From Field to Table: The Wheat Journey

Introduction

Have you ever wondered about the journey your bread, pasta, or breakfast cereal takes before reaching your table? Behind these everyday staples lies a fascinating process that transforms humble wheat kernels into the foods we enjoy. At Tvyordaya Pshenitsa, we take pride in every step of this journey, ensuring that the highest quality wheat makes its way from our British fields to consumers worldwide. This article offers a behind-the-scenes look at the remarkable journey of wheat, from planting to final product.

Stage 1: Planning and Preparation

Long before a single seed touches the soil, extensive planning takes place. Our agricultural team analyzes soil samples, reviews weather forecasts, and selects wheat varieties best suited to each field's specific conditions. In the United Kingdom, we primarily grow winter wheat varieties, which are planted in autumn and harvested the following summer.

Soil preparation is crucial for successful wheat cultivation. Depending on the previous crop and soil conditions, fields may be plowed, disked, or prepared using minimum tillage techniques to create the ideal seedbed. Soil pH and nutrient levels are adjusted through precise applications of lime and fertilizers based on comprehensive soil testing.

Seed selection is equally important. We choose certified seed varieties known for their performance in British growing conditions, disease resistance, and end-use quality characteristics. Each variety is selected with a specific purpose in mind—whether for bread-making, biscuits, or other wheat products.

Stage 2: Planting

In the UK, winter wheat planting typically occurs between September and November. Modern seed drills precisely place seeds at the optimal depth (usually around 2-4 cm) and spacing. This precision ensures uniform germination and establishment, setting the stage for a successful crop.

The planting rate varies depending on soil conditions, planting date, and variety, but typically ranges from 350-500 seeds per square meter. After planting, if conditions are dry, fields may be rolled to improve seed-to-soil contact and preserve moisture.

Within 7-10 days of planting, tiny wheat seedlings emerge from the soil, beginning their growth journey. Before winter sets in, the plants develop their initial root systems and typically reach the 3-4 leaf stage. During winter, the plants enter a period of dormancy, with growth slowing significantly until temperatures rise in spring.

Stage 3: Growing and Management

As spring arrives, wheat plants resume active growth. This is when the crop requires careful monitoring and management to reach its full potential. Our agronomists regularly walk the fields, assessing plant development, nutrient status, and checking for early signs of pests or diseases.

Wheat development follows well-defined growth stages, from tillering (when additional stems develop from the main shoot) through stem elongation, heading (when the developing grain ear emerges), flowering, and finally grain filling. Each stage requires specific management considerations.

Nitrogen fertilization is typically applied in multiple doses throughout the growing season, matched to the crop's development stages and needs. Other nutrients like phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, and various micronutrients are applied based on soil tests and plant tissue analysis.

Crop protection is another crucial aspect of wheat management. Our integrated pest management approach combines cultural practices, crop monitoring, and targeted interventions to control weeds, insects, and diseases while minimizing environmental impact. Throughout the growing season, our team makes data-driven decisions to protect the developing crop.

Stage 4: Harvesting

By mid-July to September, depending on the season and location, the wheat crop reaches maturity. The once-green plants turn golden as the grain ripens and the plants begin to dry down naturally in the field. The timing of harvest is critical—too early, and the grain may be immature with reduced quality; too late, and unpredictable British weather might damage the crop.

Modern combine harvesters are technological marvels that cut the plants, separate the grain from the straw and chaff, and clean the grain in one continuous operation. These machines can harvest up to 75 tonnes of wheat per hour under ideal conditions.

During harvest, the first samples are taken for quality testing. Measurements of moisture content, protein percentage, specific weight, and Hagberg Falling Number provide initial insights into the quality of the grain. This information helps determine how the wheat will be stored and its potential end uses.

After combining, straw is either baled for livestock bedding and feed or chopped and incorporated back into the soil to return organic matter and nutrients for future crops, following sustainable farming practices.

Stage 5: Storage and Quality Assessment

Freshly harvested wheat typically contains 14-20% moisture, but must be dried to around 14% or less for safe storage. At our state-of-the-art grain storage facilities, temperature-controlled drying systems gently remove excess moisture while preserving grain quality.

