News from Farm to Cake Archives - Farm to Cake Bakery | Fresh-Milled Bread & Pastries in Waynesville, NC

What is Sourdough Starter? The Mother, Levain, Biga, Poolish and other bread terms. We explain them here.

If you’ve ever looked into bread baking, you’ve probably run into a wall of confusing vocabulary—starters, levains, poolish, and bigas. Think of all of these simply as preferments. A preferment is just a head-start mix of flour, water, and yeast that ferments before it gets added to your final dough. We use them to build complex, mature flavors, improve dough structure, and make our bread last longer.

Here is a breakdown to help you navigate the world of baking preferments without the confusion.

🌿 The Sourdough Loop: Working with Wild Yeast

Unlike standard baking, true sourdough relies entirely on wild yeast and beneficial bacteria captured right from our environment. Instead of running on separate jars, the sourdough process is a continuous daily cycle.

1. The Mother (The Starter)

This is your permanent culture line, but it doesn’t live in a separate, stagnant jar. It is simply the portion of active culture that you carry over from the previous day to kickstart your next build.

Home Baker Tip: If you don’t bake every day, you can keep this Mother culture on “hold” in the refrigerator to pause its activity until you are ready to bake again.

2. The Levain

Every day, you take that saved Mother culture and feed the entire thing together to build the grand total volume needed for the next day’s bakes. This active, fully fed mixture is your levain. It ferments and peaks right on schedule for your mixing time. When it is perfectly “ready to go,” you save a small portion of it to become tomorrow’s starting Mother, use the rest in your current baking recipes, and any remaining surplus becomes your discard.

3. Sourdough Discard

This is the extra, unfed starter left over from the daily loop. While bakers try to mix exactly what is needed for the day’s bread and the next day’s Mother, a little extra surplus is common. This extra amount can either be fed to turn into more levain or set aside as discard. We try to keep discard to an absolute minimum because it is highly difficult to dispose of.

The Plumbing Rule: Never put starter or discard down your sink. It acts like instant cement inside pipes and will completely destroy your plumbing. Keep your surplus in a jar in the fridge to use for sourdough crackers, pancakes, or waffles!

4. Scrapings

This is the residual starter left stuck to the bottom and sides of your containers. Instead of washing them down the drain or feeding them (which just creates an endless mountain of unnecessary excess levain), let them completely air dry. Once dry, they become brittle, flake off effortlessly, and can be scraped straight into your regular trash bin.

🍞 Preferments & The Yeast Family

These preferments are mixed a few hours or even a day in advance to expand a bread’s character. They can be created using standard store-bought commercial baker’s yeast or a natural sourdough starter baseline depending on the flavor you want to achieve.

Poolish: A wet, liquid preferment made with equal parts flour and water by weight (100% hydration), giving it the texture of a runny, bubbly pancake batter. A poolish can be yeast or sourdough based, and its primary purpose is to impart an incredible, deep flavor. It also adds a subtle sweetness and makes dough incredibly stretchy—perfect for baguettes, crispy focaccia, or light pizza crusts.
Biga: A stiff, dry preferment. This is an Italian style made with much less water (around 50–60% hydration), feeling like a dense, shaggy dough ball that you actually have to knead. It creates an open, airy internal crumb with a rich chew—ideal for rustic loaves like ciabatta.
Pâte Fermentée (Old Dough): Literally translating to “fermented dough,” this is simply a piece of leftover raw dough saved from yesterday’s batch of bread. It is wrapped, refrigerated overnight, and mixed directly into today’s fresh batch to give a simple, daily white loaf an instant “aged” depth of flavor and beautiful crust color.

