[Sca-cooks] Grain mill question

[CFDEMUTH at aol.com]

    Actually, I do grind my own grain - with an electric grinder, usually. 
There are many advantages. The flour tastes fresher, has more fiber, and there 
are many grains from which to chose and therefore, a wider variety of flours.  
I love whole wheat pastry flour and also white wheat ( a whole wheat that 
comes out much lighter than rergular, hard red wheat). These flours are not 
regularly available in the local grocery store. You can also buy grain much cheaper 
in 50-pound sacks than in smaller amounts (should you care about baking that 
much.) I have also used some of the whole wheat flour that I have ground in 
bread for a feast, when I had extra wheat that I wanted to donate and was baking 
ahead of time.
     I also own a hand grinder that I have used to show my children what used 
to be, and if I want some coarse-ground grain. My hand grinder is not the 
best.
    Grinding your own flour can be fun ( a friend and I do a long session 
together and visit while we grind), healthy (you use more whole grains), gives 
you more diversity, and cheaper (but not much if you count your time).  The 
grocery store also has whole grain flour and I also buy those when I haven't got a 
batch ground. 
    While it's not that big a deal to grind your own (if you have an electric 
grinder), I'm glad to have the option of buying a sack of flour if I want to.

Alianore