Did you know that 80 percent of flour in Australia is made and owned by three large multinational corporations? Food Connect Foundation’s CEO Robert Pekin doesn’t mince words when he talks about the impacts of this lopsided ratio. “So much of it is bought cheaply,” he says. “Shipped to central locations, stored in huge silos, heated, sifted and bleached before it makes its way to the shelf – stripped of flavour, nutrients, and connection to the farmer and land it came from.” Food Connect Foundation’s latest social enterprise, The Salisbury Mill, looks to bring flavoursome flour back to the people and support sustainable grain producers in the process. The artisan flour mill, Brisbane’s first, is doing so by sourcing grains directly from independent family farms that employ ecologically sound regenerative methods. These grains are then slowly ground on a custom stone mill (made from granite sourced from a quarry near Mount Alexander in Victoria and built by farmer Ian Congdon of Woodstock Flour and his brother Hamish), packaged and then hand-labelled with the name of both farmer and miller. Where conventional rolling mills aim for speed and volume, slow ’n’ steady stone mills evenly distribute grain, allow airflow and prevent the flour from overheating. What results is a fresh, milled-to-order wholegrain flour that is packed with flavour and alive with nutrients – the sort of gear that sets a lacklustre loaf apart from a superstar sourdough. “There’s an incredible difference between our flour that’s freshly milled and only a day or a week old, compared to the stuff that’s been in a bag for months,” says Robin. “Fresh flour really tastes more alive, and we can’t wait to help Brisbane’s kitchens explore the flavours from different grains and locations – it has real terroir, just like wine or coffee.”

The Salisbury Mill currently produces two kinds of flour, each made using different varieties of wheat grown at Woodstock Farm out in Berrigan. Spitfire is made from certified organic Spitfire wheat boasting 12-percent protein content and a savoury flavour, which is perfect for bread, pizza bases and crackers. The Salisbury Mill’s other flour is Rosella, a medium-protein all-rounder wheat variety that delivers a golden crumb and almost buttery flavour – ideal for cakes, biscuits, slices and scones. In addition to working with local and eco-minded farmers, The Salisbury Mill is also working in partnership with First Nations people to develop a range of flours made from native grains – a move aimed at restoring tradition and honouring the continent’s first millers and bakers. The Salisbury Mill flour can be picked up from a number of Brisbane stockists, including All My Friends in Highgate Hill, Riser Bread in Toowong, Good Things Grocer in Tarragindi, The Green Grocer in West End and Marigold Haus in Ashgrove. The Food Connect Foundation team is also investigating the possibility of opening an on-site bakery at the Mill’s home in Salisbury’s Food Connect Shed.

Image credit: Imogen O’Doyle, supplied by The Salisbury Mill