⏱️ Quick Preferment Cheat Sheet

Preferment / Term	Yeast Source	Hydration / Texture	Best Used For / Key Traits
The Mother / Starter	Wild Yeast & Bacteria	Continuous active culture	Carried over daily to loop into the next batch build.
Levain	Wild Yeast (from Mother)	Varies by recipe	Peaked, fully fed mixture ready for your current day’s recipe.
Sourdough Discard	Unfed Wild Yeast	Pourable, acidic batter	Surplus from the loop; save in the fridge for crackers or waffles.
Scrapings	Unfed Wild Yeast	Air-dried residue	Left to dry in the container so it can be safely scraped into the trash.
Poolish	Yeast or Sourdough	Runny / 100% hydration	Imparting excellent flavor; great for baguettes and stretchy doughs.
Biga	Commercial Yeast	Stiff / 50-60% hydration	Ciabatta, rustic Italian loaves, and structured, chewy crusts.
Pâte Fermentée	Commercial (from yesterday)	Fully mixed dough ball	Adding instant “mature” flavor to a fresh batch of daily white bread.

Real Sourdough Starter & Our Three-Day Bread Process

A few customers have asked me, “Is your sourdough fermented?” and “Do you use a real starter?”

At first, I didn’t understand the questions. Of course we use a starter. Of course the dough ferments. I thought that was simply what sourdough meant. Then I learned why people ask.

Some bread sold as sourdough uses a little starter for flavor but relies on commercial yeast to make the dough rise quickly. Some gets its tang from added sour ingredients, such as vinegar. You may hear bread made with those shortcuts called “sourfaux.” The Real Bread Campaign describes genuine sourdough as bread leavened by a live starter, without another raising agent.

The difference is in what raises the bread and the time the dough is given to ferment. A sour taste alone doesn’t tell you how a loaf was made.

At Farm to Cake, we maintain a living starter right here in the bakery. We keep some of that starter—our mother—and feed it to prepare the levain for the next bake. We always make enough to bake our bread while keeping starter to feed for the following day. Today, we needed five gallons of levain for Saturday’s Bake!

bubbles in the bread itself comes from the fermentation

Our sourdough bread is a three-day process. We mix the dough, work it, shape it, and give it time to ferment before baking. Our starter does the work of raising the bread. We don’t add commercial yeast to speed it along or vinegar to make it taste sour. The long slow fermentation is what creates this beautiful crumb… crusty on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside.

If you come by the bakery in the late afternoon, you may see dough tucked into proofing baskets and settled in for the night. We make so much sourdough that we sometimes run out of room in the back!

The ingredients in our sourdough bread are flour, water, and salt. The starter is made from flour and water, too. Different loaves may use different flours, but they all depend on that living starter and the time we give the dough.

If you want to know whether a loaf is made this way, ask the baker: “What makes your bread rise?” and “How long does the dough ferment?” Those questions tell you more than a sour taste or the word sourdough on a sign.

So, to everyone who has asked us: Yes, our sourdough is fermented. Yes, we use a real starter maintained in our bakery. And yes, it takes three days to make your bread.

Now I understand the questions. I’m glad you asked.

Four Cheeses, the Same Basic Ingredients—and Four Different Flavors

Our four-cheese sourdough and our four-cheese grilled sandwich.

White cheddar, mild cheddar, Gouda and Gruyère each have their own flavor and character, yet the basic ingredients listed on their labels are essentially the same:

Milk
Salt
Cheese cultures
Enzymes

How can four cheeses made from the same basic ingredients taste so different?

the ingredients in cheese. They are all the same but the cultures and enzymes are where the flavors come from

Much of the answer is hidden within the words “cheese cultures” and “enzymes.”

Cheesemakers use particular cultures and enzymes to transform milk into cheese and help develop its flavor, aroma and texture. The exact cultures, strains, combinations and processes are often closely guarded parts of a cheesemaker’s recipe. The ingredient label identifies them simply as “cheese cultures” and “enzymes,” so we may never know precisely what makes one producer’s cheese different from another.

Those proprietary cultures and enzymes are only part of the story. The temperature, moisture, treatment of the curds and length and conditions of aging also help determine what the finished cheese will become.

That is how the same short list of basic ingredients can give us four very different cheeses.

