Roller Mill Project
New Roller Mill Project in Southwest Virginia
Do you miss Big Spring Mill?
We’re exploring the launch of a new roller-milled product line inspired by the offerings of Big Spring Mill. We are anticipating products being available at drop off locations throughout the Roanoke and New River Valleys, and Southwest VA in early 2025.
Products We Will Be Offering:
Seasoned Flour: Pre-seasoned for effortless cooking and frying.
Biscuit Mix: Fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits made easy.
A1 All-Purpose Flour: Versatile and perfect for any recipe.
Self-Rising Flour: Quick breads and pancakes ready in no time.
Cornmeal: Classic texture for cornbread and coatings.
Self-Rising Cornmeal:Simplify your favorite cornbread recipes.
Help Us Gauge Interest – Your Feedback Shapes the Future of Freshly Milled Flour and Cornmeal.
Find out more information on the project below.
The Mill
In 2021 we connected with the Margaret Ellett out in South Dakota who had a XXth Century self contained roller mill in her possession. This mill was built in the 1920’s and was originally operated in the Enon Roller Mill in East Bend North Carolina. In the early 1990’s Margaret’s father, Ray Osman, purchased the mill and relocated it to South Dakota and spent the next few years restoring it. In 1995 it was ready for use. Mr. Osman operated the mill for personal use as well as to share the wheat he raised with the community.
After Mr. Osman passed away, the mill sat idle for a number of years. We had always had an interest in roller mills and when we connected with Margaret, we jumped at the opportunity to give the mill new life. We then purchased a 1 ton Dodge van from Little Hat Creek Farm and Aaron set out to South Dakota with a flatbed trailer to pick it up.
Once we got the mill back to Virginia, we realized it was too large and heavy to fit inside Woodsons Mill. We talked with Daniel Austin of Green Sprig Ag in Rocky Mount about setting the mill up on his farm. He agreed and we moved the mill over there and constructed a milling room around it. We have since been working on getting it operational again. The mill itself is in good working order, but the learning curve has been steeper than we initially thought. After a number of months of tinkering with it, we are close to having it completely operational once again! Once we are in operation, we will be mostly using grain grown by Daniel on his farm.