FAQs
How should I store my product?
Did you know that in Canada, whole wheat flour only needs to contain 95% of the grain? This means that whole wheat flour usually has all of the germ and a portion of the bran removed. Unlike flour marketed as "whole wheat" our whole grain flour contains all of the bran and germ of the wheat, retaining all of the grain's healthy oils. This means it has a shorter shelf life than typical flours. When stored in a cool, dry place most of our products have a shelf life of 6-12 months. All products are best stored in an airtight container in the freezer. We believe the best flavour and nutrition comes from freshly milled flour. We recommend enjoying our products at their freshest.
What do you recommend for different types of baking?
Bread Baking (Whole Grain or Sifted)
Heritage Hard Red Spring Wheat - Red Fife
Our Red Fife flour has the highest protein content and gluten quality of our heritage varieties to create the best structure in bread.
Unbleached All Purpose
We produce a roller milled All Purpose flour for light baking. While this flour doesn't have the nutritional value of a stoneground flour, sometimes your baking just needs a light product.
Rye
Rye adds acidic and earthy notes and is a favourite for breads. Lower in gluten, it is most often used along with a higher protein bread flour. When used alone it creates a dense loaf, usually sliced thin.
Pastry (Whole Grain or Sifted)
Soft White Spring Wheat - Pastry Flour
Soft white wheat has a slightly sweeter flavour and contains lower protein, therefore creating a lighter and more delicate product.
Spelt
We love spelt flour in scones, pancakes, muffins etc because of its soft and tender texture. Spelt creates a lighter product than wheat, even as a whole grain flour.
Unbleached All Purpose
We produce a roller milled All Purpose flour for light baking. While this flour doesn't have the nutritional value of a stoneground flour, sometimes your baking just needs a light product.
All Purpose Baking (Whole Grain or Sifted)
Heritage Hard Red Spring Wheat and Red Fife
Heritage Hard Red (Ladoga) and Red Fife both produce delicious, nutty muffins, scones, pancakes etc. Ladoga creates a slightly more tender product than Red Fife. The texture found in the stoneground whole grain flour creates a tender crumb with a wonderful element of crunch.
Spelt
We love spelt flour in scones, pancakes, muffins etc because of its soft and tender texture. Spelt creates a lighter product than wheat, even as a whole grain flour.
Einkorn
Einkorn can be used for both bread baking and all purpose baking, although because its gluten structure is different than wheat, it will not create the same rise in bread baking as hard red wheat. To help, bake your Einkorn bread in a loaf pan to help give structure as it bakes. As an all purpose flour, it creates a delicious toasty, nutty flavour.
What should I expect when baking with stoneground flour?
Our stoneground whole grain flours are thirstier than traditional all purpose flour. Each grain is different, but you will likely need to increase the liquid component of your recipe.
Whole grain stoneground flour is more textured than traditional "whole wheat" flour because it retains all of the bran and germ. When making bread, to help reduce gluten damage caused by the larger pieces of bran or germ allow the dough to rest after mixing (autolyse) before beginning to knead. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and softens the bran to decrease the amount of gluten damage that the bran causes during kneading.
What is the difference between heritage and modern wheat?
Please take a look at our Blog, where we discuss heritage grains, stone milling, sustainable agriculture and more.
Why do I see a few odd-shaped grains in my bag of berries?
Organically grown grains are not treated with herbicides and therefore contain some foreign seeds (such as wild oats – which are also very good for you!). Our grains are cleaned by a third party organic seed cleaner, and while they do their best to remove any impurities, we cannot guarantee that the product is 100% pure. Our in-house testing indicates over 99.5% purity. If you see a wild oat, let it remind you that your product is herbicide free!
Einkorn requires the extra step of de-hulling, as the seed does not release itself from its hull. As such, you may also find a few hulls that did not come off of the berry during the de-hulling process.
What if I'm not happy with my product?
If for any reason you aren't satisfied with your product please contact us.