When those little white flowers have been on for a few weeks, you'll notice the black seeds starting to show. At first the seeds seem to be a brown, and flat, but let them be, and then a couple weeks later you can feel them somewhat expanded with pointed edges. I wait and let them get quite a few seeds on each head, and then I scrape the head with my fingers and the seeds roll right off. No processing. Put them in a bag, and if it's only mid-summer, you can start planting them again right away if you have rows that would be ready, otherwise, I put them in a paper envelope until I need them. Also, when you pick them, you'll be getting flower debris and other particles. If you want to filter them out, put them in a plastic bucket with a few inches of water, and the usable seeds will stay on the bottom, and pour off the rest. When you get your first packet of seeds, you'll see what I mean by the points, then you'll be self-sustaining. Once the seeds are picked, I usually take my hoe and go down wherever I planted the buckwheat and turn it over, or into the soil. If I'm going into the winter, then I let them stay and be winterkill, but will hold the soil until the Spring. Also, not hard to pull out.
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