Belle Valley Ancient Grains
Belle Valley Ancient Grains
Our products are available at;
- Our farm! (We are usually here - please call/text ahead, 281-468-7755)
- The Bashful Bison, Rapid City, Bashful Bison
- The Loaf Bakery, Rapid City, The Loaf
- The Sour Bakery, Rapid City, The Sour
- Bear Butte Gardens, Sturgis Bear Butte Gardens
- Red Onion Marketplace, Belle Fourche, Red Onion
- Look's Market Sioux Falls Look's Market
- Nightingale Bread Colo Springs https://www.nightingalebread.com
- Breadroot Natural Foods Rapid City https://www.breadroot.com/
- Moxie Bread Co of Louisville Colorado https://www.moxiebreadco.com/
- Good Earth Natural Foods Spearfish http://www.goodearthnaturalfood.com/
20% off many items. Fresh milled organic flour fast - always milled fresh to order for maximum nutrient content. For the 10 and 50 lb sizes, you have the choice of having the flour stone milled with the antique mill. The stone milling provides a broad cross section of texture. It shears off the bran which is more visible as flakes in the stone milled product, whereas our standard impact milling process tends to pulverize everything, even the bran flakes. With the stone milled product you would have the opportunity to sift out the bran more easily. If you order from us, just include a message that you would like it stone milled - or come out and watch the milling process. Bulk sizes available. Low cost bulk shipping to nearby states, free shipping over $35 on our Etsy site.
Ancient or heirloom wheat and flax, grown organically (non GMO), from the Belle Fourche River Valley of western South Dakota. Having re-learned to farm the way it was done 100 years ago, without pesticides, herbicides, modern hybrids, or nitrogen fertilizer, we use crop rotation to harvest as nature allows - sacrificing the maximum yields attainable with modern farming practices, we focus on the flavor and quality of older varieties. With the exception of Clark's Cream, we only sell what we grow so you can know exactly where your healthy whole grains come from.
We encourage you to mill the wheat yourself (please see our guide to milling in Recipes tab), as it is used. The aroma of fresh ground wheat is something you will not forget!
We are FDA registered and inspected, our grain is tested by the, Kansas State Wheat Lab, and/or Washington State University Bread Lab We are members of the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association.
Nutrition info on some of the grains are available here from USDA; https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/search/list
And for download here (pdf file);
Heirloom wheat from the Belle Fourche River Valley
Einkorn
(Farro Piccolo) is one of the earliest cultivated forms of wheat. Also known as Triticum Monococcum, with 14 chromosomes, Einkorn was first domesticated ~ 10,000 years ago. Compared to modern wheat varieties, it has petite kernels, a rich nutty flavor and typically higher protein content. Bread made from Einkorn has a distinctive slightly sweet flavor and has been judged as a favorite in our tasting panels. It is a very soft wheat that can be roasted and seasoned to eat (similar to sunflower nuts) or added to recipes such as cookies in place of oatmeal. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Einkorn
(Farro Piccolo) is one of the earliest cultivated forms of wheat. Also known as Triticum Monococcum, with 14 chromosomes, Einkorn was first domesticated ~ 10,000 years ago. Compared to modern wheat varieties, it has petite kernels, a rich nutty flavor and typically higher protein content. Bread made from Einkorn has a distinctive slightly sweet flavor and has been judged as a favorite in our tasting panels. It is a very soft wheat that can be roasted and seasoned to eat (similar to sunflower nuts) or added to recipes such as cookies in place of oatmeal. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
EmmerKnown as Farro Medio or just Farro in the US, this is a very old wheat variety native to the Fertile Crescent that has been found in archeological sites from 17,000 BC. Emmer is higher in fiber and generally lower amounts of gluten than modern wheat, has larger kernels than einkorn and a delicious flavor. It is tetraploid (has 28 chromosomes) with the scientific name Triticum Dicoccum. Minestra di farro is a common dish in Tuscany Italy - see the recipes section on our website. Can be milled for bread and general purpose flour, cooked and used in salads, and is also wonderful as hot cereal. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Emmer
Known as Farro Medio or just Farro in the US, this is a very old wheat variety native to the Fertile Crescent that has been found in archeological sites from 17,000 BC. Emmer is higher in fiber and generally lower amounts of gluten than modern wheat, has larger kernels than einkorn and a delicious flavor. It is tetraploid (has 28 chromosomes) with the scientific name Triticum Dicoccum. Minestra di farro is a common dish in Tuscany Italy - see the recipes section on our website. Can be milled for bread and general purpose flour, cooked and used in salads, and is also wonderful as hot cereal. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Spelt
Spelt is a winter wheat variety, known as Farro Grande and (Triticum Spelta) and has 42 chromosomes as does modern wheat. Spelt has been cultivated since ~ 5000 BC, is mentioned in the Bible and was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. It now survives as a relic crop in Central Europe and northern Spain but is also gaining popularity as a health food. As with Einkorn and Emmer, Spelt is harvested with the husks or hulls still on and we dehull the wheat as part of the cleaning process. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Spelt
Spelt is a winter wheat variety, known as Farro Grande and (Triticum Spelta) and has 42 chromosomes as does modern wheat. Spelt has been cultivated since ~ 5000 BC, is mentioned in the Bible and was an important staple in parts of Europe from the Bronze Age to medieval times. It now survives as a relic crop in Central Europe and northern Spain but is also gaining popularity as a health food. As with Einkorn and Emmer, Spelt is harvested with the husks or hulls still on and we dehull the wheat as part of the cleaning process. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Some wheat facts... Einkorn is a diploid with 14 chromosomes, Emmer is a tetraploid with 28 chromosomes and Spelt has 42 as does most modern wheat.
