START IN THE BARN
With the six. 
And their field. All the oats and corn are gone already. They ate all the best feed first . 
Being pigs and all. We have late summer colour succumbing to cold frosty mornings. 
It was quite cold yesterday – it was a heavy frost actually – my car was iced up but then the wind picked up and began to blow. A whisper of a wintry grin.
The ducks are the happiest creatures. Sone of the new flock are laying – maybe five more. But not the twenty more eggs I was hoping for. But they are cheerful and easy to care for. 
Yesterday I added straw to the pigs houses. I found this old dolly in the shed and now I just load it up and roll the bales down the back. Why did I never think of doing that before!
Poppy and Sheila down the back. I have started loading the root cellar with old paper flour bags along with their straw – it will add warmth to their beds for the coming winter. 
They will have a crinkly mattress.
Every evening when I feed them they have pushed their bowls under the electric fence and over to my side so the empty bowls are lined up ready. I am sure this is just coincidence because Poppy is terrified of the wire. But I look at Sheila and wonder sometimes. 
There is not a lot of grass left in the home fields. Del is still milking once a day. As the grass depreciates so will her milk. I hope the cold does not come too fast because the wheels on the pump are flat. At least with milking once a day we can milk at the warmest part of the day.
Do you see the cold coming? Not too bad yet. I need to get going and get the bread on the way. The dough started at least. I had to make a new sourdough starter because Godzilla is sulking and the new one started so fast using the organic flours. We do not heat or irradiate the flour so it is a perishable, live product. I don’t know why I was surprised at how quickly it started to bubble.
The new breads are not as sour as Godzilla’s loaves but still bouncy and delicious!
I hope you have a good day.
I am having a lovely late start!
Celi
23 Comments on “START IN THE BARN”
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I would love it if some day you would talk about how you make and care for your starter (or point me to the post if you already have).
To start one is dead easy- I use the high protein organic bread flour- we call ours: Chicago.
In the morning Mix 1/4 cup of flour and a scant 1/4 cup water. Cover with a cloth and Leave on the counter.
Evening add another 1/4 cup of flour and scant 1/4 cup water.
Do this for three days.
By the third day you will have lots of bubbles.
Pour half off and feed again.
Some people feed once a day – I feed twice.
You should be able to make a loaf of bread by day five or six. I did. And it was great!
If you want to take a break – after pouring off half the starter – feed the starter then cover and store in the fridge.
Many people bring the starter out of the fridge on Wednesday and start to bulk it up so they can begin a loaf on Friday or Saturday night.
Does that make sense?
Thanks so very much! I can’t wait to give this a try! It seems to make sense–only one question: On the third morning you pour off half the starter, or is it feed it three full days and then on the fourth morning pour off half the starter? Also, what bread recipe do you use with it then?
Love, love the farmy update. Nearly time to replace your insulated farmers jacket. I don’t bake with my sourdough starter at all in winter. Spring still battling to oust winter here. We had 10 drops of rain, all evaporated as it hit the ground. Aww bless Sheila for helping with your chores. Have a good Sunday. Laura
Sheila’s a wise old lady – I’m surprised she hasn’t shown Poppy how to build a earthwork across the fence yet…
You know, I went out this morning and Poppy
and Sheila were in the rat house where Molly’s Three had been last night. I guess the two big ones broke through ousted the three little ones and took over their house. Just a little bit of cold and they took themselves to the barn letting the three little ones have the root cellar with its paper mattress!!
Those pigs!!
Ah well. They only stay where they want to stay to fair enough.
I opened another back gate and now the three are roaming the big back pig field that had just been vacated yesterday. Only a week ahead of schedule.
Sometimes I wonder who is the farmer!!
How funny! I’m sure Sheila’s been reading Animal Farm – it’s a good job she loves you!
Exactly. At any time those pigs could push over my silly fences and wander off. But they don’t often do it. But Sheila much prefers the rat house- her old legs hate the stairs into the root cellar.
She’ll want some copper bracelets to go with her Dame Edna reading glasses, bless her!
Thank you Mad Dog; I’ve been trying to recall for months now what the other book was I need to read again (along with ‘1984’, Fahrenheit 451’, and ‘Soylent Green’ the movie…
All looks lovely and peaceful on the farmy front! Will the six plonkers be with you for the winter, or leave in the fall? The two wheel dolly that you found in the barn is a fabulous tool! Relieves a lot of wear and tear on the back, that’s for sure! And it should roll over snow and ice as well! But we won’t talk about that yet! Winter is still a long time away! 🙂
The six will be here until spring. I still have Molly’s three down the back too- they will be ready by Christmas I hope.
Good to see the pictures! Amazing to see the change the frost brings. I hope you can manage to milk through the winter. What are you doing with all this bread? Did I miss that?
Your comment about inter-leaving old paper flour bags with the straw reminded me of my mother and aunt, who, during the worst of the Depression, included newspaper with their blankets at night for added warmth. Sometimes, when I listen to the complaints of younger people (the avocados are so pricey! I can’t afford that newest iPhone!) I just sigh.
Beautiful calm pictures today. Hope you are having a calm day too!
pigs are so dang smart- the little ones perhaps too smart for their own good? And Sheila is not only smart but tidy too!
Ahh. Thanks for the Farmy break. We are getting a taste of winter to come here in the Winnipeg area. In the last few days we’ve had rain, snow, ice, sunshine. The pelicans are still here, so I’m confused. Maybe a few more days of nice fall weather? Best guess. Keep the fall/winter clothes in rotation. Peaceful, calm day to you and your crew.
Might be time to start making fire plans in the northern hemisphere. After an indulgent cool rainy weekend last fire of the season we are packing it up for the year.
‘Dolly’ is one of my dearest friends. She helps me cart things all over the place and saves my back. We bought her about 20 or more years ago for the bargain price of $10 at a hardware store sale and she was a good investment. I would love to be able to taste bread made from your freshly milled flours. xxx
The bread is an amazing taste. So much better than any flours I have used before.
Oh ‘Dolly’ has been one of my dearest friends forever . . . so sympathetic as far as my rotten back is concerned . . . does not mind whether she has bags of soil or smelly ones of garbage to the bins half way up the street . . . she is always in my sight 🙂 ! Am amazed at how good a job the piggies have made of the overgrown fields, but their taste buds really seem to differentiate the gourmet offerings ! . . . and I am seriously putting your very easy starter recipe in full sight for after a v busy work period . . . third time try 🙂 ?
The other day I heard a podcast about the awful situation of feral pigs roaming the country and causing havoc. Do you have any in your neck of the woods?
Love the structure of those silhouetted seed pods: ) And do only five more eggs a day mean the ducks are just coming on slowly… or that 10 or so will be going to freezer camp?