History of the Grain Mill

Bread is known in many parts of the world as the staple of life. Ever since grain was grown by the first agrarian societies, people have found ways to grind the grain into useful forms, such as flour. From stone grinders of the past to the manual or electric grain mills of the present, making flour has become increasingly easier.

Grist Mills
Before personal grain mills and grinding machines were designed, grist and grain mills ground corn and other grains grown by farmers into the flour that consumers needed. Mills were often built near streams or springs because the huge stones used to grind large quantities of grain could only be powered by natural elements - water - in the days before electricity. Mill workers had to make sure the stones never rubbed against each other and flake into the flour or spark. The early and mid-1800s were successful years for mills powered by man, stone, and water, but as steam-powered mills with iron rollers began to produce larger quantities and whiter flour at lower prices in the late 1800s, the old stone mills began to decline.

In Your Own Home, by Your Own Hands
In these present days of processed foods and bleached flours, there are still some who seek the flavor and nutritional value of freshly ground flour. Now that grain mills come in both electric and manual forms, more people are free to learn and experiment with self-sufficient grinding practices, and more people are having opinions about them, too. Some grinders insist that steel and iron grinding parts are a better choice for use in grain mills, while others still like the extra fineness stone grinding plates often produce.

No matter what your grinding preference, remember that the options today's grain mills offer reflect the wisdom of lessons learned and the practices improved by grinders for centuries.