9G Health Foods

Difference Between Black Berkey and White Ceramic Filter

By Chris | December 29, 2011

Many folks often ask us what the difference is between the Black Berkey water purifier and the white Super Sterasyl filters. Good question. The ceramic filters were developed long before the Black Berkey purifiers were, so the Black Berkeys have come along and improved upon the concept. Both filters will:

Remove pathogenic bacteria
Remove cysts
Reduce organic chemicals
Reduce chlorine
Reduce sediment and particulate

However, the Black Berkey goes above and beyond this and also:

Removes lead
Removes MTBEs
Removes other heavy metals

You will find that both have similar life spans and are quite similar in price. The Black Berkey elements do carry a 2-year prorated manufacturer’s warranty, while the Super Steraysl ceramic filters only carry a 6 month manufacturer’s warranty. Each can use a fluoride filter attached to the end of it to remove even more. The Black Berkey will use the PF-2 filter, and the Super Steraysl ceramic filter will use the PF-4 filter. We sell both and would be happy to help you with any other questions you may have!

Topics: Water | 5 Comments »

Real Olive Oil

By Mercy | December 27, 2011

Amazon has a great olive oil that I highly recommend. It is one of the best oils I’ve had in this price range. It is perfect as a dipping sauce or as a daily oil. I’ve tried the other olive varieties and the Arbequina is, hands down, my favorite.

Have a Healthy Day!

Mercy

Topics: real food | 2 Comments »

Allergy Machine vs. HealthMate

By Chris | December 23, 2011

Since we sell both the Allergy Machine and the HealthMate (both by Austin Air), we’ve had the question raised as to what the difference is. The difference is in the filters. The HealthMate has a True Medical HEPA filter surrounded by a carbon/zeolite mixture which adsorbs odors and gases. This standard filter weighs approximately 21 lbs. The Allergy Machine has a HEGA filter which weighs approximately 8 lbs.

HEPA stands for High Efficiency Particulate Arresting and was developed by the US Atomic Energy Commission. HEPA filters must remove a minimum of 99.97% of particles down to .03 microns. A human hair is about 300 times too large to penetrate a HEPA filter. HEGA, though, is unique to Austin Air and stands for High Efficiency Gas Absorption. A HEGA air cleaner combines a HEPA filtration system with an added military carbon cloth filter medium.

Both products are effective for those people with allergies and asthma. The AllergyMachine can be more effective for people who smoke or are in contact with more odor sources. It is also much lighter in weight. The HealthMate products have been working well for the last ten years and are more effective for those people with chemical sensitivities.

Topics: Air Cleaners | No Comments »

Country Living Grain Mill Owner’s / User Manual

By Chris | December 7, 2011

The Country Living Grain Mill has been widely regarded as the world’s finest hand operated grain mill for more than 35 years.

WARRANTY:This warranty is a Limited Warranty as defined in the Consumer Product Warranty and the Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act. It gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights that vary from state to state.

LENGTH: Country Living Products warrants this Country Living Grain Mill to be free from defects in material and workmanship under NORMAL USE and conditions for the lifetime of the original owner which includes all parts, excluding the finish. The grinding plates are warrantied for a period of one (1) year from the original date of purchase. This warranty is voided during this period if the mill is used in any way other than recommended, is motorized by anything other than the kit manufactured by Country Living Products, run without grain in the hopper, or used commercially.

REGISTRATION: The Warranty Registration Card must be completed and mailed to Country Living Products, 14727 56th Ave. NW, Stanwood, Washington 98292, within fifteen (15) days from the date of purchase. This proof of purchase, along with purchase date, must be on file when requesting warranty service.

WARRANTY CLAIMS: You must receive verbal or written authorization from Country Living Products to return the mill, plates, or any defective part. This can be obtained by writing or calling us at the address or phone number included with these instructions. Returned mills or mill parts must be shipped freight prepaid to an authorized service center specified by Country Living Products. The return shipping cost to the consumer will be the responsibility of Country Living Products.

SHIPPING DAMAGE: Damage due to shipping should be reported immediately to the carrier. Damage caused in shipping is not the responsibility of Country Living Products.

SERVICE: The company will repair or, at its discretion, replace the Grain Mill or mill parts free of charge if, in the opinion of the company or its authorized agents, it has been proven the problem was related to defective parts or an error in workmanship within the warranty period.

