Pleasant Hill Grain vs Azure Standard - Who is Better? | Grain Comparison | Honest Review
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2023
- Alright, y'all.
It is time. In this video I am peeling back the curtain and really comparing @PleasantHillGrain and @azurestandard to help you make a truly informed decision.
Let me know in the comments below who YOU think wins the "battle of the grains!"
In this video we will be comparing the following:
1) What grains each company offers
2) Price
3) Grain packaging
4) Grain cleanliness and packaging
5) Where each company sources their grains
6) Ordering experience & how you receive your grains
7) My personal experience with each company
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#grainsandgrit #pleasanthillgrain #azurestandard #graincomparison #productreview
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Azure Standard pickup has always been on time or a bit early. I'm 73 and the people at pickup has always helped me load my 50 pound bags. The grains have always been of a good quality and I am very happy with the Azure Standard experience. I place an order almost every month. My drop point is only 30 minutes from my home. Pleasant Hill is just too expensive for me. Thanks for your review.
I will say, I have always enjoyed getting to know people at the Azure drops! Everyone is always so helpful.
@@GrainsandGrit like-minded people...
Great thoughts, Felicia.
I understand that the grains from Azure do sometimes have some dustiness to them, but as you also mentioned, I've never noticed the finished product being compromised.
One thing that you did not mention is the huge variety of other products that Azure offers and how this can greatly play into the decision-making process.
Over the last decade or so, we have converted somewhere between 50-80% of our grocery shopping (not counting what we buy from local farmers) over to Azure Standard.
Since we are already shopping at Azure every month, it is actually more of an inconvenience to place a separate order elsewhere.
We are also drop coordinators, but run our drop a little differently.
We collect, sort, and store the orders when they come in, and then allow drop members to pick up at their convenience. This creates some margin so that when the truck is late (minutes, hours, or days)... everyone is not scrambling to re-work their schedule.
We are self-employed and homeschool, so we plan our life around a 4 week schedule that leaves the delivery week and flexible. We look at this as a great way to serve our community as a family, supporting something we truly believe in. 😊
Well done!
What a blessing you are to the community! I know that’s how Bread Beckers do their co/ops. They drop off the order with the coordinator and everyone picks up when they can. That would make it a lot more convenient for sure.
Y’all also have a wonderful you tube channel!! ❤❤
@@GrainsandGrit I know some people miss out on the "community" aspect of meeting the truck, but we're working on figuring out how to make that happen differently... Having EVERYONE meet the truck just creates so many inefficiencies. 😬 (plus, it's a logistical nightmare when the truck is running early or late!)
@@Mel-vu9ss Thanks so much for your continued support, Mel! ❤😊
I’ve never ordered from PH so I went to see what they had to offer. I’m stunned at the pricing difference. I can buy a 50 lb bag of organic USA grown hard red berries from azure for nearly a third of the cost.
I have ordered from azure off and on for many years and although you are correct about the drop timing changing, I’ve only had that experience a time or two. As far as cleanliness of grains (again no comparison to PH) I’ve never been dissatisfied.
Azure customer service imo is stellar, this past month I did experience a broken bag and they credited me the full amount and allowed me to keep the item.
For the record I am a once a month shopper so driving to a pick up isn’t an issue for me. I like that I can get nearly every item I want from one place.
I appreciate your review but I honestly don’t feel your comparing apples to apples being they are totally different set ups and type of distributors, even though they both do sell grains.
And again, that PH price. 😮
I have to agree with Grains and Grit on this. I’m also a fellow Floridian who has shopped with azure for a few years now and the grains are subpar for other places I’ve gotten them from. From Black Point disease on quite a bit of the berries to chaff and stalk left in and even pulled out some rocks with my girls all this week! It’s sometimes extremely difficult to sort due to being the same color and so on and so on. I’ve had bags of grain and my chicken feed and grain soaked from the floor of the truck as it sat there waiting to be grabbed and unloaded as well. NOT when it’s raining as we have an area to pull under, but from dry days just waiting to be picked up due to something leaking or from excess moisture on the ground. Which means I can’t store it long term and can’t store it in that bag.
As for the drop changes happening, I’ve had it happen QUITE a bit the last two years. I only get things from there with the understanding that my grains and feed are potentially going to need to be sifted or stored much differently than if I bought them locally. Sure the pricing is great, but the quality isn’t there anymore. If I could get them locally or even online for a decent price without worry of issues, I try to. We now will actually be getting our milling grains from bread beckers Co-op because of the issues with grains that I’ve had.
I live 15 min from my drop but I also have a special needs child in therapies every week/3 days in the week. Which means I can’t always do the changes. Thankfully I’ve been able to cancel my daughter’s therapy, but then that means my daughter missing out on health related services she really does need. When azure used to give us the day it was MUCH easier for me to plan. We do rely monthly for certain items and I’ve made it to where I get most of my produce, organic options, canned food and other things from them, but the issues are still there with the grains and the delivery. Sometimes we aren’t even notified but 30 min before pick up for an issue that they made clear happened the day before. We are not even the first on route so I can’t imagine what happened to the drop before us that day! But I know in our area between the multiple drops people have had regulars stop shopping. It’s been discussed a few times at my drop over the last year alone. Two years ago I didn’t have the drop change issues or the grain issues. But the last year it’s been terrible!
