The Old Folks Home

[ronott1]

The dough raised nicely! It is amazing when your consider it is sourdough--not any commercial yeast

 

[pennyJo1960]

mine will do that also because it came from you

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Ron I never realized what a baker you are. I have a cloche, and should get it out. It's the rising time then baking that gets me stuck - work just gets in my way

I loved Portugal, we stayed near Sintra and would go into the old medieval part of town and sit at a cafe. Fresh baked rolls, a little round local soft cheese, olives, and a glass of wine. One place had strings of sausages hanging on the wall, they would take them down, whack a few pieces off, and grill it in the shop on a little ceramic brazier. Heaven.

We're you near the Azores I knew someone who lived there

 

[ronott1]

mine will do that also because it came from you

Yes! It is a very good starter...and I send out starts for free to anyone that wants some!

 

[1muttsfan]

We're you near the Azores I knew someone who lived there

No we were around Lisbon the whole time. I would go back in a minute, it was fabulous.

 

[bruceha2000]

Agenda for the day, breakfast then back to the wood pile. Will be glad when we are done harvesting wood.

I think I'm up to a cord now, need 3 more. Lots less work (for me) when Al dropped it off in front of the little barn!

A question for all you wood harvesters: at what diameter do you just not bother? Seems like everything needs to be split or it doesn't dry. I've had 3" stuff from Al that was at least a year from being cut and it would still hiss water out. But those small pieces take about as long to cut to length and split as larger stuff, but yield lots less wood to burn.

 

[microchick]

3 to 4 inches and above is what we harvest out of any of the large trees we drop. If it's a small tree, three to four inches that we have to drop in order to clear a path to a larger tree we don't bother with it, excep with the 4 inchers and then we will harvest as much as we can of the trunk. The tops get stacked to make habitat for rabbits and the like. It's amazing how fast the harvested tree is replaced with new growth timber.

This morning, DH had to run down to one of the Amish small motor shops and pick up a chain that he was getting sharpened. While he was gone I cranked up the splitter and went to work on one of the large 2 foot across rounds that we harvested from the tree that mother nature gave us via a storm. Silly thing weighed a good hundred pounds and I decided I was going to turn that chunk of tree into fire wood. I managed to get it done. Thank goodness the splitter was in the upright position is all I can say.

I think I strained my whole body....

 

[pennyJo1960]

The Son saw 2 down trees in a clump we have between them we have our winder wood

 

[bruceha2000]

I think I strained my whole body....

No doubt!! The pieces that size I had that big from the tree that had been dropped off in front of the barn a couple of years ago were heavy enough it was a task just to get them vertical so I could slot them with the chain saw and wedge split them. Even when split in half they were quite heavy and more than I probably should have been asking my little 10 ton electric splitter to do. But it did. Much easier splitting the 8-10" rounds from the tree I cut yesterday.

I think I need to get me a cant hook. Had quite the time (and some luck) getting the tree to roll so I could finish the cuts yesterday. Or maybe a timber jack??

 

[pennyJo1960]

both of the ones down are pretty small took the little joe tiller to the coop again breaking down the hard pack it is great tiller for tight places now the girls will be all over looking for worms doing dust baths