Topic: Home grown loaf!

[pumkinlover]

Well nearly!  Last year 2012 I did the Garden Organic "grow your own loaf" experiment.   I grew and harvested but due to the rubbish summer only got a small crop. I milled it and it then forgot about it aa Mr Pkl makes the bread in the bread maker. Today I made my flour into bread cakes
I ended up with 11 oz whole meal flour and added 11oz white as per the recipe

[Melbourne12]

That's fantastic!  I love making bread, and we've considered milling flour, but never dreamed of growing the wheat.

I hope it tastes as good as it looks! 

[BarriedaleNick]

Fine work!  How much space did it take on the plot?

[pumkinlover]

It was 2 metre x 1 metre, but 2012 was an awful year, you would get a lot more flour in a good year.

Just had some with my tea and it is nice and light texture, risen well. The only downside is that it is a bit gritty- like eating a picnic on the beach! I haven't got a proper flour mill and I cannot remember if I used the food processor or the juice extractor ( mine has a grinding attachment)

[galina]

Looks very tasty.  Congratulations Pkl 

[goodlife]

Well done you! At least you managed to get crop...

Few years ago I have this 'great idea' of growing my own 'loaf'...'how hard could it be'????!!!!
Well...it was very hard....those seeds that managed to survive our ever growing flock of sparrows and probably some mice too did eventually grow, but the germination was sparce... And yet under the bird feeders there is abundant 'crop' of wheat growing every year..
I lost my patience and turned the land over for something else to grow its place. I've been meaning to repeat the process but keep forgetting the sowing time in every autumn..
Did you grow winter or summer wheat?
How did you do the treshing bit?

[pumkinlover]

Thanks !
It was spring sown, and germination was good. It must have been a "short" stem variety supplied.
To prepare I just cut the tops off with scissors- tried with a sickle but I have not got the technique.
Rubbed the grains out and have a large woven flat "basket" (can't think of the proper word) so tossed and blew! The crop amount was good but due to the wet a lot looked dark and was thrown so I only ended up with 11 oz. At the time I was worried about ergot poisoning so I threw a lot away, since then I read up on it and it looks fairly easy to avoid.
I am very pleased to think I actually can grow edible flour, though would need another several allotments and a lot of patience to replace our flour purchases (20 + kg coming next week!)

It's worth doing a small amount though just to say you did it!

[goodlife]

I just read a book where different growing method from the 'usual' for wheat was talked about and how it resulted into VERY good yield with fewer seeds. And it was done in very different time of the year than is 'normal'. Hmm..I might have a another read about it and have a go with wheat again.
'to say you did it'...is exactly what is driving me to have another go...how hard can it really be?!...people have grown wheat for AGES

I read somewhere that good crop of wheat, just from few square metres of land would result enough flour for up to 10 loaves of bread!!!!

Ohh....look what you have done now...got me going on about it now...and that means this wheat idea has deep rooted into my brain and it cannot be weeded out until it has run its course... SO.....here we go...2014..year of the wheat it is then 

[pumkinlover]

  Sorry Goodlife- not that I can say that I am surprised at your reaction!
It is not difficult- I couldn't have done it if it was.
There is a technique for eating it though- a reasonable amount of mastication followed by a good gulp- otherwise it really is "sand in your sandwich time!"

[goodlife]

Sorry Goodlife- not that I can say that I am surprised at your reaction!
It is not difficult- I couldn't have done it if it was.
There is a technique for eating it though- a reasonable amount of mastication followed by a good gulp- otherwise it really is "sand in your sandwich time!"

...hopefully it doesn't result needing new set of teeth...

Oh, I'm prepared to avoid that...having proper flour mill at hand...

[vjm63]

Oh dear - now you have got me thinking about doing this now ... 

If I do actually get some wheat from somewhere and grow it, will you experts (pumpkinlover and goodlife, yes I'm looking at you!) please hold my hand?

It could either be a pigeon feeding total disaster or I might get a couple of loaves - or somewhere in between...

[goodlife]

Oh dear - now you have got me thinking about doing this now ... 

If I do actually get some wheat from somewhere and grow it, will you experts (pumpkinlover and goodlife, yes I'm looking at you!) please hold my hand?

It could either be a pigeon feeding total disaster or I might get a couple of loaves - or somewhere in between...

