# Sovereignty Module: Turn the Millstone

## Complete Flour Milling and Grain Processing: From Kernel to Loaf

Milling transforms raw grain into flour, the foundation of bread and civilization. This campaign covers millstone dressing, hand milling, water-powered mills, and flour grading.

### Chapter 1: Milling Methods

| Method | Output (lbs/hour) | Power Source | Difficulty | Flour Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saddle quern (rubbing stone) | 1-2 | Hand | Very low | Coarse |
| Rotary quern (hand mill) | 3-5 | Hand | Low | Medium |
| Mortar and pestle | 0.5-1 | Hand | Very low | Variable |
| Stone burr mill (hand-cranked) | 5-15 | Hand | Moderate | Good |
| Water-powered stone mill | 50-200 | Water | High | Excellent |
| Wind-powered stone mill | 30-100 | Wind | Very high | Excellent |

### Chapter 2: Millstone Construction

| Component | Material | Purpose | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bedstone (bottom) | Granite, quartzite, or burr stone | Stationary grinding surface | 24-48 inches diameter, 4-6 inches thick |
| Runner stone (top) | Same as bedstone | Rotating grinding surface | Same diameter, slightly lighter |
| Rynd (iron cross) | Wrought iron | Connects runner to spindle | Fits into eye of runner |
| Spindle | Hardwood or iron | Rotates runner stone | Vertical shaft through bedstone |
| Hopper | Wood | Feeds grain to stones | Above runner stone |
| Shoe (feed trough) | Wood | Meters grain flow | Vibrates to control feed rate |
| Tun (casing) | Wood | Contains flour | Surrounds stones |

Millstone dressing: 1) Furrows (grooves) cut into grinding face of both stones. 2) Pattern: radial furrows from center to edge (8-12 furrows per stone). 3) Furrows are deeper at center, shallower at edge. 4) Furrows shear grain (scissor action between upper and lower furrows). 5) Lands (flat areas between furrows) grind flour fine. 6) Furrows also channel flour outward to edge. 7) Re-dress stones every 100-200 hours of use (furrows wear smooth). 8) Dressing tool: mill bill (specialized chisel). 9) Stone gap: adjust for flour fineness (closer = finer flour). 10) Too close: stones touch, overheat, damage grain.

### Chapter 3: Water Mill Design

| Component | Material | Purpose | Specification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dam or weir | Earth, stone, timber | Create head (water height) | Minimum 4-6 feet head |
| Millrace (channel) | Earthen or lined | Carry water to wheel | Slight downward slope |
| Water wheel | Wood, iron | Convert water energy to rotation | 6-15 feet diameter |
| Gearing | Wood or iron | Change speed and direction | 4:1 to 6:1 ratio |
| Millstones | Stone | Grind grain | 24-48 inches diameter |
| Tailrace | Earthen | Return water to stream | Below wheel |

Water wheel types: 1) Overshot wheel: water enters at top (most efficient, 60-90%, needs high head). 2) Breastshot wheel: water enters at mid-height (moderate efficiency, 50-70%). 3) Undershot wheel: water pushes bottom of wheel (least efficient, 20-40%, works with low head). 4) Turbine: enclosed wheel (very efficient, 80-95%, requires engineering).

### Chapter 4: Flour Grading

| Flour Type | Extraction Rate | Color | Protein | Use | Nutrition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole wheat | 100% | Brown | 12-14% | Bread, general | Highest (all bran, germ) |
| High extraction | 85-95% | Tan | 11-13% | Bread, general | Very good |
| White (patent) | 70-75% | White | 10-12% | Fine bread, pastry | Lower (bran removed) |
| Middlings (shorts) | Byproduct | Tan | Variable | Animal feed | Good |
| Bran | Byproduct | Brown | Variable | Animal feed, fiber | High fiber |

Sifting process: 1) Ground flour passes through progressively finer sieves. 2) Coarse sieve: removes bran flakes and large particles. 3) Medium sieve: separates middlings. 4) Fine sieve: produces white flour. 5) Bolting cloth: finest sieve (silk or fine linen). 6) Each pass produces a different grade of flour. 7) Nothing is wasted: bran and middlings feed animals.

### Chapter 5: Bread Baking

| Bread Type | Flour | Leavening | Difficulty | Shelf Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flatbread (unleavened) | Any | None | Very low | 1-3 days |
| Sourdough | Wheat, rye | Wild yeast (starter) | Moderate | 5-7 days |
| Yeasted bread | Wheat | Commercial or cultured yeast | Low-moderate | 3-5 days |
| Hardtack | White flour | None | Very low | Months-years |
| Cornbread | Cornmeal | Baking soda or eggs | Low | 1-2 days |

### Reference Card

1. Furrows are the key to milling (the grooves cut into millstones shear grain like scissors; without properly dressed furrows, stones crush rather than cut, producing poor flour). 2. Stone gap controls fineness (the distance between runner and bedstone determines flour fineness; too close and stones overheat; too far and flour is coarse). 3. An overshot wheel is most efficient (water entering at the top of the wheel uses both weight and momentum; 60-90% efficiency versus 20-40% for undershot). 4. Whole wheat flour is most nutritious (100% extraction flour contains all the bran, germ, and endosperm; white flour removes the most nutritious parts). 5. Sifting grades the flour (passing ground flour through progressively finer sieves separates it into white flour, middlings, and bran; each has its use). 6. Re-dress stones regularly (millstone furrows wear smooth with use; re-dressing with a mill bill every 100-200 hours maintains cutting efficiency). 7. Sourdough is the original leavening (wild yeast captured in a flour-and-water starter has raised bread for thousands of years; no commercial yeast needed). 8. One bushel of wheat makes 42 pounds of flour (a bushel of wheat weighing 60 pounds yields approximately 42 pounds of whole wheat flour, enough for about 50 loaves).