Mild cheddar is creamy and familiar. White cheddar adds a sharper cheese flavor. Gouda contributes a smooth, slightly sweet richness, while Gruyère brings a deeper, nutty character.

We grate these cheeses from blocks here at the bakery and combine them for our grilled cheese sandwiches and Four-Cheese Sourdough. Each cheese has a purpose. Some provide a smoother melt, some add creaminess and others bring the stronger flavors that give the blend depth.

We could simply write “cheese” on a menu, but there is much more behind it. Four cheeses that appear nearly identical on an ingredient label can taste completely different because of choices and processes we cannot see.

It reminds us a little of sourdough. Flour, water, salt and a maintained starter can produce very different breads depending on the grains, fermentation, shaping and baking. A short ingredient list does not mean the food is ordinary. Often, it means the craft and the process matter even more.

Our Four-Cheese Sourdough and grilled cheese sandwiches bring those two traditions together: naturally leavened bread and four carefully selected cheeses, combined to create a balance of creamy, sharp, rich and nutty flavors.

Scratch Made. Small Batch. Fresh Every Week.

Cinnamon Rolls and Scrolls in Waynesville, NC

This is what a cinnamon roll is supposed to look like.

Scratch-made cinnamon roll with cream cheese cinnamon icing at Farm to Cake Bakery in Waynesville, NC

Soft, pillowy layers of scratch-made cinnamon roll dough, plenty of cinnamon filling, and a thick blanket of our cream cheese cinnamon icing melting into every swirl.

At Farm to Cake Bakery in Waynesville, North Carolina, we make our cinnamon rolls from scratch in small batches. Along with our classic cinnamon rolls, you’ll find pecan sticky buns and rotating fruit-filled cinnamon rolls—sometimes called cinnamon buns or cinnamon scrolls.

Big. Gooey. Messy in all the right ways. And absolutely worth the sticky fingers.

If you’re searching for scratch-made cinnamon rolls in Waynesville, Western North Carolina, or the greater Asheville area, come visit us in Waynesville, NC. Because we bake in small batches, when a pastry sells out, it may be gone until the next bake.

Classic Cinnamon Rolls: $5.50 | Pecan Sticky Buns & Fruit-Filled Rolls: $6.00

Come get one before they’re gone.

Farm to Cake Bakery
500 Hazelwood Ave., Waynesville, NC 28786
Thursday–Friday 10–4
Saturday 10–3

Apple crumb cinnamon roll, Scratch-made apple crumb roll with cream cheese cinnamon icing at Farm to Cake Bakery in Waynesville, NC

Scratch Made. Small Batch. Fresh.

Sourdough Bread in Waynesville, NC

Artisan Sourdough from Farm to Cake Bakery

At Farm to Cake Bakery, sourdough is not a shortcut process. Our loaves begin with a traditional sourdough starter created and maintained in-house, freshly milled whole grains, flour, water, salt, and time.

Located in Historic Hazelwood in Waynesville, North Carolina, we make artisan sourdough using a traditional three-day process designed to develop flavor, structure, and the characteristic crust people expect from a true sourdough loaf.

Every bread we make incorporates grain that we mill ourselves from whole wheat berries. Depending on the loaf, fresh-milled flour makes up a portion—or much more—of the total flour. Milling grain in-house allows us to bring the flavor and character of freshly milled whole grain into breads that still have the texture and structure our customers love.

Three Days to Make a Loaf

Good sourdough takes time.

Our sourdough production stretches across three days rather than being mixed, proofed, and baked in a few hours.

The dough is built around our house sourdough starter and allowed to ferment slowly. After mixing, folding, shaping, and developing the dough, the loaves are cold-retarded as part of a two-day fermentation process before baking.

That long, controlled fermentation gives the dough time to develop the flavor and texture that define our sourdough.

There is no rushing the process simply to get another loaf on the shelf.

