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K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it

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OMGOMGOMGOMG…you guys!

I think spring is here…FINALLY!

I was so excited this morning that I actually sang a spring song.

Yes, I just sang a song for 4 year olds.

My youngest son is almost 21.

This is what happens when “mommy brain” mix with “menopause brain”…

I digress…

Let’s get back to spring. I can’t tell you how happy I am that I think we are finally done with the white stuff (although, where I live, there is still white stuff everywhere…but my faith in Mother Nature keeps me sane). And, I don’t know about you, but when spring starts, I always feel like everyone around is in a much better mood and that always makes for more enjoyable outings.

Am I right or what?

So, when spring “sort of” sprung here in Ontario, I put my wellies on and headed out for a field trip with my pal Jenn and her hubby Greg to visit his brother’s totally awesome flour mill in Beeton Ontario.  I fell in love the minute I got there and I am so stoked to tell you guys all about it!!K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

It’s called k2MILLING and it is an Ontario focused, artisanal flour mill. The owner Mark Hayhoe (Greg’s brother) who likes to refer to himself as Kaptain Flour, has been milling for 27 years. His intensive knowledge and care combined with an irreplaceable passion for milling enables his mill to create quality milled products. Over one million tonnes of grain have passed first break in Mark’s mills.  The mill operates as a continuation of the Greg and Mark’s family’s 127 year legacy (Hayhoe Mills 1891-2018) in the milling industry.

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

k2MILLING has a truly unique milling technique that was developed in-house for artisanal, craft milling and to retain the maximum amount of flavour. And to make his mill even more amazing, they produce their own energy on site.

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

Their roots began in Saskatchewan and their family (who, by hearing all of their stories, were incredible entrepreneurs even back in the day!) dabbled in numerous businesses including even tea (Jenn tells me she had an old tea pot that had Hayhoe Tea imprinted on the bottom of it!)

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

The mill itself is a fun place to visit.  Mark purchased it as a feed mill and converted it into the mill that it is today.  He has kept some of the original details and has even installed some old Gothic widows to add character!

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

They mill spelt, rye, barley, oats, wheat, corn, rice, millet, sorghum, quinoa, amaranth, teff, lentils, peas, beans, chick peas, hemp, flax, sunflower, dried vegetables and fruit pomace/seed meals into meals, grits, kracks and flours.

Below is a picture I took of Mark showing me his blueberry flour which is sold to bakeries to produce product but also ships to the US to companies that produce capsules that are sold as vitamins (because it’s chock full of antioxidants!).

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

They pass their flours through a sifter and make country white [light] flour from wheat, corn, rye, barley, spelt, buckwheat and malted grains. The brans are created when they sift and are available straight off the mill or ground into a flour {Leonardo Flour}.

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

They also have Ontario malted grains, including barley, wheat, rye and corn.                  They are available whole, cracked, as a meal or a flour. Some local distillers buy Mark’s grains and produce some of Ontario’ s finest spirits! !  Their rye makes some pretty incredible whiskey through Stalk and BarrelK2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

And some amazing vodka called Voyageur Vodka is made with Mark’s grains and produced by Last Straw Distillery

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

The other companies that use Mark’s grains to produce alcohol are listed here:

Willibald Distillery in Ayr.
Black’s Distillery in Peterborough
Still Waters Distillery in Concord
Last Straw Distillery in Concord
Younghurst Distillery in Toronto
Spirit of York Distillery in Toronto
Polonee Distillery in St. Catherines
Crosscut Distillery in Sudbury
Grand Valley Distillery in Grand Valley

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie DurigonK2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie DurigonK2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon

I could go on about Mark’s mill but I think I’ll let you go and check it our yourself.  Their hours of operation are on his website.  Contact Mark for information on how you can preorder product as well.

In the meantime, Mark was nice enough to give me a bag of his “loftus flour” which, if I remember correctly, has higher protein (I made pizza with it and it was amazing!!) as well as his pastry flour which I used to make these crepes…so delish!!

If you go see Mark, tell him I sent you! and then let me know what you cook up with Kaptain Flour’s stuff!!

K2Milling: A Local Artisanal Flour Mill and the Entrepreneur Behind it Just Crumbs Blog by Suzie Durigon