Updates

Wow! What a hectic 2 weeks it’s been!

With James in Uganda for 3 weeks I worked hard at getting some decluttering and cleaning done before he arrived home on August 15^th. I did accomplish some of this.

Nicholas and Joseph learned to ride their bikes without training wheels while daddy was gone and had fun surprising him with this bit of news when he got home. “Watch this dad!”

Since he’s been home we’ve been busy recouping from illness. Thankfully the children did not catch whatever it was he brought to me! Just a nasty cold we think he picked up on the airplane as he was cooped up with 200+ people on 2 different aircraft for 8+ hours.

He’s been home here since arriving from Uganda, today is his first day back to Seattle and the FHCRC. While home, and after much rest and recouping, he chopped all the wood rounds that were in our shed waiting for him. I’m hoping it’s enough to get us through the winter but I’m skeptical. We may need to buy an extra cord of wood since it’s too late to fell a tree for this winters burning.

As James mentioned already, we went fishing last week! It was really fun! I actually love beach fishing. The kids can play behind us building and digging while we cast and reel. I caught a Coho salmon! The first in like 4 years! It was only MAYBE 2# but it sure was tasty! Here he is cutting it up for dinner. The kids look on, they think it is so cool!

This last Friday (the 24^th) we headed to the Kitsap County Fair. We mostly went to visit all the animal barns. Kitsap Fair also has something for the kids called “Farmer for a Day”. It’s just a big area with play things having to do with farming. Joseph loved the area where you could pick apples from wooden trees and set them back up again. He did this over and over and over again. Charissa loved the washtub where she could scrub clothes on an old washboard. They also picked potatoes from a huge potato bed and milked a cow (not really). I, personally, LOVE the cow barn!!! I LOVE cows! It only rooted further my deep-seated desire to have cows some day. We got to talking to a rancher from Sequim, WA about his Miniature Herefords and found out that he had a ½ head to sell. So we jumped right in and in 3+ weeks our freezer will be full of about 180-200# of fresh beef! On October 6^th in the Sequim area (on the Olympic Peninsula) they have farm open houses. About 10 farms open their homes (and barns) up to the public to come see how they operate. Straitside Ranch (where we bought the beef from) is one of them and we look forward to going and touring that Ranch and others. Will be a fun day!

This past weekend, we ripped out the WOOD backsplash behind the kitchen sink. Wood does not make a good backsplash behind a faucet unless it is sealed with thick coating of varnish and caulked like crazy. This piece not only was just painted but it really wasn’t wood at all. It was particle board and soaked up the water like a sponge. We tore it out and replaced it with tile. My first tile job but I like the outcome.

Today marks the start of our new school year! Kelsey as a 5^th grader, nearly 11 years old! Charissa as a 3^rd grader just turned 8 year old! Nicholas as a 1^st grader, nearly 7 years old! And Joseph, excitedly a Kindergartner, just turned 5 years old! I’m looking forward to this year as it will hopefully be far less chaotic than last year. With our move last September and our testing out a program that clearly did not fit our family we had a pretty chaotic year. I’ve settled on Story of the World and pieced together other curriculum and will follow a somewhat Charlotte Mason approach.

The garden is doing well so far. We just picked our first beans and I’ve also been picking a few tomatoes. My 9 plants are covered full of green tomatoes so hopefully they will ripen nicely. I’ve covered them with a nice big tent to keep moisture off the leaves, which seems to be something necessary in the wet Western Washington. I’ve got about 3 small sugar sweet pumpkins of a good size but the Jack-o-lanterns aren’t doing well. I have another squash plant (I’m not sure what kind but maybe acorn) that is doing really well. They are small yet but lots of fruit on it. I have 2 apple trees nearing completion! I hope to make jelly and maybe some sauce.

We are still contemplating how to expand the chicken coop as we REALLY WANT to double our flock! But more coop room is needed first and it’s a big job with everything else going on (like the guest cabin, etc.).

