GrainMaker Model 99

A picture's still worth at least a thousand words. Want to show your family and friends just what they're being shorted by eating food made with so-called white flour? Here's the ideal tool to put things in perspective. The first of the six vials in this set contains whole wheat kernels, recognized throughout history as the "staff of life". At the opposite end is bleached white flour, as gleaming and nutritionless as industrial science can make it. And the same thing is done to other types of grain.

The four middle vials with the wood base showcase the nutritional riches that today's commercial millers sacrifice on the altar of unlimited shelf life: The bran, middlings, wheat germ, and wheat germ oil, where virtually all the goodness of the whole grain resides. None of that goodness remains in white flour—but you can have it all, by making your own fresh, better-tasting flour from whole grains with a fast, convenient, modern grain mill in your home kitchen. You'll wonder what you ever saw in "styro bread"!

Our conventional/non-organic hard red winter wheat is ideal for bread making. Breads made with hard red and hard white wheats will be very similar; the main difference is that red wheat produces a fuller, heartier flavor, and the bread will have a slightly darker color. Red wheat berries are reddish-brown in color.

Our bulk wheat is triple-cleaned. It's also been tested, in the most meaningful way possible: By baking bread with it. You can depend on wheat berries from Pleasant Hill Grain to make bread and other baked goods that rise well, taste wonderful, and are packed with wholesome, natural nutrition! For those who may want to sprout some, our hard red wheat is sproutable. Sprouting results may vary.

In whole-grain foods, the plant's cellular walls protect nutrients from oxidation. The process of oxidation begins to occur as soon as grain is ground, exposing the cell's contents to oxygen in the air. Flour that is several days (or more) old, has been exposed to oxygen that inevitably diminishes its nutritional value. The way to get full nutrition from whole grain foods is to mill them when you need them, right in your kitchen. Modern high-speed grain mills make it fast and easy to enjoy the freshest, best tasting and most nutritious food imaginable!

Our hard red wheat comes in five-gallon buckets (or pails... another name for the same container). The net (contents) weight of the grain is 36 lbs. When you store grain at home, it needs to be protected in a couple of ways. First, it needs to be protected from a variety of little critters who'd like to get to it before you do. Weevils, for example. And isn't this interesting: Chances are you've never seen weevils in the white bread or crackers you bought from the store. That's because weevils put no stock in media campaigns from white-flour milling conglomerates; rather, they know what's good for them, and they'd come after your grain from miles around if you let them. And mice have good nutritional judgment, too. Not that there's ever been a mouse in your house, but if there was... you wouldn't want it having access to your grain. Secondly, grain needs to be kept dry. The grain we sell is all dried to a very low moisture level that's optimal for storage and baking and guarantees that you get the most grain for your money. You need to protect your grain from picking up excessive additional moisture, which can be drawn from the atmosphere. The buckets our grain comes in provide full protection against storage risks. They have airtight gasket-sealed lids, Mylar liners, and oxygen absorber packets that remove the oxygen from the air in the bucket after we put the lid on. The O2 absorbers leave an atmosphere of nitrogen in the bucket, because air consists almost entirely of oxygen and nitrogen. (The oxygen absorber packets themselves are completely food-safe, being made of powdered iron and salt, which are kept separate from the product itself.) Our buckets safely lock out pests, and biological processes are put "on hold" in the Mylar protected, oxygen-free nitrogen atmosphere, so your grain enjoys complete peace and quiet until you want to use it. Note: If you don't already have a bucket lid removal tool, they make lid removal easy (see lower section of this Web page). Super Pail packaging is the "gold standard," the ultimate protection for your grain!

All of our grain is triple-cleaned (also called "triple washed") to ensure purity and protect your grain mill from any foreign objects. (Grain that isn't sufficiently cleaned may contain small stones that will damage or destroy a grain mill... not to mention that you don't want such things in your food!)

Our hard red wheat has a shelf life of 10+ years when unopened and stored in a cool, dark, dry environment.

All of Pleasant Hill Grain's whole grain products are natural (non-GMO). This applies equally to both the Organic and the Conventional (Non-Organic) grain. Also, PHG does not sell any grains, beans, lentils, pulses or seeds sourced from China.

