The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Sourcing local flour

lindyc's picture
lindyc

Sourcing local flour

I'm curious about flour in the US and whether there are many small mills around that mill quality / organic flour and sell locally.

There is a lot of discussion on this site about which flours are best and which are suited to particular breads but most people seem to be buying flour from very large companies (even the much discussed quality King Auther flours now sell to 50 states as their website says). I also noticed this thread comparing supermaket flours and the conclusion that most of the different brands actually come from 1 or 2 very large companies! It may be the cynic in me but is this perhaps done to give the allusion of 'market choice' where there is actually none?

There also seems to be a lot of people that mill there own flour at home. Is there any middleground? Mill at home or buy flour mill from huge commercial mills?

I live in a regional part of Victoria, Australia and recently found a very good flour that is milled only half an hour away in a tiny speck of a place (globally speaking) called Clunes. The flour is Powlett Hill Biodynamic Stoneground wheat flour and it has a gorgeous flavour. I also use an organic plain breadmaking flour from South Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

Postal Grunt's picture
Postal Grunt

I found the Hudson Cream line of flours at a local supermarket, Dillon's, here in Leavenworth, KS. The supermarket carries bleached and unbleached all purpose, unbleached bread, self-rising and a whole wheat flour.

While I "bricked" the honey whole wheat loaf recipe today, the other times I used the product have been good. Even with my lack of experience, I rolled out a fine pizza crust first time out with the bread flour.

The flours are priced competitively for this area at $2.39 for five pound bags. They are produced by the Stafford County Flour Mill in Hudson, KS.