Does anyone here mill their own flour/other grain at home?

Started by Padraig, March 23, 2019, 01:00:46 PM

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Padraig

So, essentially all these mills are amazing and I should just buy one...

The demonstration of the Wondermill Junior was honestly really impressive. Considerably faster than it had seemed from other videos (like the third video you posted).

Now it's just a question of hand-cranking or electric motor...

Maximilian

#16
Quote from: Padraig on March 23, 2019, 09:43:28 PM

The demonstration of the Wondermill Junior was honestly really impressive. Considerably faster than it had seemed from other videos (like the third video you posted).

I'm not sure if it's accurate to call the Wondermill "faster."



P.S. Obviously Mormon.
P.P.S. Mormons have the best prices on wheat berries. See link in video. But they're not necessarily Roundup-free.

Padraig

Hahahahaha, I saw that video while doing my research. It's funny how Mormons have something I couldn't even describe, but readily identifies them.
Their wheat is the best price, and the only one that gets under $1/lb. But I do doubt the "cleanliness" of the growing. Apparently it's common practice to spray the crop with one more huge hit of Roundup right before harvesting.
I found a family farm in Colorado with six little kids who have organic wheat (not yet certified, but non-GMO and organic practices in their farming) for about $1.20/lb.

Traditionallyruralmom

Quote from: Padraig on March 24, 2019, 07:49:03 AM

Their wheat is the best price, and the only one that gets under $1/lb. But I do doubt the "cleanliness" of the growing. Apparently it's common practice to spray the crop with one more huge hit of Roundup right before harvesting.


My holistic MD shared an article with me that links the chemical in Roundup with the massive gluten intolerance levels we are seeing today.  It messes up your digestive system on a cellular level, if I remember correctly.  If you are interested, I can ask him to resend me the study.  That is why I try to buy all my wheat and sugar organic, since they are 2 that are hit heavily with roundup.   
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

Maximilian

Quote from: Traditionallyruralmom on March 24, 2019, 07:37:54 PM
Quote from: Padraig on March 24, 2019, 07:49:03 AM

Their wheat is the best price, and the only one that gets under $1/lb. But I do doubt the "cleanliness" of the growing. Apparently it's common practice to spray the crop with one more huge hit of Roundup right before harvesting.


My holistic MD shared an article with me that links the chemical in Roundup with the massive gluten intolerance levels we are seeing today.  It messes up your digestive system on a cellular level, if I remember correctly.  If you are interested, I can ask him to resend me the study. 

Yes, that's glyphosate.

https://truthout.org/articles/glyphosate-herbicides-are-altering-the-food-chain/

Glyphosate Herbicides Are Altering the Food Chain

As the active ingredient in Bayer's Roundup herbicide is increasingly scrutinized for human health impacts, scientists say it also could be altering the wildlife and organisms at the base of the food chain.

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides in history. Farmers in 2014 sprayed enough of the chemical to cover every acre of cropland in the entire world with nearly a half-pound of the herbicide, according to a 2016 study published in Environmental Sciences Europe.

Long thought to be relatively benign to non-target plants and animals, evidence is growing that glyphosate, the active ingredient of Roundup, may impact the metabolism, growth and reproduction of aquatic creatures and could be altering the essential gut bacteria of animals such as bees.

Such impacts could have serious unexpected impacts on the tiny critters that form the base of the animal food chain, say environmental researchers, who warn the ecological impacts are likely to grow as glyphosate levels build up in the environment.

"No herbicide in the history of the world has ever been used this heavily. It's a completely unprecedented case," Charles Benbrook, an agricultural economist and author of the 2016 study, told EHN.

Ecological Impacts Emerge
Glyphosate has been used as a broad-spectrum herbicide, meaning it kills all vegetation it's sprayed on, since the 1970s. Its use at the outset, however, was limited. Farmers and land managers could only spray it where they wanted to kill all vegetation, for instance, between the rows in orchards or vineyards, in industrial yards, or along train tracks or powerline rights of way.