Red wheat (triticum aestivum) is a gluten-containing grain that’s very similar to white wheat, but has a more robust, nutty flavor. To sweeten the slightly bitter taste of red wheat, honey may be used in a bread recipe. There are three different kinds of red wheat: hard red winter wheat, hard red spring wheat, and soft red winter wheat. The wheat for sale on this page is hard red winter wheat. Red wheat is so named because of the color of its bran, which has a reddish hue.

Red wheat is a hybrid grain, which means that older varieties of wheat with qualities such as disease resistance, weather tolerance, and high protein content, were crossed to produce a crop that has all the best qualities for bread baking and high yields. Red wheat was originally introduced to the Great Plains in the 1870s by immigrants from Russia. Today, the majority of wheat grown worldwide is hard red wheat.

Hard wheat has a higher protein content than soft wheat, and more protein translates to stronger gluten development in baked goods. This means that hard wheat is the best variety of wheat for making bread, pasta and pizza dough with. Soft wheat is ideal for cookies and pastries.

Hard winter wheat’s protein content typically ranges between 10-12%. Hard winter wheat grows predominately in the southwestern and mid-western prairie states whereas hard spring wheat will grow best in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Montana.

Hard red wheat can be ground into flour, flaked (rolled), or cooked and eaten as a side dish similar to rice. Red wheat is high in iron, protein, and fiber. It’s a versatile, delicious, and nutritious choice for everyday baking!

To cook hard red wheat, it’s best to soak the grain overnight. Soaking the grain will ease digestion, make the grain’s nutrients easier to absorb, and shorten the cooking time. To cook, add the whole or cracked, pre-soaked red wheat berries to boiling water (2.5 parts water to 1 part grain) for 45 minutes to an hour. The cooked wheat can be used to make grain salads, or to put into casseroles or soups.

If you’re transitioning from white bread to whole wheat bread, we recommend you begin baking with half white flour and half whole wheat flour, and increasing the percentage of whole wheat flour over time. This should make the adjustment easier, especially for children. If you’re unsure whether red or white wheat would be better, we suggest getting a sample of each to find out which you enjoy the flavor of better. Grain samples can be purchased here.

This conventional/non-organic hard white winter wheat is ideal for bread making. Breads made with hard red and hard white wheats will be very similar; the main difference is that red wheat produces a fuller, heartier flavor, and the bread will have a slightly darker color. If you're just starting out with whole grain baking and don't know how to pick, we suggest starting with hard white wheat. Note: Don't confuse "whole grain white wheat" with store-bought "white flour"! White wheat kernels are actually light brown in color. Store-bought white flour, on the other hand, is essentially nothing more than the endosperm (energy-producing carbohydrate) part of the kernel, with nearly everything nutritious removed in the interest of indefinite after-milling shelf life... which benefits huge commercial millers, at the expense of your health and the character of your food.

Our grain is triple-cleaned. It's also been tested, in the most meaningful way possible: By baking bread with it. You can depend on wheat from Pleasant Hill Grain to make bread and other baked goods that rise well, taste wonderful, and are packed with wholesome, natural nutrition! For those who may want to sprout some, our wheat is sproutable. Sprouting results may vary.

In whole-grain foods, the plant's cellular walls protect nutrients from oxidation. The process of oxidation begins to occur as soon as grain is ground, exposing the cell's contents to oxygen in the air. Flour that is several days (or more) old, has been exposed to oxygen that inevitably diminishes its nutritional value. The way to get full nutrition from whole grain foods is to mill them when you need them, right in your kitchen. Modern high-speed grain mills make it fast and easy to enjoy the freshest, best tasting and most nutritious food imaginable!

