http://www.organicwheatproducts.com/?page_id=70  flourgirl is a fresh loaf poster here. Great prices. Don't know about distant shipping rates.

http://store.honeyvillegrain.com/search.aspx?find=wheat+berries Higher prices. Cheap shipping.

http://www.barryfarm.com/Grains.htm  Bulk discounts    

http://www.bobsredmill.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-organic-red-wheat-berries-3-lb

http://www.wareaglemill.com/khxc/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=prodshow&ref=WBR1

Amazon.com

Whole Foods: I've read the store will special order bulk purchases for pick up.

 Local coops, health/natural food stores, feed stores: undoubtably.

Good luck. Let us know what you find.

Ideally, home milled flour should be used right after milling; the sooner the flour is used, the better tasking the bread. I would recommend that the flour at least be cool to the touch, as warm flour absorbs slightly more water. If you stir the flour or pour it into another bowl, it quickly cools.

TFL has a solid community of bakers who home mill their flour. The collective experience of these bakers is that bread baked with home milled wheat flour used within 48 hours of milling tastes better than the same bread made with even the most reputable commercial whole wheat flour. It is one area where a clear concensus has developed on TFL.

If you mill more flour than needed for immediate baking, store it in the refrigerator in a paper bag. Whether home milled or store bought, I recommend storing your whole grain flour in the refrigerator if it will be used up in about a month. All whole grain and whole bean flour keeps well if frozen, as long as you have the freezer space. There are other TFL members who have no qualms storing whole grain flour in a kitchen cupboard though they tend to use it up within 4 - 8 weeks. For long term storage, the freezer is your friend.

Lastly, for home-milled flour, there is the question of whether, if not used within 48 hours, the flour should be aged. Briefly, when wheat is milled, enzymes start to affect the baking properties of the flour - specifically the flour's ability to develop gluten. If the flour is not used immediately, a storage period of from 2 to 8 weeks is recommended. Unbleached commercial white flour is stored for a month or two (unsure of the exact time frame here) before being distributed. However, among home millers, the jury is still out on this issue. I do try to give any extra home milled flour a resting period (in the refrigerator) of at least 2 weeks, but have not done any systematic tests of whether this is necessary.

I bought a bushel bag of untreated seed wheat from the feed/seed/hardware store where I work.  It's not labeled as food grade but it's cleaner than the bulk grains from the local health food store.  I paid $14.50 for a bushel of hard red spring wheat.  Check around the local ag/field seed dealers and see if they can locate a bag of hard spring wheat for you.

http://www.azurestandard.com

Azure Standard is in Oregon I believe. I order from them all the time and have been really happy with the products. I used to be in Seattle and now am in Idaho. I order through a local organic foods co-op but I think you can order without being a part of a co-op. However, if you could find a co-op in Seattle that orders from Azure, you can get a better price per pound if your group wants to order with you and split it.

Hope this helps.

Fairhaven Flour Mill in Bellingham used to sell berries and I would imagine that they still do.   Call ahead and tell them what you want.

Jeff

http://www.fairhavenflour.com/index.html

I'm another one that buys my wheat from the local feed store.  I paid $11 for 50 lbs.  The wheat is just as clean as from what I order online and it tastes even better.  I use my flour as soon as I mill it, no waiting required.

I am in Indiana, but If you contact my dist. they could possible help you find someone.  www.dutchvalleyfoods.com  You can look at their web site to see what different grains they offer also.

