Local Flour

I've been thinking about what I cook the most and the ingredients I would need to make it 'All Local'.
I suppose- if anything- I would first call myself a baker.  That's my strength in the kitchen and what I enjoy most.   I love to make a good loaf of bread and I find myself baking it as often as my schedule allows.
I knew that NM had a history of good wheat production and that there had been many, many flour mills in the state's past.  Unfortunately that is no longer the case so it took a bit of research to find a local producer of unbleached flour- which is what I prefer to use.
I knew about Blue Bird flour from Cortez, CO.  It's a fine product but to my knowledge they don't distribute any unbleached flour so I continued to search.   I remembered I had once tried some nice cake and pastry flour years ago from Valencia Flour Mill.   I live in Valencia County so I figured I might be on to something really local.  Nothing on the shelves though until one day......
I saw a package of 'Sopapilla + Frybread Mix' (a delicious deep-fried, puffed bread often on menus in New Mexican food restaurants) labeled 'Valencia Flour Mill.  Jarales, NM'.  Bingo!  That's just spitting distance down the river valley from my town.

Sopapilla and Fry Bread Mix made with Sunflower oil. 

It even had a phone number on the package so right there in the store I dialed and got owner Jose Cordova on the phone.
Yep.  He made an unbleached flour but only sold it to restaurants or out of his mill location.   Could I come down on a Saturday?  Sure thing.  I was on my way.

Valencia Flour Mill, Jarales, NM

I found his mill on a tiny two lane road-east side of the river, cross the train tracks and north of the school- if we're getting specific.    Jose greeted me and gave me a little tour of the mill - that his father started when Jose was a child.  I purchased a 25 lb sack of the beautiful flour for around $10.00.   Can't beat that!   He even started up the mill to show me how quietly this early 20th century machine could run.

Parts of the mill date back to 1913

I'm looking forward to baking with this soft flour, flecked with traces of bran.   Turns out the wheat is grown on the Navajo Indian reservation on an 70,000 acre farm just outside of Farmington, NM.  It's exciting to find such an important food staple grown in my relative back yard.  It just took a bit of poking around.  You never know what you have till you start looking.  Right?

Windowsill Farming

     This is farming on a smaller scale - sort of like a flea circus- for those of us who - for whatever reason- can't or don't want to get any dirt under our fingernails. Think of it as a terrarium that you can eat.   Salad in a jar.  Cool.
Growing sprouts is nothing new (there is nothing new in any kind of farming) but I just rediscovered it for myself -so indulge me a little and play along.   First you have to decide what type of seed to use.   I chose a radish, alfalfa and  broccoli mix. (Did that bother you that I listed them unalphabetically?   Then you have OCD.  No kidding.)
I bought a little package at the health food store.
Then you decide the container- a clear glass mason jar works best.   Put a ventilated top on it- I bought the green plastic one when I bought the seed mix or use the ring for a jar lid with a piece of nylon stocking over it.  (boy - did I have to dig for that-  I don't know when the last time was that I wore pantie hose!)
Then soak the seed for 6-8 hours in clean water.  Drain.  Put the jar on it's side in a dark place.  (Not in a kitchen cabinet.  I did that once and forgot about my project for 3 days.)  I loosely wrap mine in a kitchen towel and put it near my coffee machine.  ( I was determined not to forget this time!)   Over the next few days rinse and drain the seeds once or twice a day.   And voila!  Sprouts! 

After the 3rd day or so put them in the light so they green up a bit.   Add to salads or sandwiches as you wish.  
We over did it the first time and the jar got too full early on.  We ended up separating the bunch into two jars then a 3rd as they continued to grow.   When finished we put them in plastic tubs in the refrigerator.
It's nice to have something fresh that you grew yourself - now isn't it?  It's a fun project for kids too-
don't 'cha know?!