Once upon a time there was a US airman who went into an ancient tomb and gathered a handful of precious grain from a stone box [...]]]> Today I thought I should tell you a story about one of our grains, Kamut. Hold on to your pants ‘cause this might be too crazy for you too handle.

      Once upon a time there was a US airman who went into an ancient tomb and gathered a handful of precious grain from a stone box in the ancient place of Dashare, Egypt. He took thirty-six kernels of the Kamut grain and sent it to his friend who then mailed the kernel to his father, a Montana wheat farmer. The wheat endured the ocean and the tough terrain of America to the house of the Montana wheat farmer. This farmer was overwhelmed with his great wealth of wheat and did what any Montana farmer would do: he harvested a small crop and displayed the grain as a new innovation at the local fair. Since the belief was still that this “giant” grain kernel was taken from an Egyptian tomb, they dubbed the grain, “King Tut’s Wheat”.  Not long after its brief moment of fame, the grain became forgotten.

Many years later, in 1977, Mark Quinn, another Montana wheat farmer, discovered the remaining jar of the Kamut grain. Mark’s son, Bob, was an agricultural scientist/biochemist so together they researched this “unique” grain. The Quinns discovered that kamut originated in the “fertile crescent” area which runs from Egypt to the Tigris-Euphrates valley.

THE END

Well too bad I won’t end this like a real story since it’s a blog,  in stead  I will  leave you with some food for thought…of course I mean literally! Check out the 100% organic Kamut flakes that we have for sale at Cream of the West.  They’ll be in the Green Barn section.  Kamut, plus all of our other products, are very healthy for you and might possibly inspire some thoughts!  If so, write back and tell me your blog story.

WWI: In Flanders Fields John McCrae (1872-1918)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset [...]]]> In tribute to our fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day,
we reprint the John McCrae poem…

WWI: In Flanders Fields
John McCrae (1872-1918)

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

And A Memorial Day Litany

We remember and honor those whose lives were
given in service to us:

The 184,000 who served in the Revolutionary War
and the 4,435 who died in that service.

The 286,703 who served in the War of 1812
and the 6,765 who died in that service.

The 78,718 who served in the Mexican War
and the 13,283 who died in that service.

The 3.500,000 who served in the Civil War
and the the 530,000 who died in that service.

The 306,760 who served in the Spanish-American War
and the 2,446 who died in that service.

The 4,743,826 who served in World War One
and the 116,708 who died in that service.

The 16,353,659 who served in World War Two
and the 407,316 who died in that service.

The 5,764,143 who served in the Korean War
and the 33,651 who died in that service.

The 8,744,000 who served in the Vietnam War
and the 58,168 who died in that service.

The 467,539 who served in the Persian Gulf War
and the 268 who died in that service.

The 320,000 who served and are serving in the Afghanistan War
and the 492 who have died in that service.

The 1,680,000 who served and are serving in the Iraq War
and the 4,021 who have died in that service.

as spoken during Sunday services at American Lutheran Church in Harlowton

Violet Noel

On a lovely Christmas morning, Assistant Plant Manager Stacy felt the pangs of labor, alerted Tom, loaded the car with daughter Karrigan in tow, and headed out for the 90 mile trip to her mid-wife in Billings. In the vicinity of mile marker 143 [...]]]> Wow…what a busy December/January we’ve been having at Cream of the West…

Violet Noel

On a lovely Christmas morning, Assistant Plant Manager Stacy felt the pangs of labor, alerted Tom, loaded the car with daughter Karrigan in tow, and headed out for the 90 mile trip to her mid-wife in Billings. In the vicinity of mile marker 143 (not quite halfway to their destination), on the side of the road, baby Violet decided to make her entrance. With Karrigan on the phone with 911, instructing Tom how to cut the cord, a new life began! Violet’s birth certificate in fact notes Mile Marker 143 as her place of birth, and appropriately, her as yet undecided middle name became Noel. No Kidding! Welcome Violet Noel and congratulations Stacy and Tom – and sisters and brother Kareneka, Karrigan, and Kaden!

Remodel

January brings a bit of chaos to the Cream of the West facilities in the form of a slight remodel. Once finished, our newly arranged plant will allow us the necessary divisions to offer Montana organics. So stay tuned for the introduction of our new line of organic grains and flours! Plant Manager Bobby has been busy with our local contractor moving some doors and adding a wall, and he and Billy have been moving some obsolete machinery to an offsite storage facility. We’ve purchased some new equipment and look forward to our newly refurbished plant and final inspection!

Cinnamon Rolls

It’s decided to snow this morning here in the Harlowton/Two Dot area, and what better weather for fresh, homemade cinnamon rolls! I make the dough in my bread machine, let it rise in the machine for an additional half hour or so (until I’m ready), fill, roll out and slice, raise and bake, and – presto – yummy cinnamon rolls for a wintry morning! See our website for a simple sweet dough recipe.

Until next time…

Health Related Articles

Richard in his beautiful wheat field.

Richard’s started harvesting our spring wheat which, thanks to plentiful rain and no hail, stands hip-high and golden.  He took the camera along this morning and captured a shot which gave a whole new definition to BuckWheat!  Maybe that should be a new Cream of [...]]]>

Whitetail deer in wheat field.

Richard in his beautiful wheat field.

Richard’s started harvesting our spring wheat which, thanks to plentiful rain and no hail, stands hip-high and golden.  He took the camera along this morning and captured a shot which gave a whole new definition to BuckWheat!  Maybe that should be a new Cream of the West product.