Hope that helps

When I got my mill, I ran into a brick wall trying to find wheat at a price that wasn't several times that of milled flour in the store. Having it shipped doubled the price, health food stores were out of the question (up to $3/lb), there are NO local co-ops, and I could only find one local bakery that was willing to sell to me, at almost a dollar a pound for hard red wheat. I got to wondering where Mormons buy their wheat, as they have to store so much of it as part of their religion. So, I googled local LDS churches, and started dialing until one answered. I explained I wasn't a member of their church, but was having a hard time finding wheat to grind for my bread, and wondered where they got theirs. He got a good chuckle, and gave me the phone number of their local "storehouse." I called there, explained again, and he told me they would be more than happy to sell to me, my not being a member didn't matter. I found them to be pleasant and helpful, they never tried to proselytize, and they sold me wheat for $5.90 for a 25 pound sack. Cleaned and bagged by General Mills. They have both Hard Red and Hard White, and I love the hard white, though I think next time I will also get a bag of the red, to mix in for a little more flavor.

For grain, try Bluebird Grain Farms in Winthrop WA, Walton Feed in Idaho, or Heartland Mill in Kansas.

As far as aging whole grain flour, Thom Leonard in The Bread Book recommends against it; and Prof. Calvel in The Taste of Bread implies that it is only desirable for refined flour.

I used to buy the huge bags which were a hassle but now I get smaller 5 lb bags of Wheat Montana Prairie Gold hard white  from Whole Foods here in Atlanta.  They have a couple of different ones to choose from.  They used to sell it in the big bags that were out on the floor,  but now I think we have to ask for them.   (they bring them from the back)  It's wonderful flour! I grind myself but you can also grind there- just stick in freezer though.  I would rather pay the extra cost and not have to deal with storing the wheat in my basement.  There's just two of us....

I like Wheat Montana-  have used their flour for years.  

One thing to note from my Coop "bulk" wheat grain experiences.....often times bugs/moths have developed in them even in tight containers.

Finding a reasonably priced source of wheat is always a problem.  Some folks are lucky to have a local business that carries wheat they can buy from at a decent price, but many of us really have to cast about.

I do what Thomas does and buy from my (not quite) local LDS family storage center.  I'm not an LDS member, but have friends who are that allow me to tag along with them on their cannery runs two or three times a year.  Each cannery is somewhat a law unto themselves in their local policies, but generally speaking you must go with a member.  Usually you become part of a team that repacks bulk food items into #10 cans or heavy Mylar pouches (mostly cans) and can buy what you want as a part of the larger team order.  I've been doing this for years now and no one has ever tried to convert me.  If you don't know any LDS members you can try calling your local LDS church and asking to speak with the Relief Society president.  Contrary to popular legend most LDS members don't do food storage though their church encourages them to do so.  It varies strongly by region of the country so if one person does not another may.

Another option is the truck pool from a given supplier.  Some companies such as Walton Feed, Azure Standard, Wheat Montana among other offer truck shipping on large orders (many thousands of pounds).  Naturally one person or family is not able to take advantage of that, but in many parts of the country groups of people have joined together to place group orders that do qualify.  I participate in one from Walton Feed.  The upside is that there is no cheaper way for me here in Florida to buy from Walton in Idaho.  The downside is that I have to place (and pay) for the order months before I'll receive it.  Still, if you can afford to wait and have the forethought to order that far in advance you won't get it any cheaper any other way if they're too far to go get it yourself and you don't have a nearby company who sells their products.  To find out if you have anyone in your area that participates in a truck pool for a given company call that company and ask first if they do truck pools then if they do if they have contact information for the person nearest you.

Still another option is the special order from a store that carries similar products but not exactly what you are looking for.  This can take some phone work, but many times there are stores that sell bulk supplies, natural foods, and so on that do regular business with distributors that carry the grain you are looking for even if they don't ordinarily stock it themselves.  If so they can simply include your order with theirs the next time they place one.  Typically they will charge you 10% over whatever it is they paid to get it.

Last would be to order enough from the company you are interested in to get into the UPS Hundred Weight program.  This will get you a cheaper shipping rate, but if it has to go any distance at all it can still equal or even exceed the product price.

