bulk bread flour?

by lyndsayfink 27th October 2010, 11:44 pm

Here goes, my first question....!

Can anyone recommend a good place to order bread flour from online? We would be after biggish sacks, ie instead of buying 4 or 5 from the supermarket. Ideas on places that are good value would be great, ie, not necessarily aimed to a market with "artisan product" in their mind.

Basic, wholesome, good is what I'm after!

Thank you for any suggestions. I did a bit of a web search but I have a feeling there might be better options hidden away, only known to those who know!

by Adrian 28th October 2010, 12:29 am

I buy mine in 20 kilo sacks, but I am some 4500 kms away, so not much help I'm afraid

by Wilhelm Von Rhomboid 28th October 2010, 8:03 am

http://www.wessexmill.co.uk/acatalog/Bread_Flour.html

Wessex is the home of good flour. *

(*: I only said that so CW could insist that Herefordshire is the true home of good flour)

by Compostwoman 28th October 2010, 12:03 pm

Wilhelm Von Rhomboid wrote:http://www.wessexmill.co.uk/acatalog/Bread_Flour.html

Wessex is the home of good flour. *

(*: I only said that so CW could insist that Herefordshire is the true home of good flour)

But, of course, it is.

No, seriously, we do beef, dairy, hops, apples but our wheat is not really hard enough for bread making on the whole.

Try Doves Farm, or Shipton Mill, I only get organic so thats what is in my favourites list.

Also Moneysavingexpert forum has a few threads on this at the moment.

Our local wholefood shop has 25 kg sacks we can buy so you could ask if they will do that for you ? OR form a co op with some friends and bulk buy from Suma or Essentials.

Hopethis is helpful and welcome fleurs

by Hathorite 28th October 2010, 12:28 pm

Doves Farm does do some bulk flour but what I discovered to my dismay is most of it is shipped from the US, where GM crops are rife. It may be "organic" but what does that mean in a fair wind?

Cheers for the reminder, I've been thinking about this again.

by lyndsayfink 2nd November 2010, 12:22 pm

Thank you all!

Hathorite wrote:Doves Farm does do some bulk flour but what I discovered to my dismay is most of it is shipped from the US, where GM crops are rife. It may be "organic" but what does that mean in a fair wind?

Cheers for the reminder, I've been thinking about this again.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this. I'd be inclined to agree, however doves farm have what appears to be a quite comprehensive policy on their response to GM
http://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/policies/genetic-modification-policy/

do you think this is bunkum? and does this mean that you think the organic label is mostly pointless?

by Wilhelm Von Rhomboid 2nd November 2010, 12:25 pm

I'd go for local non organic over organic imported 3000 miles any day.

by lyndsayfink 2nd November 2010, 12:34 pm

Wilhelm Von Rhomboid wrote:I'd go for local non organic over organic imported 3000 miles any day.

yes, the thought of it coming all that way is depressing.

(is there no need, as they say for the harder wheat for bread? I'm guessing not, but it's what they say).

by Hathorite 2nd November 2010, 2:49 pm

do you think this is bunkum? and does this mean that you think the organic label is mostly pointless?

I think it's damn good marketing...but they can't prove their crops haven't been pollinated by bees which flew from a GM field (provided the poor things survived). All they can do is protect their legal position and state that they personally do not plant GM seeds. But that's about it.

I will agree that I would rather have local than overshipped organic, and there are some really good growers here. Shipton Mill is good and I think there's another in the UK which is even using old fashioned mills to grind their flour (possibly the same).

by Compostwoman 2nd November 2010, 3:37 pm

I use Shipton Mill and also Bacheldre which is the mill nearest to us and which mainly uses UK grains.

by Chilli-head 2nd November 2010, 4:27 pm

You can get organic East Anglian wheat milled by wind power from Fosters mill at Swaffham Prior, and there may be similar sources near you. If you are a windmill geek like me, you will have to hand a copy of "Mills open" from the SPAB, which indicates which water/wind mills sell flour.

