I think I found the secret.  I have been doing a fair bit of reading about the value of soaking grains and how much better our bodies absorb the nutrients in the grains.  So I was delighted to find a recipe for homemade bread that included soaking the grains overnight first.  I can’t believe how much softer, lighter the bread turned out despite being made almost entirely with fresh, whole wheat flour.  Having a large family, being about to make 4 loaves at one time was also a big draw for me.  I did end up having to knead it by hand and my lower back isn’t thanking me for that but it was worth it!  I’ve been grinding our own flour for 18 months now but haven’t used it for bread making much because my efforts seemed doomed to fail.  Now I am armed with confidence and a great recipe, if I can just plan well enough to do it regularly!

If you are interested in the recipe, you can find it over at Passionate Homemaking.