Whole Wheat Grain Questions

[JuneGem]

We only started food storage a year ago. We have a good year's supply and are ready to take some next steps. One of those is wheat grain and a manual grinder. My preference is to buy a 5 gallon bucket of wheat, already properly sealed, etc. Can someone point me in the right direction? And what is a very good manual grinder that we should purchase? Sure, electric would be better, but I'd prefer to start with worse case scenario.

[thomasusa]

I like the buckets of wheat that are sold at Costco.
6 gallon super pails with sealed Mylar liners.
6 months ago hey were $13.50.
Too bad they had gone up to $18 and change.
There is no effort except getting them home.

Some time ago I bought the Country Living grain mill on eBay.
Some day I plan to use a stationary bike to turn the pulley on the grinder.

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

[JuneGem]

LOL about the stationary bike! But thanks for the info on Costco!

Anyone else?

[JuneGem]

Just did a quick check. No Costco anywhere near me (200 miles closest!), so will need more ideas. Oh, well!

[prairiemom]

45¢/lb for wheat?!?! :d0 (54): We're paying 18-20¢ /lb here. Of course we still need to put it in buckets, so that makes it 23-25¢/lb.

Where do you live?

I second the Country Living Mill if you want a hand grinder.

[arbilad]

Go here.

http://homefoodstoragesupplies.com/products.php?cat=Grain+Mill+and+Wheat+Grinder

You can find the wheat and grinder in one place.

[JuneGem]

Prairiemom, not sure if you were asking me, but I live in Arkansas.

Arbilad, thanks, for the link. I think that will help a lot! I like the #10 cans! I believe what I need to start with is the hard white wheat. I can see, though, that the mill (even manual) is going to be a major purchase and may have to wait for a month or two.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions!

[thomasusa]

... I live in Arkansas.


Arkansas is a big place.
How far are you from the nearest LDS church cannery?
Go to this link to find one:
http://providentliving.org/location/map/0,12566,2026-1-4,00.html
(I understand that there are smaller dry pack canning locations not on this map.)

The prices are incredible.
Most of my long term storage comes from here.

Here is the link to the pricing page:
http://www.providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/123115_HSC_OrderForm_US_ENG_28_APR_2011_pdf.pdf

I've never wondered if they will ship the cans, but it might be worth investigating.

[GAMom]

I'm not sure if you can still order directly from the church, but here is the link for the church's oder form. it will show the cost per item -
http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8133-1-4352-1,00.html
My son orders some wheat directly from the church awhile back and they sent it to him directly. If this is still available, it may work for you.

Good luck with your preps.

[phylm]

We have about a 2 hour drive to the church cannery in Jacksonville, but I, and a number of the folks I have been helping to prepare, have bought our wheat, rice, oatmeal, beans etc., there, and put it into 4, 5, and 6 gallon buckets with either dry ice or the oxygen pacs in them. We have managed to acquire many free buckets and lids from delis in supermarkets, and I have also bought pails, lids and gamma lids from Emergency Essentials.

I call ahead to the cannery for our bulk orders, and they have them all ready to load for us. Works well, even if some of the group want to put up product in #10 cans while we are there. It is better to have a group go, if there is any significant #10 can canning to do.

[prairiemom]

Yeah, sorry June, I was asking you.

You can go here to find a grain elevator close to you: http://www.farmnetservices.com/farm/Grain_Elevators/ARKANSAS_GRAIN_ELEVATORS/53-0.html
You will save a lot going directly to the local (or closest) grain elevator. Call and ask them what's available.

[JuneGem]

Thanks, thomasusa. However, if you look at the locations listed on that link, you will see absolutely no facilities listed in Arkansas. I'm pretty much in the middle of the state, so the facilities in OK and MO would probably require overnight trips. Not entirely out of the question and I will certainly look into the links both you and prairiemom (thanks, prairiemom) have sent. Still am leaning, at this point, to the #10 cans available through homefoodstorage supplies that arbilad mentioned.

You all are great!