Frequently Asked Questions
How do I order online?
We only offer online ordering for in-store pick ups. This is a convenient options for our dedicated customers who commute to our store, guaranteeing what you want will be available for you. We are very busy around the holidays and have a limit of what we can produce and offer pre-ordering for this season. We offer season items on pre-order, visit the pre-order tab to navigate to the store.
Is your grain organic?
Yes. When we acquired our farm land for growing wheat the land had been previously farmed conventional. This means we had to transition the land and the certification of organic takes several years. We have always used sustainable and organic farming practices, and the product is now certified organic.
Additional information about sustainable farming: Grain is grown to rest soil and is an important piece of sustainable farming practices. It takes 9 months for a planting of wheat to reach maturity. Often these plantings are dry farmed and the natural growth cycle allows for a great deal of biodiversity to flourish. Our 2016 crop was self-seeded and dry farmed. The soil was not tilled but allowed to rest for over a year. This allows the microbiological communities in the soil to flourish and the resulting crop looks fantastic. We save a percentage from each harvest to use for the following year’s crop. We spend extra money to keep our wheat varieties separate and preserve their identities. Our bread and pasta products are made from identity preserved grains that retain the full complement of their whole grain nutrition and flavor.
How do I store you grain and grain products?
Our flour and wheat berries can be stored in an ordinary pantry for one year without any problems; people living in more tropical climates like to store these in the freezer but it is not really necessary in Southern California. Breads can be stored in their bags, on the counter for several days without staling. If you want to wrap the loaves in foil or clean kitchen towels they will last a week.
Freeze breads for longer storage by wrapping in foil or a zip lock bag. To thaw, place frozen loaf in oven for 25 minutes at 375°. A loaf that has dried out on the counter can be refreshed by running the loaf under the faucet very briefly, then popping it into the oven for 15 minutes at 375°.
How is you flour milled?
We use Meadows Mills, either an 8 inch or a 20 inch mill, to grind our grains. The most important thing about our flour is that it is whole grain flour, all the flavor and nutrition in the wheat berry is in the flour. The quality of this informs everything you create with our flour. From chocolate chip cookies to pasta to bread the color and flavor of this flour is like nothing else. Flour with flavor, flour with nutrition and it is very easy to work with, just increase the liquid in your recipe by 15% and continue as before.