Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[drstratton]

I like that idea, but the "no Dutch oven" directions are confusing.

You're creating steam for an open bake. This will give a crispier crust. If you want a softer crust you can omit streaming. When you're ready to bake, gently shape into a loaf and place in pan. If time allows, I would let it rise for 1-2 hours in a warm location, all temperature dependent. But, I think if you're gentle and don't deflate the dough too much, you can bake right away.
Does that help?

 

[SageHill]

I look at making bread like this -
So many make it fussy, fussy, fussy. Do this, do that, etc. Then if it's sourdough good gravy talk about fussy !!!
My take - bread been around for eons. No need to be fussy -people way back when certainly weren't fuss budgets and the gold miners and sour dough certainly weren't fussy.

I just throw together bread flour, water, a little salt and some yeast in a bowl and stir. Come back later stir. Then over time a few "stretch and folds" (kinda a stir with your hand - wet hands and dough doesn't stick). Wait a bit, toss it in a bread pan, put it in the oven and done.

 

[fuzzi]

You're creating steam for an open bake. This will give a crispier crust. If you want a softer crust you can omit streaming. When you're ready to bake, gently shape into a loaf and place in pan. If time allows, I would let it rise for 1-2 hours in a warm location, all temperature dependent. But, I think if you're gentle and don't deflate the dough too much, you can bake right away.
Does that help?

The directions say bake the bread "on a tray" using an 8" square pan (like for brownies?) on the oven rack below, for boiling water.

What kind of tray, a cookie sheet?


How would jello-like bread dough bake on a cooky sheet? Wouldn't it spread out flat?

It doesn't make sense.

 

[Mini Horses]

JAN.....slice the loaf of French bread on an angle down the loaf, makes more surface -- an oblong slice. That's what I do. You have a " chunk" at each end. Sop up egg yolk with those. I don't eat runny yolk!! So, my ends just get used in a meal as a pusher.

Eastern shore got 10-12" of snow. Lot of power outage and winds caused Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel to close for a time. Rachel's haven got a heavy snow...that general area.

 

[farmerjan]

Monday night. 23 to start... up to 40... It was more clouds and some sun today, windy, CHILLY....( COLD)....

Went to the farm and got the computer stuff fixed and uploaded the herd... but took awhile..... and a couple phone calls to my computer genius person at the processing center.... went to the other farm and got the paperwork to enter in the computer for the herd for Friday.

Didn't feel good, had a headache on top of the usual backache... didn't do alot else that didn't have to be done...

Sent a few more texts... and got a couple answers... set up one for Friday afternoon... and the 2x Jersey herd that is close by, for Monday/Tuesday... Also, got an offer from the jersey farm... they have a 1st calf heifer, with an angus/jer heifer calf just born, they want to sell... she is not as "statuesque" as the owner wants.. shorter and fatter than he thinks a jersey should be... she got visited by the neighbor angus bull un announced !!.... Wanted $3,000 for the pair, I offered $2,000..... don't really need her now that I have Maggie... but...... might be a good deal... I might go look at her tomorrow morning.... get DS to come get her with the trailer while the ground is hard... will have to get another calf or 2 to go on her.... but I am also thinking that if we have any twins this year on the beef cows, that I could pull one to put on this cow to raise... or maybe just sell at the crazy prices they are.. but ..... might need another nurse cow....will have to get her in the next 24/48 hours at most....

No @fuzzi .... haven't gotten the other coop yet... ground was too sloppy as the "snowcrete" thawed...we were just too stressed out with the bitter cold and frozen water/well etc.... DS mentioned that he needed to touch base with them to see what would work... Yeah, I really do need it here... and be able to put the NH in there with more "run space" to get outside and away from each other... or just take and separate them out so that I can start saving eggs in March/April to hatch... I am not in a big rush for chicks yet....

DS called this evening... said he didn't hear from the guy about coming to see the calves... I misunderstood... he is supposed to call and come BEFORE it rains on Thursday... DS said if he does not call...make a commitment... that he will be sending them in the next 2 weeks...
Caleb; the "kid" that used to help DS alot when he was a teenager in high school, and is now a VDACS (Va dept ag and consumer services) state grader at the stock yards... good job... and goes around as part of the services to look at peoples' cattle, things like that... he is coming Wed morning... and he and DS are going to sort and "grade" the steers... and if the other buyer isn't going to get serious... then DS said that the "best group" will go to the local stockyard, and then the rest will go to the 2 stockyards north of us. He says the steers will all be gone within 2 weeks... I am glad... the prices are high, and I would really rather ship them sooner rather than later... prices are just too high to sit and wait.... although the talk is that there are just not the cattle out there... numbers at the stockyards are not real big... and the numbers will get up some in March and early April... but there just are not as many cattle out there... SOOO, they OUGHT to stay high... but gee whiz... what if it doesn't.... PLUS... it would be better to give the heifers a little more room... AND... we will be preg checking cattle after the end of March... so would be good to have empty lots at the barn... and I don't know how much silage he has left... and wants to get it all fed out this year... but the cows with the small fall calves are getting it too.....
There's a WHOLE LOT of money standing around there in the barn....

