How long can you store grain?

[mungsurfers]

I have recently aquired some grain that is maybe 2-3 years old. It has been stored in airtight containers they came in from the food COOP.
I know in the bible days they stored grain for years and the method of storing was huge long corridors of stone with wood roofs and anything could get in. What about today? I have probably 30 or so gallons of grain and would like to use it and not waste it. Red wheat, white, soft, etc., and rolled oats.
Thanks for anyones help. :)
Duranne

[Shamrock1121]

I have recently aquired some grain that is maybe 2-3 years old. It has been stored in airtight containers they came in from the food COOP.
I know in the bible days they stored grain for years and the method of storing was huge long corridors of stone with wood roofs and anything could get in. What about today? I have probably 30 or so gallons of grain and would like to use it and not waste it. Red wheat, white, soft, etc., and rolled oats.
Thanks for anyones help. :)
Duranne

Two- to three-year old hard wheat will be perfect for general use. You really don't want to use new crop wheat. Wheat mills better after a year or two in storage. You should be able to use it up before you have to worry about it getting "old".

Hard grains, stored correctly, will easily last 25-years (or longer) and soft grains for 6-9 years (depends on the "expert" you are reading).

Grain stores the longest in an oxygen-free environment. I have hundreds of pounds of wheat and it is stored in FoodSaver bags that are stored in plastic totes stacked three high (about 50# per tote). I've used this method for all the years I've stored grain and have never had an infestation. Wheat keeps best stored at 70°F. or colder. The colder the storage temperature, the longer the grain will keep. The warmer the temperature, the sooner it will degrade, so don't store it in a hot garage.

Here is a link at the Gulch for some ideas I posted for uses for wheat that you might find helpful, if you are unacustomed to using it.

http://thegulch.proboards102.com/index.cgi?board=emergencyfoodstocks&action=display &thread=4604

Rolled oats are processed and therefore don't have as long a shelf life as whole grain (about 1-year). You can probably get double that if you store it vacuum-sealed with a FoodSaver in canning jars and keep at cool temperatures.

Once the bran on a grain is cracked open, it will begin to degrade because the germ oil is exposed to oxygen. In the case of rolled oats, they have also been processed using heat and moisture. I mill most of my oat flakes with a flaker mill. Fresh is ALWAYS best.... Fresh-is-best is why I only mill enough flour to use immediately. If there is any extra freshly-milled flour, I'll keep it stored in the freezer and use it within the week. For optimal nutrition, use it as soon as it's milled. If you can't use it immediately, be sure to freeze it.

FYI -

-45-pounds = approx. 6 gallons
-1-pound (or 3 cups) yields approx. 4 c. ground flour
-a scant 2/3 c. wheat berries = 1 c. flour

-Karen

[cubcadet]

Did the grain come in sacks? I`d just keep it in the original sacks and store them like Karen said. Just keep it dry and don`t let it get too hot and you will do well. When you open the sack, you have to worry about meal worms and weevils. Use a container that`ll protect your stuff. Most grains and beans kept from moisture and pests (that includes mice and rats) will last indefinitely. I`ve got a spackle pail full of millet that was bought around 10 years ago. It`s been rained on, frozen, baked and pretty well abused, and is still good. Spackle pails have a really good snap on top that will keep your stuff in good shape. I bought a special tool made just for opening such pails. It really saves your fingers.

Joe

[flourgirl]

Keep it cool and dry and it should last indefinitely. Also, I have used new crop wheat and it makes great bread!