Local sources for bulk grains

[dburkhead]

Rice is easy, but wheat, corn, barley, etc? Where can one find the best prices locally and how do those prices compare with online vendors?

For example, Organic Kingdom has hard white "wheat berries" and hard red wheat at $31.09 for 50 lbs (plus shipping I presume). Can one do better from local vendors?

 

[6birds]

E & S Sales1265 North State Street, Shipshewana, IN 46565-9163(260) 768-4736‎

Giant Amish grocery, with bulk foods, pails, grains, spices, etc. One stop Shopping!

A few of us made a bulk run in Sept-09, I hauled almost 2000 lbs back in my truck for the Hamilton County group, and I know of several others that made the drive themselves to shop and stock up.

If you're interested in the next bulk run, shoot me a PM. I'm headed back in March.

 

[IUGradStudent]

Anything closer to Bloomington? There is an amish center about 1 Hr. southwest, but I haven't heard anything about bulk grains from them...

 

[Scarnucci]

The sad fact is that even though E&S is in Indiana, their grain comes from out of state. I have never been able to find any Indiana wheat.

 

[6birds]

The sad fact is that even though E&S is in Indiana, their grain comes from out of state. I have never been able to find any Indiana wheat.

The tags on mine are from Fort Wayne, not sure if it was grown in IN, or just bagged there. I have rice too, label on those is Battlecreek, MI. It may not be from Indiana, but I'll bet you it was not shipped very far!

You can buy direct from a farmer or local elevator, but the chaff and dirt throws my grinder into fits! I have bought from the elevator in Westfield several times in the past.

I buy in bulk, then transfer to pails, purge with Nitrogen, and start baking.( a cheap bottle of Nitrogen will do hundreds of pounds of bulk grains, and can be recharged at beer or welding supply shop for a few dollars.)

 

[Indiana Feller]

Squirrel Creek Bulk Foods & Cheese Roann IN 46974 574.893.1942. The last time a picket up Wheat for my wife they were around 30 bucks for 50 lbs. Shipping has always been a show stopper for us ordering online. Check with your local Mormon church they may be able to help you.

 

[insidethebunker]

Here is a wheat supplier in So. IN. It's a family owned farm in Depauw IN (off of SR 64, near Marengo Caves, above Corydon). I'm picking up a few of their hard wheats in the next few days. I'm going to get the 50lb bags, take off about 5lbs each to cook with, and then mylar bag and bucket the remaining 45lbs. $31 to $35 a 50lb bag it's pretty much the same price I see it on the internet but this way you won't have to pay shipping.

Check out their website at Wheat-N-Things

 

[dburkhead]

The thing about shipping costs is that if the supplier isn't really local to Indy I have to "pay" gas and trouble for driving to wherever the place is for one or two bags. I suspect that would be pretty much a wash. Now, if I had enough money to go fill up the back of the Explorer with several hundred pounds or so, that might be a different story, but I was hoping to find something really local.

It's not like I can buy a year's supply all at once. I'm building bit by bit.

 

[6birds]

The thing about shipping costs is that if the supplier isn't really local to Indy I have to "pay" gas and trouble for driving to wherever the place is for one or two bags. I suspect that would be pretty much a wash. Now, if I had enough money to go fill up the back of the Explorer with several hundred pounds or so, that might be a different story, but I was hoping to find something really local.

It's not like I can buy a year's supply all at once. I'm building bit by bit.

So you want it cheap, close, priced for bulk, but in smaller quantities? Go direct to any mill in Indiana, and "de-chaff it" on a windy day before you grind.

If you can wait a few weeks, we're going for another bulk run out of E&S in Shipshewana, late March is about right. I didn't charge anyone fuel costs, as my firm had already covered my mileage, I was driving the diesel back with an empty 8 foot bed.

 

[Scarnucci]

I called Wheat-n-Things this weekend. I was in the neighborhood and had hoped I could hop in and check out their store, but...there isnt a store, online sales only.

The wheat they sell is from Montana as well. The same Prairie Gold and Bronze Chief that E&S sells.

That being said, they do make local deliveries if you are in the area. The impression I got was that they would drop it off it you were not far from the beaten path between their place and Louisville.

$28 for a 50lb bag. $36 for a 45lb bucket.

On a side note, my wife got me a new grain mill for my birthday this month!

I had purchased a cheap (relatively) Victoria grain mill when I was first interested in milling flour. I knew that I shouldnt have expected much from it. Its finest setting was still pretty coarse. I think that it would be a great mill for cracking corn for chicken feed, and I think it is used in beer making when a coarse grind is all that is needed. I was able to make flour with it, but again, it wasnt the best.

Fast forward to this month when my wife got me a new hand crank mill from Lehman's. She got their in house brand, I think they call it "Our Best Grain Mill". It does a great job. A very fine flour. Granted, it took me a half hour of cranking to mill 4 cups of berries into 4 1/2 cups of flour, but the bread is great, has wonderful flavor and is very nutritious.

I know grain mills come in many shapes, sizes and price ranges. I think the one she got me was in the ballpark of $150. Sure an electric one may save you some wear and tear on your rotator cuff, but it will serve only as a paper weight in the PAW.

 

[MarkR]

What about good sources for bulk corn? Dried beans and peas (other than pintos which are widely available)?? I've not seen any, even at E&S.

 

[jeremy]

tag

 

[6birds]

What about good sources for bulk corn? Dried beans and peas (other than pintos which are widely available)?? I've not seen any, even at E&S.

E&S has those too. When were you there last?

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

I completely forgot about N.K. Hurst bean Co. They are still in business downtown Indy and will sell bulk to the public .

I haven't dealt with them yet , but I think they carry any kind of bean you would want .

 

[Indiana Feller]

We use bulk popcorn for cornmeal. It stores well and is in expensive. Just run it through the mill.

 

[millsusaf]

I completely forgot about N.K. Hurst bean Co. They are still in business downtown Indy and will sell bulk to the public .

I haven't dealt with them yet , but I think they carry any kind of bean you would want .

They are just down the road from where I'm working this week....hummm.

Does anyone know how great northern beans store? About the only bean I hear people say they store is Lentils. Why is that?

Thanks

 

[millsusaf]

I called Hurst today and they do sell to individuals in bulk. The turn around time is 3 days.

25 lbs of Great Northern beans were $19.00
25 lbs of Lentils were $18.60

That is a lot cheaper per pound than Wal-Mart sells them for.

 

[cosermann]

Anything closer to Bloomington? There is an amish center about 1 Hr. southwest, but I haven't heard anything about bulk grains from them...

There's a store out that way called Black Buggy through which you can order bulk grain for pickup. Sorry I don't have any contact info. Google may turn it up.

 

[Donnelly]

About the only bean I hear people say they store is Lentils. Why is that?

Associated fuel cost. Almost any legume (bean) combined with some sort of grain will provide the necessary amino acids for the human body to make up protein, which is why you hear of the combination of beans and rice so often. Of all the legumes, lentils require the least amount of cooking time, and thus the least fuel.

 

[millsusaf]

That does make perfect sense. Sometimes I wonder about myself. Thanks

Any idea how long lentils will store in mylar, O2 and buckets?