(Oryza sativa); Upland variety; Awnless
As its name implies, Sputnik is a modern cultivar developed in Primorskij kraj, a federal state in the far east of the Russian Federation. Sputnik is an awnless, short grain brown rice. It matures in the 95-100 time frame from transplanting. Plants that reach 42 inches tiller productively but may lodge after heavy rainfall.
Our seed stock came from John Sherck who reports a yield of 7 pounds per 100 sq foot.
John's culinary assessment of Sputnik:
"I cooked up a pot of the Sputnik and served it with vegetables and homemade peanut sauce. I was surprised at how good this rice turned out. I had expected something very average, but found the flavor to be delicious. I did pearl the Sputnik before cooking. The grains were slightly sticky but separated easily with a fork. Of course, anything served with peanut sauce is bound to be exceptional."
As a side note - of course Sputnik bears the name of the Soviet Union's 1957 satellite whose launch contributed to the start of the Space Race. This space connection is an interesting aside since Scott worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab as a co-op during his undergraduate program.
Please use the drop-down menu to select between packet options, minimum:
- 7 grams
- 28 grams (1 ounce)
- 50 choice hand selected seeds
IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep in mind, rice seed is hulled. Rice is planted in its hull but after harvest, that hull must be removed before eating. De-hulling rice is not easily achieved by hand, requiring mechanical assistance such as the Brill De-huller or an electric de-huller.
