They’re Adding Kernza To Packaged Mixes

They’re Adding Kernza To Packaged Mixes Missi Blue is concerned about the food she feeds her family and customers, which is one reason she added the perennial grain Kernza to the packaged mixes she offers. The co-owner of Sturdiwheat celebrates the company’s unique heritage and its connection to local farmers. She notes that adding locally grown Kernza to her ingredients is a good fit. It supports a local grower, benefits the soil, and gives her customers another great taste. Best of all, the Kernza mixes are just as family-friendly as other Sturdiwheat products. “Most of our mixes are complete with the addition of a cup of water, while others also use a cup of butter,” says Blue. “That’s the way Arnold Kaehler did it when he started the company in 1939, and that’s the way we do it today.” Creating the company and the mixes were the result of an equipment breakdown. Kaehler had a portable mill he took to farms to mill their grain. Normally, it sifted out all the outer layers of the wheat. When the mill’s screens broke, some outer layers sifted through by mistake. Kaehler was curious and tasted the resulting flour. He liked the flavor enough to take it home and experiment with it. Before long, he had turned the partially whole grain flour into a cereal and a pancake mix. Proud of the strength-building character of his mixes, he called the company Sturdiwheat and based it in Red Wing, Minn. Still based in Red Wing, Sturdiwheat remains a family-owned business. How much of each layer of the kernel that’s used remains a company secret, notes Blue. It’s also what keeps longtime customers coming back for more. They also appreciate that the mixes are all natural, contain no preservatives, and are GMO-free. Over the years, more products were added to the list. Today, Blue and her mother offer 15 different pancake mixes, including the original, as well as the original hot cereal. In addition, they offer a wide array of other mixes for everything from quick breads and yeast bread to desserts and coatings. Kernza flour can be found in dessert, pancake and quick bread mixes. “We’ve been working with Kernza for a couple of years,” says Blue. “Our customers like the nutty flavor, and we appreciate what planting it does for the environment. We also like that we can buy it from a local farmer.” While Kaehler started the company by selling his mixes in the area, Sturdiwheat is now found in grocery stores throughout the region. The Sturdiwheat website has a complete list of products and prices, along with free shipping on orders over $75. Blue has also posted her blog, videos and recipes for ways to use the different mixes. In a show of support for Kernza, Sturdiwheat was the first food company to join Perennial Percent™. The program was introduced by The Land Institute, developer of Kernza and other perennial grains. Members agree to use at least 1% Kernza in every product. “We’re excited to support the Perennial Percent label and see it gain traction in the market,” says Blue. “We live and work along the Mississippi River and care deeply about the river’s water quality. Using deep-rooted, perennial Kernza grain not only makes delicious products, but also builds a market for regenerative ingredients, giving farmers an economic incentive to plant more acres of perennial crops.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Sturdiwheat, 321 Main St., Red Wing, Minn. 55066 (ph 651-385-9300 or toll-free 800-201-9650; pancakes@sturdiwheat.com; www.sturdiwheat.com).

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