I hope the rest of your summer is full of fun and joy!

Our farm is always open; never hesitate to pay a visit!

Out of the mouths of Babes!

The boys are sitting on the steps playing and singing a song their sister has been running around singing. It's called "Everybody Dies Famous in a Small Town".

They are both singing their own interpretation of it and I overhear Nicholas sing:
"Everybody dies strangely in a small town".

Ag Review--The happenings at St. Brigid Farm

It's been awhile since I've done an update on the farm. We've been getting a little drizzle this morning and I went out to the garden and snapped a few pictures. The garden seems to be doing well. I need to find a better place for the salad garden, it didn't do well. Either that or add more mulch as I think it's because too much clay in the soil. I really am tired of buying salad and know that I could grow it for most of the year here if I had the right spot, shade in the summer, sun(or at least a brighter spot) in the winter. I must get busy on that, along with my long list of other things to do.
My mom is here for nearly a month and has been really helpful with getting things done around the house. She has been mending and sewing for me. She is very crafty.
Firefly, our milk producer, has been giving slightly less milk but still enough for us to drink, a little less than 1/2 gallon a day, sometimes about 1/2 gallon a day. The chickens give about 14-15 eggs a day. I think that a couple of them have gone into a premature molt, something that can be caused by stress. I'm thinking the extreme heat we had for a bit might be considered stress on them.
Below are pictures of the garden and a project my mom did.

Here is a bean plant reaching high into the sky!

A row of pole beans. Next year I definitely need to find a sturdier support. I have some ideas.

Cherry tomatoes. I have 2 plants FULL of yellow flowers and green fruit.

Apples from one of my 3 apple trees.

When we moved in it was fall we didn't do any planting of bulbs or perennials but thought we'd see what would come up. The previous owner was busy. There are numerous perennials and bulbs that have come up but I don't know what they are. Here are 3 among many that I am trying to identify. If you recognize one let me know what it is. The orange ones above attract hummingbirds.

The tomatoes, and well, all over the garden, are full of these lovely creatures!

And last but not least. My cupboards don't have doors and when we bought the place the last set on the right had the red curtains. We discovered they were twice as wide as they needed to be so we divided them in half and covered the 2 on the left. I had some red checked fabric we used for the center and then tied them all together with the strips of opposite color. I love it! Thank you mom!


We are really missing daddy!!! Eight more days till he is home. Charissa slept in my bed last night and when she woke this morning the first words out of her mouth were just that, "Eight days till dad gets home."

"Daddy, will you miss me?"

The girls and I went to the library this evening. I was searching for books to take home to the boys and I came across a book titled "Daddy, will you miss me?". It caught my attention and wondered if it was another book about divorce or something, but I opened up the front cover and read.... To a child waiting for his father to return from a trip, four weeks can seem like forever.

Okay, this is not what I thought and I immediately turn to the first page and read...
My daddy's going to work, far away in Africa---without me.

This hit the spot for us. We are all missing daddy so much!!
But every day feels longer than the one before
and every day my daddy feels further and further away.
So, I try to imagine my daddy in Africa
when I look at the map hanging on my bedroom wall.

We marked our calendar tonight...only 12 more days. Charissa collected a box of trinkets to show dad when she gets home and Joseph hid away his birthday crown the his sister made him, just for daddy.

This ones for you, daddy.

Note: I do not like how YouTube puts other videos along side yours. Some have been very crude. I apologize ahead of time, I have no control over what you might see if you click to go to watch from their website.

The wise in heart shall be called prudent: and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning.
Proverbs 16:21

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
Proverbs 15:1

A birthday and a Name day.