LIMITATIONS: The warranty is void if the product is used for any other purpose than that for which it is designed or intended. The product must not be altered, repaired or serviced by anyone other than the company or an authorized service center. The product must not have been subject to accident in transit or, while in the customer’s possession, misused, abused or operated contrary to the instructions contained in the instruction manual. This includes failure caused by neglect, commercial use and Acts of God. This warranty is not transferable and applies only to United States and Canadian sales. Warranty is void if the mill is used to grind grain soaked with an ash or slaked lime solution.

EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES: Except to the extent prohibited by law, no other warranties whether expressed or implied, including warranty merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, shall apply to this product. Under no circumstances shall Country Living Products be liable for consequential damages sustained in connection with said product and Country Living Products neither assumes nor authorizes any representative or other person to assume for it any obligation or liability other than such as is expressly set forth. This warranty covers only the Country Living Grain Mill and its specific parts, not the food or other products processed in it.
Schematic of the Country Living Grain Mill

Country Living Grain Mill Diagram

Instructions:

CAUTIONS:

DO NOT operate the mill without grain in the hopper.
DO NOT get excessive moisture on plates or bearings.
EXCESSIVE WEAR will occur if plates are run tight against each other without grain.
For flour, use only hard, dry beans or grains. Moist or soft beans or grains will cause clogging. When using moist beans or grains, back off the adjustment knob. A coarse grind will produce grits and is less likely to clog.
A mixture of flour AND cracked grains is to be expected on coarser grinds.
Always remove wooden handle from flywheel before motorizing mill.
Full liability and responsibility for complying to all Federal, State, and Local Safety Standards is assumed by any person or persons who modify or motorize the Country Living Grain Mill in any way. Motorized mills should be operated by adults only. Note: All belts and pulleys not driven by hand should be enclosed for safety.

ASSEMBLY:

Your mill is packed in a partially assembled state. It will be necessary to finish assembly before attempting to process any grains. A drawing is provided to clarify part description and location.

Remove the mill housing and set it upright on a stable work surface. The flywheel is packed in the bottom of the box. It locates by means of the rear key pressed into the shaft and should be installed by slipping it on the shaft protruding from the rear of the mill. Hold the flywheel in place by tightening the set screw in the hub with the hex wrench provided. The shaft should not protrude past the flywheel.

The handle assembly threads into the hole located in the outside edge of the flywheel until it stops. It can then be held in place by tightening the nut against the flywheel with a 9/16″ wrench (not provided). The wood handle should spin freely on the bolt after installation. If it does not, loosen the nut and back the bolt away from the flywheel 1/4 turn, then re-tighten the nut against the wheel. CAUTION: if the handle is too loose, it may pinch skin during use.

Your mill is now ready for operation. Please refer to this manual for full operation instructions.

MOUNTING:

The mill must be securely mounted to a solid base (table, counter, large board) before attempting to operate. For best results the mounting surface should be attached to either the wall or floor. The mill base is pre-drilled to be easily bolted or lagged to a surface permanently. An alternative would be to clamp the mill to a solid work surface. If you utilize this procedure, the mill base should be protected against possible damage to the finish. This can be done by putting something between the clamp and the mill base. The mill should be mounted at a height that is comfortable to the user. We found that if the center of the flywheel is located about waist height, we seem to gain the best leverage.

OPERATION:

We grind wheat in every mill after assembly in order to test and adjust the grinding plates. We begin by tightening the adjustment knob until the plates are rubbing all the way around, then we pour in the grain and grind. It is much easier to begin at a finer setting and adjust out to a coarser setting. This adjustment procedure should be followed anytime the plates have been opened up or removed.

If the flour produced from this setting is not the consistency desired, it can be varied by the adjusting knob on the front of the mill. Tightening the knob will produce a finer grind; loosening it will produce a coarse grind or “crack” grain for cereals. Most adjustments should require only a slight turn of the knob. After each small adjustment, turn the fly- wheel 2 to 3 times and check the product for desired consistency. The amount of effort required to turn the flywheel will increase as the knob is tightened. IT SHOULD NEVER INCREASE TO THE POINT THAT THE FLYWHEEL CANNOT BE TURNED AT ALL, OR REQUIRES EXCESSIVE EFFORT. DAMAGE MAY OCCUR AFFECTING THE GRINDING ABILITY OF THE PLATES. RELEASE TENSION BY BACKING OFF ON THE ADJUSTING KNOB.

NOTE: We found that after tightening the knob to achieve the grind desired, we can often back it off a little to relieve the effort required to turn the flywheel and still retain the grade of flour we wanted!

CLEANING:

The mill is easily disassembled for cleaning by removing the adjusting knob and sliding the front plate off the shaft. BE CAREFUL not to lose the small square key that prevents the plate from spinning on the shaft. Removal of these parts allows access to the cutting surfaces of the plates. Use a small brush to clean out excess flour from corners and surfaces.

