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Is it possible to find wheat berries locally without spending a fortune? Specifically hard white wheat berries.

icantbakeatall's picture
icantbakeatall

Is it possible to find wheat berries locally without spending a fortune? Specifically hard white wheat berries.

I could only find them at whole foods so far and those were just hard red wheat berries and they were quite expensive. I live in the midwest. There's got to be somewhere I can get wheat berries for not a ton of money. At this rate i'd rather just buy flour, haha. Thanks!

David R's picture
David R

I see that you used the word "ton" - that might be your problem. I bet it would be easy to get ten tons, but not so easy to get a pound and a half. ?

clazar123's picture
clazar123

"Midwest" is pretty large-can you narrow it down,please?

BreadLee's picture
BreadLee

Hey there.  I see them on amazon.  There's nothing easier than buying them that way.  

Soft White Wheat Berries | Non-GMO Project Verified | 100% Non-Irradiated | Certified Kosher Parve | USA Grown |Identity Preserved (We tell you which field we grew it in) É https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005XDUAKY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AnESCbRFQ20RD

David R's picture
David R

Amazon is certainly efficient, but not "local" as the request said.

I'd think if you're in the US Midwest, the way to get local wheat would be to look for very small very local businesses - the kind that you won't hear of except by word of mouth - and quit searching the major retail stores.

msneuropil's picture
msneuropil

I know this will cause people to shudder...so I will just say...I don't plan to defend it at all.  It just is what it is.

Feed store.  Local Mormon pantry or as they sometimes call it...LDS cannery.  

I've been a prepper for decades...and in the case of a SHTF situation...preppers often order from a Mormon pantry...or pick up feed store quality grain.  I prefer the Mormon pantry for the price.  I am NOT Mormon but my DIL was raised Mormon.  IF you know someone who is...then they can take you to an LDS cannery...and you can buy a bag, or 10...and put it up in #10 cans or take home and put into buckets for 10 years if need be.  OR you can order a case of #10 cans shipped to you...but then there is the cost of shipping.  I've done all of those.  The #10 cans are nice for opening enough for the week...rather than opening a 25lb bucket cause then the clock is ticking if you don't re seal it up good. 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Augason-Farms-Hard-Red-Wheat-Emergency-Food-Storage-26-Pound-Pail/22985145?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=42423897272&wl4=pla-51320962143&wl5=1027654&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=22985145&wl13=&veh=sem&gclid=CjwKCAjwkcblBRB_EiwAFmfyywYqB6F9_hnY7D_t6WBbDsURKl2AwEwlHjbakZAG4_C5mPjoUvUEdRoCvPEQAvD_BwE

https://www.newlifeonahomestead.com/where-to-find-wheat-berries/

Many preppers buy wheat at farmers co-ops or feed mills.  I've done it...and in an emergency...you will be happy to winnow your wheat cause it might not be as clean as the other sources. 

 I LOVE Amazon...BUT have had issues ordering grains that have been "repackaged" to smaller amts out of a large bag of grain...or in the case of rye flour...getting a case with a date that says I have almost a year of time usage...only to find inside the case is a miss matched assortment of seal at mill flour...BUT only 2-4 months of freshness left.  

Then the vendor and Amazon blames everyone else for the problem...LOL!  

Good luck ...

David R's picture
David R

I can't be called an expert on USA geography, but I don't really think Utah counts as a Midwest local source.

msneuropil's picture
msneuropil

Well I am not in the midwest...nor in Utah...but I am able to go to a LOCAL LDS cannery to pick up wheat here 25 miles NW of Seattle if all else fails.  But I found I could buy at at a local Winco right off the shelf...or the local co-op if I asked them to order it. Perhaps...the poster could try to do so with their local bulk food stores or co-ops.  

The Winco had bags of Bob's redmill grains.  I took a picture of the bags of items I was interested in to compare prices...but I am no longer buying grains so was not interested in the prices.  But there was some red and some white wheat although I am not sure that the white was Bob's or Wheat Montana. 

So I thought if I could pick it up at a local LDS or a local co-op...then perhaps that was an option to anyone who had a LDS cannery or farmer co-op in the area.

I can go 10 mins from my house and have the local farmers/food co-op order me 25lbs or more of wheat grain or flours like rye...no shipping cost.  You just have to ask.  All they can do is say NO.

IF they have it in the whole foods bins...then why not ask them if you can just buy 25lb or 50lbs??  I did...and they did.  Sure beats paying shipping. 

After all...a co-op is something you can join free...and get dividends yearly...and mine didn't tell me I would have to pay for shipping.  They simply ordered an extra bag or two and I went and picked it up.  

Before that...I went to the LDS cannery...but that was 25 miles away and terrible traffic.  But no shipping. 

msneuropil's picture
msneuropil

if price is better than what you have.  I think it is cheaper if not sold as emergency food...and you put it up yourself...which I did.  But this is already put up for you so...

I think maybe a Walmart is local...???

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Augason-Farms-Hard-White-Wheat-Emergency-Food-Storage-40-Pound-Pail/165900086

   
David R's picture
David R

I realize you're not in the Midwest, but the OP was quite clear that the goal was a source local to them. I may have guessed wrong, but I took it to mean "locally grown". Maybe it only meant "physically available to buy in person". But I'm reasonably confident it didn't mean "Please check Amazon for me". ☺️

msneuropil's picture
msneuropil

So the wheat berries at his local Whole Foods is wheat berries that are grown LOCAL geographically and that is a policy of whole foods to only sell locally sourced items??  

I guess I need to go to a Whole Foods...but I don't want to drive 40-60 miles to see cause I don't have one "locally".   

bigcrusty's picture
bigcrusty

Check out Meuer Farm- Chilton , WI .  I buy wheat and rye from Dave Meuer.  He sells as little as a lb up to 50 lb. bags.  He has Durum Wheat berries but not hard white.  He sells hard red wheat berries along with Oat, Rye, Einkorn, Emmer and Spelt. 920-418-2676.  Hope this will work out for you.  

Happy Baking,

Big Crusty 

beurre's picture
beurre

I live in Indiana and have been able to find local wheat berries at the food co-op in town. If you have a similar co-op grocery store or natural foods store, they may have a line on wheat berries and can special order you some.

There's also a small mill, Carthage Mill, not too far away from where I live that processes grain from family farms around Indiana: http://www.carthagemill.com/. I spoke with them awhile back and they said they could set some aside for me, but I never actually got around to ordering some. You should check for similar small / family-run mills in your area.

USNGunner's picture
USNGunner

Great River Organic Milling is in Wisconsin, they sell smaller amounts on Amazon.