NEW LIFE ON THE FARM: Monday , Monday, so good to me*

Just love a morning such as this! If you look carefully to the top right of the solar panel you can catch a wee bit of Mt. Lassen wearing a more regal coat of snow then in the last post photo. We got a wonderful gift on Saturday in the form of everything that could be snow on the higher mountains (we are at 1000 ft) wind, rain and hail in various degrees in the lower mountains and the valley floor.

The lucky fellow walking in the downpour is my husband Geoffrey. He is checking on potential flooding and the welfare of the critters especially those 34 then twenty four day old pullets. All was well with the exception of the doe barn to the right of him which had a bit of a wash out in it. Since this is the first storm of this nature this season it was all thankfully sucked up by the thirsty ground. So I was able to give the does and their Pyrenees Sherman and Yarrow a thick bed of dry fluffy straw when I went out later to milk .

After chores this morning I made ready the oven for a loaf of my favorite bread. I often hear folks say "I would love to make my own bread but it takes time". Well yes it does but if you really desire to have the crunch and flavor of homemade breads you can make it happen. I had a friend at one time who would mix up her bread and let it rise in her Volvo on the shelf beneath the rear window as she went about her day of errands and appointments. She had two pans at the ready to handily pop the dough into from the rising bowl when it came time for that last rise. Her family never lacked a loaf of fresh bread daily. I realize this isn't possible for everyone to do but we have so many amazing recipes now anyone can find a way if they have the will. The recipe I love and will share with you is a great bread that can be augmented in many ways giving you everything from a more traditional artisan loaf for sandwiches , soups and such . Add some nuts, dried fruits and you have a yummy breakfast bread. And it is a lovely no-knead bread that goes from mix to bake over night with little effort on your part.

Sundari Elizabeth Kraft is the author of Urban Homesteading with Sundari in Mary Jane's Farm Magazine
https://www.facebook.com/MaryJanesFarm

Below is a link with her recipe for No - Knead Wholegrain Bread. I have made this bread many times either whole or half recipe and a multitude of ingredients. It always comes out perfect and I mix up it just before bed the night before and bake it after morning chores. Today's bread was a yummy concoction that included 9 grain flakes, red flame raisins, dried apple pieces, sunflower seeds in addition to the flax seeds and quinoa. All ingredients are organic and sourced as local as possible.