On rare occasions it may be necessary to remove and wash the grinding plates. Use the wrench provided with the mill to remove the screws holding the stationary plate to the housing. The plate may now be separated from its mounting surface for thorough cleaning. If the plates are washed, they should be dried immediately to prevent rust. Before replacing the stationary plate, make sure that the mounting surfaces are clean and free from any foreign matter. The plate is designed to locate in one position only, so make sure that all the mounting holes line up before reinstalling. The mill housing is not designed to be submerged during cleaning. A slightly damp cloth should suffice for cleaning the housing and its parts. If any parts of the shaft or bearings get wet, they should be dried immediately to prevent damage.

MOTORIZATION:

Your grain mill is designed to be easily motorized. The flywheel is grooved for use with a standard “V” belt. We recommend using at least a 1/3 HP motor rated at 1,150 RPM and equipped with a 1-1/2″ pulley. This ratio will produce about 115 to 120 RPM at the flywheel. Other motors may be used, but they will need to be geared so that the RPM at the flywheel does not exceed 120 RPM.

The motor and the mill should be securely fastened to a substantial surface. The mill handle MUST be removed before motorized operation. NEVER ALLOW THE MILL TO OPERATE WITHOUT GRAIN BEING PROCESSED!! Belt size may be determined by the distance the motor is mounted from the mill. Belt tension should not be excessive or bearing damage may occur. Note: Due to the many variables introduced during motorization, the warranty is void if the mill is motorized.

CAUTION: Full liability and responsibility for complying to all Federal, State, and Local Safety Standards is assumed by any person or persons who modify or motorize the Country Living Grain Mill in any way. Motorized mills should be operated by adults only. Note: All belts and pulleys not driven by hand should be enclosed for safety.

Wheat and Grain Storage:
Choose dark, hard winter or spring wheat with a 12% or higher protein content. It should be clean and high grade.

The moisture content should be 10% or less. This low moisture content aids in limiting insect contamination. Insects cannot reproduce in wheat with very low moisture content. If you are going to store wheat for long periods, make certain you take precautions to eliminate possible contamination. Contact you local agriculture extension office concerning long term wheat storage in your area.

To store wheat, metal containers have proven to be the most efficient. Do not store the containers of wheat directly on a cement or dirt floor. Instead, place the containers on wood pallets or on shelves. This will aid in eliminating a rusting can which could affect the quality of your wheat.

Wheat will keep indefinitely if stored properly. Make certain the wheat remains dry. The most successful storage comes from rotating the supply of wheat, using the older wheat before using newer wheat.

We would like to caution you when buying wheat to make certain the wheat is dry and has the proper protein quotient. As with all things, be a cautious shopper. If you are conscientious enough to grind you own flour, then go the extra measure and be certain the grains you are purchasing are the best grains available.

Manufactured by Country Living Products

Topics: Kitchen Appliances | No Comments »

Laundry Detergent for Cloth Diapers

By Chris | November 29, 2011

We often get the question of, “What laundry detergent do you recommend for cloth diapers?”. Our recommendation is Seventh Generation laundry detergent. It is very gentle and cleans well. We also will add lavender essential oil to it, but you can purchase it with that already added. We’ve listed several specific recommendations below.

Topics: Baby | No Comments »

WonderMill – Free 2-Day Shipping

By Chris | June 7, 2011

For a limited time, buy a WonderMill grain mill from 9G Health Foods.com and get FREE 2-Day shipping. Mention this promotion in the checkout of PayPal to get the upgrade.

Offer valid for USA Street Addresses only.

Topics: Kitchen Appliances | No Comments »

Wonder Junior Drill Bit Adapter

By Chris | May 23, 2011

We now carry a neat attachment to use with your Wonder Junior to allow you to use your drill to motorize your mill.
Wonder Junior Drill Bit Adapter
Turn your Wonder Junior Hand Mill into a drill powered grain mill with the Drill Bit Adapter. Simply remove the handle, attach the bit to your drill, slide bit over the end of the shaft, hold it snug, and let the drill do all the work.

This is a great alternative to motorizing your Wonder Junior. You may already have a heavy duty drill that will work. If not you can buy a heavy duty drill and this attachment for much less than a motorizing pulley and a motorizing setup, plus you can use the drill for more than your grain mill.

We recommend using a variable speed drill so that you can keep the speed low to prevent prematurely wearing out grain mill and making a mess. The manufacturer recommends that your speed should not exceed 160 RPM, about twice as fast as you can crank it by hand.