Five years ago today I was cozy in bed just barely starting my ninth month of pregnancy when I was a awakened by a warmth that shouldn't be there. I quickly realized that my water broke, but it was 4 weeks too early. That didn't matter little boy Ferrenberg was wanting out. He originally was due on August 24th with a c-section scheduled (won't get into that) for August 20th the feast of Prophet Samual...he was to be Samuel.
I drove myself to the hospital as we weren't expecting this and needed child care for the other children. James joined me just in time, I was already in the OR numb. He walked in and whispered "Today is the Feast of St. Joseph of Arimathea." Joseph Mark was born 10 minutes later! There was no question about the new choice, it fit perfect. Just about 3 or so months earlier I had signed up to read at the tomb on Holy Friday night for one hour. The folks that signed up after me never showed up, but I didn't realize it until someone did show up and it was not them. I ended up reading at the tomb of Christ for 2 hours that night, just as I'm sure Joseph of Arimathea spent many hours at the tomb of Christ. So "Joseph" was meant to be.
Today my baby boy is FIVE years old! He has grown so quickly into a handsome little boy full of energy, curiosity and sweetness.
Oh most Holy St. Joseph please pray unto God for Joseph.

The Noble Joseph,
When he had taken down Your most pure Body from the tree,
Wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices,
And placed it in a new tomb.
But You did rise on the third day, O Lord,
Granting the world great mercy.

May God grant you many years my sweet boy.

A week at the farm!

What a busy week we have had here on St. Brigid Farm.
On Sunday, July 20th, my sister and her family arrived by train. She is married with 3 children, ages are 7dd, 9ds, and 13dd. On Tuesday morning James left for Uganda. He's had quite a week already and has some amazing thoughts he's shared on this blog, about on his experiences so far. Also on Tuesday morning my mom arrived on the train (just 3 1/2 hours late) to spend the weeks with me while James is away. She felt blessed to have her 7 grandchildren together. These 7 haven't seen each other in 4 years. Here are some pictures of our week together.

Me, my mom and my sister, Shari.

We went to Point No Point Lighthouse Beach park at the very tip of Kitsap Peninsula yesterday. The weather was gorgeous and the kids had a blast digging in the sand and splashing about.

Joseph would at times go off and dig alone. He was concentrating so on his creation.

This was taken at the Dungeness Recreation Area in Sequim. Shortly after we ate lunch in the SUN this funky fog rolled in and covered the sky. But it was only out over the beach area. It was weird. It didn't stop the kids. From left we have Nicholas, Remington, Joseph, Aubrey, Kelsey, Charissa and Denae.

This is a city boy milking a goat for the first time. He said, "It feels like a balloon filled with air."

Things will now settle down for a bit. Having a house full of 7 children for 6 days sure makes having JUST 4 a very mellow thing. Funny how that works.
Oh, yeah...they were able to stay in our guest house!!! The first family to overnight in the cabin. It has windows, doors, a roof and is caulked and sealed. Kind of like a glorified wooden tent. It worked out great!
Who's next?

One more thing....I took this picture yesterday specifically to send to James in Uganda. It turned out nice. I like the b&w.

My dear hubby is on his way half-way around the world.
I will miss him.

Please keep him in your prayers for safety in travel and health.
Please pray for me as I won't have him here to be my rock and partner as a parent.
(I won't be completely alone. My mom arrives today to be with us for a month. Yeah!)

My prayer is that our family will grow to love each other more during his absence.


Lord Jesus, You traveled with the two disciples after the resurrection and set their hearts on fire with Your grace. Travel also with James and gladden his heart with Your presence. I know, Lord, that he is a pilgrim on this earth, seeking the citizenship which is in heaven. During his journey surround him with Your holy angels and keep him safe from seen and unseen dangers. Grant that he may carry out his plans and fulfill his expectations according to Your will. Help him to see the beauty of creation and to comprehend the wonder of Your truth in all things. For You are the way, the truth and the life, and to You I give thanks, praise and glory forever. Amen

Farm life will not be put on hold. We continue to get over 1/2 gallon of milk a day and 16+ eggs a day.
The sun is FINALLY shining and the garden is going to go crazy growing after all that rain.

The Feast of St. Elizabeth the New Martyr
Hierarchal Divine Liturgy on our Patronal Feast day and the tonsuring of the new
Reader James.