I am going in to get these samples packed, from yesterday... He had to email the list to pack, no printer at the barn.... and I couldn't get them done in time to get to UPS so didn't rush... I will drop them tomorrow afternoon... on my way to test. Need to get the bottles in the trays/racks for tomorrow's herd.. and for Wed's herd also... and then get the ones for Friday....

Talked to DS, a few minutes ago.... and decided to get the jersey heifer and heifer crossbred calf from the farm...settled on $2500... more than I would normally have spent, but it is the pair...and she is a 1st calf heifer, so a long life ahead of her.... hopefully..... and will see if there are any calves available from anyone else...they don't have any other calves right now...need to put at least 1 or 2 more on her... don't need scours or anything... and if need be, I can pull the jersey steer off Maggie if we have to put a beef calf on one of them...he's getting some size and eating good... Hoping that they will "co-nurse" calves once they get established....hopefully she will get bonded enough to her own calf, that they will both want to come in the barn to feed "their calves", after a week or so of being kept in, then turned out loose during the day.... I will keep Maggie in now, until this new one gets established... Was going to start turning her out in a couple more days...

Heading in to get the samples packed...bottles ready, and go to bed early....Lots to do tomorrow...

 

[farmerjan]

JAN.....slice the loaf of French bread on an angle down the loaf, makes more surface -- an oblong slice. That's what I do. You have a " chunk" at each end. Sop up egg yolk with those. I don't eat runny yolk!! So, my ends just get used in a meal as a pusher.

Eastern shore got 10-12" of snow. Lot of power outage and winds caused Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel to close for a time. Rachel's haven got a heavy snow...that general area.

You don't do eggs... runny or not !!!!

Yeah, thought about slicing it on the oblong... the italian comes not sliced also... would make bigger slices for sandwiches.... but the pre-sliced ones are at least nice even thin slices... nicer than I can do them....
Did you get much snow? If the Eastern shore got 10+ inches...
Hearing about my growing up stomping grounds in Conn got a TON of snow... 30 inches in Rhode Island... WOW.... will talk to friends tomorrow and see how they made out, north of Danbury CT above where I lived in 1970-79....
IT IS WINTER... why they are making such a big deal out of it when they are in NEW ENGLAND... it is in the "north".... they used to get SNOW all the time in winter...
Just stay the he// home for a day or 2, deal with it, and go on about life.... We did here with the "snowcrete"... it was just that we had such bitter cold temps for this area... for FAR LONGER than is common or normal for here....

 

[drstratton]

I look at making bread like this -
So many make it fussy, fussy, fussy. Do this, do that, etc. Then if it's sourdough good gravy talk about fussy !!!
My take - bread been around for eons. No need to be fussy -people way back when certainly weren't fuss budgets and the gold miners and sour dough certainly weren't fussy.

I just throw together bread flour, water, a little salt and some yeast in a bowl and stir. Come back later stir. Then over time a few "stretch and folds" (kinda a stir with your hand - wet hands and dough doesn't stick). Wait a bit, toss it in a bread pan, put it in the oven and done.

Agreed. The simpler the better.

 

[drstratton]

The directions say bake the bread "on a tray" using an 8" square pan (like for brownies?) on the oven rack below, for boiling water.

What kind of tray, a cookie sheet?


How would jello-like bread dough bake on a cooky sheet? Wouldn't it spread out flat?

It doesn't make sense.

Ok, I got ya and agree, it's confusing, that's why I suggested the bread pan, I wouldn't bake it on a flat pan. The square pan is for making steam in the oven.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed morning... Going to head to the barn in a few... we are going to get in the 7-8 cows that calved in dribs and drabs....they were supposed to be fall calving, and it got drug out into Dec and Jan..... get the calves tagged and then get them moved and the ones starting to calve, down off the hill into the calving field... so they are easy to find and get the calves tagged as they have them...
Then to work to test...
Farm last evening ... got there, they had a motor go out on the vacuum pump... spare would not run it right... finally nixed the testing as they waited for a replacement from the dairy supply company that services them... 2 hrs away.... so I came back home.... stopped at the goodwill on the way...
They had more problems, got started 3 hrs late... done at 10:30... and then had more problems this morning... so have to get a whole new vacuum pump.... $$$bucks....
We are tenatively going to do them tomorrow... that is my only free day this week...
Already got Mon eve/Tues morning scheduled and Wed aft scheduled next week... to get caught up... then the month is already starting over...

Has been a couple of cold windy days... upper 20's nights, 30's days. Today is supposed to be warmer...

Going out to fill waterers since not supposed to freeze the next few days... filled feeders yesterday... then get things in the car for this afternoon...

Talked to my friends in Conn... they got 18 inches there, out of the storm... said it was a good snow...

Time to get out the door.

 

[Baymule]

The only good thing about snow is when it falls on someone else.