John Posey, age 9, of Fenton, Missouri, for his question:

Is buckwheat related to wheat?

Wheat and buckwheat belongs to different families. We call their seeds "grains" and eat them as cereals. But the two are not even cousins. Wheat belongs to the famous cereal family that gives us corn and rice. Buckwheat is related to the tall docks that grow by the weedy wayside. And, of all things, one of its cousins is the rhubarb plant.

We all know how wheat looks, growing tall and straight in the fields. But be don't often see the bushy buckwheat plant, with its neat leaves shaped like hearts. When clusters of dainty flowers are in bloom, the bees busy around to sip their sweet nectar. Later the flowers fade and leave clusters of growing seeds. The ripe seeds are brownish grains with three smooth sides. They taste like nuts and give lots of muscle building protein. People who know about good foods say eating lots of buckwheat cereal, buckwheat cakes and buckwheat pancakes makes a person feel peppier.