Organic flour

it isn't supposed to have pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers sprayed on it and fields it is grown in are supposed to be free of them for at least 3 years.  The flour milled from organic berries also can't have anything added to the flour before, during or after milling.

Sadly, every time they test organic grains there are still herbicides and pesticides found in them - just less.   Also flour made from organic grains is also inferior nutritionally and from a baking perspective.  The protein contents are lower due to not being fertilized as well, plus the extra vitamins, minerals and trace elements added to non organic flour to make it more nutritious are also missing from organic flour.  Some organic flour also does not have malt added to it.

The grain is grown from exactly the same seeds using the same water.  The only benefits to organic flour is less chemicals, pesticides and herbicides are found.  This alone is enough for some people even though the nutrition and baking qualities are lower.  There are trade offs to every choice we make - even when it comes to four:-)

A few years ago most organic flour was sold as non organic since there wasn't a big enough market for organic at its much higher price but things are changing.  I have found no difference in how the two grains taste or perform but with organic i don't glow as much in the dark - just kidding since grains are no irradiated

(Based in the UK)

I only use organic flour in bread. Have done so for many years now. I find it works well in my sourdough (sometimes too well) A good mill will constantly test the wheat they get in and blend it with wheats from various sources to maintain consistency, so from that point of view you ought to be fine if you stick with the same mill. I recently switched mills and the new mills flour is different to the old ones but so-far it's been consistent. I'm getting another 250Kg delivered on Wednesday, so am quite confident of this mills flour consistency. Before I switched to this mill, I had samples from 2 other mills - the flour was fine - it did produce different breads though but I doubt most people who were buying my bread would notice.

I live in the organic capital of the world - Devon. Here there are places now beyond organic and I can get biodynamic wheat if I want it. (can't afford it though)

-Gordon

the market for organic grain must be more developed here in the US, because I've had exceptional results using a range of organic flours that are sold here. I've tried Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur, Central Milling, and stuff that is sold locally here in California in bulk bins of the health food stores. They've all been great for making starters and building loaves.

It is true, as dabrownman wrote, that the modern wheat can have lower protein content when grown organically or biodynamically due to less or no nitrate fertilization. In Denmark that has led to a revival of old country strains drawn from the Nordic Gene Bank for organic production. The biodynamic Öland wheat, Halland wheat, and Dalarna wheat (all of them old Swedish strains) that I use range from 12 to 14% protein, which is actually higher than most of the non-organic bread wheat that I can find - typically 11% protein.

Anyway, I use organic and biodynamic wheat for both starter and dough and I think that it works just fine. The same goes for rye. I recommend you try the strains that I mentioned if they are grown in Sweden (or imported from Denmark).