Daily Doings and a Bread Tip

Just a quick post before running some errands....Max's meds, a very short WM run and maybe the local hardware to look at trimmers.

As usual my latest help for yard work failed.....young man, poor as a  church mouse, has a part-time job and was going to do
some work for an old truck we let him have.....not going well.  We don't care about the truck but I did have hopes...............

I am slowly plowing along.  I have planted peppers, egg plants and a few tomatoes.  I also did some sweet corn.  I watered the strawberry row which covers the potato row too.  I never trust forecasts and do my needed watering.  We got a brief, and I do mean brief, shower in the early morning hours.  It might be enough to sprout the corn but I will be watering more heavily this afternoon after errands.

I chopped some of that blasted cheat grass, it has very shallow but very hairy roots and it takes a lot of chopping to get it loose.  Then I can pick up a large clump at one time.  I am slowly trying to get it out of the peonies and other perennials.

I have begun the mulching process and know already I am going to love it!



Several days ago I planted sugar snap peas and turnips.  I have never tried spring turnips before.
I got a nice little short row of turnips but the sugar snap peas failed completely.  I sat down yesterday afternoon and went through seed and tossed most of them.

I have a lot of saved flower seeds that I plan to just broadcast somewhere.  No loss if they all fail.

Peonies are now blooming, still some late ones to come.  One bush that was all white is now half and half pale pink and white!

This doesn't show the distinction of two colors quite so much.


This really shows:


Food

We got the processed beef picked up and in the freezer.  It was a  tight squeeze but the kids will get most of it and will be down soon to get it. 

Tip:  As most of you know I bake bread and love to do it.  I have found a method that has never failed to produce and fine textured, soft loaf (which is what my DH wants).  It takes longer but is worth it.

This works whether you are making white bread, whole wheat, or oatmeal with added grains (I like using steel cut oats).

First:  Mix all and let autolyse (set in bowl) for 30 minutes at least.  Then begin kneading (I use a large Kitchen Aid mixer).  You may or may not need more flour.....when dough  begins to leave side of bowl, you are done.

Step 2.  Cover (I used a large plastic pail with a lid) and let raise l hour.  Punch down by pulling the sides up and to the middle deflating the rise. Cover again.

Step 3.  Let rise again until fully doubled.  This won't take as long, maybe 45 minuted.

Proceed as usual.

If you try this let me know how it works for you.

Winter is back and First Milking

The last two days have been very cold and dreary.  We have been getting a little moisture but not enough to really help much.  Temperature is running 40's and near freezing at night.

This has been a much busier  week than is normal for us.  Monday was allergist (just dust mites!) a veritable waste of our time and we will not be returning.  The medicine  they precribed for DH had more negative effects than his occasional sneezing fits. I did, in a weak moment, order the suggested mattress and pillow covers...........and a new comforter.  We have a hepa filter vacuum.

 Tuesday was DH's day to run his Mother on her errands  which took all day!  She is amazing at 96!

Wednesday was deliver the beef  to the processor.  I am almost out of beef in the freezer.  They took us out back to see something interesting:  The had a 2,000 lb Hereford steer from MSU that had a "window" embedded in his left side so students could observe.  I found it very disgusting.  He told us we had the only 'normal' beef delivered so far that day.  The other  pens were Long Horns, 2 very young and one mature with a set of horns so wide they had to unload him through a side panel instead of the regular gate.  He said there is a big demand for Long Horn hamburger; it is supposed to have more nutrients. I am wondering if it just means no fat?  I hadn't heard that one before.

Today is  my run  to the local store  for a few groceries; DH's run to Ash Grove for a haircut and chicken feed,  salt blocks and l00 lbs of puppy feed.

I did finish cleaning the dog pen one morning.  I think it  was 5 5- gallon buckets.  We finally got smart and trapped the babies on one side of the double pens so I could empty the buckets without fighting them back each time.  Now we will spread straw and I hope to clean the pens on a regular basis.  They are  little butterballs of hyper-activity!

Farm

I ordered fertilizer for the hay fields and now we just wait for a good, dry day to spread.  Then, of  course, I will hope for rain on the fertilizer.

We milked Jewel for the first time  day before yesterday and are milking her again this morning.

She came right up the ramp and only kicked once then settled right down to the milking  machine.
Her personality is very different from Willow's.

From Jewel

She gave 2.5 jars of very yellow milk, also different from Willow's more white version.  I haven't checked  the cream  line yet this morning.



We don't know yet if we will try to find another calf to put on her.....probably not.

Well all the news  for now.  I need to get an early start  to the store.  From noon on I go downhill rapidly!