In which you can't believe everything online, and this is a farm blog

I've been hearing all kinds of crazy stuff (mostly from people who aren't local)

about what's happening here in response to George Floyd's death and

the ongoing protests by Black Lives Matter groups.

This is what is actually happening here

"But the fires!  The explosions! The riots!"

Corn seedlings are actually happening here.

"What about lawless, leaderless anarchy taking over Seattle? What about the antifa terrorists who drove the police out of their precinct building and burned it to the ground?* What about CHAZ, the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone*?  

*now known as CHOP, the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest?"

We've seen it all on that television station that rhymes with Rocks Fuse!"

It's been raining steadily for about 2 weeks.  Nothing is on fire.

Deep sigh.

If you've followed this blog in the past, you will remember that news reporting here is a little...spotty.  

    That time we had a "sniper" on our road.

    That time a mountain fell on a nearby neighborhood.

In this case, according to my friends who actually live and work in Seattle in or adjacent the CHAZ/CHOP, it's closer to the "Summer of Love" than it is to a war zone.  The city is providing porta-potties, and there is an emergency-access lane for medical/fire trucks.  The mayor and the chief of police have both been there.  National defense is not needed and not wanted.  

Here is an accurate news report from a local news agency.

UPDATE: Here is another accurate news report from a local, published by Politico

"So what are you doing about injustice in the world?  Are you protesting?  Are you screaming at people online?"

I'm harvesting snow peas and sharing them locally

I'm encouraging the local pollinators to keep up the good work

I'm taking care of the Dragon

I'm listening to friends and family members who are personally affected by the Black Lives Matter movement and also by the Covid 19 pandemic.   At this point, protesting and shouting is not appropriate for me.  My personal emphasis at the moment is not making things worse.

Your emphasis may be different.  But here, that's what we're doing.

And also,

I'm baking bread

Here's the recipe, with my usual casual approach to all things edible.

In a small bowl or liquid mixing cup:

    A cup or so of warmish water  (about the temp you would make a baby bottle, test it on your wrist)

    A tablespoon or so of dry yeast    

    A tablespoon or so of white sugar, honey, or molasses (whatever you have handy)

Dissolve the yeast and sweetener in the water, allow to activate until foamy (about 5 minutes)

While that's proofing, gather this stuff:

    Flour (5-7 cups), any kind.  I like some whole wheat combined with AP bread flour, and I buy it fresh from the mill, but use whatever you have.  

    A teaspoon or so of salt

    Sourdough starter (1/2 to 1 cup, totally optional)

    Sunflower seeds, pepitas, or any seeds (1/2 to 1 cup, also totally optional)

    Herbs or spices (1-5 TBS, also totally optional) 

 

I like to put the sourdough starter (if I'm using it) and 2 cups of flour and the salt into a large mixing bowl and stir them up a little while the yeast is proving, just because I am a multitasker.  

When the yeast and water is foamy, dump it in and stir--this will be very wet. Add more flour until it is less of a "batter" and more of a "dough" but still sticky.  Dump it out onto a floured kneading surface.

At this point I like to wash the large mixing bowl and lightly coat the inside with olive oil so it's ready to receive the kneaded dough--washing the bowl cleans and warms my hands before I dive into the kneading.  

With lightly floured hands, knead the dough.  If adding seeds or herbs/spices, mix them into the flour that gets kneaded in.  

I count out about 300 "pushes" if it's mostly whole wheat flour, or about 100-150 if it's mostly white flour. When the dough feels springy, shape it into a ball and plonk it into the clean, lightly-oiled mixing bowl.  You may want to spray or sprinkle more olive oil on the top of the dough ball (optional).

Let it rest and rise for a while.  An hour, if the day is warm and you're using mostly white flour, or 4-5 hours if your dough is mostly heavier whole wheat flour.  

When you poke your finger in and it reinflates slowly, it's ready, but if you want to leave it on the counter while you go riding, or stuff it in the fridge overnight, that's okay too--you will need to wake it back up if it's saggy when you return to it.

It's good to visit a friend while you wait

When you return, preheat the oven to 425*.

Knead the dough again, maybe 100 or so "pushes".   Shape into the shape you like:  a freeform loaf is nice, but so is bread shaped in a pan.  Suit yourself.  Let it rise again, but this time keep a closer eye on it.  You want to bake it just as it gets to the spot where you poke a finger and it reinflates slowly--anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.

Slash a couple of deep gashes in the top just before throwing it into the oven.

If you have a freeform loaf or regular bread pan, slide a shallow pan (I use a pie tin) with a half-inch of water into the lower rack of the oven.  Don't worry if it spills and makes steam while you're putting it in: steam is the goal for this water, and it makes the crust very lovely.

I love cooking bread in a dutch oven, and I recently got myself a cast-iron bread pan with a top, which is essentially a loaf-shaped dutch oven.  No water-pan needed if you're using one of these.

Bake for a while, 35-40 minutes, usually, but if your oven runs hotter or cooler than mine, the time will be a bit different. 

If I use a lidded container, I remove the lid at about 25 minutes, and let it continue baking another 7-10 minutes.

When it's done, remove from the pan (if you're using a pan), turn off the oven heat, and allow the loaf to cool slowly inside the oven.  

Wait at least 10 minutes after it's done to slice.  That's probably the hardest part of this whole process, but seriously, if you slice it straight out of the oven it will smash down and be disappointing.  After 10 minutes, it will stay upright and still melt the butter.  You definitely want to put butter on it.  

Share this bread with someone you love, or with a total stranger.  Whichever seems best.