A few months ago, we encountered some major problems with our whole wheat flour, causing the final product to be doughy, gummy and very inedible. While hunting down an explanation for this problem and afraid to continue with the same flour, we began using organic whole wheat flour from Montana. Unexpectedly, the new flour proved to be a joy to work with, a shocking difference from what we had been using. After weeks of getting excellent results from this new flour, we opted to make the switch to the organic whole wheat flour. Though it is not grown on the Palouse, it remains fairly local, being grown and milled in Montana.

Once we were so happy with the organic whole wheat, it made the problems that we were experiencing with the white flour that much more apparent. The flour we had been using was a great product, but not the best fit for the majority of our bread baking. After test baking different flour varieties, we chose an unbleached, organic bread flour produced by Giustos, a third-generation family mill based in San Francisco. The dough mixes better, is easier to work with, rises predictably and bakes beautifully. The final product, as some of you have expressed to us, yields an improved flavor, crust and crumb. A Giustos representative is helping me track down the origins of the flour. For now I know that it is organically grown in the western U.S. and likely milled in Utah.

Is organic healthier than conventional?
The question remains unresolved, due in large part to the great variability in agriculture data resulting from uncontrollable factors such as weather and sunlight. However, without going into a long spiel, many of the papers I read indicate that organically grown produce and cereal grains do in fact contain more nutrients and minerals than their conventionally grown counterparts. One study in particular found much higher levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorous and significantly lower levels of nitrates in organically produced crops compared to the same ones conventionally grown. Another study found that though the protein content of organic winter wheat was lower than conventional, the quality of the protein was substantially higher.

So now that we have gone back to organic flour, what does this mean to you as the customer? The first thing you may notice before you put that aromatic fresh slice into your salivating mouth is the price. The rising bread prices are multi-fold. Firstly, many of the Co-op’s breads — i.e.: Daily Wheat, Buttermilk Bran, Honey Butter Oat, etc. — have not been cost-out in many years, and over that time, our cost of ingredients has increased. Secondly, the market price of flour has more than doubled in the past year.

And thirdly, organic flour comes at an even higher price. The many factors that cause organic flour to cost more than conventional flour include increased production costs; more time to organically care for the soil; tiny organic flour market compared to conventional; increased costs for storage (conventional flour is thoroughly fumigated to deter pests); organic inspection / verification costs; infrastructure (keeping equipment used for organic separate from that used for conventional); and perceived value.

Yes, the bread may cost a bit more than you’d like, but you can feel good that you are supporting farmers who are working extremely hard to tend our soils, prevent erosion, safeguard our waterways and make the Earth a little better for all of us.