.....Alan.

thay have wheat and other grains as well as candy and chocolet and ...somebody please stop me!!!!

if you buy more than 75 dollars they will ship for 5 dollars

http://www.bulkfoods.com/grain.asp

Years ago I used to mill my own wheat berries---I got them from a local coop that I belonged to......I think it was hard red wheat.  Well, my question is---how does whole wheat flour become white flour, as in unbleached white flour, without bleaching?  I feel silly asking the question, but I've always wandered about it.  I still have my old mill in the attic and would love to dust it off and try again.  My favorite bread is ciabatta, so I use either bread flour or unbleached flour.  My thanks to all for the great discussions and information that is posted here on TFL.......I have learned so much.

graces

I just checked out a new Whole Foods that opened near my house.  Their prices are pretty high, even for bulk grains.  Sure, they give a 10% bag discount, but there's no reason to get their wheat berries unless I need some right now.

Right now buying 95# of wheat berries from WheatMontana comes to about $1.25 per pound shipped to Seattle.  With all the other stuff I've seen, that seems like a reasonable price.

But there are feed stores outside of Seattle that are next up on the search list.

Thanks everyone for all your help.  The Nutrimill and Bosch mixer arrived today and got put to work pretty quickly (after cleaning).  Cool stuff.

Manna Mills in Mount Lake Terrace sells wheat berries in 50 pound bags or in the bulk bins for you to measure out the amount you need. I haven't been in for awhile (bought several bags and haven't needed to) but around the end of June I got 50 pound bags for about $33 (or so, can't remember exactly).  They do give you a 10% discount when you buy the 50 lb bag so that price was the shelf price. Give them a call and they'll tell you what they have and how much it is. The have lots of other grains too. It's a fun place to go and try some new things.

Other than that, Azure Standard is a good resource and sells for about the same price as Manna Mills. Believe it or not, some Walmarts carry Montana Wheat but you would want to call ahead on that one. It's pretty hit or miss if they have it (because people like me buy it all up when I see it!) It is normally on the flour aislr or for some reason I've also seen it on the ethnic food aisle.

I have also seen bulk wheat on craigslist. There is a co-op order with delivery at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in the summer but I've never gone through them so I wouldn't know who to contact.

For our area Manna Mills and Azure Standard are where I normally get mine.  The Everett Co-op sells bulk wheat in bins but I've never asked if they sell 50 lb bags or for how much.

We have just started a new On-line general store with wheat berries from Wheat Montana.  We also have other baking supplies like gluten and dough enhancer.  We are a local homesteading family and had a hard time finding good quality ingredients for our baking venues and general use so we started our own store.  Check out Sycamore Tree General Store at www.stgeneralstore.com

Sorry no store front yet but you can pick up orders to save on shipping.

Hope this helps...

Tim

http://www.wheatmontana.com/

I have been buying from them and have been very happy.

I just added quite a few new products to my site. We grow our own organic grains so we know what you  are getting. You can use our wheat, freshly ground, as soon as it is ground. It makes great bread. www.organicwheatproducts.com

Wheat Montana has a fine product if you do not want organic grains.  However, and this is a big HOWEVER, the flavor advantage of organic grains over conventional grains is huge.  Many authors, like Daniel Leader, have addressed this matter in their books and noted the difference.  For all of the tremendous effort that goes into extracting flavor from grain one of the easiest ways to a big improvement is to simply buy organic grains. Not to mention the added benefit of the chemical fertilizers that you will not be consuming.

I recently ordered organic grains, including hard white wheat,  from www.organicwheatproducts.com and they are absolutely beautiful.  So far I have only baked with their rye and the flavor is great. 

If you have not tried organic grains for their wonderful flavor I think that you are ignoring a great opportunity to improve the taste of your bread.

Jeff

The answer must lie in the fact that chemical fertilizers produce a less flavorful product.

Jeff

I have a local Wheat montana deli in my town, they have all of their flours in any size you want, plus rolled oats, mixed oats, treticle, etc... in sizes from 1 to 50 pounds

they also have a fresh grain mill right in the store, so you put a paper sack up to the mill and push a button for as much fresh grind as you want (exactly like a coffee grinder in the grocery store).

