Producer
Fairhaven Mill
, ,
About Us
Local organic whole-grain flour since 1974.
In 1974, a small organic flour mill opened in the village of Fairhaven, part of Bellingham, Washington. Founded as a cooperative, Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill was owned and run by a handful of worker-shareholders. By the end of the 1980s only two remained and Bill Distler bought out his partner and ran the mill for nearly 20 more years.
In 2007, Kevin Christensen and his wife Matsuko purchased the mill and in the fall of 2010, after more than 36 years in Bellingham, Fairhaven Flour Mill moved to a new 7,500-square-foot space in Burlington, Washington, near I-5.
?In 2019, a local group of farmers and visionaries purchased Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill with the goal of taking their predecessor's hard work to the next level, while supporting the local farmers and economy.
In 1974, a small organic flour mill opened in the village of Fairhaven, part of Bellingham, Washington. Founded as a cooperative, Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill was owned and run by a handful of worker-shareholders. By the end of the 1980s only two remained and Bill Distler bought out his partner and ran the mill for nearly 20 more years.
In 2007, Kevin Christensen and his wife Matsuko purchased the mill and in the fall of 2010, after more than 36 years in Bellingham, Fairhaven Flour Mill moved to a new 7,500-square-foot space in Burlington, Washington, near I-5.
?In 2019, a local group of farmers and visionaries purchased Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill with the goal of taking their predecessor's hard work to the next level, while supporting the local farmers and economy.
Practices
At the heart of our mill is our tested and true impact milling system that produces exceptionally fine, consistently granulated 100% whole-grain flour. The mill agitates the grain kernels at extremely high speeds causing the kernels to shatter against one another and the spinning mill surfaces until every part of the grain (the germ, bran, endosperm) are all uniform in size, resulting in flours with unparalleled texture and balance.
Our milling process results in fully activated starches that promote even fluid absorption, which is great for high-hydration baked goods resulting in moist and supple crumb. When it comes to healthy living, we’re all in, and so is our flour. Nothing is sifted out during the milling process--whole kernels go in and 100% flour goodness comes out.
Our system captures and keeps all of the nutritional benefits of the entire grain, including the all of oils and amino acids that contribute to the spectacular functionality of our flours. We measure the moisture of our grains as they come from the farm and don’t premoisten or temper the grains before milling. By keeping track of these moisture levels we are able to ensure our flours are fresh and fragrant right out of the bag. We provide a “best by” date on each bag, and while they are shelf stable, they are best stored in cool dry storage.
With our wheat flours, you can expect
Exceptionally workable dough
Unique flavors
Softer crumb
Improved fermentation
Our milling process results in fully activated starches that promote even fluid absorption, which is great for high-hydration baked goods resulting in moist and supple crumb. When it comes to healthy living, we’re all in, and so is our flour. Nothing is sifted out during the milling process--whole kernels go in and 100% flour goodness comes out.
Our system captures and keeps all of the nutritional benefits of the entire grain, including the all of oils and amino acids that contribute to the spectacular functionality of our flours. We measure the moisture of our grains as they come from the farm and don’t premoisten or temper the grains before milling. By keeping track of these moisture levels we are able to ensure our flours are fresh and fragrant right out of the bag. We provide a “best by” date on each bag, and while they are shelf stable, they are best stored in cool dry storage.
With our wheat flours, you can expect
Exceptionally workable dough
Unique flavors
Softer crumb
Improved fermentation