Yecora is a variety of modern hard wheat that stands apart for its excellent flavour and bread baking qualities. The flavour is commonly described as “rich”, “robust” and “full flavoured”. An excellent combination of strength, extensibility, and flavour. Great for bread, pizza and wherever you want a nice, stretchy dough. 

This Yecora relatively modern wheat that was became popular in the US in the 70s. Our Biodynamic yecora red wheat was grown by Stephen and Tania Walter at Burrum Biodynamics, on the Wimmera plains of western Victoria. It’s a blend of traditional red wheats, grown using Demeter-certified biodynamic farming—no synthetic fertilisers, no sprays, just good soil, compost, and careful rotation.

Originally developed as a mix of yecora red wheat lines—S, Resel CB, Reselection, Rosa BS, 70, Rojo, and Rojo HGPC—this wheat has been grown out, observed, and selected over several seasons at Burrum. It’s not a commercial monoculture, but a more diverse and expressive heritage population—yielding rich flavour, excellent baking performance, and strong, healthy grain.

It mills into a vibrant wholemeal flour with good gluten strength, bold colour, and a full-bodied flavour that’s ideal for sourdough bread, yeasted loaves, or traditional wholegrain cooking.

Why we love it:

• Grown by Burrum Biodynamics in Marnoo, VIC

• Certified biodynamic by Demeter Australia

• Developed from a blend of red wheat lines

• Full-flavoured and great for wholemeal bread baking

• Suitable for stone milling for home baking

About the grain:

This Yecora wheat started as a collection of older red wheats—including Rosa BS, Rojo, and Resel—brought together and trialled over multiple years. While not a true landrace, it shares many of the same values: genetic diversity, local adaptation, and a commitment to flavour over uniformity.

Its performance has been guided in part by collaboration with Blue Wren Bakery, who have worked with Burrum to help select and grow wheats that thrive in organic and biodynamic systems and taste incredible in long-fermented breads.

About the farm:

Stephen and Tania Walter have farmed with biodynamic principles for over 20 years—focusing on soil life, biodiversity, and long-term ecological balance. Their grains reflect that: nutrient-dense, grown without compromise, and full of character. You can read more about Burrum Biodynamics here, or follow the story of this wheat’s development at Blue Wren Bakery.

FAQs

Is this wheat suitable for sourdough baking?

Yes. Once milled, it produces a wholemeal flour with good strength and extensibility, well-suited to sourdough and long-fermented breads.

How is it different from the Hotscotch landrace?

Yecora is a heritage blend, initially composed of multiple yecora red wheat varieties and grown with selection and adaptation in mind. Hotscotch is more of a landrace population—less defined, more genetically open. Both offer deep flavour and wholegrain integrity.

Can I mill this grain at home?

Absolutely. This grain is ideal for stone or electric home mills. Milling fresh preserves flavour, nutrients, and aroma—especially useful for baking.

Are they organic?

They’re certified biodynamic through Demeter, which meets and exceeds organic standards. That means no synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, or GMOs—and a focus on holistic, regenerative agriculture.

What are biodynamic preparations?

They’re natural preparations made from herbs and minerals used in small amounts to support soil life and plant health. For example, horn manure and compost herbs help improve nutrient cycling and soil biology. You can learn more about them here.

What’s the best way to store it?

Keep the grain in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. For longer storage, consider refrigeration or freezing to protect from pantry pests. For more info, check out our blog post on pests, here

Please note: because the grower rotates their crops each year, so it is not uncommon to find other seeds mixed in with your grain (it shouldn't be too much). Mixed cropping ensures a healthy soil that allows the growers to reduce their dependance on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides.

Practice for conventional growers is to poison their paddocks before planting the new season crops to ensure old season crops don’t come through, being an organic crop this is thankfully not an option.