Once dried, the wheat undergoes comprehensive quality testing. Samples are analyzed for:

• Moisture content: Must be below 14.5% for safe storage
• Specific weight: A measure of grain density, indicating milling yield
• Protein content: Determines suitability for different end uses
• Hagberg Falling Number: Measures enzyme activity, crucial for baking quality
• Mycotoxin levels: Ensures food safety
• Grain size and uniformity: Affects processing efficiency

Based on these quality parameters, wheat is segregated into different grades and stored accordingly. Our climate-controlled storage facilities maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels to preserve grain quality for months or even years if necessary.

Throughout the storage period, wheat is regularly monitored for temperature, moisture, and pest activity. Advanced monitoring systems alert our team to any changes that might affect grain quality, allowing for prompt intervention if needed.

Stage 6: Transportation and Milling

When it's time for processing, wheat is loaded onto trucks and transported to flour mills. At Tvyordaya Pshenitsa, we work with select milling partners who share our commitment to quality and traceability.

Upon arrival at the mill, the wheat undergoes cleaning to remove any remaining impurities. A series of screens, aspirators, magnets, and optical sorters remove foreign material, ensuring only clean grain enters the milling process.

Before milling, wheat is conditioned by adding a precise amount of water and allowing it to rest for 12-24 hours. This toughens the bran, making it easier to separate from the endosperm during milling.

The actual milling process involves multiple stages of grinding and sifting. Modern roller mills use pairs of corrugated metal rollers to gradually break apart the wheat kernel. After each grinding stage, the material passes through fine sieves that separate the endosperm particles (which become flour) from the bran and germ.

Depending on the desired flour type, different streams from the mill are blended to create various flour grades:

• White flour: Contains mostly endosperm with minimal bran
• Brown flour: Contains some bran
• Wholemeal flour: Contains the entire wheat kernel

Modern mills can produce specialized flours for specific applications by adjusting the extraction rate, particle size, and blending different wheat varieties to achieve the desired characteristics.

Stage 7: Product Development and Manufacturing

From the mill, flour makes its way to bakeries, pasta factories, cereal manufacturers, and other food producers. Each has specific requirements for their flour, depending on their products and processes.

In a commercial bakery, for example, flour becomes part of a carefully formulated recipe. Bread production follows these general steps:

1. Mixing: Flour is combined with water, yeast, salt, and other ingredients to form dough
2. Fermentation: The dough rises as yeast converts sugars to carbon dioxide
3. Dividing and shaping: Dough is portioned and formed into loaves
4. Proofing: A second rise gives bread its volume
5. Baking: Heat sets the structure and develops flavor
6. Cooling and packaging: Bread must cool before being wrapped to prevent condensation

For pasta manufacturing, durum wheat semolina is mixed with water to form a stiff dough, which is then extruded through dies to create various shapes before being dried carefully to achieve the perfect texture.

Breakfast cereal production involves cooking, shaping, and toasting wheat-based mixtures, often with additional ingredients for flavor and nutrition.

Stage 8: Distribution and Retail

Finished products are packaged, labeled, and dispatched to distribution centers. Modern logistics systems ensure that products reach retailers efficiently while maintaining freshness and quality.

At retail stores, bread, pasta, and other wheat products are displayed for consumers. The journey that began months earlier in a British wheat field is now almost complete.

Throughout this complex supply chain, traceability systems track the wheat from field to final product. This allows for quality control and provides consumers with confidence in the products they purchase.

Stage 9: Consumer Enjoyment

The final and most important stage of the wheat journey happens in homes, restaurants, and cafes across the country and beyond. Wheat products are prepared, served, and enjoyed by consumers who may give little thought to the remarkable journey behind their daily bread.

Whether it's a sandwich made with freshly baked bread, a plate of pasta, or a bowl of breakfast cereal, each bite represents the culmination of months of careful growing, precise processing, and skilled manufacturing.

Conclusion

The journey from field to table is a testament to the remarkable integration of traditional agricultural knowledge and modern technology. At Tvyordaya Pshenitsa, we're proud to play our part in this journey, growing premium wheat that becomes the foundation of countless meals.

Next time you enjoy a slice of bread or a bowl of pasta, take a moment to appreciate the incredible journey it took to reach your table. From tiny seed to nourishing food, wheat's transformation is truly one of nature's and human ingenuity's greatest collaborations.