New to Milling Challenge: Gather Supplies
Hi Friend,
One of the most overwhelming parts of milling is deciding what supplies you need to get started. There are countless mill options, wheat berry varieties, and tools. How do you decide?
That’s Step 1 in our New to Millling Challenge (read more about the challenge here). Today, I’m going to walk you through the basics you will need for getting started.
Step 1: Order Wheat Berries
Hard Red v. Soft White
There are so many wheat berry options, and let’s be honest… it is overwhelming.
For this challenge we are going to break it down into two categories hard and soft.
Hard wheat - you will use these for your yeast recipes (hello, sandwich bread!). The reason is the higher protein content will give you the rise you need for bread. You have two flavor options:
White – a mild flavor
Red – a whole wheat flavor
If your family is used to eating whole wheat breads, I’d recommend a hard red. If your family doesn’t like a whole wheat flavor, I’d recommend a hard white.
For now, ignore the winter and spring. That is the time of year the wheat is planted. Here is my favorite hard red and hard white.
Soft Wheat – you will use these for your non-yeast recipes (aka baking powder/baking soda). The lower protein content will give your baked goods a soft texture. It’s a very versatile wheat berry that you will use for cookies, cakes, biscuits, flatbread, pancakes, waffles, pies, and more.
Soft White is the easiest to find, and it is what we personally grow at Farm Fresh Wheat. You can order yours here.
I recommend starting with a small quantity, like 5 lbs. It is easy to store, and you can always order more if you find you enjoy the flavor. As you start baking more, then it’s time to order larger quantities.
If you would like to learn more about wheat varieties, read our blog post How to Choose Wheat Berries.
Step 2: Buy Wheat Berry Storage
Wheat berries need to be kept in pest and moisture proof containers. That’s why I recommend purchasing storage containers for your newly purchased wheat berries.
Our 5 lb soft white wheat berries come in resealable storage bags. Perfect for small cupboards! I also like these containers from Better Homes & Gardens. They seal tight, and stack neatly the pantry. Bonus, you can pick them up at a local Walmart.
For larger quantities of wheat berries (10 lb or more), you will want food safe buckets. A 3.5 gallon bucket holds approximately 30 lbs of wheat. I’ve used these ones for years.
A gamma seal lid is not a requirement, but I can’t recommend it enough. So much better than prying off lids.
Step 3: Order A Mill
If you want to make milling a part of your lifestyle, I can’t recommend an electric mill enough. They free you up to multi-task while you’re milling. I’ve personally used this Komo Classic for 5+ years, and love it. We also have customers that really enjoy their Nutrimills and Wondermills.
A Kitchenaid attachment will be tempting, but they are slow. In fact, one of my friends had a Kitchenaid mill attachment, and she would mill one day and bake the next because it’s so slow.
What to consider when buying a mill:
Space – if at all possible, I recommend storing it on the counter to make milling a habit (read more about that here).
Fineness of Grind – a fine flour will give you the texture you’re used to. Komo, Nutrimill, and Wondermill are known for their fine flour.
Price Point – you may have a little sticker shock, but a well taken care of mill should last you for decades.
I purchased my mill from Pleasant Hill Grain, and their customer service was wonderful! Not sponsored at all, they were just that amazing.
Last but not least…
The only other thing you will need is a large bowl (if you have a spout on your mill). You should already have a mixing bowl floating around in your kitchen. I prefer metal, glass, or melamine. Not plastic because it makes a mess.
Well, are you ready to start your first step of our New to Milling Challenge?
Order your hard and soft wheat berries, storage containers, and mill, then comment below and let us know you finished Step 1.
Happy Milling!
The Sieverkropps