i've been skipping through the archives and can't find what i'm looking for. are there first-hand reviews of grain mills out there? did consumer reports ever review grain mills?

any help would be much appreciated.

thanx!

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), July 06, 1999

Answers

I cannot remember much being posted on grain mills. I have a corona grain mill which was inexpensive and does good but not a fine grind. I have another for fine that is off-brand (from a Mormon store...$70.) that will do the fine grind but slowly. Some of the mills I have seen on the web get up into the big bucks. I have a hundred pounds of popcorn....five hundred pounds of wheat..etc.

As mentioned on some threads Sam's has the Corona at some locations for $17.65.

-- rb (ronbanks_2000@yahoo.com), July 06, 1999.

We have the Millenium Mill, which takes a goodly amount of sweat and some time to get throug a pound of grain for a loaf of bread. Its advantages are that if it breaks, any bozo with a pencil, ruler, handsaw and some scrap wood can fix it. It can be belt driven, and my bride, who is minus half a shoulder, can turn it. You can find it by putting it into Hotbot or other search engine. It IS a bit expensive.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), July 06, 1999.

We took somewhat different route with ELECTRIC K-Tec grinder. First (this was before we had a genset), we figured we could go to friend with genset once every two weeks or month and grind. Second, we figured that power would be back on eventually (if it isn't, most of us will die anyway) and we would be far more likely to use this grinder for many (ordinary) years. About $200, I recall. Great grinder.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), July 06, 1999.

Cowardly Lion,

I did my homework on this one..... I chose the Bosch.

What I have is the eletric grinder/kneeder/blender combo, with the manual atchments. I can grind 4# of wheat, kneed it, let it rise (quick yeast) and have it baked in less than 2 hours. (And I'm getting faster). This set-up cost me around $425.00, I think it is worth it.

I have found a really nice wheat, Its called 'white gold'. Bakes a fairly light, fluffy loaf.

I have agreed with BigDog on many many things, but this is not one of them. I do not plan on exiting this world if we are without power, I dont care for how long. If only one family lives....it will be mine, if I can have anything to do with it. We are making plans for the long run.

Generators are great if you have a small problem for 2-3 days, but not for 2-3 months. We are setting up a solar/wind unit, non-hybrid seed, tractor and plenty of gas (also gas additive), a team of horses with a small plow, a wind rower (for hay), hudge garden this year, 2 extra beef cows (on hoof, ready to be butcherd if needed), 50 chickens, 10 large rabbits, 1000# wheat (and enough to plant for next year), a years supply of "normal foods" (pre-packaged), 3 years supply of soap, detergents, toothpaist..etc., meds, books, home schooling supplies, extra shoes, next two sizes of coats for the kids, thread and sewing materal, and plenty of amo to help us keep our selves in one piece.

I am not stating all of this to brag.... what I want to know is .... am I totaly forgetting anything. I have quite a few other things I have not listed, but we could be here all day.

If any of you think of anything.... please respond. Thanks!

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), July 06, 1999.

Impressive bulldog. We have similiar goals, but are not quite that far along. You asked if you had forgotten anything important? I hear people make reference to their neighbors, but have not yet run across a thread dealing with neighbors that are really working together, sharing tools and resources etc. Perhaps there is an old thread and I just missed it. The quote, "No man is an island..." comes to mind. I wonder just how long any one family could hold out if things get bad. It doesn't seem very wise or sound to attempt it. This is a real concern for us. Our closest and most trusted friends are not doing serious preparation. We relocated from southern CA last year, and continue to send them information, but they are "too busy". Ditto with relatives. We have made tentative contact with a few people, such as the Haven corporation. They seem very friendly, but we are hesitant about that kind of set-up. They even have a director for education. The other most likely contact was in Arkansas, and we live in northern Idaho. We are extremely reluctant to unnecessarily disrupt our children (two are teens) when they have been trying to have a good attitude about rooting in the Pacific Northwest. I'm curious to hear about steps others may have taken to address this need for shared resources and community. Thanks.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), July 07, 1999.

bulldog

sounds impressive, you didn't mention water supply but i'm sure you've got that covered. how are you going to preserve the beef once you butcher it?

do you have a source (or sources) on the bosch?

thanx!

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), July 07, 1999.

Mumsey, I only WISH I could get more help from my neighbors and family. As it stands I only have one sister and her husband that GI, we are planning on going thru this together. They send money every month.....and I buy preps. (Now if we dont need the preps next year, we will just divie' up the stach)

I will tell you my biggest consern....I dont know what to do about all the people of my church. My pastor is a GI (somewhat), he is the kind of person that doesnt go overboard with anything. I think we have made him think a little more than he did before though. He is telling the people to get prepared for a month or two. But 95% of the church we go to is very poor. I dont mean so poor as they dont have two cars, but poor enough that they would qualify for food stamps. When they say....I cant afford to stockpile, I can barely get by now. I simply tell them (in the nicest way possible), maybe you will have to readjust your priorities, like sell a few things. I know I sure did, I went through my house like a mad woman.