That all changed in 1996, when the Missouri-based agrochemical company Monsanto (now part of the pharmaceutical giant Bayer) introduced glyphosate-tolerant crops — first corn, then soybeans, cotton and others. Farmers could spray it on and around their fields without accidentally killing their crops.

The chemical soon became the most heavily used herbicide in history.

Global glyphosate use has risen nearly 15-fold since the mid-90s, with an estimated 19 percent of global use happening in the U.S. alone.

Since this change, much has been made about the potential health impacts to humans from widespread use. In 2015, the World Health Organization classified glyphosate as "probably carcinogenic to humans" due to a growing body of research linking glyphosate to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and other cancers.

In August, a U.S. groundskeeper won a landmark lawsuit against Monsanto, saying his deadly form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was due to years of exposure to the company's herbicide. Monsanto and its German owner Bayer now face more than 9,000 similar lawsuits. The company repeatedly has maintained there is no link between glyphosate and cancer.

Numerous studies in laboratory animals, too, have suggested the chemical may have reproductive effects at levels considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Quote from: Traditionallyruralmom on March 24, 2019, 07:37:54 PM

That is why I try to buy all my wheat and sugar organic, since they are 2 that are hit heavily with roundup.   

Corn and soy are the most heavily impacted. Most of those are fed to animals before we eat it, however.

Lynne

Quote from: Maximilian on March 24, 2019, 07:53:53 PM


Corn and soy are the most heavily impacted. Most of those are fed to animals before we eat it, however.

That's why one should try to eat grass-fed animals and dairy products.
In conclusion, I can leave you with no better advice than that given after every sermon by Msgr Vincent Giammarino, who was pastor of St Michael's Church in Atlantic City in the 1950s:

    "My dear good people: Do what you have to do, When you're supposed to do it, The best way you can do it,   For the Love of God. Amen"

MundaCorMeum

I've been making sourdough for almost a year now, and I love it!  I was using just the king Arthur brand, all purpose, unbleached flour.  I've recently been wanting to branch out and try kamut wheat.  I'd love to sprout and mill my own grains, but I've not been brave enough to do it, yet.  I usually just make the regular artisan boules.  I've had good success with sandwich bread before, too, but I don't make it as often.  I can't master the baguette, which is driving me nuts.  I'm determined, though, so I'll be trying again this week.  I make sourdough bagels at least once a week, too, and they are fantastic.  I'm going to look into some of the mills recommended here.  Good topic!

Matto

Quote from: MundaCorMeum on March 25, 2019, 01:08:39 PM
I've been making sourdough for almost a year now, and I love it!
I tried making sourdough bread for maybe a year or so but I failed. I could not get it to consistently rise. It tasted wonderful, better than bakery bread, but it rarely rose well so the bread was usually thick and heavy. Every once in a while it would really rise well and I got the best bread I have ever eaten, but this was only a few times. I could never understand why it rose well those few times and what I did differently that lead to my rare success. After a while I gave up because even though the bread tasted good, I did not think it was worth the effort because I could not get it to consistently rise enough. So now I no longer have a bread blob.

Does your sourdough bread consistently rise well, or is it inconsistent like mine was?
I Love Watching Butterflies . . ..

Traditionallyruralmom

I also purchased a 9 tray Excalibur dehydrator.  I sprout the grains in 1 gallon glass jars and then dry the grains in the Excalibur then grind them in the Wondermill.  The dehydrator is also very useful in raising bread.  I had a rising box forever that hubs made out of 2 Styrofoam coolers duck taped together with a light bulb on a dimmer switch for heat.  It was a plan from a sourdough book I used to have, Ed Wood Sourdoughs of the World?  and it worked very well for raising the sourdough.  But now the Excalibur works just as well, with more space. 
That being said, I have not raised any sourdough in it.  Just normal yeast bread.  I have a cultures for health sourdough starter pack in my freezer.  The last starter died the death when I had my last baby, and I have never revived it.  But I have high hopes for a day in the near future.  I am a bread cheater, and use 1/2 organic white and 1/2 of whatever whole grain crunchy thing I have.  I like the lift the 1/2 white gives it, and love the depth the whole grain lends to it.  Perfect marriage.
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