@@cristinap6394
One thing important to know is that Azure Standard WILL deliver straight to your home. However, you would have to check on the shipping charges, which could be quite expensive. I haven’t ordered from them yet but I have ordered from Pleasant Hill Grain. I can’t speak to the quality of the grain as yet because I haven’t opened it. It was pricey but it was important to me that it was organic and already packaged in a heavy duty bucket in Mylar with oxygen absorbers. I think I’ll look into Bread Beckers as well. Ashley has awesome videos for the Ankarsrum mixer, which I did purchase from Pleasant Hill Grain years ago. I also bought a Compact Bosch mixer through PHG and more than one Bamix immersion blenders. Their customer service is outstanding.
I’ve ordered grains from Bread Beckers for 20 years. They, too, are packaged in airtight buckets and are extremely clean. I love the grains from PHG as well. I’ve ordered a few grains from Azure but always opt for grains in buckets 99% of the time. As much as I appreciate Azure…and I’ve ordered from them for many years…I, too, have been frustrated with the delivery schedule and have been ordering much less often because I simply can’t rearrange my schedule at the drop of a hat when there’s a delay. Great video!
Azure is Awesome! They have a good price! If grains are dusty, pour from one bucket to another on a windy day ,or in front of a fan. I just cant justify paying triple with PH .
I love getting grains from Azure, good quality and can’t beat the price. I’ve looked into Pleasant Hill Grains, and am considering buying things like a flaker, and maybe other baking tools to support. But as far as grains, it’s just too expensive, plus I already have buckets.
Thanks for all the content you make Felicia! ❤
And that's a decision every shopper has to make for themselves. But I'm glad to help inform if I can!
Pleasant Hill Grain and Azure Standard both had an increase in out of stock items during the pandemic. One of the items I ordered from PHG was back ordered with an estimated ship date. That date changed twice. Made it hard to plan contingent orders. There was a huge increase in home baking and milling during the pandemic. Then there is the Ukraine War. It has, at least a psychological effect on demand for Grain products, as that area has been known as the breadbasket of the world. I prefer to store my grains myself in usable quantities. Bagging them in mylar with oxygen absorbers ia quick and easy. Smaller buckets (2-3.5 gallons) with gamma lids are easy to handle/lift and relatively inexpensive, with a little shopping in the 'net. Azure has great quality products. There is a very nice sense of community at the drop point. The driver at my drop has always been on time or a little early, though I'm sure there are circumstances that could delay him. (He comes out of Oregon. I live in Georgia.) It's an enjoyable way to shop. The prices, products and customer service are, in my experience, great.
I have only shopped with Pleasant Hill, being a Newby, but definitely like the convenience of home delivery and the cleanliness of the grains. Also, my mill malfunctioned, and I was immediately sent a replacement part. Great customer service. I will continue to use this source for my grain needs.
I really like Palouse grains. They are very clean, desiccant free & farmed in Washington. I also like that they are field traced & use compostable materials for their bags. All of their wheats, brown lentils, green lentils, and garbanzo beans will sprout. Free shipping on all orders as well.
I do purchase items from Azure Standard & found their grain a bit dusty, but otherwise great quality products & customer service. My drop is 20 minutes away & always on time.
I’ve only purchased appliances from Pleasant Hill Grain.
We have been using Azure for a yr now and never had a problem or seen dust or anything else in our grains. If anything does happen like a tear , they will take it off your card or offer a discount on it. We’re lucky that our drop is 20 minutes away. Pleasant Hill we have purchased our Ankarsrum through them and they do have great service.also on Azure It is posted in description origin is. Most are USA.
I have ordered from both now. Azure was an easy place to order from and my grain was dropped on time and in good shape. But in the same shipment, several other folk’s had ripped open bags, mended with duct tape. They were not happy campers. My Azure grain was full of chaff and small sticks. So I had to take the time to sift 50 lbs of wheat by 1/2 cup-fulls into a separate bowl to look for stones/sticks/debris. Then put into the buckets I bought at Lowes with Mylar bags from Wallaby. The PHG order came in the buckets, which had been shipped in boxes. Ready to put away and store. Quite a price difference! But also much less work for me. I will save my pennies and order from PHG again.
Speaking from a farmer’s perspective, there are two main reasons why some grains MUST be imported: #1 is money/profit. There simply is not enough demand in the US (and processing facilities!) for farmers to plant what we call speciality crops. And #2a not every plant species will grow in the US and 2b it is generally not a good idea to introduce non native plants to any region.
Thanks for the input!
Just knowing what the differences between the two should be helpful to those new to thinking outside the “grocery store”. Thanks for sharing your personal experiences.
I’ve purchased from both. We are fortunate to have even more choices beyond those two. “Let the buyer beware” doesn’t ever expire, spoil or need an upgrade. I tell myself this even more so in todays “economy” so again, thank you for your channel. Much appreciated.
Very true!
I’m just on the edges of this new project. I will probably go with Pleasant Hill
Thank you for this information! I really needed to hear this comparison.
I have really appreciated Azure. I received a Mockmill grain mill as a gift and was able to load up on different grains to experiment with for a decent price. And then from there I discovered all of the other great items they carry. But yeah, I think with PH you’re definitely paying for conscience and even luxury to some extent. With two kids and the way inflation is going, I do not have the extra disposable income to throw that way. But this was a fair comparison I think.
Time is money and money is time. Some people have the money so they can save on time while others have the time so they can save money. I totally get it. If it wasn't for Azure, I wouldn't have been able to afford milling my own grains several years ago.
I still recommend both companies - I just really wanted to let people know about all the differences and similarities between the two.
