Lonesome Stone Milling got started two years and a summer ago when Gilbert Williams purchased a grain cleaner at auction. Williams started cleaning rye for cover crop and was asked to run some seed wheat.

Turns out that, together, the wheat and rye flour made a tasty pancake. Williams spent that winter trying recipes. By spring, he was testing it on friends. The following summer Williams took his product to a few local farmers markets.

In September, Lonesome Stone Milling moved into the space that used to be the sausage facility for Black Earth Meats. It was a food processing facility next to the grain cleaner and warehouse.

Last winter, Williams bought a used stone burr mill and started selling his products in Madison. This year, Lonesome Stone milled organic grain grown by three ridge-top farmers. It was a bountiful harvest. Using ridge-top land, the hard wheat grows into bread quality grain, according to Williams.

The business started out by getting into cover crops and public varieties of seed, but it has grown beyond that. The local food movement has been good to Williams and his mill.

Lonesome Stone currently employs three people, rents two properties and has about 4,000 bushels of wheat to mill before the next harvest. It keeps Williams and his crew plenty busy.

If you’re looking for local organic small grain products, whole wheat flour, pancake mix, you’ll find Lonesome Stone Milling products at your favorite Outpost.