforting common thread. But in recent history, they've fallen from favor. It's no wonder, since we're deluged with choices that are tasty, fast, and economical. But "fast" is usually a dead giveaway for a grain that is refined. And though refining pares back preparation time, it also peels away the most valuable parts of a whole grain.