2014 - Volume #38, Issue #3, Page #10
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On-Farm Mill Sells All It Can Make
Dan and Fran DeRuyck grow and harvest wheat, then grind it into flour. Local bakers and homemakers buy their flours and flakes almost faster than they can process them. The Treherne, Man., on-farm business has steadily grown since Dan’s parents, Gerry and Marie, experimented with growing 20 acres of organic wheat and selling to a couple of local bakeries. Gerry added a small mill in his garage and by 2004 he couldn’t keep up with demand. Dan and Fran harvested their first organic crop in 2006. Now, in addition to farming 700 acres of organic grains, the couple buys grain from neighbors to meet the demand for their milled products.
Dan and his father take care of the outside work, farming and unloading the grain in storage, cleaning it and bringing it to Fran, “the milling queen.”
Her roller and stone mill are set up in half of the 24 by 24-ft. remodeled garage. With stainless steel counters and easy-to-clean walls and floors, the milling area is like a commercial kitchen to meet permit requirements. The other half of the garage has a cooler to store 30-bushel totes of oat groats until they are delivered.
“We get comments that our oats are the best tasting,” Fran says. She explains that she doesn’t temper (heat) them like the ones sold in stores. The taste and texture are better, but the oats only have a two-month shelf life.
Besides oats and wheat, the DeRuycks mill spelt and rye, and they process buckwheat, flax and sunflowers.
“Our customers give us ideas of what they are looking for,” Dan says, and Fran can adjust the grinds. For example, most bakeries like fine flour, but many customers prefer it coarser for tortillas. Oat flakes vary from small to regular, to coarse flakes used for granola.
Since giving out samples when they first started, the DeRuycks have not had to do much marketing. They are affiliated with local cooperatives that provide website information (www.harvestmoonfood.ca) and have had some media coverage, but most business comes through word of mouth.
“Our business stands out because we are certified organic, processing the grain ourselves, and are willing to meet with people and do what they need,” Fran says.
“Customers ask us how our crops are doing,” Dan adds.
For farmers considering milling and marketing their own grain, he suggests starting small and growing as markets develop.
“Get as much information as you can,” Dan says. “Be patient. You’ll learn as you grow. You will make lots of mistakes.”
Marketing direct to customers — from 5-lb. bags of flour to pallets of 40, 50-lb. bags from British Columbia to Ontario — definitely increases the value of their crops compared to conventional markets, the couple says. By processing grain themselves they can grow the business without adding acres.
But they point out they are also doing several jobs from growing to cleaning, and milling to marketing.
“It’s very physical and not an 8 to 5 job,” Fran notes.
With continued demand, Dan plans to move storage from his parents’ farm to his farm to make the process more efficient.
With her computer to keep her on track with orders, Fran schedules her milling to provide a fresh product to customers.
She notes that she is so busy, she doesn’t have much time to bake for her family. Fortunately Dan’s mother, Marie, bakes bread to make sure the flours Fran grinds work well.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Dan and Fran DeRuyck, DeRuyck’s Top of the Hill Farm, Box 153, Treherne, Man., Canada R0G 2V0 (ph 204 526-2066; dderuyck@mymts.net).
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