FAQ
Can I take a tour of Janie’s Mill?
Yes, we love sharing what we do! Here are our Spring 2023 Tour Dates.
- March 9 (Thurs)
- March 14 (Tues)
- April 6 (Thurs)
- April 11 (Tues)
- May 23 (Tues)
- May 25 (Thurs)
What are the shelf-lives of your products?
Because our flours contain perishable oils and vitamins in the germ and bran, we recommend you purchase our fresh-ground flour in small amounts, and store it in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place, ideally in your fridge or freezer. If you store it at room temperature, you should use it within one month. If the products are in your refrigerator, they will keep well for 9 to 12 months, and if they're in your freezer, they will keep well almost indefinitely. But you'll get the best flavor and nutrition when you use the flour soon after it is ground! (Our whole grains are much more shelf-stable than our milled products, but you should still keep them in air-tight containers in a cool, dry place for the best taste and nutrition.)
Which of your wheat berries are best to grind my own high-protein bread flour?
Our Glenn Hard Red Spring wheat berries are very high in protein (15%!), and they have a nutty, slightly earthy taste. If you have a counter-top mill, these are the perfect berries for milling your own high-protein bread flour. Many people also love to home-mill our Einkorn, Red Fife, Turkey Red, and Black Emmer berries.
Are any of your products gluten-free?
We do sell buckwheat and cornmeal, which are naturally gluten-free, but they cannot be certified gluten free because we process all our grains in the same place—meaning everything is exposed to gluten from the wheat flour we mill. We are starting to offer a number of specialty flours and whole grains with lower gluten content, such as spelt, emmer, and rye, which some people find easier to digest than traditional wheat.
What is "whole-kernel" flour? is it good for you?
Because our stone-milling process delivers the full nutritional profile contained in every kernel, we call our flours "whole kernel."
We also like this term because "whole wheat" and even "whole grain" have become marketing terms rather than an indication of wholesomeness. Most “whole wheat” products you see in the grocery store are made with grains run through high-speed roller mills where the three parts of each grain are separated and have the life, taste, and nutrition largely processed out of them before being re-combined in a poor imitation of a true whole-grain flour.
Our whole-kernel flours are stone-ground in our Engsko mill, and the different components of the grain are never separated out and recombined. (Some of our flours are sifted to remove larger particles, but we always indicate that on the product description -- see "Extraction Rate" information below.) Our cool-temperature stone-milling process ensures that all of the nutrition present in the germ, endosperm and bran are also in the flour. That's REAL whole-kernel flour, and yes, it's REALLY good for you!
What does “extraction” mean?
If you look at the descriptions of our flours, you'll see that they range from 70% to 100% extraction rates. This is a term that professional millers and bakers use, and it simply refers to the amount of flour that's extracted, or milled, from a given amount of grain.
When we put 1,000 pounds of Turkey Red heirloom wheat through our mill, we get out 1,000 pounds of flour, meaning it's a 100% extraction flour and you get 100% of the bran, germ, and endosperm. Our "Artisan Blend" bread flour is lightly sifted, and has a 90% extraction rate, while our All-Purpose flour has an 80% extraction rate, as do our Sifted Artisan and High-Protein bread flours. Our most finely-sifted flour, at 70% extraction, is our Italian-Style Pizza Flour.
If you want to make a light textured bread or other baked good, you'll want a lower extraction rate. If you want a heartier bread, cracker, or other baked good you'll like the 100% extraction flours, which are also the most nutritious! Many of our bakers like to combine flours of different extractions in different proportions for their various baked goods. We invite you to experiment!
What does the term falling number mean?
Falling numbers are all about enzymatic activity. The presence of alpha-amylase indicates damage when wheat kernels begin to sprout prior to harvest. A falling number over 350 seconds is considered to be good for baking bread.
What does ash content signify?
Ash content refers to the amount of ash that would be left over if you were to burn 100 g of flour. A higher ash content indicates that the flour contains more of the germ, bran, and outer endosperm. Lower ash content means that the flour is more highly refined (i.e., a lower extraction rate).
Are your products Organic? Do you use GMOs?
All of the grains that come into our mill are USDA Certified Organic, and our Mill itself is also inspected and we are certified by OCIA as an organic processor.
USDA organic standards forbid the use of GMOs, and none are ever present in Janie’s Mill. Genetic engineering doesn’t help farmers, consumers, or rural communities, and does not advance the changes we seek in our food system. Besides, it has never produced anything truly delicious!
Where is my Gift Certificate?
Your gift certificate is digital and will arrive via email. Sometimes your gift certificate may be funneled into your Promotions or Spam folder by a very efficient junk mail filter, so check there first. If you still cannot see your Gift Certificate email our Customer Care person at cecilia@janiesmill.com.
Where is my package?
You will receive an automated confirmation email immediately after you order. You will then receive another email letting you know your package has shipped, usually within a day or two of placing your order. In that second email will be a UPS tracking number so you can track your package. If you cannot find these emails (look in your Promotions and Spam folders, too), please contact cecilia@janiesmill.com
Do I have to pay shipping?
No, you do not have to pay shipping if you either:
- purchase over $100 and apply the promocode FREESHIPPING100
- pick up your flour from us at 405 N. 2nd St., Ashkum IL. Please order online, and then email Renee@janiesmill.com to arrange a pickup day and time (from 9 to 3, M-F). Renee will also refund your shipping!