On December 27th ish we are driving down to Freeland Maryland to Heathcote Community. We will be work trading for room and board and might be making some extra money helping someone in their ceramic studio. Our plan is to spend about 2 months there. They said if everything goes well we can stay 3 months, maybe more.
There is a couple living at Sky Meadow, Aimee and John. For the first few weeks we were there they were away house sitting. John showed Michelle and I how to make tempeh. He split soy beans in a grain grinder and got off the husks by running water over them. Then he soaked them overnight. The next day he boiled them for 45 minutes, scraping off the stuff that floated to the top. Then he strained out the water and dumped the beans on a towel to dry them. After that he mixed them with a couple teaspoons of tempeh starter and a couple teaspoons of vinegar, then they went into a mould, he used glass trays. It then needs to sit in a warm place for about 24 hours.
Michelle and I have been going to the east Hardwick community gym almost every day. It is a real small gym in a basement. Usually when we go we only see 1 or 2 other people.
We have also been going to the weekly community lunch in Hardwick. This guy Robin who also works at the co-op started the community lunch 15 years ago and has been cooking there almost every week. They ask for a 1 dollar donation. They are supported by donations and local farms. On the flyer they have it says " a community that eats together stays together."
Thursday, December 16, 2010
King Arthur bread course
A few people recommended I take a course at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vermont. I went on their website and found a 4 hour course called Whole Grains From the Hearth. It was a hour and a half drive from Stannard, Vt at Sky Meadow. There were about 15 people in the class. Some came as far as Boston or Montreal to come to the class. Our teachers name was Sharon O'leary. I learned a few different ways to shape loaves, mix ingredient and work with the dough. I was really surprised by how wet the dough was, but after following her kneading and resting techniques the dough absorbed a lot of the water. A big mistake people make with breads is putting in to much flour. This will make the bread dense and not rise much.
I had some trouble shaping the batard style loaf, it came out flat, but it tasted good. I learned a bunch and am happy I took the class. I'd like to take more classes somewhere one of these days.
I had some trouble shaping the batard style loaf, it came out flat, but it tasted good. I learned a bunch and am happy I took the class. I'd like to take more classes somewhere one of these days.
sky meadow ( part 5)
At morning meeting when our 3 weeks were almost up Miles and Cella told us they really like us, and want us to stay but they can't offer a work trade because there isn't;t much work left. So now we are renters at Sky Meadow. The rent is cheap and the accommodations are really good.
Michelle has mastered squash soup. Now that we aren't work traders we have to buy our own food, so Michelle came up with the idea that we cook them lunch in exchange for getting to eat it with them. Now we get to eat all the good stuff we've been craving like kale and raspberries.
Mile's Dentist invited us all over his house to see his greenhouse. Mark ordered the parts and spent lots of time putting it all together. I think he is the only black person I've seen since I've been up here. He had a few stories to tell regarding the police.
Michelle has mastered squash soup. Now that we aren't work traders we have to buy our own food, so Michelle came up with the idea that we cook them lunch in exchange for getting to eat it with them. Now we get to eat all the good stuff we've been craving like kale and raspberries.
Mile's Dentist invited us all over his house to see his greenhouse. Mark ordered the parts and spent lots of time putting it all together. I think he is the only black person I've seen since I've been up here. He had a few stories to tell regarding the police.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sky Meadow (part 4)
Michelle and I have a mutual friend Bill who was an intern at Sirius Community in Shutesbury while we were apprentices there. For the past 6 months he has been living at Dreaming Mountain which is about 45 minutes from Sky Meadow. We went to visit him for a few days. He gave me a book of his called The Tassajara Bread Book. We visited his friend Peter King who is getting well known in the "tiny house" scene. There is a couple really interesting videos of his work . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VV2MBo-ZMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9g8Jwi_nks
Although he builds lots of these tiny houses he lives in a big round house. He lives a very very simple life. He hand pumps his own water, heats his house with wood which he gets on his own, he grows most of his food, and he doesn't travel much because he hates the idea of using fossil fuels. He told Michelle and I that because of his lifestyle he is able to have lots of free time and no debt, while other people in mainstream society have lots of debt( because they buy stuff they don't need) and not a lot of time ( because they work so much to pay it off). His views on things were interesting.
Peter, Bill, Michelle and I ate bread that I made and hummus that Michelle made. Peter told us to come by sometime and live on a tiny house on his land and do a work trade kinda thing. surely we'll see him again.
We said our goodbyes to Bill and headed back to Sky Meadow. The next day was the first time we saw Miles and the family in a week. They were very happy and surprised by how much work we were able to do. At the morning meeting when discussing what jobs were to get done for the day I was asked to show their daughter Emma how to make my Nannie Tillies Challah. I was honored to do so and I'm sure she would be proud. Emma was a natural at kneading and braiding a 6 strand loaf after i showed her just once, but she was not so good with keeping an eye on the oven. The outside was burnt and black as night, but it still tasted great. I like the idea of showing people how to bake bread. I could never do it professionally but once in a while it would be nice.