A Traditional Sourdough Starter

Our sourdough begins with a traditional starter created and maintained here at Farm to Cake Bakery.

Rather than relying on commercial yeast to create sourdough flavor, our starter provides the natural fermentation that gives the bread its characteristic taste and structure.

It is fed, maintained, and incorporated into our dough as part of the bakery’s regular bread-making cycle.

Fresh-Milled Grain in Every Bread

Fresh-milled grain is an important part of the bread program at Farm to Cake.

We mill whole grains in-house and incorporate freshly milled flour into all of our breads. The percentage varies depending on the style of loaf so that we can balance whole-grain flavor, fermentation, texture, and the characteristics we want from each bread.

For some breads, fresh-milled grain is the star. In others, it becomes part of the flour blend that gives the loaf greater depth and character.

This is the idea behind one of our favorite phrases:

From Seed to Slice.

We want to know the grain that goes into our bread and take an active role in what happens to it before the finished loaf reaches your table.

Baked on Stone with Steam

After its long fermentation, our sourdough is baked in a stone-deck oven with steam.

The hot stone and steam help produce the crust we are looking for: deeply baked, crisp and crunchy on the outside while protecting the moist, flavorful crumb inside.

It is the kind of crust that crackles when you cut into a fresh loaf.

This is bread meant to have character.

Sourdough Made in Waynesville, North Carolina

Farm to Cake Bakery is located at 500 Hazelwood Avenue in Historic Hazelwood, Waynesville, NC.

Our bread program serves customers from Waynesville and throughout Western North Carolina who are looking for traditionally made sourdough, freshly milled grain breads, and bread made by a local scratch bakery rather than mass-produced loaves.

Sourdough varieties and availability change throughout the week, and because we bake in small batches, some varieties sell out.

Check our current offerings before visiting, or stop by the bakery to see what has come out of the oven.

More Than One Kind of Sourdough

Our sourdough program includes classic loaves as well as specialty and seasonal varieties. Different grains, inclusions, and flour blends allow us to create breads with their own character while keeping the same foundation: our house starter, long fermentation, fresh-milled grain, and careful baking.

Whether you are looking for a traditional loaf for the dinner table, bread for sandwiches, or something a little different, sourdough is one of the foundations of what we bake at Farm to Cake.

Scratch made. Small batch. Fresh every week.

Is Wheat Genetically Modified? The Facts About GMO Wheat in the United States

One of the most common questions I hear when discussing wheat and bread is:

“Is modern wheat genetically modified?”

The short answer is:

No. There is currently no genetically modified wheat being commercially grown and sold as part of the normal U.S. food supply.

That statement often surprises people because they have heard concerns about GMO crops for years. While several genetically modified crops are grown in the United States, wheat is a different story.

No Commercial GMO Wheat in the U.S. Food Supply

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publishes information on genetically engineered crops currently available in the United States. Wheat is notably absent from that list.

For many years, the U.S. wheat industry has maintained a position against commercializing genetically modified wheat until export markets and consumers are ready to accept it. In fact, when isolated genetically engineered wheat plants have occasionally been discovered in research fields, the USDA has repeatedly noted that no approved commercial GMO wheat was being sold in the United States at that time.

Research Does Exist

This is where much of the confusion begins.

Scientists have conducted wheat biotechnology research for decades. Universities, government researchers, and private companies have all experimented with genetically engineered wheat varieties in controlled trials.

Research plots are not the same as commercial production.

Just as automobile companies test prototype vehicles that never reach dealership lots, agricultural researchers test new wheat varieties that may never be sold to farmers.

What About HB4 Wheat?

In 2024, USDA-APHIS determined that a drought-tolerant genetically engineered wheat variety known as HB4 did not pose an increased plant pest risk.

However, approval of a technology and widespread commercial adoption are two very different things.

Industry groups and news reports have noted that additional market acceptance, grain handling considerations, and export approvals would still be needed before HB4 wheat could become a significant commercial crop in the United States. As of 2026, HB4 wheat is not a meaningful part of the U.S. commercial wheat supply.

