Questions and Answers

Grains will store for years, even decades, if stored properly (see below for proper storage recommendations).

For example, grains were found in the Egyptian tombs that still sprouted! Not all grains are the same, however.

We recommend good storage practices and rotating through your grains, always using the oldest first.

Chia, since it’s so fatty, is more likely to go rancid. It will last two to four years. Hemp hearts can be stored for about a year in the fridge and a few months out of the fridge.

Grains are best preserved when stored in a cool, dry, dark place. We recommend an ambient temperature between 0°-70° F, and <60% relative humidity. If those conditions are hard to come by you can always freeze or refrigerate in an airtight container. We do offer super pails that are packaged specifically for long-term storage.

Our organic farm is located in Teton, Idaho, and surrounding areas. We do not have enough acres available to grow all the grains so we also contract other farmers we trust to grow for us. These farmers are located in the northwest areas of North America.

Most ancient wheats (einkorn, emmer, spelt) and some other ancient grains have a hull that must be removed mechanically before the grain can be eaten. While difficult and often expensive to remove, the hull is important because it protects the grain during growing so it’s easier to grow organically.

All of our grains will sprout to some degree. During the process of removing the hull, the germ of some seeds may be damaged, which will decrease germination rates. For example, when we’ve sprouted einkorn, we noticed about a 40-60% germination rate.

Ancient wheats like einkorn, emmer, spelt, and Kamut (a brand of Khorasan) can all be used in place of modern wheat flour. That said, a common mistake is to misunderstand the difference between baking with whole grain modern flour vs white modern flour (designed for ideal bread baking). But assuming you are comparing baking with whole grain modern flour versus whole grain ancient grains, the experience will be very similar when baking with spelt and khorasan. Einkorn and emmer require adjustments (less water) because they have weaker gluten and are wetter grains. Quinoa, chia, hemp, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, and millet are gluten-free. They can be used in many types of recipes or included along with other grains but if the recipe is supposed to rise, we wouldn’t recommend substituting all the wheat flour for any of these.

If you’re brand new to einkorn, we recommend using a recipe written for einkorn before trying to adapt recipes. When you’re used to working with it, pull out some of your favorites and give it a try. Einkorn is a wetter grain than modern wheat. You will want to decrease the liquid by about a third to start and watch consistency from there. Einkorn tends to be sticky and you do not want to overflour it to the point where it isn’t. Resist the urge to add too much flour even if the dough is difficult to work with. Oil or water your hands when working with it.

Quinoa, chia, hemp, buckwheat, amaranth, teff, and millet are naturally gluten-free. However, when packaged, they may not always carry the “Gluten-Free” label because doing so requires special certification and processing. If a naturally gluten-free grain does not have the gluten label on it, that may only be because the producer has not obtained the necessary certifications. The gluten-free certification on packaging is the best way to know that your food is naturally gluten-free and that it was not contaminated during the harvest or processing stages. Einkorn is not gluten-free but has such a different type of gluten from modern wheat that many people with a range of gluten sensitivities can eat it without problems. We recommend speaking to a health care professional before trying it if you have celiac disease.

Our freshly milled flour is just the berries ground into flour with nothing added or removed. Our all-purpose is like the whole grain, except that we sift off the largest pieces, which typically includes much of the bran.

Our all-purpose flour is different from the flour you buy at the store because it includes the germ — a great source of nutrition and flavor — but it is much lighter and finer than our whole grain flour.

Our berries are intended for food and are not recommended for seed. Einkorn naturally comes with a hull on it that has to be removed before it can be used for food. Without the hull, the seedlings germinate (usually 40-60%) but lack vigor and do not grow well but you are welcome to plant them.

We sometimes have seed available but don’t sell it regularly because most of it is needed for our crops. You’re welcome to contact us and check availability at any time.

We are hoping to one day sell all or most of the ancient grains on this website. However, we do not have immediate plans to begin selling the grains that are currently out of stock. The pages for those grains are informational for the time being.

You can mill your own flour and sift it to create a flour similar to all-purpose flour. The benefit of doing so is that you can make it yourself and you’ll know it contains the germ, a great source of flavor and nutrition. The downside is that it may not be as fine as the all-purpose flour you purchase at the store, and it will not last on the shelf as long because stores remove the germ to improve shelf life.

Shipping internationally is very expensive and we do not have the best shipping prices for those types of shipments. The best option would be to go through a freight forwarder. If you’d like a quote on shipping to your location, you’re welcome to contact us.

First, it’s important to understand that all grain has the potential for weevils. We will never ship you grain that contains weevils, but all grain comes off the field with the potential for microscopic weevil eggs. If conditions aren’t right, they’ll never hatch. Practicing correct storage is important. We also recommend freezing your grains for a few days when you first get them to destroy any eggs that might be present. You may ask, “What if my grain already has weevils? Are weevils harmful?” Of course, it’s disconcerting to find little bugs in your grain, but weevils are not harmful to humans and, technically, grains with weevils are still usable. If you have purchased our superpails and find weevils the first time you open one, contact us.