@@GrainsandGrit you are so right on time being money anymore. So that convenience that’s PH offers is appealing. I did really quickly want to note that probably the biggest benefit that you mentioned to PH is knowing that you have clean grains coming your way. I have used mostly spelt and einkorn from azure and have always had clean grains. But the hard white wheat does have a fair amount of debris. Nothing awful but still taking time away to pick it out.
I love Azure. Our driver is on time. There are two coordinators where we live and we always know ahead of time when the last date for ordering is and when the drop off date is. I can see my next drop off date in my account under Azure. Our coordinator has a FB page and we are kept informed. Havent ordered from PH so I have nothing to compare it to. Thanks for the review.
I do know the drop experience can wonderful or horrible lol There can be such a drastic difference based on the coordinator and driver! Sounds like you have the best of both. Hey, if it ain't broke don't fix it! :-)
❤ What a great video. I need to start watching all of them. You really do an amazing job and your cute. Love your personality.
Thank you for sharing with all of us !
I just purchased over $700 from Azure. My pickup for this order comes this Tuesday. I wish I would have known this a week ago. I'm very picky who I shop with regarding 'made in the USA'! I shut off my AT&T TV account, but still have to keep the internet. As soon as Starlink becomes available I will drop AT&T all together because they do not support the RIGHT! I greatly appreciate your honesty with agencies that give YOU benefits! THAT takes some guts when both Azure AND Pleasant Hill support you. Good for you, girlfriend!
I have been disappointed from Azure. Your right in the grains do come out a little dusty. Not bad, but a little. I think they should be cleaner. I also don't like standing out in the rain around a truck parked at a church with 75 other people waiting to hear my name called. Try hearing your name when it's raining hard! Plus, we had to stand there for a long time waiting for our items because there were so many people waiting for their items. From my understanding, the last drop there was a huge increase in people ordering items from Azure. Thus, it makes a longer waiting time at the truck drop. I think I'd rather be sitting in my house waiting for the item to be delivered right to my home.
I still shop at Pleasant Hill but will do MUCH more after hearing this video! I like the idea that I don't have to take the items from the bag & put them in better containers. Pleasant Hill does that for me. That alone is worth the cost increase PLUS I would be supporting grains bought in America! Thank you!
Wow. Great post. Absolutely Made in the good ole USA is all buy too. I'm over the cheap junk from China and definitely dont want any food from any another country either. I live in a rural mountain area but a reasonable distance from Bread Beckers plus they have their own co-op drop near me 3 times a year. So I buy in bulk, it lasts. Plus Beckers has great prices and extremely clean grains. Just wanted to say I totally agree with your comment :)
For me and my income - I have to go with Azure. I have bought from them only for a year and have not had any problems and luckily our pickup is only about 30 minute drive. I also have 2 Amish communities near me so I have purchased from them. If you buy a 25# bag it is about the same cost of Azure, but if you purchase it buy the pound it is double. We mill and bake all of our breads and our for our daughters family, so I keep plenty on hand and have been able to find 5 gallon buckets to store in. That said - Pleasant Hill is a wonderful company, I purchased my Bosch mixer from them (thanks to you) and their service is great. Thanks for the comparison, we’ll done.
I totally understand about the price being a big deal for people. If it wasn't for Azure, I would have had a difficult time affording grains to mill years ago! Most important thing is milling grains and consuming REAL bread!
Organic Hard Red Wheat Berries
50lbs: Azure Standard: 41.66 plus some shipping
43lbs: Pleasant Hill Grain: 127.71
The cost difference is insane. I know my time is valuable, but I psychologically can't do that. Besides, if I package it myself I know that I used quality 7 ml mylar bags and oxygen absorbers that are stronger than what is actually required.
Thank you for the information. I really appreciate all the information you provide
Awesome tutorial video on ordering and buying grains. Thank you so 💓 much for sharing this 🙏 wonderful information.
Thanks for the video! Azure newbie here, and so far it’s been a bit of a hassle. It appears that a big part of your experience depends on how organized your coordinator is and how well they communicate. I don’t love that you don’t have a specific drop date until after your order is submitted. And my driver has been late, which throws off my plans for the day. I appreciate how reasonably priced their items are and the variety of organic choices are amazing. I’ll stick it out with them for now. Haven’t tried PH yet but I will.
Azure has worked well for us. We add to our order all month. We check the amount of stock they have of the items we are ordering. 12 hours or so before the order deadline comes we check to see if we need to change an item due to no stock or they have 2 or 3 items only. That has helped us get product by changing brands etc. BTW - You must also purchase your order when you first add product. Even though you have items in your cart you have not ordered! You can then add/delete product as the month goes on. You only get charged for what is shipped. The exact drop off time comes a day or two after the order is placed. The truck is usually a little early for us. We have only had one late drop off. We were in the middle of a blizzard. 45 minutes late. In MN time that is early during a blizzard! The drivers have been friendly and helpful. You also get to meet people who are interested in the things you are interested in. Fun!
This was an excellent comparison video! I have only used azure standard because I am El cheapo! Think one time I ordered from Bluebird at your recommendation for einkorn. You have given me a lot to consider regarding pleasant hills. Especially when I consider that I have to buy my own 5 gallon bucket and gamma lids through azure, my own mylar bags, my own oxygen absorbers, and then come home and take the time to package everything up. I'm thinking I may give pleasant hill farms a look see. 🌾🌾🌾
Glad it was helpful! And thanks for supporting a sponsor of this channel. It helps keep me on the air: grainsandgrit.com/phg
Great video for someone new and exploring this process.
