Demand Grows For Heirloom Wheat

Demand Grows For Heirloom Wheat CROPS Miscellaneous Rachael Hollerich and her husband Trent are finding new customers thanks to an old wheat variety Red Fife hard red spring wheat has become a big seller along with the other grains flour and baking mixes they sell through their business Good Earth Mill and Grains This is their fifth year in business and their second with the heirloom variety “Red Fife is known as one of the best spring wheats for baking ” say Hollerich “It has been revived in Canada This year’s harvest is our second and we’ll have a seed bank for future years and be able to sell seed to others ” The couple operates a stone mill that lets them sell fresh ground Red Fife whole wheat flour as well as Red Fife wheat berries for cooking and grinding Customers include individuals as well as wholesale Bakers can contract for an acre of wheat grown and milled for them and their business The Hollerichs also market at a nearby farmer’s market and through two CSA’s “It’s a new market for us but we are getting a lot of customers just for the Red Fife ” says Hollerich “One reason it’s popular is that a growing number of people have gluten sensitivity We’ve found people that can eat Red Fife without problems ” Depending on the year fields may contain corn soybeans and rye in addition to the wheat They also raise chickens and Berkshire hogs Hollerich says they are a good combination with the grain “The screenings and clean-out between grinding different grains are good feed for them ” says Hollerich “They love it ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Good Earth Mill & Grains 53762 Goose Rd 
 Good Thunder Minn 56037
 ph 507 380-5281; Rachel@GoodEarthMill com; www goodearthmill com

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