Red Fife
In the mid 19th century, Canadian farmer David Fife had asked acquaintances in the UK for seed that might grow in harsh northern climates. The seed sent to David is thought to have come from the Ukraine or Poland. Thus, named Red Fife, this is an heirloom variety that became the standard wheat in Canada. from 1860 to 1900. Plump kernels, flavorful - delicious for bread! This is our family favorite, certified organic, and it is also the most economical of older wheats as it does not have to go through the de-hulling process like Emmer, Einkorn and Spelt. This link is to a pdf file by Paulsen and Shroyer, a terrific discussion of the genesis of Red Fife and others . Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Red Fife
In the mid 19th century, Canadian farmer David Fife had asked acquaintances in the UK for seed that might grow in harsh northern climates. The seed sent to David is thought to have come from the Ukraine or Poland. Thus, named Red Fife, this is an heirloom variety that became the standard wheat in Canada. from 1860 to 1900. Plump kernels, flavorful - delicious for bread! This is our family favorite, certified organic, and it is also the most economical of older wheats as it does not have to go through the de-hulling process like Emmer, Einkorn and Spelt. This link is to a pdf file by Paulsen and Shroyer, a terrific discussion of the genesis of Red Fife and others . Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
White Sonora
White Sonora is one of the oldest wheat varieties in North America. Documented to exist near Sonora, Mexico in the 1700s but likely predates that time. The predominant wheat in California in the early and mid 1800s, was used by Norman Borlaug for the Sonora 64 semi-dwarf variety, which was one of the first Green Revolution wheats. Unfortunately, Sonora 64 led to the demise of Sonora Wheat. Recognized as a soft wheat as it is lower in gluten-forming proteins, however we have found that Sonora is as good for bread making or general use as any of the older wheat varieties. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
White Sonora
White Sonora is one of the oldest wheat varieties in North America. Documented to exist near Sonora, Mexico in the 1700s but likely predates that time. The predominant wheat in California in the early and mid 1800s, was used by Norman Borlaug for the Sonora 64 semi-dwarf variety, which was one of the first Green Revolution wheats. Unfortunately, Sonora 64 led to the demise of Sonora Wheat. Recognized as a soft wheat as it is lower in gluten-forming proteins, however we have found that Sonora is as good for bread making or general use as any of the older wheat varieties. Certified organic, cook thoroughly.
Flaxseed
We grew our certified organic flaxeed as a border crop to separate the various heirloom wheat varieties and found that it provides for interesting blends when milled with the wheat, adding flavor and nutrients. Our original crop tested at 24.3% protein and 42% crude fat! However, these are the some of the “good” types of fat such as omega 3 fatty acids. Flax is also great on cereal, on salads and included in baked goods, as a breading material with texture. The earliest evidence of humans using flax fibers as a textile was from 30,000 years ago while evidence of a domestic oil seed flax dates to 9000 years ago in Syria. Flax was cultivated extensively in ancient Egypt. Cook thoroughly.
Flaxseed
We grew our certified organic flaxeed as a border crop to separate the various heirloom wheat varieties and found that it provides for interesting blends when milled with the wheat, adding flavor and nutrients. Our original crop tested at 24.3% protein and 42% crude fat! However, these are the some of the “good” types of fat such as omega 3 fatty acids. Flax is also great on cereal, on salads and included in baked goods, as a breading material with texture. The earliest evidence of humans using flax fibers as a textile was from 30,000 years ago while evidence of a domestic oil seed flax dates to 9000 years ago in Syria. Flax was cultivated extensively in ancient Egypt. Cook thoroughly.
Clark's Cream
Hard white winter wheat. In 1912, fifteen year old Earl Clark of Kansas noticed a plant with unusual black wheat kernels. He saved three of these seed to replant. The resulting “Blackhull” variety accounted for a third of the Kansas crop in the 1930s. Clark developed other varieties including KanKing also derived from seeds from a single plant crossed with Blackhull descendants. Developed over eight generations, with lineage traced back to the original black seeds noticed by Earl in 1912, Clark’s Cream was released in 1972. Our current crop of Clark’s Cream was grown as certified organic by Venner Farms, Pierre, SD.
Clark's Cream
Hard white winter wheat. In 1912, fifteen year old Earl Clark of Kansas noticed a plant with unusual black wheat kernels. He saved three of these seed to replant. The resulting “Blackhull” variety accounted for a third of the Kansas crop in the 1930s. Clark developed other varieties including KanKing also derived from seeds from a single plant crossed with Blackhull descendants. Developed over eight generations, with lineage traced back to the original black seeds noticed by Earl in 1912, Clark’s Cream was released in 1972. Our current crop of Clark’s Cream was grown as certified organic by Venner Farms, Pierre, SD.
Would you like to know where your food comes from? Your healthy whole grains and fresh milled flour can come from right here.