Traditional Breeding Is Not Genetic Engineering

Some people see a modern wheat variety and assume it must be genetically modified because it differs from older wheat.

That’s not how genetic engineering is defined.

Plant breeders have improved wheat for thousands of years through selection and crossbreeding. Modern wheat varieties are the result of these traditional breeding methods.

The FDA distinguishes conventional breeding from genetic engineering. Selective breeding changes crops over generations by choosing desirable traits, while genetic engineering directly modifies DNA using biotechnology tools.

Modern wheat has certainly been bred and improved, but that does not make it genetically modified.

The Bottom Line

If you buy flour, bread, pasta, or wheat products made from U.S. commercial wheat today, you are overwhelmingly buying products made from conventionally bred wheat—not genetically modified wheat.

Research wheat exists.

Experimental wheat exists.

Future GMO wheat varieties may eventually reach the marketplace.

But today, genetically modified wheat is not a significant part of the U.S. commercial wheat supply, and the wheat entering American mills and bakeries comes from conventionally bred varieties.

Sources

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – GMO Crops, Animal Food, and Beyond
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – Agricultural Biotechnology
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – How GMOs Are Regulated in the United States
• USDA APHIS reports regarding genetically engineered wheat findings and regulatory reviews
• Reuters reporting on HB4 wheat commercialization status in the United States

The Gut: Your Body’s Immune Powerhouse — and Why Fresh-Milled Whole Grains Matter

How Real Grain Nourishes Your Body from the Inside Out

It’s estimated that around 70–80% of your immune system is connected to your gut. That means what happens in your digestive system plays a big role in how you feel, how your body absorbs nutrients, and how well your natural defenses function.

Your gut is home to trillions of microorganisms — collectively called the gut microbiome — that work with your body to digest food, produce vitamins, and support immune balance. When this inner ecosystem is fed well, it thrives. When it’s deprived of real nutrition, it can fall out of balance, leaving you feeling sluggish or less resilient.

Why Whole, Fresh-Milled Grain Makes a Difference

Most commercial flours are refined and shelf-stabilized, which means the grain’s natural oils, fiber, and germ are removed to extend storage life. Unfortunately, that’s also where much of the nutrition lives. When the bran and germ are stripped away, the flour loses vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants — the very parts that your body and microbiome depend on.

At Farm to Cake, we mill our flour fresh to the recipe, using the whole grain — bran, germ, and endosperm — so everything the grain naturally offers stays in your food. The result is flour that’s still “alive” with its full flavor, aroma, and nutrients.

The Gut Connection: How Fresh-Milled Flour Supports Wellness

1. Natural Dietary Fiber
Whole grains provide both soluble and insoluble fiber. These fibers feed beneficial gut bacteria, supporting a balanced microbiome that contributes to normal digestion and immune function. Fiber also helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels and supports regularity — key aspects of overall gut wellness.

2. Essential Nutrients That Work Together
Fresh-milled whole grains naturally contain zinc, selenium, iron, magnesium, and B-vitamins — all of which help your body perform normal metabolic and immune functions. These nutrients are present in the ratios nature intended, not added back in synthetic form as with “enriched” flours.

3. Active Plant Compounds and Natural Oils
Because our flour is milled fresh, it retains the wheat germ oil and other plant compounds that are typically removed during refining. These natural oils provide flavor and contribute to the body’s intake of essential fatty acids and vitamin E, which help protect cells from everyday oxidative stress.

4. Gentle Support for the Gut Barrier
A diet rich in whole-grain fiber encourages the growth of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids — compounds known to help maintain a healthy intestinal lining. A well-nourished gut lining supports nutrient absorption and helps the body’s own defense systems function smoothly.

