Alaska farmer starts milling flour to address food security concerns (Fairbanks: buying, cost)

[Glitch]

This is fantastic. Just what Alaska needs. I wish them the best success, and I intend to buy their product.

Alaska farmer starts milling flour to address food security concerns

FAIRBANKS - A historic moment occurred Dec. 7 in a tucked away barn on a Delta Junction farm.

No bells, fireworks or champagne marked the occasion, but it was a joyous moment for Bryce Wrigley and his family when they ground barley to make flour.

Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - Alaska farmer starts milling flour to address food security concerns (http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/16958341/article-Alaska-farmer-starts-milling-flour-to-address-food-security-concerns?instance=home_features_bullets1#ixzz1iHdB SHA4 - broken link)

[gobrien]

Hopefully they will sell it at the Delta Junction IGA as well. We do need to be more self-sufficient in Alaska.

[roadfamily6now]

That is so AWESOME!!!

[Lunabell]

That is very cool! I would certainly buy from them if I could.

[tigre79]

Wow, we'll definitely pick some up next time we're in town!

[heathen]

I've worked with Bryce for a few years. He and his family are some of the most solid, hardworking people I've ever known, exactly who you'd hope to support when buying product from an independent farm. I've had several conversations with him about the unfortunate lack of food processing facilities in AK and I think it's fantastic that he just went and did it.

Support if you can!

[wildchild_to]

If he could grow corn up there everyone would get more bang for his and your buck. Corn down this way 1 full acres can bring about 8000lbs of corn -20% of crop damage from animals, not fully growen = 6000lbs of good crop. Wheat down this way will bring 1200lbs per acre - 10% from animal, not growing =about 1100 of good crop. That would give almost 5000lbs of extra flour per acre.

[heathen]

Can't really grow corn in Alaska. I've heard of people figuring out how to do it, but not efficiently. Partly it's the short growing season, but I've heard corn also needs a daily light/dark cycle which we don't get here in the summer.

So, do we barge up our food, or do we figure out what we can grow and process ourselves, despite the fact that it's not cost effective in the current global economy? I choose the latter, both on principle, and for general preparedness.

[tigre79]

If he could grow corn up there everyone would get more bang for his and your buck.

And if he could grow wings he could fly. Let's just be happy for a bit of progress and some good bread.

[wildchild_to]

Originally Posted by heathen

Can't really grow corn in Alaska. I've heard of people figuring out how to do it, but not efficiently. Partly it's the short growing season, but I've heard corn also needs a daily light/dark cycle which we don't get here in the summer.

So, do we barge up our food, or do we figure out what we can grow and process ourselves, despite the fact that it's not cost effective in the current global economy? I choose the latter, both on principle, and for general preparedness.

The good thing about corn is when it starts to get cold it takes out the extra moisture and can be harvest in the light snow as long as ya can get a tractor in. Corn down here can take 60 days or so for Sweet corn and 100+ days for feed corn so it can dry out.