A lot of you talk about grinding your own wheat for flour. I would like to know more. What kind of wheat and where do you buy it? (Someone mentioned buying untreated wheat from their feed store?) Average prices? What is the cost of the flour compared to buying it out of the store? What machines do you use for grinding (favorites, and wouldn't ever buy again) and prices? Are there multi-purpose machines that will grind wheat and serve other purposes too or do you buy one just for that purpose? Do you do this mainly for health reasons, taste, or ? Lots of questions but I'm thinking seriously on this and haven't anyone else to ask. Thanks.

-- Lenette (kigervixen@webtv.net), January 07, 2002

Answers

I have a Grain Master Whisper Mill for a grinder. It is so quiet compared to others. We like the white wheat usually grown in Montana. It has a milder taste. I have a friend who grinds her own. They like the red wheat. It has a heartier flavor. I like to grind my own wheat and make my own bread. I do it for health reasons.

-- Cindy (dh40203@navix.net), January 08, 2002.

I have a Champion juicer and bought the grinder attachment that goes with it. It does a very good job but if you don't happen to have a Champion juicer I have heard the above grain mill is good. I prefer electric but do have a back up hand operated one that I got for Y2K but to be honest, I've never used it. I buy wheat at a bulk memmonite food store. They order it for me in 50# bags. It cost about $22 for 5o#. I used to buy it at the health food store by the pound and it was 69 cents a pound so the 50# bag is definitely cheaper. It is organic, which I prefer. Be sure to use hard wheat for breads. Soft wheat is needed for pastries. I buy both kinds. I like the hard red wheat myself but it is a matter of preference. I do think the red wheat is easier to find. I also do this for health reasons. Whole wheat flour gets rancid very quickly because it still contains the germ (the healthiest part). Therefore, if you buy whole wheat flour in the grocery, you do not know how old it is. I grind just a little at a time and what I don't use, I refrigerate. I personally would be afraid to use wheat bought in a feed store, besides I believe all they have is soft wheat. It is cheap there, I can get it for $5 for 50# but I don't know what is in it or what it's been sprayed with.

-- Barb in Ky. (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), January 08, 2002.

I have just a handmill but grind my own wheat and bake bread about twice a week. Baked a 7 loave batch yesterday. that is alot of handgrinding. Husband was around so he helped with that. My grinder's brandname is Sunshine. It is a Corona type with stones. I love it. I have had it about 10 or 12 years. I buy my wheat with a group from church (I am Mormon) and it comes from Walton feed) I bet they have a website. We get a better price because of a big order...we ordered with a group from our whole area, so we were able to have alot of pounds ordered. I ordered mine in the 60# plastic buckets, but it was available in cases with 4 #10 cans (gallon size) also. I ordered Hard Red winter wheat this time, and rotate so that I have both red and white. I like both for different things and different taste. The red is a little too hearty for cakes and pastry but the white is great for that. I guess at some point I should get an electric grinder...so far I havn't even seriously looked for one. Good luck. No flour is better than freshly ground!!!

-- Jenny (auntjenny6@aol.com), January 09, 2002.