The Flag Leaf

The flag leaf is the final leaf to emerge on the cereal grain plant. Where the previous leaves have been responsible for gathering the energy from the sun to enable and promote vegetative growth, the flag leaf is responsible for gathering the majority of the energy used to develop the most noticeable and highly sought after part of the stalk, the head of wheat. In essence, turning the sun's energy into fats and sugars, either to be harvested to grow the next generation of plant, or in our case, to become food.

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The story of the flag leaf, and the growth of a stalk of wheat in total, is a somewhat apt metaphor for the grain chain that anyone who has had a hand in the creation, sale, or consumption of a grain or grain product participates in.

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With the understanding that the flag leaf is the last leaf on a stalk of wheat before the grain head, and a bakery is the last link on the grain chain before the consumer, it is important to remember that the flag leaf could not have gotten up there without the leaves before it gathering the energy for the plant to mature. In our case, we are being held up by the grain breeders, wheat farmers and flour millers that have allowed us to do the last bit of work to share the fruits of all our labors with you, our hopefully happy customer.

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So please remember, as you enjoy one of Flag Leaf Bakery's products, be it a nutrient dense, naturally leavened, whole grain hearth loaf or a flaky croissant, that we are just the last leaf who's job it is to turn a whole season's worth of work into the final product you have before you.