Our wheat comes in five-gallon buckets (or pails... another name for the same container.) The net (contents) weight of the grain is 36 lbs. When you store grain at home, it needs to be protected in a couple of ways. First, it needs to be protected from a variety of little critters who'd like to get to it before you do. Weevils, for example. And isn't this interesting: Chances are you've never seen weevils in the white bread or crackers you bought from the store. That's because weevils put no stock in media campaigns from white-flour milling conglomerates; rather, they know what's good for them, and they'd come after your grain from miles around if you let them. And mice have good nutritional judgment, too. Not that there's ever been a mouse in your house, but if there was... you wouldn't want it having access to your grain. Secondly, grain needs to be kept dry. The grain we sell is all dried to a very low moisture level that's optimal for storage and baking and guarantees that you get the most grain for your money. You need to protect your grain from picking up excessive additional moisture, which can be drawn from the atmosphere. The buckets our grain comes in provide full protection against storage risks. They have airtight gasket-sealed lids, Mylar liners, and oxygen absorber packets that remove the oxygen from the air in the bucket after we put the lid on. The O2 absorbers leave an atmosphere of nitrogen in the bucket, because air consists almost entirely of oxygen and nitrogen. (The oxygen absorber packets themselves are completely food-safe, being made of powdered iron and salt, which are kept separate from the product itself.) Our buckets safely lock out pests, and biological processes are put "on hold" in the Mylar protected, oxygen-free nitrogen atmosphere, so your grain enjoys complete peace and quiet until you want to use it. Note: If you don't already have a bucket lid removal tool, they make lid removal easy (see lower section of this Web page). Super Pail packaging is the "gold standard," the ultimate protection for your grain!

All of our grain is triple-cleaned (also called "triple washed") to ensure purity and protect your grain mill from any foreign objects. (Grain that isn't sufficiently cleaned may contain small stones that will damage or destroy a grain mill... not to mention that you don't want such things in your food!)

Our hard white wheat has a shelf life of 10+ years when unopened and stored in a cool, dark, dry environment.

All of Pleasant Hill Grain's whole grain products are natural (non-GMO). This applies equally to both the Organic and the Conventional (Non-Organic) grain. Also, PHG does not sell any grains, beans, lentils, pulses or seeds sourced from China.

White wheat (triticum aestivum) is a gluten-containing grain that’s very similar to red wheat, but has a sweeter, milder flavor and lighter color. There are two kinds of white wheat: hard white winter wheat, and soft white spring wheat. The wheat for sale on this page is hard white winter wheat.

White wheat is a hybrid grain, which means that older varieties of wheat with qualities such as disease resistance, weather tolerance, and high protein content, were crossed to produce a crop that has all the best qualities for bread baking and high yields.

Hard wheat has a higher protein content than soft wheat, and more protein translates to stronger gluten development in baked goods. This means that hard wheat is the best variety of wheat for making bread, pasta and pizza dough with. Soft wheat is ideal for cookies and pastries.

Hard winter wheat’s protein content typically ranges between 10-12%. Hard winter wheat grows predominately in the southwestern and mid-western prairie states whereas hard spring wheat will grow best in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Montana.

Hard white wheat can be ground into flour, flaked (rolled), or cooked and eaten as a side dish similar to rice. White wheat is high in iron, protein, and fiber. It’s a versatile, delicious, and nutritious choice for everyday baking!

To cook hard white wheat, it’s best to soak the grain overnight. Soaking the grain will ease digestion, make the grain’s nutrients easier to absorb, and shorten the cooking time. To cook, add the whole or cracked, pre-soaked white wheat berries to boiling water (2.5 parts water to 1 part grain) for 45 minutes to an hour. The cooked wheat can be used to make grain salads, or to put into casseroles or soups.

If you’re transitioning from white bread to whole wheat bread, using white wheat is an ideal wheat to start with because of its mild flavor, and white color. We recommend you begin baking with half white flour and half whole wheat flour, and increasing the percentage of whole wheat flour over time. This should make the adjustment easier, especially for children. If you’re unsure whether red or white wheat would be better, we suggest getting a sample of each to find out which you enjoy the flavor of better. Grain samples can be purchased here.

The Home Ground Flour Book focuses on how to use freshly milled, whole grain flour in a variety of recipes. 

Why mill your own flour at home? For one thing, the flavor of home-milled flours is unbeatable! The huge variety of grains available today means that you can create an array of versatile flours to use in a wide range of recipes from around the world. And then there’s the cost savings: home flour milling can save countless dollars on the cost of bread alone, especially for those with special dietary needs. Finally, home-milled flours are more nutritious, offering potential health benefits. 