See our other Wonder Junior parts and accessories.

Recommended Drills

For Milling Hard Grains (Like Grains & Beans):

We recommend two drills, but realize that almost any will work. First, for a great low cost option that works well, try the Dewalt 8 amp:

Additionally, for a little more power, you may consider the Dewalt 9 amp:

Either will work well, but the latter has a bit more power behind it.

For Milling Soft Items (Like Nuts & Coffee Beans)

Just about any drill will work for soft item, even a cordless drill will work for milling very soft items. Keep in mind that some drills are hard to keep the speed at the recommended speed.

Warranty Notice

Per the manufacturer, using this Drill Bit Adapter does NOT void the warranty of the grain mill. Motorizing your mill using the pulley and a motor will, though. (10/16/12).

Topics: Kitchen Appliances | No Comments »

Aluminum and Grain Mills

By Chris | April 15, 2011

I’ve had the question posed recently asking whether the Wonder Junior Hand Mill has any aluminum in it. In a nutshell, yes, it does, but at the same time, there is no measurable transfer of any alloy or aluminum from the auger drive to the food.

The auger drive that guides the grain into the grinding burrs is made out of a composite alloy that does have some aluminum in it. The reason this composite alloy was chosen is for its strength, durability, and the fact that it can be cast into a light, yet super strong corrosion resistant drive with no risk of food contamination. The grinding process of the mill takes place in the stone or stainless steel burr grinding plates (whichever are being used at the time), not in the auger drive. Because of this, there is no transfer of any alloy or aluminum from the auger drive to the food. The auger drive is magnetic attractive which shows there is very little aluminum in the alloy. Also since any aluminum transfer requires a heat or chemical reaction, even this slight amount would never be transferred into the flour since the grinding action comes after the grain passes through the auger drive area and into the stone / stainless steel grinding chamber. Because of this there is no measurable transfer of any alloy or aluminum from the auger drive to the food. The chance of getting aluminum into your body from using this mill would be less than simply touching a soda can or a public stair case railing or opening the door of your car.

Take for example, a typical soda can. There, the acidic drink sits in contact with a can made of almost entirely of aluminum (not a small percentage like the auger). It remains in contact with the aluminum for days, weeks, months, or even years. Even then, the evidence of contamination from aluminum is not overwhelming. Now compare that with the auger. Your dry grains come in contact with the mill seconds before they are ground. At the most, the grain touches the auger for a few minutes as you give your arms a break from grinding the last 10 cups of flour. There is no heat buildup around the auger, and there are no chemical reactions going on while your wheat momentarily touches the auger.

Likewise, the main body, also made from aluminum on the Wonder Junior, is not a concern since it is coated with a food grade enamel. However, even if it were to chip, it would be no different than the auger. The grains only rest in the hopper for seconds and move on through.

So, in a nutshell, there’s really nothing to be concerned about. Relax, enjoy your bread, and feel great knowing that you produced a healthy, all natural loaf of bread, better than anything you’ll ever find in a store!

Wonder Junior Auger - New

Topics: Bread | No Comments »

Exercise Bike with Country Living Grain Mill

By Chris | April 13, 2011

Here are some ideas on how to use your Country Living Grain Mill with an exercise bicycle. We carry the Country Living Grain Mill and all of the parts and accessories, including pulleys which you can use to hook up to your exercise bike. However, because there are so many ways you can hook your mill up to a bicycle, we don’t have all the endless combinations of V-belts. But, we’ll do our best to help you find what you need! Hopefully this will give you some good ideas to get started on your own ingenious idea!

The mounting platform with a slotted 2 x 6 board locks the exercycle into place, while making the tension of the belt easily adjustable. The wing nuts and bolts in the slots make it quick and easy to make all adjustments.

The feet of the exercycle should fit firmly against the 2×6 adjustable board.
The wing nut and bolt (located on either side of the board) should be tightened down once proper belt tension is achieved.
Use a three or four inch pulley hub suitable for use with a v-belt.

Buy Your Country Living Grain Mill Today!

Topics: Kitchen Appliances | No Comments »

The New and Improved Wonder Junior Deluxe Handmill

By Chris | February 14, 2011

The World’s Best Handmill just got better! Some of the improvements include:

The Auger has been completely redesigned to increase the output of flour per minute to 65% over the closest competitor, The Country Living Grain Mill. With this new auger the Wonder Junior Deluxe will produce over 1 1/4 cups of bread flour in 1 minute (80 turns). The Country Living will produce 3/4 cups of bread flour in 1 minute (80 turns).