Folic Acid debate – your help is needed
As you may have heard, the Government has been considering whether to introduce legislation to fortify all flour with folic acid. If the proposals are adopted this could prohibit any unfortified flour being sold for human consumption in this country. As small-scale flour producers traditional corn millers, such as Holgate Windmill, will find fortification of flour very difficult, if not beyond their capability, without a major investment in expensive new equipment which may even be impossible to install given space constraints and the listed building status of their windmill or watermill. The inability to sell flour could potentially see the end of milling in many traditional mills, something we would wish to fight against strongly.
Whether flour should be fortified with folic acid is very much a personal matter and we do not seek to influence your views on that. We fully support the intention to minimise the risk of neural tube defects in babies, which is the reason for the proposal, however if mandatory fortification of all flour threatens to prevent windmills and watermills from producing flour to sell, we would wish to raise our concerns with the government. SPAB Mills' Section and the Traditional Cornmillers Guild (TCMG) consider that an exemption for small-scale producers could be included in any change to the regulations without substantially affecting the proposals, and they ask for your support in this. The TCMG has produced a paper setting out the background to the proposals and some of the issues affecting those milling in traditional windmills and watermills; the document can be found at https://www.spab.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/MillsSection/Folic%20Acid%20Consultation%20Response%20Document_updated%20June%202019%20v2.pdf It also provides guidance on how to respond to the public consultation, which ends on the 9th September, should you wish to do so. The public Consultation Document and questionnaire can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/adding-folic-acid-to-flour. We urge you to read the documents and fill in the online questionnaire. It is really important that as many people as possible comment on the proposals. Thank you ...
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Whether flour should be fortified with folic acid is very much a personal matter and we do not seek to influence your views on that. We fully support the intention to minimise the risk of neural tube defects in babies, which is the reason for the proposal, however if mandatory fortification of all flour threatens to prevent windmills and watermills from producing flour to sell, we would wish to raise our concerns with the government. SPAB Mills' Section and the Traditional Cornmillers Guild (TCMG) consider that an exemption for small-scale producers could be included in any change to the regulations without substantially affecting the proposals, and they ask for your support in this. The TCMG has produced a paper setting out the background to the proposals and some of the issues affecting those milling in traditional windmills and watermills; the document can be found at https://www.spab.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/MillsSection/Folic%20Acid%20Consultation%20Response%20Document_updated%20June%202019%20v2.pdf It also provides guidance on how to respond to the public consultation, which ends on the 9th September, should you wish to do so. The public Consultation Document and questionnaire can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/adding-folic-acid-to-flour. We urge you to read the documents and fill in the online questionnaire. It is really important that as many people as possible comment on the proposals. Thank you ...
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A Busy July at the Mill
Join us at the mill for a fun-packed July. The mill will be open on Saturday 6th, Sunday 7th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st from 11am until 4pm. If the wind is blowing you may see the sails turning and cogs whirring. Our Minimillers group will be looking at cogs and gears on Saturday 20th - see the minimillers page for more details and sign up. Plus the mill shop will be open every Saturday morning from 10am - 12pm for our stoneground wheat and spelt flour, yeast, aprons, teatowels, greetings cards and lots more mill goodies ...
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Mill Open Tomorrow
The mill will be open tomorrow, Saturday 1st June, and Sunday 2nd June from 11am until 4pm. It will also be open on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th June. Come and see how we produce traditional stone-ground wholemeal flour ...
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May Open Days
The mill will be open on Saturday 18th, Sunday 19th May and Bank Holiday Monday 27th from 11am - 4pm. Visit the mill and see our new exhibition Magic Millstones: From Grain to Flour to find out the trade secrets of turning grain into our tasty wholemeal flour.
And don't forget you can purchase our flour and other mill gifts during open days and each Saturday morning from 10am - 12pm ...
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And don't forget you can purchase our flour and other mill gifts during open days and each Saturday morning from 10am - 12pm ...
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Start of the Summer Season
After a long chilly winter the mill has been tidied, dusted and is now warm enough to welcome visitors. We will be open on Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th and Bank Holiday Monday 6th May from 11am - 4pm. Come and explore the only working windmill in Yorkshire and buy some stone-ground flour to try. We think it really is the best tasting flour there is! ...
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