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If you believe our local news there are upwards of 40 million tons of wheat likely to rot in the fields this year, because the ground is just too damp to harvest it. If this happens the price of flour will rocket so it might be worth stocking up on that wheat now Jenny.

Dave

This looks like a very nice bag of wheat I've brought back from Denver mill, I now need to get some suitable storage bins with lids; perhaps a big bucket used for home brewing, it needs to be food safe plastic I reckon.

I've been asked to report back with comparisons between bread made with organic flour from the mill, and the chicken feed I've been using. The miller is keen to set up a bread making area, so is looking for all input. Interestingly, he told me he has had a bad year for flour production, not because of lack of grain, but lack of wind to drive the sails!

Jen

Lack of wind?!?!?

He should move his mill up here then, 1000ft up on the edge of the Pennine Moors....he'll not complain then. It is always a bit "fresh" as they say.

I must say I was surprised as the wind tends to cut across the fens unimpeded. I'm only about 10 miles or so from the mill and it seems to have blown a gale here all summer!

Jenny, where do you get your whole grains from to mill into flour ?

I ask because it's my birthday in a few weeks and I am concidering hinting about a grain mill

Gordon, I got in touch with a local mill and they sold me a bag. At first though I bought 3 kilo bags of wheat at the local garden/pet food centre. Designed for chickens but still made good bread.
The grain I've had from the mill is superb. I made my first loaf with it yesterday, 100% wholemeal, just fab.
The name on the sack was Norton organic grains if that's any help, but have a look in the phone book under grain and seed merchants, there may be some lurking.

HTH

Jen

jenny_haddow wrote:At first though I bought 3 kilo bags of wheat at the local garden/pet food centre. Designed for chickens but still made good bread.

Jen

When you said "Chicken Feed" in an earlier post I assumed that was a euphemism for something else

Dave

Thanks, I think I'll keep the chicken feed bit under my hat the other half will think I've completely lost the plot if she finds out.

I'm having trouble finding a grain mill that is a reasonable price our mixer is a Kitchen Aid one and the mill for that goes over �100 ! so It might be worth getting a stand alone one, anyone have any recomendations ?

G

I think Northern Tool does a manual grain mill.

Dave, if it's good enough for free range hens it's good enough for me!

Jenny they do, but they say, "This grinder will not grind fine enough for making flour."

Phil

jenny_haddow wrote:I think Northern Tool does a manual grain mill.

Dave, if it's good enough for free range hens it's good enough for me!

No complaints from me Jen

God only knows what we buy from the supermarkets

Sorry, I didn't realise it wasn't up to grinding flour, I wonder what it's used for then? Shirl mentioned something about a granite grinder, sounds pricey though.

Dave, interestingly, the chicken feed corn has much fatter grains than the organic, but nothing like the texture or flavour. Having said that, the chicken feed is better than most of the shop bought flours I've used.

Gordon,

if you have a farm shop near you that sells stone ground flour you may find the address and number of the mill on the bag. May be worth a shot giving them a call, they may sell you a sack of grain or tell you where to get some.

Jen

Thanks I'll try that

A while back I bought a Tesco's frozen chicken crown. Not my usual habit when buying meat, but this happened to be frozen in the perfect size metal container for a 500gram loaf, so I bought it for the tin.

Using homeground flour from the organic wheat I bought the other week, here's a picture of the wholemeal loaf I made in it today.




and here's another picture after it had come out of the tin, I used baker's secret and came out easily.