Bishop BENJAMIN

James with Subdeacon Gideon(on left) and Subdeacon Elias (right).
Subdeacon Elias is from Uganda! How appropriate is that?

Prayers.

The newly tonsured Reader James debuts with a special reading. It's really neat actually. After the prayers the Bishop sets the book on his head for a brief second. Then opens it up to a page and points out a scripture to read.

Reader James with Bishop BENJAMIN

It was a really beautiful service with many clergy present and many visitors.
Hieromonk Tryphon from All-Merciful Savior Monastary on Vashon Island was present. This is really neat because it's the first time the Bishop has ever served with him and it's just now they can. (The Bishop mentioned they've known each other for 18 years.) Also, Fr. John from Holy Resurrection, and Fr. Nicholas from St. Herman. There were a couple other clergy behind the altar but I didn't recognize them and they didn't serve.
It was wonderful!

Oh, Most Holy St. Elizabeth please pray to God for us.

Emulating the Lord's self-abasement on the earth,
You gave up royal mansions to serve the poor and disdained,
Overflowing with compassion for the suffering.
And taking up a martyr's cross,
In your meekness
You perfected the Saviour's image within yourself,
Therefore, with Barbara, entreat Him to save us all, O wise Elizabeth.

Record Breaker

This morning I milked and got a record breaking amount of milk...for me. I also broke a record yesterday, so 3 days in a row her milk has increased.
This morning I got just a hair over 5 pounds!!! ( I really would love a scale with ounces between the pounds.) Just to give you some perspective, there are approximately 8 pounds per gallon.
I think she may be starting to wean Butter which might be the reason for the increase. Maybe Butter isn't suckling much in the evenings which would make Firefly fuller. I've noticed that Butter actually goes into her stall all by herself each evening, 3 nights in a row, to eat her grain. I used to have to chase her around and dart after her until I caught her to drag her to her stall to separate them at night. Now she just goes.
My free evenings might be gone soon. I stopped milking in the evenings because I wasn't getting anything because of Butter. I'll start watching her for engorgement in the evenings now.
I better get busy and get my cheese making skills working on a regular basis. I also have been reading a lot about goat milk soap making.

Happy Birthday to my Sweet, Sweet Charissa!

Today Charissa Joyce turns 8! To my sweetest redhead!
May God Grant You Many Years!!!

Dangerour Boys Day

This afternoon the girls (the 2 little ones) left the farm to spend the night at a cousins for a birthday party. Daddy announced it was a boys night. So they took out the Dangerous Book For Boys and chose a project. Nicholas really wanted to make a catapult but the book didn't give instructions for that so they settled on a bow and arrow set. Dad went hunting for the perfect stick for a bow and Nicholas and I hunted for arrows. After some wood shaving and tying string we got a pretty good set made. Nicholas loved it. He spent quite awhile practicing and at one point I walked outside and dad said, "He's scary good." A longer arrow was needed so he could stretch further. He was awesome! And loved it!





FUN WAS HAD BY ALL!

Happenings at St. Brigid Farm

I canNOT believe that it has been over 2 weeks since my last update! Crazy!

Today, for many days now, we've been dealing with hot temps. My thermometer on the northside of the house in the shade says 90. Unfortunately, the rest of the house and property are in the sun and it is not 90. Yes, many of you may being saying "wimp" but what you don't know is that in Western WA no one has AC. It's unheard of unless you run down to Home Depot to grab something to stick in your window, which I am sure many do. When I moved out here from Minnesota 13 years ago I couldn't believe none of the apartments had wall AC's. The one thing I am thankful for is very low humidity. I'm also thankful for plenty of water and a big pool the kids bought with their own money.
The garden really loves it and is growing well. This afternoon a put out a soaker hose on the beans, peas and tomatoes. They'll be thankful. I wish I had more.
The animals are tolerating. Until the afternoon the chickens huddle under a very small section of shade and as it grows they slowly move out. The pasture seed I'm trying to grow in the other half of there run isn't doing well. I water it daily(or more) but it's just too hot. The goats have it the easiest. There barn is the coolest place on the property. It's on the south part of the property and behind it are LOTS of trees. It gets no sun, only their pasture areas gets sun first thing in the morning and later in the day.
I'm down to milking just once a day as Butter is drinking too much during the day to have any for me. That's just fine! I've been reading a lot about once-a-day milking. It's really possible and makes it easier. I'm getting 1/2 gallon a day and it's too much for our family so I'm learning to make cheese. I really need to make it right now if it wasn't soo warm in the house. When it says to hang at room temperature I wonder if that means 90+ degree room temperature?