Why Freshness Matters

Fresh-milled flour doesn’t just taste better — it delivers nutrients the way nature designed. Over time, stored flour loses some of its natural oils and antioxidants. By milling just before baking, we preserve the grain’s full nutritional potential, giving your body more of what it needs and less of what it doesn’t.

A Simple Way to Support Everyday Wellness

A healthy gut depends on balance — real food, rest, hydration, and movement. Choosing breads and foods made from fresh-milled whole grains is one small, powerful step toward that balance. Pair it with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and fermented foods, and you give your microbiome the nourishment it needs to keep you feeling your best.

At Farm to Cake, we believe good food should do more than fill you up — it should fuel you well.
Every loaf we bake starts with fresh-milled, organic whole grains that support your body’s natural systems — from digestion to immune balance — the way real food was meant to.

This information is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual nutritional needs may vary.

Why We Don’t Offer Sugar-Free Desserts

At Farm to Cake, we believe that real food—made from scratch with natural, recognizable ingredients—is the foundation of good baking. That includes sugar.

We don’t offer sugar-free desserts because many sugar substitutes are highly processed, and some can cause digestive discomfort or other unwanted effects for certain individuals. We’ve chosen not to use artificial or chemically altered sweeteners because they don’t align with our commitment to using real, whole ingredients.

Sugar also plays an essential role in baking—it affects structure, moisture, browning, and shelf life. Removing it or replacing it can significantly change the quality of the final product.

Instead of offering sugar-free options, we focus on balance. Many of our items are naturally lower in sugar, allowing the full flavor of fresh-milled grains, seasonal fruits, and warm spices to shine.

We understand that dietary needs vary, and while we’re not able to meet every restriction, we are committed to offering food that’s honest, thoughtfully made, and worth eating.

“Farm to Cake does not provide medical or dietary advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for specific dietary needs.”

Whole wheat berries and gluten-free grains

We’re making a shift in the way we think about bread—moving toward freshly milled wheat berries and whole gluten-free grains. And it’s not just about flavor. It’s about nutrition, integrity, and stepping away from the processed norm that’s dominated baking for too long.

There’s more to come on this soon, but here’s the short version:
Most of the flour used today is highly processed. When wheat is refined into white flour, the outer bran and germ are removed—along with most of the fiber, healthy fats, and essential nutrients like B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and zinc. The result? A product with very little nutritional value. To compensate, commercial mills add back a small handful of synthetic vitamins and label it “enriched.” But it’s a poor substitute for what nature intended.

By milling whole grains on-site, we preserve the full nutritional profile of the wheat—nothing stripped, nothing lost. And the taste? It’s a world apart: rich, nutty, and alive.

We’re experimenting with a wide variety of wheat berries and gluten-free grains to create bread recipes that challenge the tired reputation of “health food.” Our soft whole wheat loaves are tender and craveable. Fresh-milled flour behaves differently, and it’s been a learning process—but with the right recipes, the results are both nutritious and genuinely delicious.

The same principle applies to our gluten-free baking. Most commercial blends rely on refined starches like corn or white rice flour, which offer structure but not much else. White rice, in particular, is usually stripped of nutrients and then enriched artificially. And with the rising cost of gluten-free products, that’s a lot to pay for very little.

By grinding whole grains like sorghum, millet, and brown rice in-house, we’re offering the most nutritious gluten-free breads we can—while also keeping better control over our budget, so we can continue offering them.

This isn’t a trend. It’s a return to bread that feeds both body and soul. Do the research. Taste and feel the difference.

This content is for informational purposes only and reflects our own research and baking practices. It is not intended as medical or nutritional advice. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized dietary guidance.

Is It Really the Gluten? A Baker’s Perspective on Flour, Health, and What’s Actually in Your Bread

With the rise of gluten-free products and diet trends, I’ve had to ask myself—as a baker—what’s really going on here? Less than one percent of the population is diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that requires total avoidance of gluten. So why does it seem like so many people are now having trouble with bread?

The real question might not be “Is gluten the problem?”—but rather, “What’s happening to our flour?”