Thank you Felicia for the thoughtful comparison. And while I have not ordered grains from PHG yet, the items I have ordered were shipped & received in a timely manner.
As for Azure, I agree that since late 2020 my standard monthly orders for the 6 yrs prior went from excellent to downright dismal. As for the grains themselves, well, since changing my grain supplier (not PHG at this time) it’s finally nice to not have to sort through & clean out hulls & stems each time I want to grind grains to cook or bake with, which was a standard practice I had to deal with with the Azure grains that sucked precious time I could have been doing other important things.
So for now I have found a truly local/regional organic small farm distributor for my wheat that offers both bag or bucket. And since I am still in the pantry building process, if this grain truly stands up to what it is claimed to be, I’ll be able to have another reason to make the 1/2 days drive to visit family more often. However, PHG also is just a short 1/2 days drive which is why it is worth it for me to support ‘local’ knowing I will be getting my order fulfilled vs 🤷🏼♀️ maybe I’ll get everything I ordered but I will not know until the order is already shipped, which was the case for every order placed since late 2020 & one of the major reasons that I have put Azure “on the shelf” for now, the majority of my past bulk monthly products I either can no longer get or rely on getting and so I have had to source those items elsewhere.
I haven’t tried pleasant hill but I would if I had a need. Azure is an amazing company , I love their products . My drop time or date has changed, but they always notify me, so I’ve never experienced having to wait at a drop for truck to arrive. I’ve never had a torn bag issue. Customer service is great , and their low shipping rates are a huge blessing. But I always think choices are good for us, so it’s wonderful to have many places to buy our grains. Thanks for what you do !
Very informative and helpful! Thank you for sharing!
New fresh milled grain baker. My 1st Azure order arrives in 5 days. I know what shipped, the day and time to pick up. 🤞🏼 I am lucky that it’s just 3.5 miles from me. I already have food safe buckets (4 large w/lids) all for $2 from Sams. Getting 02 absorbers from Azure. So I don’t mind a little extra trouble to save $$. I’m retired so not an issue. Will check out quality.
Also I was lucky to pick up very fresh Hard white 50# From Montana Bread this week. It’s about 60 miles and a pretty drive for me. That should last me a year. Thanks for the video.
I understand that pleasant hill grains is convenient but right now where inflation is huge, Azure is superior to the financial budget in comparison.
I grew up cleaning beans and shelling beans so checking your wheat berries is less than two minutes, nothing has changed with Azure, I personally have noticed very little if any wheat stalk debris.
One pick up a month is not horrible if the truck is late, that being said, I live 15 minutes from my drop. The only time ive had to deal with late drops is dure the California wild fires since i live in California, and i rather the driver be safe than deliver my goods.
Azure keeps their prices low so they use bags, I don't need to collect an endless supply of plastic buckets that's not great for the environment. Again over all price is king as long as the quality is good.
I agree on the bucket thing. Once you have been doing this for a while you don't need more buckets around!
I am very happy with Azure for drops, quality and selection. I know several days ahead what time the drop is and it takes me 10 minutes to get there. I really like the community feel because we all help unload the truck and I get to see what other folk are buying. I wouldn’t change a thing!
I LOVE ALL things Pleasant Hill Grain ❤️ 😍
Ive made 5 purchases with them, had a couple questions and their customer service is top notchch. All my purchases have been here in 5 -7days.
I thought i would olace an order with Azure. Canceled it as soon as i saw that the shipping price to send to my home was going to be almond double the price of my purchase.
I also am one to support The U. S.of A... Husband and I are small business owners in California and we are doing very well thanks to God Almighty. Haven't moved out of California like so many. So i give God The Glory for Hos provision ❤
Thank you for this Video. I know who i will stick with 😊
I’m new to grains. I was advised from other family members, and several homesteaders, to purchase from Azure. I live in North Florida and drive two hours round trip to pick up my order. It has really been a good experience for our family to change how we purchase and prepare our food, eating more healthy than we ever have. One added positive note for using Azure is the benefit of earning Azure Cash with each order, to be redeemed on your next order. It’s not much but every dollar counts these days. I have enjoyed browsing Pleasant Hill website, but haven’t ordered anything. I enjoyed hearing you compare the two companies, but Azure is my choice for now.
My Azure drop is 5 minutes from my home. The driver is 99% on time or early. The grains I purchase from them are not dusty and the bags are always in good shape. I purchased 2 gallon buckets with gamma lids from Azure to store my grains. I find the smaller buckets easier to handle. Azure has good products at great prices. My drop location is free shipping. They also give a discount on your next order depending on the cost of your order.
Country life natural foods is a great grain place too
Yes indeed!!
I sort/inspect all grains that go into my mill regardless of the source. It not worth screwing up the mill. I use a 12” dia sieve and it’s very easy to inspect the grains. I’ve only purchased from Azure but my experience so far is I’ve found one small rock (less than the size of lentil) in soft wheat and 1/2” long plant stock and a few non-husked berries in Rye. Overall I’m happy with my purchases.
My drop location is 10min away, the drop coordinator keeps us informed via texting as to schedule. We show up 15min early and help unload.
If i had more disposable income pleasant hill seems nice! But im on a limited income so if i need to order i do choose azure standard. I am blessed with amish bulk stores near me like 2 miles away and she gets me whatever i want for same price as azure and its way more convenient to pick up!
I totally understand having to pinch pennies! Always wonderful to have a local source. I find they tend to be the best deal or at least equivalent to Azure.