I'll hold you hand....if it is any help.... but start you off, here is some info.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7284011.stm

Usually (in agriculture) you would sow 'winter' wheat in autumn (yes, varieties that prefer longer growing season) and 'summer' wheat in early spring. How vital that timing really is..I don't know as all the wheat from our bird feeders seem to grow just fine regarless when they have been dropped...
To get hold of some seeds, like 'long straw' type that was mention in article (link above)... you can buy some from http://www.brownenvelopeseeds.com/ or any supplier who sell wheat for home milling..
edit to add... link for 'wheat' seeds.. http://www.kingsseeds.com/kolist45/1/True/1/AG3.htm ..though I suspect they would be more commercial type..shorter straw variety

[pumkinlover]

Oh, I'm prepared to avoid that...having proper flour mill at hand...

Do you use this to make your own  flour then GL?

[goodlife]

Oh, I'm prepared to avoid that...having proper flour mill at hand...

Do you use this to make your own  flour then GL?

Yep..(one of these.. http://www.grains2mill.co.uk/grainmill-reviews ) I bought one couple of years ago and been getting some wheat through friend who's neighbour is wheat farmer
But getting wheat that somebody else has grown is not same as able to grow one's own and make bread from it....even if it is just for one loaf. I just have to experience that feeling. I know it is not going to be easy, but I just have to do it 
Few years ago I did grow couple of varieties of primitive 'wheats'...oooo....myyy...good...I'm not going to do that mistake in a hurry...getting the seeds out of them was painful and most frustrating thing ever. I had patience to clean cup full of them and then chickens were treated to the rest . I mixed the ground up flour from the cup full of seeds into 'normal' flour...resulting a loaf that tasted just normal bread...couldn't tell the difference..
Anyhow....enough my ramblings...I have some tall wheat seeds now ordered...some nitrogen fixing green manure seeds too, to undersow the wheat..loads of rock dust to be raked into bed where wheat is going in couple of months time(..or so). I'm almost ready for the challenge...

[Vinlander]

OK, winter wheat is a good winter green manure - even if you eat the grain there's lots of compost from the stems and useful root fibres in the ground that should reduce nitrogen run-off and break up the soil.

If you want a spring/summer equivalent I can't recommend buckwheat enough - it grows extremely well from the hulled seeds sold in health food shops (much, much cheaper than seedsmen), bulks up like a weed and the seeds are easy to grind up to a good flour. It will come out grey from the seed coats but this adds lots of flavour (without them it tastes like ordinary flour - white buckwheat flour isn't worth buying unless you really want the gluten-free aspect).

A good bee plant too.

You will need to include some wheat flour in the recipe for the gluten (or use raw eggs or gum for gluten-free...both is best) But the resulting loaf is incredibly delicious.

The only downside is that the seeds ripen gradually - a good task for 15minutes mindless relaxation at the allotment once or twice a week. If you don't pick seeds as they ripen (blacken) then you'll need to net against pigeons.

Cheers.

PS. roasted buckwheat groats are the best change from rice - (couscous and bulgar are rubbish by comparison) you can try them first from the Polish shop.

[goodlife]

I am well set for the loaf growing season now..
Little while ago I sent request to John Innes centre for their old fashion tall wheat seeds, I explained my growing conditions and what I want to seeds for..I never though I get anywhere with it..BUT, I have just been sent several different small 'samples' of different varieties of spring and winter wheats.. I only requested just one that they would think would suit my purposes.
Now I can sow some of the 'spring' varieties in a march...and then do the tall 'winter' wheat experiment later on the year 
Sods law...you look for something for ages..and when you eventually find it..there is boat load of them dropping through letterbox ..

[pumkinlover]

I am well set for the loaf growing season now..
Little while ago I sent request to John Innes centre for their old fashion tall wheat seeds, I explained my growing conditions and what I want to seeds for..I never though I get anywhere with it..BUT, I have just been sent several different small 'samples' of different varieties of spring and winter wheats.. I only requested just one that they would think would suit my purposes.
Now I can sow some of the 'spring' varieties in a march...and then do the tall 'winter' wheat experiment later on the year 
Sods law...you look for something for ages..and when you eventually find it..there is boat load of them dropping through letterbox ..

Hopefully you will get enough for more than one rather gritty loaf!  Look forward to hearing how it goes. Let the  shine!