Q: I have heard that people with gluten intolerance can eat your emmer and einkorn wheat flour products and not have problems. Can you tell me if this is true and why? This would be a great option for our family.

A: We have several customers who have shared with us that they have gluten/wheat issues and that our emmer and einkorn does not bother them. Over the years we have developed our “own reasons” about the gluten/wheat issues that are plaguing our food system today. We believe most of this has to do with the way our grains are grown and processed alongside of the hybridizations of modern wheat to meet “wonder bread” standards. We think people can tolerate our grains because they are 1.) Organically grown with a high focus on nutrient density, 2.) Our grains are minimally processed, 3.) Emmer and einkorn are both genetically simple ancient grain (emmer has 28 chromosomes and einkorn has 14; modern wheat can have over 200) which translates to easy digestion, 4.) We process all of our flour and blends to order so they are fresh and the nutrients are available, 5.) All of our products are whole grain which means we do not take the germ or the bran out.  Essentially our grains, flour and cereals are living.

Q: My friend recently told me about Emmer Farro, but I am unclear if it is gluten free. I am very intolerant of gluten, which is found in many grains (i.e. wheat, barley, rye, most oats, spelt, etc.).

A: No, Emmer is not gluten free. Emmer is an ancient Wheat. It does contain a small amount of gluten – less than spelt. Because Emmer is an ancient wheat the gluten structure is much simpler than modern wheat gluten.

Q:  Are emmer and einkorn appropriate for those with wheat sensitivities? 

A:  Although emmer and einkorn are technically wheat, it is a very simple low gluten grain.  The gluten structure of emmer and einkorn are quite different than modern gluten.  Many of our customers who have wheat sensitivities have had great success with emmer and einkorn. Of course please use your best judgment- only you know your body best.

Q:  Can you tell me whether peanuts or tree nuts are present where your grains are grown, processed, or stored? 

A:  All of our grains are grown, stored and processed on our farm.  We do not process any nuts at our facility.