I have ordered from azure for about 18 months. Only 10 minutes to my drop. People are super kind. I have gotten several bags of wheat. It's about 50 /50 for me and the grains. First ones were great. Next hard red wheat was dusty and has a lot of stalk and chaff. I'm still working my way through it as I cannot waste it. Another bag smelled tank and I had to dispose of it. I'm glad you reviewed these companies and the comments are very helpful as I am trying to decide if I will try azure again for grains. PH is very pricey but I don't want more dirty grain. I haven't had good success with azure customer service. Love your channel❤️
It really is a hit or miss with Azure. Some people have never had a problem, some people had mostly problems - it just all depends ha
I got another 25 lb bag of hard red wheat last order and it is nice and clean🥰
Well I live in a very rural place in NE Alabama, I'm close to anything. Azure drop off is almost as far as Bread Beckers for me and both have Great prices. So When I'm over near Bread Beckers I pick up my grains. Bread Beckers also has a co-op and a drop off near me but only 3 times a year. I plan accordingly. Pleasant Hill is much higher priced so I'll stick with what I'm doing. Sue Beckers class on Saturday is SO awesome especially for newbies. You get eat all sorts of her food made from all grains during the whole 3 hour class. I hope anyone who's close to or in N GA will check thier store out. They've got literally everything.
I have orderd form both. Azure Standard is cheaper in cost...but I have had some very dirty grains. I had a few shipments that I had to pour the grains out onto cookie sheets and go through each grain to recover the bowl of stuff that was in it. 3 times this has happened...usually hard red wheat. Wheats seem to be very dirty at times, but mostly from the dust. I pour it into mylar bags in buckets very slowly to keep the dust amount down.
The order's from Pleasant Hill Grains are always super clean...but cost a lot more.
I order from Bread Bckers also. Their grain is also super clean.
Awesome video!
Our delivery from azure has almost always been prompt sometime even early. My only complaint is the shopping cart so if I really need something I won’t know until after ordering is cut off if I’ll actually get it or not. Also wish their wheat was cleaner. Otherwise living in a small town far from available natural grocery stores azure is a blessing
I just went through this process for my first ever bulk grain process. I would need to drive over an hour to my drop point to an less safe (only my opinion) city. The cost was very different but with violent crime, inflation and food access challenges, I’m not going to an open parking lot to pick up my food. Good video. Thanks.
All very good points to consider!
Pleasant Hill is so expensive, and I cannot afford it.
Exactly! Me tooooooooo
I totally understand! There was a time where Azure was all I could afford and I am SO GRATEFUL for them. Now I am thankful to have the choice in grains 😀 What’s most important is you get grains, mill them, and eat that bread!
Thanks for this video. I'm an Azure shopper for grains only (otherwise prefer to buy local) and had never heard of PHG so it was interesting to learn about it and check out their website. I like that at Azure I can (almost) always buy 5 lb bags of grains since I choose not to order and store more (unfortunately not the case for sprouted grains: 25 lbs only). In northern California I have a very reliable drop coordinator and the driver has never been late. For selection of grains, I would definitely shop at Breadtopia if it weren't for the shipping costs. Their selection is incredible for heirloom and heritage grains. At Azure, if I buy under $50, the delivery fee is only $5. Can't beat that. Free over $50. The only time I was disappointed in the quality was with an order of einkorn grains that had way more husks that was acceptable. However, I ordered einkorn again recently and the problem has apparently been resolved.
Love seeing the firearm behind you. No one messes with Felicia - or her grains! 😂
Haha, it's just a Daisy BB gun.
I have just started milling my own grain. I bought my first mill about 6 months ago. It is an attachment to my KitchenAid mixer. I have only bought grain from azure standard and the local community market. The KitchenAid attachment is much too slow so I bought a Wonder Mill. I love it!! I have just started getting bulk grain (when I first started I just bought small amounts at a time. I have bought 25lb of soft white, 25lb hard white, 25lb durum and smaller amounts of various other grains. Most from Azure standard. I have not been able to get to the drop For the past 2 times. My drop coordinator is very gracious to take my order to her house where I can pick it up at my convenience. I have repacked it in 5 gallon buckets with gama lids and oxygen absorbers for the big bags and various other containers for smaller amounts. I haven't noticed any problems but I am so new to milling and baking all my own baked goods the jury is still out on how I will proceed after this but I would feel better about long term storage if it was coming to me already sealed up and delivered to my house.
I'd like to see what and how you start...meaning...grabbing you grains from each....how to you handle, sort, and watch for debris. We only see you grabbing grain pretty grains. What do us new to this have to watch out for and the whys. I'm getting my mill thus year and I'm taking in all the info I can gather. Do you clean your grains from Azure before you store in your buckets? Is getting a bucket a big deal breaker if I have buckets? Can I store my grains in buckets in the basement/ you know it gets semi moist in summer with a dehumidifier running? We are in Wisconsin and basement has more more moisture in the summer while in the winter with the wood furnace running it is drier. And what if I try to grow my own wheat, oats, einkorn, and such? We have a farm and thought it might be fun to try😉 I know grain do come out of the combine dirty (with debris). Thanks I love all your info!!!🥰
I'm fairly new at milling grain and have only purchased grains twice. First, an order from my home state which came with chaff. Not knowing, I ground that up, too, since it's all wheat, right? Later I picked out the chaff, thinking it was the source of grit in the bread. Second, an order from Pleasant Hill based on your earlier recommendation. What a difference! I like Pleasant Hill.
I prefer supporting US farmers. You get what you pay for, especially in the long run.
