Biodynamic ingredients will always be our first choice - they are simply more than organic - but there isn't much grown in the UK. Imported biodynamic grain has got very expensive in 2008 but is down in 2011 - we switched our labelling to organic, despite having spent the last 20 years promoting biodynamic products. We are hoping to encourage more farmers to grow biodynamic grain. We are currently using the following:
Rice, Quinoa, Buckwheat, Linseed, Soya.
Our specialist organic supplier Ziegler & Co, have their own quality testing laboratories where they test for quality and gluten. They have helped to set up small scale agricultural cooperatives and comply with the principles of fair trade. They employ agronomists in Bolivia and Peru helping producers to meet organic international standards. Child labour is excluded and they have implemented a social security system in the communities and contribute to local infrastructure projects. Certified to: DIN ISO 9001-9002, ISO 14001, Organic certification to EEC 2092/91 Peas In view of world shortages of grains we keep looking for grains/legumes that could be grown organically in the UK and Europe. Our search led us to PEAS - last classed as a 'grain' in the Middle Ages. Peas are high in protein, pea protein in used in sports blends for body builders and in meal replacements - its easy to digest and gluten free by nature. To our surprise it was very difficult to find organic UK peas. We currenly use yellow dried peas which we mill to flour on our own mill. Green peas work just as well - next time you buy the only Pea bread on the market it may be luminously green! Spelt
Some spelt (triticum spelta) species are crossed with common wheat (triticum aestivum) to enable farmers to use fertiliser to increase the yield. Both are part of the wheat family (triticum) but have many different properties (it’s like red cabbage and Brussels sprouts – they are both from the cabbage family but are quite different). These spelt breeds are known not to have been crossed with wheat (triticum aestivum): Sirino (a biodynamic breed), Oberkulmer Rotkorn, Frankenkorn, Schwabenkorn, Bauerlaender, Steiners Roter Tiroler and Holstenkorn. We only buy spelt from farms who can specify the breed of spelt that they grow. Not only do spelt (triticum spelta) and wheat (triticum aestivum) plants and grains look different, behave differently in baking, have botanical differences, but according to Dr. D'Adamo they react differently with the lectins in your blood, making spelt suitable for blood Group 0 (unless you have an allergie). Since blood group 0 make up around 50% of the population this may explain the endless speculations why wheat is ok for some and not for others. We label our spelt bread suitable for blood group 0, whereas wheat bread is not suitable for blood group 0. Spelt
Throughout 2011 Organic spelt grain from Germany - a blend of Frankenkorn and Oberkulmer Rotkorn.
Freshly milled each day on our stone mill. We know what's in our spelt - we've seen the grain. Who else give that much assurance and that much freshness? Rye
Beautiful clean plump rye grains from Lithuania via our organic grain merchant. Milled freshly each day for the freshest flour.
Wheat
We do not use that much wheat but even then we could not find any single estate organic wheat this season - the wheat we currently use is bought from a grain merchant.
Could a little book for £ 6.99 have saved the grain harvest in the summer of 2008?
Unfortunately 2008 has been an almost complete harvest failure of biodynamic and organic grain and saw the beginning of huge grain price rises around the world. The turbulence hasn't stopped since. Maria Thun's 'Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar' (available from Floris books) said it would be wise to have all grains harvested by the 12th of August 2008! We can't help thinking if all farmers had bought one - it could have saved the harvest...? Prices shot up and they have come down again since. 2009: Grain prices are to rise again. 2010: Prices are sky high again with harvest failures around the globe. 2011: Another reason to look to home grown cereals other than wheat and support organic farming. |
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