We passed by Denver windmill once, which has a bakery attached, Their bread rolls smelled so gorgeous that they were eaten before we even made it out of the car park !

by Wilhelm Von Rhomboid 2nd November 2010, 7:09 pm

Good old SPAB. They infuriate me and delight by equal turn.

by Chilli-head 3rd November 2010, 10:00 am

Would you like to elaborate ? Interested to hear your thoughts, that's all.

by Guest 6th November 2010, 9:27 am

I've use bulk flour for about 6 years. We use stoneground wholemeal flour for maximum protien content. The best one for me is Shipton Mill. I do not use their organic as it is not stoneground and comes mainly from Canada where as the "Stoneground Wholemeal" is a high organic content anyway - from the UK.

I have to find some good friend to take delivery and bring it over which is crazy but I haven't found a local solution to the problem - yet!

25kg sack works out at 86p a kg with free delivery. They delivery is excellent - always delivers on the specific day I ask. The flour works well in the panasonic breadmachine on wholemeal fast bake.

by Chilli-head 8th November 2010, 10:48 am

Now how strange is that.

France is the largest source of imported flour in the UK, largely strong breadmaking flour. In turn UK production tends to be a bit low in protein for bread making, but exports soft flours for patisserie to France.

You seem to be going against the flow rather !

by Guest 8th November 2010, 11:03 am

I agree totally C-H. There is a mill (modern) 6km away from me that makes T170 wholemeal flour. If I go to a trendy (expensive) health food shop in a city 70km away I can buy 1kg bags of it but I can not find a way to get flour from the mill.

It underlines the way the argo-industry works. In the last 6 years this has become the wheat belt. The grain is sold before it is grown. Everything is huge and bulk and standard and owned by a speculator or a bank.

The only way to buck the system is to know someone. This is how the French survive. I am still trying to find "someone" who can help penetrate the mill. It does sell through the co-operative - so it should be possible. Thats why I say - "yet".

by Hathorite 22nd November 2010, 10:41 am

Bringing this post up again as I made an order to Shipton Mill last week and started using the flour in my baking. I have to say I love it, I don't know what's different about it from Dove Farm's selection but it is a joy to work with. I've made pizza and bread with it, all of which sprog eats quite happily, even finishing off the crusts (!!!). I'm definitely sold on it and will be ordering with them from now on.

by budburst12 22nd November 2010, 4:52 pm

Thanks Hathorite - I didn't spot this thread the first time around! I might just have to try their flour too.

Well I'm shocked to hear that Dove's farm is mostly from the US!!! I'd been buying it thinking I was doing a good thing to be buying UK flour. facepalm

So thanks for posting this question Lindsayfink!

by budburst12 22nd November 2010, 7:48 pm

Actually, just found another supplier closer to home for me at least - Pimhill Farm. Organic, stone ground, do wholemeal flour grown on their farm here in Shropshire. They also do oats and museli. I've not tried their flour yet, so don't know how good it would be for bread, but their museli and oats are very nice.

http://www.pimhill.co.uk/

by Guest 24th November 2010, 4:46 pm

Budburst - if you venture into the Welsh wilderness you are not that far from Bacheldre watermill. They are (as far as I know) the only place in the UK to oak smoke their flour. They do some very interesting flours and are excellent for bread. Although I've never managed to get the new Panasonic to work well with the wholemeal, it definitely is worth making it make by hand.

You can tell when the Shipton Mill flour is enhanced with French flour as it makes puff ball impersonations if you add sugar (never add sugar to French flour!)

by budburst12 24th November 2010, 4:57 pm

Thanks Zoe! Gosh, didn't realise how close they are to me, but looking at their location map, it's just down the road. Looks like they do some very nice flours. I've seen this stuff in the shops round here but hadn't realised how local it is! I'd been buying Dove's Farm instead thinking it was from Devon and not the US and that I was doing my bit for local-ish food! facepalm

by Guest 24th November 2010, 5:03 pm

Just checked the Bacheldre site to see if it is the flour or the grain that is smoked, they now smoke the wheat flakes and add them to the malt flour. But also noticed they now do internet orders, but still only do small bags (1.5kg), but its free delivery for any order over 25pounds. They are expensive but it is a treat!

...posted same time as Budburst! Very Happy

by Compostwoman 24th November 2010, 6:24 pm

I mentioned Bacheldre on page 1!

Compostwoman wrote:I use Shipton Mill and also Bacheldre which is the mill nearest to us and which mainly uses UK grains.

I have found it is not terrific in the panasonic breadmaker, but is wonderful for hand dough making.

An organic farm shop just up the road stocks it for me.

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