Not farm related but exciting non-the-less, James will be tonsured a reader next Wednesday, a week from today. His cassock arrived in the mail yesterday from Holy Nativity Convent! They are so wonderful! I called many places and no one could have it done for me in time and many were 8+ weeks out. They had it done in less than 4! And it is lovely! Some of you may be joining us for the festivities, if you are, note that the service starts at 9:30AM and NOT 10:00AM. We are not sure where in there the tonsuring will take place it depends on His Grace Bishop BENJAMIN. It WILL be before the actual Divine Liturgy takes place, but it's either between the 3rd & 6th hours or immediately before any of the hours. Please pray for cool weather!!! In the OCA the Reader vests for reading the epistle so James will have his clothes, his cassock AND altar vestments(just for the reading though).

Not quite a week after his tonsuring James will board a plane for Uganda, Africa. He's talked about it here and here. Please pray for safe travels. Also, that the entire Ferrenberg clan will grow during our separation, the longest we've ever had. And that I can be a successful, loving single mother for 3 weeks. It will be hard. In the last few weeks I've gained a much deeper appreciation for those who leave their families behind for months on end to serve in the military. I can't imagine. So I'm trying really hard not to be a big baby!

Back to trying to cool down, clean for company and serve cold drinks to the kids(who just got out of the pool).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY....

To my dear friend, Dawn!
May God grant you many more!!
We love you!

(go say happy birthday to Dawn)

Happy Birthday, James!

I love you and hope you have a wonderful day!

If you get a chance go say Happy Birthday to James. Just pick a post any post and wish him many years.

Ag Review

Have you ever heard of "Ag Review"? Nearly every state has an Ag Review either in print or more often then not, a spot on a local radio station. They are often daily, but sometimes weekly, summaries of agricultural news for that state.
Well, here is the St. Brigid Farm Ag Review...
This past week I made my first attempt at cheese making. Here you'll see a few pictures. First I'm warming the milk, then it's dripping and finally the end product. I let it drip too long and it's a bit dry. This is called Chevre or French Style Chevre. It can be used in place of cream cheese in nearly any recipe. You can also season it as a spread for crackers. I have yet to try it but hope to make a yummy cream cheese kind of dessert for the weekend to come.

(you can click the pics for a much bigger view)

I've been busy working on the garden. I still have poles to string for beans and peas but all rows are coming through the soil now. The 9 tomato plants are in and I chose yet another method to see how they do this year. It is hard to grow tomatoes in Washington, but I'm determined. They say tires help keep the soil warm as they absorb heat. They also stay warm into the evening and give off that heat to the plant. I also hope to construct some sort of row cover using flexible conduit for later when the rain season begins but my tomatoes are done yet. In the first picture I'm standing in one corner of the garden area and you can see the whole area. Next year I hope to have more of the grass dug up into beds. Looking at the picture you see the raspberries on the far left, the first bed in front is peas and spinach (which is NOT doing well). In the next bed you see onion, potatoes and on the far end one loan squash plant (not visible in the picture). In the way back next to the raspberries we have 3 apple trees. One of them did not produce this year. I'll have to figure that one out yet. Next to the potato bed is an empty bed where I'm dumping manure from the goats and chickens to decompose and have a great bed next year. After that are the tomato tires and rows of pole beans and pole peas.

