More From the Farm

Things on the farm are about the same. Still waiting on the hay crew; we may sever connections with them very shortly since our old crew said they would be happy to do ours again. When someone doesn't show and doesn't call as promised I am done!!!

We are hot and dry here. In fact, I have been rotating watering things regularly. I am still behind on trimming and mulching but I try to do a little each day most days. I miss some days completely for one reason or another.

I have cucumbers up at last. So far none of the summer squashes has made an appearance.

I hoed out the strawberry row this morning and will water it again and then mulch with straw. The plants are finally putting out runners.

Also mowed the west yard. I did the east side a day or so ago. Max is keeping the orchard under control. I need to spray again; maybe tomorrow.

Cooking

This was bread day. I made my favorite recipe of French Bread.

Garden and yard

Harvested my three broccoli plants before the groundhog could finish them off:

I used the third head for a raw broccoli, onion and bacon salad. We loved it even our granddaughter and her friend who were visiting. It call for raisins but the girls requested I leave them out! They each had two helpings. I think this recipe made the church dinner circuit back in the 80's and was called trees and raisins salad.

In bloom: roses, rose campion, begonias, still a few poppies, garden heliotrope (my one plant), clematis, two kinds of salvias, a daylily or two, some self-seeded cosmos, lavender, malva sylvestris,

green agastache (it is ahead of the gold one)....I think that is it.

Finally a dark lavender one very like Lauren's Grape that I planted several years ago.

The camera finally captured the true red:

 

and garden heliotrope/valeriana officinalis.

I think this is the plant Ilene was talking about finding in her garden. I may be guilty of sending the plant but more probably some seeds.

Max has been  taking some farm photos for me.  Several I liked so much I have done an album called the 'Tree Series'.

This is one.  I couldn't puzzle out that bright blue spot until I zoomed and cropped.  It was a small pool of water catching  the sky.

 

I think I will end here. My enthusiasm seems to be waning for gardening and blogging. Maybe it will pass.

Cooking Again

We have warmed up a little.  At least not freezing at night.  We are still having those cloudy, dreary days often with a drizzle attached.

Yesterday was supposed to be the delivery of "our" sofa........didn't happen; didn't receive a call either.  I will be checking today.  The La-z-boy man did come and repair the foot lift on DH's chair.
It now works like new.  He told us we were  wise to repair it.  It was built in 1991 back when they used real, soft leather and were built  better.  He said if we  bought a new one  we would have seen him within 6 months! What a sad state of affairs.

Cooking

Seems I can't  quit making bread.  I have a full loaf of whole wheat oatmeal in the freezer but saw a picture of Easy Tuscan Bean Soup with a slice of bread on the side.....I had white beans cooked and had all the ingredients, well almost all, and knew I wanted to make it with some of my 'go to' recipe of French bread on the side.  I was off and running.

The soup:


This was just a combo of onion, potato, carrots, broccoli (called for kale), tomatoes (my own canned), celery and the white beans.  The seasonings were salt, pepper, garlic and a touch of rosemary.

It also called for summer squash which I didn't have.  I may try to freeze some this summer just for soups.

The bread:



The recipe makes 3 large loaves but I make up part of it into buns.

French Bread (from newspaper so many years ago, I can't remember exactly)

submitted by:  Dorothy Swinney of Republic,Mo.
I wish I could tell Dorothy how much we have enjoyed this recipe and how many people I have shared it with.

3- 1/2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
4 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup shortening
2 packages yeast
10-2/3 cups flour ( any flour will do)

Mix well in large mixer bowl.  Knead well (I use the mixer from start to finish).  Cover and let double in size.
Divide dough into three equal parts.
Rroll out to about 1/2 inch thick.  Roll up like a jelly roll, as  tight as possible, pinch side and ends tight.  Place loaves on greased cookie sheet and let rise again until double.  Note:  I use two sheets since the loaves will grow together if too close to each other.

Bake at 400° until golden  brown.  For  my range that takes between 40 and 45 minutes.

I have never had a failure with this  bread .  I did omit the salt once.....no one noticed!