I agree with your review. Have you ever checked out Palouse brand grains? I have purchased from them and am always pleased.
I think there was a period in time when Azure was having machinery problems so that may explain the chaff and stalks in some grain bags but I never got any that weren’t clean.
Thank you for this very informative video. I have bought grain mostly from Breadtopia. I've been very happy with the quality, and their prices are in line, maybe a bit less, than Pleasant Hill.
I’m new to ordering grains and I’ve only ordered grains once and it was from Azure standard. My date changed from a Friday to Saturday which was actually better. I like that I can change my drop location.
I’ve never order grains from pleasant hill however I ordered my Bosch mixer came to my house before I got back from vacation ❤️
Love your vids. Just wanted to share what my 6 year old daughter said while I was watching this “oh my gosh mom I love her hair oh my gosh I love her face. Ok I can’t watch anymore she’s too beautiful!”
Awwww tell her I am truly honored by her compliments!!!
I did a quick price compare today (2/10/23) for hard white wheat (our staple for bread). Pleasant Hill Grains is $3.09 lb. (43 pounds in a bucket and Mylar bag). Azure Standard is $1.28 lb. (50 pounds in a paper bag). Both free shipping. Both grown organic in the USA. We divide our grain shipment up in one gallon (by volume, about 6 lbs.) Mylar bags. Drop in an oxygen absorber and heat seal. After a couple days, the oxygen has been removed from the bag and it looks like its been vacuum sealed.
Azure does not offer free shipping on anything, the shipping cost is always calculated based upon the total weight of your order unless you are ordering for direct ship to your home, then it is based upon the rates of the delivery service which are based upon weight/volume.
@@speakingconstitution - I've been using Azure Standard for 25+ years and have never paid for shipping (outright) ever. While the cost of shipping is obviously built into built into their business model and the cost of goods, As long as you use their distribution trucks and meet them for your pickup, shipping cost is absorbed. Can you give us a specific example of what, where, and how they charged you for shipping?
@@g-whiz286 it’s on your final email invoice. You pay a bit based on your total weight.
@@thehometownhomestead- I checked my last three emailed "Web Order Confirmation" emails which lists everything that shipped (not ordered) and there was nothing on them about shipping charges. It does list the total volume and weight of my order but that's it.. Can anyone else that is an Azure Standard customer and reading this confirm?
Correct, you are charged a shipping charge based on your volume and weight. It's less than ship-to-home, though, because you pick it up at a drop with a bunch of other orders.
My first and only purchase of wheat berries has been from Wheatland through Amazon. I have prime so I get free shipping. The berries were in a sealed mylar bag with oxygen absorbers inside a food safe bucket. 25 pounds cost me $59.95 plus tax. I was very satisfied. They were clean. I ordered the hard red because it was less expensive but am about to order the hard white. I’m just getting started milling my own grain. I can’t afford the shipping from Bread Beckers or PHG and I wasn’t sure about buying wheat in bags. Waiting for my Mockmill 100 to arrive from Germany and get shipped out from the store here in the US. Hopefully at the end of this month or the first of February. I’m so excited. The coffee grinder is killing me…. LOL!
PH is my favorite
. The cost is worth it to me since the rain is super clean, it’s bagged, in a bucket and oxygen absorbers. The cost of shipping is much cheaper from PH. All in all I don’t think PH is more expensive. It probably matters where you live because azure shipping was very expensive last time I checked. I love the customer service at Ph grains and since I grew up in NE I still like supporting my home state. We all have our own reasons but PH is the best option for me.
My drop location is 10 minutes from my home, and there are 8 within a 45ish minute radius to my home on various days of the week and days of the month. If I can't make a specific day, or I need something later/earlier I choose a different one, but face the drive. I've only had one time where our drop was late, but it was due to a truck breakdown, and it was just a couple of hours. Our drops are generally the same time each month, so it's fairly easy to plan around. It may be that I'm closer to Oregon, and I imagine as distance increases the variables increase as well (day/time, delays, etc.).
I do love your shirt! Im a Granny, and would proudly wear a shirt that said THIS GRANNYS A GRAINIE! 😂
Love that!
I've ordered from Azure, but one of the times I THOUGHT I had ordered - the page seemed to have my order all listed. When I didn't get a notice that it was shipped, I looked again, and it had not been ordered. Some products I found were competitive with WinCo, and waiting for a month was a pain. Very pleasant folks to work with in customer service. With my new job, finding time off to get to the shipment is the problem. I'm fairly price conscious, so I'm not sure I'd order wheat from PH. I have purchased a grain mill from them though, and the ordering was very easy. (They had it in stock when others did not)
I’ve ordered Azure for several years never ever had bad bag of grains ever. I’ve ordered from PH also I just can’t justify their prices . I’ll take the little inconvenience of azure and it’s not much for the savings
With all information given my choice would be pleasant hill.
I made a price comparison of Trader Joe's organic popcorn. Each bag of 28 oz is around $2.99 (or $64.93 for 608 oz). The Pleasant Hill bucket is 608 oz and costs $99.99. Would you recommend to purchase the Trader Joe's popping corn and then just buying a storage bucket and air absorbers?
Azure has always been early at my drop. I also am only about 5 minutes from my drop. I guess I am very blessed. I have noticed some chaff but very little, no different from local stores. I guess the price is worth it.
I'm starting to think PH is the winner here. I placed an Azure order and the truck was an hour early in January and no one was notified. Thankfully someone arrived that early (because they came from out of town) and stayed at the site to watch everyones items as people arrived. I wasnt too happy about that part so I'll probably go PH in the future for my grains.
