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The Local Loaf

ByJennifer @ Plowing Through Life
9 Comments

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My neighbor got a grinder as a gift.  She buys grain, makes her own flour and then makes homemade bread.  While it’s obviously easier to stay on the good side of a generous neighbor like this, for some reason the urge to make my own bread from my family’s wheat hit me.

Making a Very Local Loaf of Bread

I enjoy making many delicious recipes and our family grows wheat on our farm so making homemade bread was fun to try!

raw wheat
Fresh wheat from the field, with some straw, hulls and other chaff
wheat cleaned by hand
I tried dropping the wheat in front of a fan to blow out the chaff, but i ended up shaking it and picking unwanted items out by hand.
Pouring wheat into the mill
The Little Farmer pouring wheat into the flour milll or grinder.
pouring wheat into flour mill
The Little Farmer was committed to making flour
homemade flour
Our homemade flour had a field fresh smell!
kid playing in canister of homemade flour
The Little Farmer is proud of his work. He helped plant the wheat in the field, rode in the combine for harvest, helped clean and grind the wheat into flour.

Dough

1 1/3 c. warm milk

4 T butter, softened

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½ c. honey

2 ¾ c. whole wheat flour

1 ¾ c. white flour

2 t. salt

1 egg

about ½ cup total of:  dry milk, cracked wheat, wheat germ (and whatever else your neighbor gives you)

homemade bread ingredients in a bowl
Dry milk, cracked wheat (makes it more crunchy) and wheat germ (because the neighbor said and she knows what she’s talking about!)

2 ½ t. instant yeast

mixer manager
My mixer manager is on the job. He loves running the controls.

Combine all of the dough ingredients in an electric mixer.  Mix and knead until you’ve formed a smooth, slightly sticky dough.

dusty counter
I was accused of getting the counter dusty.

Let the dough rise in the bowl for 1 hour.  It won’t have doubled in size, but should be just a bit puffy.  Divide the dough into 8 – 10 even pieces, and shape into oval rolls.  Place them on a lightly greased baking sheet and allow them to rise, covered, in a warm place for 90 minutes to 2 hours.

Bake the mini-loaves in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 ish minutes until the bottom is slightly browned.

homemade bread
Making bread is a big time investment, but totally worth it…at this point

*Recipe and flour grinder courtesy of my most excellent neighbors.  Thank you!!!

9 Comments

  1. I didn’t realise you can buy grinders for flour for home use!

    Reply

  2. I make pretty much all our bread and have thought about buying a grinder. Do you know where your neighbor buys her grain?

    Reply

    1. She said that she gets it at a “bulk foods store”. There is one named Ashberry or Asherberry farms? I think. That is where she got some of her supplies. She said that she would’ve preferred a hand crank, becuase the electric grinder was noisy. I enjoyed the experience, but I did think it was quite a lenghty process. I certainly commend your efforts to make most of your bread!

  3. Totally neat experience for the little man, thanks for sharing! Your bread looks delicious!

    Reply

    1. Henry is going to be a very smart man, he has all kinds of experiences
      in his young life, thanks to mom, and grandpa and grandma!

  5. What an incredible lesson From Farm to Table! Your little farmer will always remember where bread comes from. I discovered your blog via Twitter and am really enjoying it! 🙂

    Reply

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