Barton Springs Mill
AFWA Grant: $15,000
Launching Austin's first flour mill since 1886, James Brown has created a resurgence in the production of organic, stone-milled ancient, heirloom, and landrace grains. The ingredients are all highly valued by chefs, bakers, brewers, and distillers. At Barton Springs Mill, Brown is producing fresh-milled flours that are nutritious and praised for their flavor. They are also more easily tolerated by those with gluten and grain sensitivities.
With the opening of the mill, Brown created a market for local and regional Texas farmers to grow these grains using sustainable organic practices, many of which were previously grown in the early 1900s. Several of the ancient grains require an additional hulling process to make them suitable for milling.
Brown used the grant to purchase specialized hulling equipment to create the state's only processing facility for heirloom grains emmer, einkorn, and spelt.