I need to take some pictures of the setup for everyone to believe it, but I feel blessed being a baker with access to some excellent product.

Last week I bought 50 pounds of milled white unbleached unbromated, and 5 pounds of flax seed for 30 dollars.

totally new to this and am interested in milling my own-I have a couple feed mills within driving distance and see that some of you buy your wheat there-what do you buy at them? I've never been to one before and when I think of a feed mill I think of horses and cows :) I'd like to try milling hard white wheat-any idea if a feed mill would carry that?

ah, I thought they might carry other grains-oops! Before I start milling my own I have to make sure its cost effective and so far I don't think it is :(

I suspect that this has already been addressed but I just found this forum.  I live in Texas and shipping wheat from Montana is absurdly cost prohibitive.  We have several local feed stores in town that sell 50lb bags of wheat "feed" for $15.  Can this be used for human consumption (providing it is clean enough)?  I wondered whether perhaps "feed" grain was treated with chemicals of any kind.  Thanks in advance for any insight.  I am interested in using corn for the same purpose. I would "mill" the grain myself, I just need a source for the grain.

Gary

I have found no reason to believe that ordinary feed grain has added chemicals.

The main issue is extra cleaning for human consumption. I think that would be problematic for wheat. However, another cleaning is not too tedious for a few pounds of corn. (I recommend cleaning corn regardless of source.)

Another problem with using feed wheat is finding out what the protein level is.

Make sure to avoid anything intended for wildlife feed. It probably has a higher threshold for aflatoxin.

Check the Mexican markets for corn.

Buy before mid-spring, before the critters spread.

When I first started baking whole grain breads, I enjoyed them but I wasn't getting the full flavor I expected. There was a grassy and kind of bitter taste.

When I started using freshly ground flours, the taste improved immediately. I looked into buying a mill and grinding my own flours and for me the extra steps required to get good organic grain shipped in and then store it properly and later mill it, was not worth the trouble.

I started using Organic Wheat Products flours, all fresh milled, and have been very happy for the change. My breads are better than ever before using the same formulas and methods. With proper fermenting the wholesome sweet nature of the grains come out beautifully. The flavors are far improved from store bought whole grains. I'm not a flour expert and can't say why this is from a technical standpoint but there is no doubt the fresh milled product I get are the best I have tasted. Shipping charges are not an issue as they are only actual cost and not a profit center for the company. The flour price is more than fair. I think the Rye and WW I bought last week was  60 cents per pound. I generally buy just enough to use in the next few weeks so I always have fresh flour. Bottom line is my flour isn't any more expensive than the product on the shelf of the grocery store and usually cheaper. And after all, it isn't really a matter of price I'm most interested in any way. I'm not striving to make the cheapest bread possible. I want people to taste my work and think, that's the best tasting bread I've ever had.

Eric

"It is supremely important to use only organic berries."

Gérard Rubaud

In Southwestern Ohio at Strike's Family Orchard between Eaton and Gratis on Rt. 122, I found Wheat Montana for a good price.

Merchant Information: Amish Cheese, Bulk Food Over 700 Items, Butter, Freezing & Canning Orders Welcome, Fresh Fruits & Vegetables In Season

Strikes Family Orchard

5786 State Route 122 S
West Alexandria, OH 45381
937-787-4542

You call your local Winco Store and you can buy the bulk bags in 25 lb sacks.  They have to add it to their order so you need to call in advance and let them know what you want (how much).  It is less than 0.50 cents a pound, 0.47 when I last I checked, and you can order 100 pounds if you want, which would be 4 bags.  They'll tell you when the delivery is due to come in and will take your phone number to call you on that day to let you know it is in.  Same goes for other grains they have in bulk.  A plus is that you don't have to pay for shipping as you would if you had ordered off the Internet.

I hope this helps.