Whether you’re new to milling or a seasoned pro, you’re sure to be amazed and delighted by the wealth of information in this comprehensive book. In it Sue Becker provides easy-to-follow instructions on the milling process, from start to finish, plus 100 recipes for tasty treats such as quick breads, muffins, cookies, pastries and more! Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan recipes round out the options, making this the definitive choice for all baking enthusiasts. If you’re intrigued by the idea of milling your own fresh home-ground flours, there’s no better way to begin than with this fascinating book.

Lounell Claybourn, with her daughter Marianne Claybourn, wrote “Whole Grain Flour Power: Sharing the secrets of baking with incredible flavorful, nutrient-packed, freshly milled flour". Their book is a comprehensive collection of customer favorites from over nine years of their successful farmers market business in Houston Texas. 

Whole Grain Flour Power offers an in-depth look at the wonder of wheat and the decline in world health linked to commercially milled flour. This 311-page cookbook includes tools, tips, and techniques for new and experienced bakers, and over 90 easy to follow recipes. You'll find a wide variety of recipes including sweet, savory, and simple breads, desserts, and a fun collection of tortillas, crackers, energy bars and more, all made with freshly milled flour. Full color photos beautifully showcase the end results.

Whole Grain Flour Power reflects a passion for the unmatched flavor and nutrients found in freshly milled whole grain flour. That passion was the motivating force for Lounell and Marianne as they poured their hearts into everything they baked for their farmer's market stand. Customers became “regulars” and then became friends. They held baking classes for those who wanted to learn the skills of milling and baking for themselves and witnessed a growing consciousness of the importance of healthy eating choices for their families. This cookbook began at their request, and it's become their passion now to share it with all “bakers by heart!”

Cookbook features:

• Focus on Freshly Milled Flour: Emphasis on the importance of using freshly milled whole grains, used within three hours of milling, to retain maximum nutrients and flavors. 
• Personable Directions: Enjoy the warm and inviting approach to baking, reflected by years of experience in running a successful farmers market baking business. 
• Wide Variety of Recipes: From the popular Cranberry Walnut Bread to the savory Caramelized Onion Bread, these recipes cater to both sweet and savory palettes. 
• Educational Content: Beyond recipes, the book includes educational sections on the wealth of nutrients in every grain of wheat, an interesting look at the history of commercial flours, and practical tips on home milling.

EDITORIAL REVIEW by Peter Reinhart 

"Whole Grain Flour Power, by the mother/daughter team of Lounell and Marianne Claybourn, is a book from the heart and one that will touch yours as well. It is dedicated to the principle that freshly milled whole grain flour is far more delicious and nutritious than commercially milled flour. The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes, and their book is chock full of easy to make recipes and delicious-looking photos of the many products the Claybourn's have been selling successfully for years at local markets. Reading their story allows us to enter into a world that evokes wholesomeness and a yearning for both a nostalgic past as well as a hopeful future. It has been said that the future of bread can be found in its past, and the recipes and photos in this book transport our longings for that past into the present moment, evoking a renewed belief that, yes, this is what I want, what I've always wanted." — Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread and Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads

This cookbook from Sue Gregg teaches you the basics of whole grain baking by two methods: Both with the conventional approach, and with the "Two-Step Process" that utilizes the techniques of soaking, sprouting and fermenting to unlock grain's nutritional potential. An important purpose of this introduction is teaching how to adapt the process to all whole grain recipes, whether found in Sue's cookbooks, or others. This book provides the basics you need for real proficiency. The recipes in this book can be made using whole grain flour that was ground with a grain mill, but most of the recipes are written specifically for grinding the whole grain with liquid ingredients using a blender. Using this blender approach to grind whole grains is a convenient option for those who don't have a grain mill.

Sue has also written curriculum for teaching your high schooler baking, at home. This "intro" book stands on its own, or you can use it with the high school curriculum, for which it serves as the instructional text book.

This intro book serves as an excellent introductory cookbook in baking, for all ages.

The Bread for Life cookbooks are great for those with this mixer because the recipes in it were developed by author Beth Holland using the Ankarsrum mixer. They’re full of solid, practical recipes, and the directions are tailor-made for your new mixer.