Farm-Milled Grain No Longer Just Chicken Feed
Ross and Harold Wilkins stopped turning the grain they grew into chicken feed and started milling grain for flour. Their “Mill at Janie’s Farm” grinds wheat, rye, corn and oats into blends and varietal flours for professional bakers and home bakers alike. They also sell the wheat and rye un-milled for people who prefer to mill their own.
“It was a leap of faith to build our mill with no guarantee customers would come,” says Harold. He credits Ross’ decision to return to the farm as one of the factors in creating the business. “We spent a couple of years researching the idea, finally ordered 2 Danish Engsko mills, and built a building around them.”
They mill around 1,000 lbs. of flour a day, but getting there has been a challenge, according to Ross. “There are a lot of facets to adding another enterprise,” he says. “It isn’t just grinding grain into wheat. There is also inventory management, and having the grain on hand and insect-free. You have to have enough grain on hand for this year and the coming year, in case you have a crop failure.”
On top of all that, there are regulatory hoops to jump through. As Ross explains, “The regulations aren’t set up to encourage people like us to do what we did.”
Harold Wilkins had already added value by switching his acres to certified organic. He had experience storing grain and dealing with regulators. However, adding a mill was a very big, next step.
“It is very costly to do what we are doing,” says Harold. “It’s not so bad if you only plan on milling a couple hundred pounds of flour a week and sell to a local baker.”
Knowing they wanted to market a substantial amount of their grain through the milling operation, the Wilkins looked at high quality, professional mills. They visited other local milling operations around the country.
Their goal was to produce fresh, whole-kernel, stoneground flour, not the roller-mill style flour generally available. The large corporate milling companies remove the germ and the bran, adding some back along with various preservatives and other additives. The Mill at Janie’s Farm flours are different. The cool temperature stone milling process ensures that all the nutrition in the grain is also in the flour.
“Fresh stoneground wheat is not generally available in the Midwest,” says Harold.
“We don’t separate out the different parts of the grain,” says Ross. “We only sift to ensure uniform particle size.”
Quality control and freshness are key. Every batch for their commercial bakers is freshly ground to order. Finding artisan bakers and getting them interested was another challenge. “You have to find the right bakers to understand what you are doing.” says Ross. “Once you find them, you have to help them drive their story to the consumer. You have to add value to your product.”
Ross says it has taken about a year and a half to refine their products. He worked with some Chicago area bakers to get their feedback.
“We’re happy with what we are doing now and are starting to move it into retail packaging,” says Ross. “We are selling it from our website and getting it onto more store shelves.”
FARM SHOW readers can order a variety of flour and other products in 1 1/2 and 3-lb. packages. Whole grain wheat/rye and wheat bran (the large particles sifted out of some flours) are available in 1 and 2-lb. packages. The Wilkins mill a mix of artisan and hybrid varieties that they and other farmers produce. These include Turkey Red, Glenn and Warthog wheat and Brasetto, a high yielding rye.
“We are working with a farmer in western Nebraska who will raise einkorn (ancient wheat) and Red Fife (a heritage variety) for us,” says Harold.
The Wilkins also work with researchers from the Universities of Illinois and Wisconsin, as well as Cornell and Washington State University. They are even considering sponsoring baking classes to build their customer base.
“There once were mills in almost every town, and people had access to different grains with crop rotation,” says Harold. “Conventional farming has obliterated crop rotation. This is a new system. For it to succeed, we need to engage the researchers, the bakers and the consumers, as well as other farmers.”
“I don’t know if I would wish the process on others, but we like what we are doing,” says Ross. “Adding value to your products is something for everyone to assess.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, The Mill At Janie’s Farm, 405 North 2nd St., Ashkum, Ill. 60911 (ph 815 644-4032; themillatjaniesfarm@gmail.com; www.janiesmill.com).
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Farm-Milled Grain No Longer Just Chicken Feed LIVESTOCK Feeding Equipment Ross and Harold Wilkins stopped turning the grain they grew into chicken feed and started milling grain for flour Their “Mill at Janie’s Farm” grinds wheat rye corn and oats into blends and varietal flours for professional bakers and home bakers alike They also sell the wheat and rye un-milled for people who prefer to mill their own
“It was a leap of faith to build our mill with no guarantee customers would come ” says Harold He credits Ross’ decision to return to the farm as one of the factors in creating the business “We spent a couple of years researching the idea finally ordered 2 Danish Engsko mills and built a building around them ”
They mill around 1 000 lbs of flour a day but getting there has been a challenge according to Ross “There are a lot of facets to adding another enterprise ” he says “It isn’t just grinding grain into wheat There is also inventory management and having the grain on hand and insect-free You have to have enough grain on hand for this year and the coming year in case you have a crop failure ”
On top of all that there are regulatory hoops to jump through As Ross explains “The regulations aren’t set up to encourage people like us to do what we did ”
Harold Wilkins had already added value by switching his acres to certified organic He had experience storing grain and dealing with regulators However adding a mill was a very big next step
“It is very costly to do what we are doing ” says Harold “It’s not so bad if you only plan on milling a couple hundred pounds of flour a week and sell to a local baker ”
Knowing they wanted to market a substantial amount of their grain through the milling operation the Wilkins looked at high quality professional mills They visited other local milling operations around the country
Their goal was to produce fresh whole-kernel stoneground flour not the roller-mill style flour generally available The large corporate milling companies remove the germ and the bran adding some back along with various preservatives and other additives The Mill at Janie’s Farm flours are different The cool temperature stone milling process ensures that all the nutrition in the grain is also in the flour
“Fresh stoneground wheat is not generally available in the Midwest ” says Harold
“We don’t separate out the different parts of the grain ” says Ross “We only sift to ensure uniform particle size ”
Quality control and freshness are key Every batch for their commercial bakers is freshly ground to order Finding artisan bakers and getting them interested was another challenge “You have to find the right bakers to understand what you are doing ” says Ross “Once you find them you have to help them drive their story to the consumer You have to add value to your product ”
Ross says it has taken about a year and a half to refine their products He worked with some Chicago area bakers to get their feedback
“We’re happy with what we are doing now and are starting to move it into retail packaging ” says Ross “We are selling it from our website and getting it onto more store shelves ”
FARM SHOW readers can order a variety of flour and other products in 1 1/2 and 3-lb packages Whole grain wheat/rye and wheat bran the large particles sifted out of some flours are available in 1 and 2-lb packages The Wilkins mill a mix of artisan and hybrid varieties that they and other farmers produce These include Turkey Red Glenn and Warthog wheat and Brasetto a high yielding rye
“We are working with a farmer in western Nebraska who will raise einkorn ancient wheat and Red Fife a heritage variety for us ” says Harold
The Wilkins also work with researchers from the Universities of Illinois and Wisconsin as well as Cornell and Washington State University They are even considering sponsoring baking classes to build their customer base
“There once were mills in almost every town and people had access to different grains with crop rotation ” says Harold “Conventional farming has obliterated crop rotation This is a new system For it to succeed we need to engage the researchers the bakers and the consumers as well as other farmers ”
“I don’t know if I would wish the process on others but we like what we are doing ” says Ross “Adding value to your products is something for everyone to assess ”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup The Mill At Janie’s Farm 405 North 2nd St Ashkum Ill 60911 ph 815 644-4032; themillatjaniesfarm@gmail com www janiesmill com
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