Aww thanks
I've ordered grains from Azure Standard for two months now. All the grains were decently clean, but the Rye from last month was really bad. There were small hard black things, grains that looked like Ergot mold, and quite a bit of dust and chaff. Each 5lb bag took over an hour to pour small amounts onto a baking sheet and pick out all the junk. When I sent them pictures of what I found in only 100 grams of grain, they credited me about $2.50 for my next purchase. They said they follow government rules for cleanliness, but when I'm grinding my own flour, I don't ever want to spend that much time hand cleaning. I'll spend much more to never have to deal with that again. I can see for people that buy a lot, it's worth it because of the lower prices, and the fact that you will probably get lucky with clean grain.
Yeah, "government rules" are pretty low.
But once you open the milar bag from from pleasant grains it's open and no longer long term so it's like opening a bag of azure they package there's from a big company
I prefer Pleasant Hill to Azure. Azure is pricier on other items also. But in terms of grains, I like Pleasant Hill.
We had to purchase from Azure since Pleasant Grains only sells huge amounts of some items. This does not work for us. Azure also has a much larger selection of the grains we need. For example they had sesame seeds and pine nuts which Pleasant did not have. Eva
I’m new to this. After sampling various 5 lb bags of grain from Azure, I ordered several 25 lb bags. They will be picked up next week. So do I have to buy buckets, Mylar bags, and oxygen absorbers to store them? Please help 😊
We get our buckets for free from independent beer makers in our area. They contained malt. We used to get them from bakeries. But the beer maker buckets are more consistent with what you would normally buy. The buckets are high grade and rubber sealed. Wash up easy. We get extras to give to our friends. We get the oxygen absorbers from Amazon now. We pay a little more for the Wallaby brand (500cc). We have been doing this for over 25 years. We have never needed the mylar bags. We had a lost bucket of wheat that was 22 years old. Still fresh as the day we sealed it. Have fun!
@@WesTaylorPhotography Thanks for sharing that. I’ll have to see if I can find one of those 😊
Thanks for commenting! I actually did a video all about storing grains. You can check it out here: ruclips.net/video/cKWXYSNoQ_Y/видео.html
A rock in Azure Barley about took out a molar. Hurt so bad. I have to wash all grains a lot as it is very dirty.
Ouch!!
I’ve had 2 orders now from azure. I didn’t mind the drop method but it’s only 10 min from my home. First time early truck second 1/2 hr late. It is inconvenient not to know the time till the week before or of. Also it’s just happened to be on days I had day off work. Hopefully next order will be a good time or I have to have someone else pick it up. I ordered from Pleasant Hill and yes the bucket was nice but I think the lid was faulty, it didn’t work like it was supposed to so now my lid is all mangled. And I ordered a grain mill (finally something besides my kitchen mixer attachment yay!) but the grain mill is on back order (ordered in November). Got email they were expecting to get it mid January. Today got email said with them receiving and getting it shipped I can expect it the end of February. That isn’t their fault. The cost difference between the 2 is huge!! Since I don’t want a whole bucket opened at once I don’t mind repackaging the bags when I get home from azure. Also, I absolutely love their canning jars and lids. And the price compared to stores by me, (near flint MI) are awesome.
Also customer service with azure seems good. I received a box of dozen canning lids that only had 11 in it. They issued me a credit
I clicked on the pleasant hill site off your site ordered an oat flaker and oat groats thinking I would get your discount and you getting credit. Found out that this did not happen. Was disappointed so you need to clarifyi how to order so you get credit
I don't have a discount code for PHG for any oat flakers or oat groats. However, if you just use the link I provide that gives me credit on whatever you order :-)
the difference is transportation. i figured both and PH is only about $25 higher. also i would have to drive 90 miles round trip to closest pickup.
Aw I'm glad.
Thanks you for the info. What grain mill would you recommend for a beginner? Using some of my tax return for buying mill and grains. Thank You so much.
I always recommend starting with a hard red or hard white for your yeast breads and a soft white wheat for your baked goods! :-)
@@GrainsandGrit thank you. How about the mill?
@@lucythomas4077 I watched her video where she showed her trusted Wondermill. She stated that it was bought used off ebay. I immediately went on ebay and found one. Amazing mill!
Later on I got nutrimill Harvest stone from Amazon. I use both. The nutrimill is my go to for coarse grinding.
I love my NutriMill Classic! So easy to use!
@@galefields5471 thank you 🙏. Will look into that one. Any advice for newbie on making bread with freshly ground wheat berries?
I order my grains from Palouse-they are not far away from me and their grains are extremely clean (had a bad experience with the amount of weed seed and chaff with Azure). Just another option for people.
I've heard good things about Palouse, I have just never ordered from them myself :-)
I prefer Pleasant Hill as when the bucket arrives I don't have to do anything with it. I have had grain come in bags, which some have had small tears and you still have to put it up properly so it can be stored long term. So by the time you do all that plus the travel and wait time etc. you are paying about the same price as Pleasant Hill.
Time is money! :-)
Thank you. What about grains from Bread Beckers? Sue Becker has awakened many to the “Truth about Bread”
She's who got me started!
@@GrainsandGrit yes I thought so. Im just getting started bc of another RUclips Homesteader who said “Sue Becker revolutionized my life”. Her info blew my mind and now on this new journey. I don’t bake, barely cook🙄
I like what each company stands for, however I am turned off by the drops from Azure. I don’t have time to sit and wait on a drop; and I heard that the drop nearest me has been discontinued. I’d rather pay a bit extra to have my grains shipped direct to my home
I do think the drop experience can be a huge turn-off for some people. Again, this all depends on the coordinator and the driver! Some drops are wonderful, some are a pain and huge inconvenience. My own experience has changed so much in the past 8 years or so.