Here is a close-up of the beans, peas and tomatoes. Below is a close up of the one little raspberry that was ripe. I snuck it. Shhhh! It was so yummy.

This a branch of one of the apple trees.

The livestock is well. I really think Butter needs to wean from her mother but I'm not in charge of that. Once she does we'll probably get nearly a gallon of milk a day. As of right now we get just over 1/2 a gallon and it's more than we need. I hope to make cheese more often. My goal is to make LOTS of cheese and to never buy it again. I can't wait to learn how to make hard cheeses like cheddar. The chicken production is down slightly. We were averaging 18+ eggs a day but now we are averaging 16. Time to really think about another coop and more chickens. More and more people from Church are inquiring about purchasing eggs and I don't have enough.
We sold the Caravan! And now have just the trooper to sell. I'm pretty used to the big Suburban now. It has a huge tank and we filled it for the first time since the first day we got it and it still only took 22 gallons (35 gallon tank we think). We got 17.8 miles to the gallon, all city miles. Our caravan gave us 16 miles to the gallon, city. So we are a tad better, plus diesel fuel here in Poulsbo anyway, is cheaper than unleaded.
Oh, I forgot to mention. This past weekend the weathermen had NO IDEA what the weather was going to be like. It was gorgeous! Very little rain and lots of sun. Today the same. I have 2 loads of laundry hanging out on my temporary clothesline! I love freshly sun dried clothes.

Below, is a very cool picture (if I do say so myself) of a huckleberry bush. We have many of these on the property. They are so delicious. I've never had them before so I need to research recipes. Anyone have a good huckleberry recipe? I'm most interested in preservation for future use. There are so many!

Well, there you have it! Ag review for St. Brigid Farm.

Community and Down on the Farm!

I’m reading a really good book called MaryJane’s Ideabook, Cookbook, Lifebook : for the farmgirl in all of us by MaryJane Butters. (Arielle—she wrote the forward in Women of the Harvest) I love it! I’ve devoured it! The section of the book is called “Each Other” and talks about community, the good old days, lending a hand, farmstyle celebrations, etc. She talks a lot about when she was growing up in her Mormon home and community (she has since left the Mormon faith) her mother and all the neighbors were immersed in helping one another. Her mother led a group called The Relief Society. These Mormon homemakers met once a month, taking turns teaching one another and providing relief to those whose burdens had become too heavy to bear alone. Her mother told her, “We had lessons on things like manners, sewing, and cooking, and we organized ourselves into a clean-up team. We also emphasized the importance of dressing nice and helped each other with that.” Her mother also met twice a month with another group for nearly 50 years. This was a group of 15 women that came from a cross section of religions. One night a month they would play pinochle and the other night was for needlework. And her mother said, “And we always made a big deal out of our birthdays.”

MaryJane continues by saying “What I remember of my childhood challenges me now. The buzzword these days to describe what I had is ‘community’. Our entire culture as Americans has changed, but what hasn’t changed is our collective longing for community—the ‘full purpose of heart’ I grew up studying. It’s a way of life that’s hard to keep, and it’s an unbelievable amount of work. But the promise to be faithful to the good in each other is a promise absolutely anybody, anywhere, can make and decide to keep, religious or not.”

This has really started me thinking. It’s hard for me to put in words. Many days, more often than not, I feel like I’m desperate to just touch base with others. I could never really put my finger on the feelings until I read this and now I am convinced it is just what she is talking about that I am missing…ongoing relationships with other women. To help each other, to play, to talk, to encourage, to learn.

I’ve discovered that I am really a home-body. I don’t like to go places very often, most especially with a car full of children. Despite this I desperately find myself yearning to have meaningful conversation with other adults, other women.

