FAQ

Is your bread organic? Short answer: "Yes, but..". Long Answer: "The Mendocino Grain Project is not certified organic, but all of their grains are farmed using biodynamic practices, with soil health and sustainability at front-of-mind. The grain farmer for MGP is an active member of the Northern California biodynamic community and studied under John Jeavons."

It's basically the cleanest flour you're likely to find, especially considering the farmer and miller are often literally the same passionate person, and the entire lifecycle of the flour from seed to dough is uncommonly direct and fully traceable.

Our bread flour and all of our mix-ins are all certified organic.

Why is this bread darker than what I'm used to? These doughs are extremely wet, and are only really fully cooked on the inside when their crust is baked very dark. The darkness is also key to their flavor, as it represents a complex browning that results from caramelization, maillard reaction, and more. The darker the better, and the more flavorful. It's not burnt, it's charred. To learn more about the culinary difference between charred and burnt food, there are a number of articles on the subject available for reference.

What percent whole wheat are your non-whole wheat loaves? All of our non-whole wheat loaves are a minimum of 30% whole wheat content. Many of our local wheats are white wheats (sonora) or golden colored ancient grains (khorasan) which give our loaves a lighter appearance despite their whole grain content.

What material do you mix and ferment in? We mix and bulk ferment in stainless steel. We never ferment in plastic, though that is by far the most common medium for sourdough fermentation in bakeries, and for understandable reasons - you can see through the vessel to measure % rise during the bulk fermentation process - very handy, but... Grainsong will never ferment in plastic even if it's currently thought to be 'food safe'.

Is the label on the bag compostable? Yes, it's an ink-free thermoprint on compostable stickers that use natural rubber adhesive. They are also recyclable if you prefer.

Can you bake bread for my wedding / party / event? Yes, please contact for further information. If you're looking for farm-to-table catering that features Grainsong bread, please contact Black Dog Farm Catering