MundaCorMeum

Quote from: Matto on March 25, 2019, 01:25:28 PM
Quote from: MundaCorMeum on March 25, 2019, 01:08:39 PM
I've been making sourdough for almost a year now, and I love it!
I tried making sourdough bread for maybe a year or so but I failed. I could not get it to consistently rise. It tasted wonderful, better than bakery bread, but it rarely rose well so the bread was usually thick and heavy. Every once in a while it would really rise well and I got the best bread I have ever eaten, but this was only a few times. I could never understand why it rose well those few times and what I did differently that lead to my rare success. After a while I gave up because even though the bread tasted good, I did not think it was worth the effort because I could not get it to consistently rise enough. So now I no longer have a bread blob.

Does your sourdough bread consistently rise well, or is it inconsistent like mine was?

Mine is pretty consistent, yes.  But, I also live in a climate that is mostly warm and humid throughout the year, which helps tremendously.  During winter, I do notice it effects my rise, though it still does eventually rise pretty well.  It just takes longer, so I have to be patient.  Whereas in the summer, I have to watch carefully that I don't over-proof.  But, even then, I still get a flat loaf here and there.  If that happens, I cut it up into cubes, season it with salt, pepper, olive oil, and Italian seasoning, then toast it for croutons.  Or, slice it then and toast it for bruschetta.  It works great for both of those purposes; or, I'll put it in the food processor for bread crumbs.  I've tried it as bread pudding, as well, but it was a little too dense, and didn't soak up the egg/milk mixture very well.  The kids will still eat it, though, so at least it isn't wasted.


There's nothing quite as satisfying as putting my sourdough in my cast iron for almost an hour in a hot oven, then opening the lid to see a great oven spring!!   :cheeseheadbeer: 

Lynne

Here's an interesting book/website on creating a sourdough bread in 5 minutes a day! Catchy title, eh?

https://artisanbreadinfive.com/2017/02/06/easy-sourdough-starter/
In conclusion, I can leave you with no better advice than that given after every sermon by Msgr Vincent Giammarino, who was pastor of St Michael's Church in Atlantic City in the 1950s:

    "My dear good people: Do what you have to do, When you're supposed to do it, The best way you can do it,   For the Love of God. Amen"

Padraig

If you have about ten spare minutes, this is one of the best (and funniest) articles on baking sourdough that I've read:
https://hammersandhoney.com/blog/thesourdouvolution

Padraig

Figured I would share my latest bread creation here. This is about 20% rye, full sourdough.

As far as the question of flour mills, I've decided to hold out for a Mockmill, once they're back in stock. I'll share more pictures of bread once that happens.

Lynne

Quote from: Padraig on April 01, 2019, 08:43:17 AM
Figured I would share my latest bread creation here. This is about 20% rye, full sourdough.

As far as the question of flour mills, I've decided to hold out for a Mockmill, once they're back in stock. I'll share more pictures of bread once that happens.

That's beautiful!
In conclusion, I can leave you with no better advice than that given after every sermon by Msgr Vincent Giammarino, who was pastor of St Michael's Church in Atlantic City in the 1950s:

    "My dear good people: Do what you have to do, When you're supposed to do it, The best way you can do it,   For the Love of God. Amen"

MundaCorMeum

Quote from: Padraig on April 01, 2019, 08:43:17 AM
Figured I would share my latest bread creation here. This is about 20% rye, full sourdough.

As far as the question of flour mills, I've decided to hold out for a Mockmill, once they're back in stock. I'll share more pictures of bread once that happens.


Nice!  Are you any good at making designs with the bread lame?   I have high aspirations, but I really kind of stink at it  ;D  It's fun to try, though.  Today I made a sourdough cinnamon swirl bread.  I'll see how it cuts tomorrow.  It needs to cool some more tonight.