When we lived in Bothell my neighbor and friend, Helen, and I would meet 1-3 times a week for morning coffee. We would also help each other with childcare. This is something I don’t have here anymore but I miss it a great deal. I wouldn’t trade my 2.6 acres, goats, chickens and gardens for anything but I feel that there is more to community then what I see right now. I want what those Mormon homemakers had in each other. I want what those 15 women had together for 50 years. I want community.

I’m not sure where this will lead me. It has inspired me though and I hope to be able to encourage others and to grow friendships.

(I’ll check to see if any of the neighbors hope to move anytime soon!

So, speaking of community! The biggest event this weekend on the farm was a roof raising party for the guest house! We had FIVE families and 2 singles join us yesterday (June 17) to get the roof on the guest house!! The sheathing is on the roof and the sides. Ready for shingles, siding, windows and doors. Thank you so much to all who took the time, energy and money to spend the day with us!!! You definitely have an invitation to utilize the guest house once it's done, almost anytime you want.

Bread Recipe

Grandma Syverson with her 3 oldest children, the girl in the polka dots is my mom.

As per Arielle's request...

Grandma Syverson's Whole Wheat Bread

3 c. scalded milk
3 c. hot water
1/2 c. sugar (I think I used less)
dissolve 2 pkgs. yeast in this.

In very large bowl mix:
4 cups whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. salt
1/2 cup melted fat or shortening

Slowly add the liquid. Mix thoroughly. (It will be soupy at this point.)
Add 7-9 more cups of flour. Her recipe calls for white flour but I used 100% hard whole wheat. I also added wheat gluten per package directions. I do believe that when all was said and done I ended up using a total of 15 or 16 cups of flour which means instead of the 7-9 more it was more like 12 more.
Knead 15 minutes.
Raise till double.
Knead down and raise again.
Knead down and form 6 loaves. Raise one hour.
Bake at 350* for 45 minutes.

We made this on Friday and still have a loaf left. Sundays we don't each much bread because we are gone most of the day. In a typical weekday we go through nearly 2 loaves a day for our family of 6.

This is how I made it. Her recipe card had very few, if any, detailed directions.

Grandma Syverson is on the left.
Grandma Kauffman is on right, also an amazing cook.

Bread Baking Day

I’ve been baking bread on and off for a few years now. Mostly only baking bread that I can do with my Cuisinart, thinking it is much easier than the process by hand. If I were to bake bread 100% of the time never buying, we’d need 1-2 loaves a day. I’ve experimented with bread recipes because I’ve felt that I could never get it right. I’ve never been happy with the bread I’ve baked. I bake with 100% hard whole wheat and it doesn’t rise as nicely so a friend told me to use wheat gluten and that helped some. So I went on baking with my Cuisinart and trying different recipes that fit the machine. A couple weeks ago Kelsey and I started a tradition (I’ve spoke of here before) where we get up and milk and when we are done she puts together bread for the Cuisinart and we bake 2 loaves everyday. She LOVES it. This past Friday, however, I decided that I wanted to FINALLY try my grandma Syverson’s recipe for whole wheat bread, the one that makes 6 loaves. I’ve never tried it before because it wouldn’t fit in the Cuisinart AND it seemed to be such a detailed recipe using such things as scalded milk and melted fat. And the recipe (written out by her hand) didn’t tell me HOW to do it just listed ingredients. So because I was unfamiliar with how to put it together I never tried it. Friday I got brave. I wanted 6 loaves and wanted to try her recipe. So with another of her recipes in hand that had more detail (it was a similar recipe for bread, just made only 3 loaves) Kelsey and I went at it. After the first rise in that big bowl in the picture I was SOLD!!! NEVER NEVER had my bread rose like this bread did. It filled that big bowl! When I put it in the pans to rise…it filled the pans the way all the recipes have told they should and I’ve never been able to do. It was beautiful!!! It is SO tasty too and cuts so nicely, not crumbly. All along I’ve been searching for the easy way (by machine) and never been able to find a recipe to work, never having bread rise well. And all I needed to do was to look to grandma, the woman who baked bread all her life.