I will just say a few words about that now..... I do not regret cleaning out my cluttered house. I sold a few things I held dear, I dont regret that eigher.

But back to the church, WHAT DO I DO? I do care very much for all of them.... but I cant even feed them for one week. Another thing that bothers me is....there are SO many little kids in our church.... what about them. I could (maybe) turn away an adult, but not a child.

So far the best thing I have come up with is.... buying ramion noodles, an extra beef cow, and praying for the best. My husband (bless his heart) thinks we should build a small building that is insulated, we would heat with wood, so we dont have 50 people in our house. At times I agree. But that is a little off the deep end. (smile)

My closet neighbor and a very good friend, she GI's. Here we go again, they have no extra money. If fact I just bought her a car last week, I only paid $240.00 ( it needs a new gas line) which my husband will put on for her. But she is trying....very hard....to prepare. They are very hard workers and she is a great shot, so maybe they wont be too bad to have around anyway.

I will tell you what I have run across more than not.....its the husbands that dont want to prepare. Most of the women (to some degree) want to do some stocking up....but the men dont want to do without thier toys. They say, 'I have worked hard all my life for this or that and I'm not giving it up.' Then I say, " I understand how much you must enjoy this or that, but IF your family is cold and hungry next year you are going to wish you would have sold that then worthless thing."

What I like is..... we (all of us) still have time to sell things that we really dont need and buy preps. Right now, this market, is great for selling. If nothing happens next year... nothing at all. Then take the money you sold your "boat" for and go buy another boat. But in the mean time you could sit on a few nuggets of gold/ and currency as an insurance.

Mumsey, I too wish I could find a friend close by to join in on the preps. Wouldnt it be fun to have someone to can with. I will come and help you can today and you come over tomorrow and help me. I would be nice just to have someone to sit and talk with.

My husband is my dearest friend, we really have a great marrage. We have been married for 9 years and have 3 kids (yes, we are done). If Y2k dosent get violent, I think we will enjoy a simpler life. We already are enjoying a simpler life.

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), July 07, 1999.

Bulldog -- We are prepped to live without electric entirely for 18 months and, yes, I still intend to be around 30 years from now or more!

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), July 07, 1999.

Glad to hear it Bigdog.... glad to hear it.

We dogs have to stick together.

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), July 07, 1999.

Bulldog, I had to smile when you mentioned canning. My mother is too old and sick now to teach me (plus lives 1000 miles away), and oh, how I have wished for a canning partner! I just got the All American pressure canner, and I'm excited and nervous to try it. I'm afraid I'll doofus something and give us all botulism. I know exactly what you mean about the children. I don't think I could turn children away either. I am hoping to be able to have goats and a Jersey cow, but also some formula for those who might temporarily stop on their way to some place else. When I saw some of the Kososvo refugee photos, one of the children looked like a twin to one of mine. It ripped at my heart. We have prayed and asked God to help us prepare for more than our own family. I think there are going to be alot of pastors and civic leaders filled with terrible regrets. Since you sound like a praying Mom, please pray for us to make the right decision as to where to relocate. Thanks. It was also interesting that you mentioned selling things. This has been on my mind and heart, and I am going to have a serious talk with my family this weekend about it. I have been making a mental list of things that, yes... I care about, but may become worthless and even left behind by default. I want to make sure we have the essentials first and foremost. It was encouraging to read your post!

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), July 08, 1999.

bulldog, that is my real email addy if you ever want to write...

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), July 08, 1999.

back to the top! anybody else have first-hand grain mill reviews?

-- Cowardly Lion (cl0001@hotmail.com), July 09, 1999.

Bulldog: here's something you can do as regards the DGI people you know at your church. Go to my website, and run off the following to assemble as a packet for them. (Yes, there is plenty of info elsewhere on the web that is longer/more complete, but this should do the job). The 1st & 3rd paragraphs of "An Introduction"; "Finding Y2K Prep Time"; "Suggested Reading"; "Other Links"; "Your Y2K Priorities"; and any others you find worth copying. Give this to them by leaving it on their doorstep at 4:00 A.M., so they do not target you for subsequent looting. (Read Sorokin if you do not think that is a risk). You will not have spent much time or money, but you will have thrown them a lifeline; whether they are future- oriented/sentient enough to grasp it is out of your hands. Remember, not one bean can be given away to as charity to people outside your household, since you do not know how long Y2K will screw everything up, and cannot possibly know until it is over if you have anything to spare. THIS is their charity. Whether or not they take it is up to them. Yours in preparation.

www.y2ksafeminnesota.com

-- MinnesotaSmith (y2ksafeminnesota@hotmail.com), July 09, 1999.

If you can get a "Lehman's Best", go for it. Heavy-duty construction (just plain heavy, too) and the crank handle is extra-long for easier working. These are available in their store, at their Web site, from their catalog and from stores which carry the Lehman's product lines for local Amish and Mennonite communities.

We just returned from a shopping trip down in Amish country and now have two of those cast-iron beasts. With the size of the family group we're expecting over for New Year's, we'll be able to keep two mills busy, I'm sure. :)

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), July 10, 1999.