The Flour We Use

At Farm to Cake, we proudly use King Arthur flour because we believe it’s one of the best conventional flours available. It’s unbleached, never treated with potassium bromate (a chemical additive linked to cancer concerns), and it performs reliably in scratch baking.

King Arthur also highlights that their flour is non-GMO—but here’s the truth that many people don’t know: all wheat grown in the United States is non-GMO by law. While genetically modified wheat was tested years ago, it was never approved for commercial production. So technically, all flour on the market—organic or conventional—is made from non-GMO wheat.

That means “non-GMO” on the label is more about consumer reassurance than any real difference between brands.

The Bigger Issue: How Flour Is Processed

Even with its cleaner practices, King Arthur flour is still a processed flour—and that’s where the real nutritional loss happens. Like nearly all modern white flours, it’s refined by removing the bran and germ, leaving only the starchy endosperm.

And that refining process matters—just as much, if not more, than pesticides or chemical treatments. Even if your flour is organic or “clean label,” if the bran and germ are gone, you’ve lost the parts of the grain that actually nourish your body.

A Bit of History

This shift began in the late 1800s with the rise of roller mills. These machines could efficiently separate wheat into its components, and millers quickly realized that white flour—made just from the endosperm—had a longer shelf life and lighter texture. That made it ideal for industrial baking and mass distribution.

The bran and germ? They weren’t discarded. They were sold off for animal feed. That’s right—what was once part of a wholesome food became a byproduct better suited for livestock. And people, unknowingly, were left with a less nutritious, fast-digesting product.

What’s Lost in White Flour

When flour is refined, you lose:

Fiber – critical for digestion and blood sugar balance
Healthy fats – naturally found in the germ
B vitamins – including thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate
Essential minerals – like iron, magnesium, and zinc
Phytonutrients and antioxidants – packed in the bran and germ

Processed flour is quickly converted to glucose, causing blood sugar spikes and crashes that can lead to fatigue, hunger, and eventually insulin resistance. Even “enriched” flour, with a few synthetic nutrients added back, doesn’t come close to the original whole grain in nutritional value or bioavailability.

Why We’re Milling Our Own

That’s why we’re starting to mill our own wheat berries in-house, using milling methods that preserve the whole grain. When you use flour made from the full wheat kernel—bran, germ, and endosperm—you’re baking with real food. The flavor is deeper, the nutrition is intact, and the bread leaves you feeling full and satisfied.

If bread hasn’t been sitting well with you, maybe it’s not the gluten. Maybe it’s the way modern flour is produced. At Farm to Cake, we’re going back to basics—one bag of real wheat berries at a time.

Disclaimer

We are not medical professionals, and the information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice. This content reflects our own research, experiences, and opinions as bakers and small business owners. Everyone’s body is different—if you have health concerns, food sensitivities, or questions about your diet, please consult a qualified healthcare provider.

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References & Further Reading

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). “Enriched Cereal-Grain Products.”
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-137

Celiac Disease Prevalence

Celiac Disease Foundation. “What Is Celiac Disease?”
https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/what-is-celiac-disease/

GMO Wheat Not Approved for Commercial Use

The Non-GMO Project. “Is Wheat GMO?”
https://www.nongmoproject.org/blog/is-wheat-gmo/

King Arthur Flour Practices

King Arthur Baking Company. Ingredient Information & FAQs.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/

Flour Processing and Nutrient Loss

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health – The Nutrition Source: Whole Grains
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/whole-grains/

Use of Bran and Germ in Animal Feed

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Feed and Forage Literature.
https://www.nal.usda.gov/aglaw/feed-and-animal-nutrition

Nutrients Lost in Refining Process

Whole Grains Council. “Refined vs. Whole Grain.”
https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/refined-vs-whole-grain

Blood Sugar Spikes and Refined Carbs

American Diabetes Association. “Carbohydrates and Blood Sugar.”
https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/understanding-carbohydrates