I've been getting my azure standard whole wheat flour and putting it in my deep freezer in their bags. 😬
I thought your video was extremely fair. After all aren't we asking your opinion! I am thinking about milling my own grains, but it is only my husband and I. He is still working but will probably retire in the next few years as the Lord wills. He has been a pastor for the past 37 years. All that being said I don't need massive amounts of wheat berries, but I am very nervous about any bug issues. Obviously, cost is a factor for most of us, but clean berries are a must. Is there one wheat berry that would work for both yeast bread and baked goods to get us started? Thanks for your help
Hard white might work, but really you need two different grains.
Thanks for your quick response! Would hard white for yeast breads and soft white wheat for baked goods work if I'm trying to limit my grains to start out? One last question... Do you know anything about Sue Becker's grains? From her website it looks like she sells in smaller quantities in buckets. Thank you again for your time. I have watched so many videos thinking about milling my own wheat (at my senior age!) and yours are absolutely my favorite! You are very inspiring! Thank you, Carol@@GrainsandGrit
Bread Beckers has a drop near me. Do you have an opinion on their grains?
It's been awhile since I have ordered from them, but I have never had a bad experience with their grains and I do believe they are well priced as well.
Thanks!
Since aiming to follow Felicia's example and starting to mill and bake all the breads for my family of 10 plus store up a little extra, Azure has been the only affordable option for us. We even ordered some from Bread Beckers, but there's no beating Azure's prices, even considering time and gas for the pickup.
Take aways from this video:
- PHG should consider making their grains more economical
- Azure should consider making their grains cleaner
- Comparing apples to oranges creates a false dichotomy. Both companies serve the end of home milling and baking.
- Consider if there is a commission-based bias to a recommendation and make your own decision.
I've had ok results with Azure standard, but the quality is not consistent. Azure standard also won't give refunds for inedible product. Look at the whole spelt reviews. Musty, ammonia barn smell, bug hollowed grains and bugs. I thought they'd take care of it by the time I ordered months later, but no. They said it was normal and passed inspection so it was fine. It wasn't. 100+ grains hollowed out per 100 grams, bad smell overall and dozens of grain beetles in the bag? My bag didn't pass usda inspection requirements. Quality and cleanliness varied in the other bags,, but the spelt was not fit for people. Ime, its risky to buy from them. Affordable, but risky.
I have always ordered my grains from Pleasant Hill….they are amazing!! The most IMPORTANT to me is QUALITY of the food, the ease of getting it, and the price….in that order. I ONLY eat organic food so I am used to spending A LOT of money on food…..it is literally our largest expense (even more than our house payment)!! I have looked at Azure even for other groceries but I have noticed the things I buy are NOT less expensive at Asure…..not sure why everyone says everything is so cheap from there!! It must not be foods I am eating lol. I am VERY pleased with Pleasant Hill Grain and am going to stick with them…..I don’t have time to be picking through or cleaning grains :)
Felicia you are clearly biased. Every time you mention Azure your voice drops and takes on a disapproving tone. You are only one customer and it's unfortunate that your experiences with Azure are not up to your standards. I have been ordering from Azure for two years. The products (they sell thousands of items, not just grains) and the customer service have been stellar. If there is anything wrong with an item Azure will issue a refund. Our trucks are on time and our coordinators are excellent.
The reason that Azure runs out of stock is due to the fact that they do not operate in a deficit. You can learn more about Azure's business model on their website, they are very transparent. They also have a very informative RUclips channel. The reason that you may not receive an item that you ordered and someone else in your drop did - the largest orders are packed first.
I checked into PH upon your recommendation and they are way too expensive for my budget.
I've never bought grain from PH but I have bought two grain mills from the company. They have great customer service. I buy from Azure but I don't buy my grain there. I purchase all my grains from an organic farmer's co-op locally. I think I may try PH's grain to see how it compares to my current supplier. My grain is all US grown other than a few Canadian farmers. It never hurts to diversify so I think I may try PH. It would be lovely to have it arrive already set for long term storage. Great info thank you.
I just start ordering mine from natural way mills there all organic and most of the grains come from this company they grow the grains and cheaper
My Pleasant Hill grains did not come in a plastic container
Never mind I had the wrong company sorry
I was about to ask what you ordered lol
Has anyone actually pinned these companies down as to the use of Round Up in harvesting their grains? Had another RUclips channel I follow do this with an "organic" wheat sold on Amazon. After much back and forth, the company finally admitted that their own process was organic but they couldn't guarantee what happened on the farm. Smh. The whole point for me is to get away from glyphosate.
I believe I saw a video by azure stating how they made sure glyphosate wasn’t being used on their grains. I think it was the video about organic sugar cane.
I am very happy with Azure, always on time and always fresh and good. Sounds like Pleasant Hill is your biggest sponsor. They are just way to expensive but of course I don’t receive fund or gifts from sponsors. 🤷🏼♀️
Are you saying that grains need Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers now? All I’ve heard from you is that those aren’t necessary. Are you changing that opinion now?
Nope. I rotate through my grain stock very quickly. I rarely ever use mylar or anything. But if you're going to be storing long-term, it's a good idea to have a little extra precaution.
Azure Standard is more natural and reasonable price! While PH is ripoff.