Cella, took us to meet with her friend Suzanna. We had a little potluck and then did some needle felting. I don't think I ever want to needle felt again. To stressful for me. Suzanna is real good with it though, she even sells some things at the market.
Later that day I went to the shop of a local baker. Bohemian bread. It is probably some of the best bread I have ever had. He has a huge brick oven that can hold about 30 loaves. It cost him $11,000 to have it built, but it was worth it. His bread is really well known around here and sells quick. Like all the bakers I've met he seemed to be in a big hurry, so our time together was short.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VV2MBo-ZMM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9g8Jwi_nks
Although he builds lots of these tiny houses he lives in a big round house. He lives a very very simple life. He hand pumps his own water, heats his house with wood which he gets on his own, he grows most of his food, and he doesn't travel much because he hates the idea of using fossil fuels. He told Michelle and I that because of his lifestyle he is able to have lots of free time and no debt, while other people in mainstream society have lots of debt( because they buy stuff they don't need) and not a lot of time ( because they work so much to pay it off). His views on things were interesting.
Peter, Bill, Michelle and I ate bread that I made and hummus that Michelle made. Peter told us to come by sometime and live on a tiny house on his land and do a work trade kinda thing. surely we'll see him again.
We said our goodbyes to Bill and headed back to Sky Meadow. The next day was the first time we saw Miles and the family in a week. They were very happy and surprised by how much work we were able to do. At the morning meeting when discussing what jobs were to get done for the day I was asked to show their daughter Emma how to make my Nannie Tillies Challah. I was honored to do so and I'm sure she would be proud. Emma was a natural at kneading and braiding a 6 strand loaf after i showed her just once, but she was not so good with keeping an eye on the oven. The outside was burnt and black as night, but it still tasted great. I like the idea of showing people how to bake bread. I could never do it professionally but once in a while it would be nice.
Cella, took us to meet with her friend Suzanna. We had a little potluck and then did some needle felting. I don't think I ever want to needle felt again. To stressful for me. Suzanna is real good with it though, she even sells some things at the market.
Later that day I went to the shop of a local baker. Bohemian bread. It is probably some of the best bread I have ever had. He has a huge brick oven that can hold about 30 loaves. It cost him $11,000 to have it built, but it was worth it. His bread is really well known around here and sells quick. Like all the bakers I've met he seemed to be in a big hurry, so our time together was short.
Sky Meadow ( part 3 )
We've been spending some time at the local libraries in Greensboro and Hardwick. One time we walked into the the Hardwick library and there was Kip. My brothers friend that I met in Ohio. What are the chances that i would see him in this tiny town? It was very strange to see him.
While at the local food co-op the cashier guy asked if we wanted to know anything about the area because he was a local. I told him i was interested in breads and wanted to know if there were and good bread bakeries around. At that time Charlie from Patchwork Farms bakery was there and we were introduced. Charlie was in a big rush and super spacey. I was able to get his number. I called him the other day and asked if i could come by to see his shop. He said he was very busy but that he would call me in a week.
While the family was away Michelle and i did a lot of work hauling firewood to the trail and chopping down the perrenial beds. On certain days the moss , fog, and the silence would make it feel like we were in a dream.
I got a big confidence boost the day I decided to make up my own bread recipe. I always follow a recipe from a book, but not this time. I put in oat bran, wheat germ, flaxseeds, whole wheat flour and a little white flour. It came out pretty good. I'll keep making it but altering it till it comes out perfect. I've made the recipe twice so far. the first time I used sourdough staretd and a little active yeast, and the last time I used all sourdough starter.
Usually for Thanksgiving I go to Conneticut with my family. This year was different. We at lightly and went for a nice long walk. A couple days before Thanksgiving whitney, my parents dog tripped my mom on the stairs. My mom dislocated her elbow and went to the hospital in a ambulance. I hear she is getting better now and that my dad is helping her out a lot with cooking and driving her to work.
While at the local food co-op the cashier guy asked if we wanted to know anything about the area because he was a local. I told him i was interested in breads and wanted to know if there were and good bread bakeries around. At that time Charlie from Patchwork Farms bakery was there and we were introduced. Charlie was in a big rush and super spacey. I was able to get his number. I called him the other day and asked if i could come by to see his shop. He said he was very busy but that he would call me in a week.
While the family was away Michelle and i did a lot of work hauling firewood to the trail and chopping down the perrenial beds. On certain days the moss , fog, and the silence would make it feel like we were in a dream.
I got a big confidence boost the day I decided to make up my own bread recipe. I always follow a recipe from a book, but not this time. I put in oat bran, wheat germ, flaxseeds, whole wheat flour and a little white flour. It came out pretty good. I'll keep making it but altering it till it comes out perfect. I've made the recipe twice so far. the first time I used sourdough staretd and a little active yeast, and the last time I used all sourdough starter.
Usually for Thanksgiving I go to Conneticut with my family. This year was different. We at lightly and went for a nice long walk. A couple days before Thanksgiving whitney, my parents dog tripped my mom on the stairs. My mom dislocated her elbow and went to the hospital in a ambulance. I hear she is getting better now and that my dad is helping her out a lot with cooking and driving her to work.
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