The Hollyhock Blog

Today  the Mom’s (Embrace and Annie) went out for lunch together and left the boys back at the barn in the care of the other gals.  Guess they needed a little ‘me’ time! 

Out in the pasture

But when they came back to the barn, it was lunch time for the little boys.

Embrace and her boy

Annie and her boy

With tummies satisfied, it was play time.  

Neck wrestling

Camille looks on

I’m always amazed that boys start acting like males from such a young age.   Seven and nine days old.  And already they play rough and want to fight. 

For those near to Becker, I’ll be at the new market downtown on Saturday mornings.  The market will be around the intersection of Hancock and Second Streets.

Tomorrow is the first day of the Elk River Farmer’s Market.  So today, I started baking Amish Cinnamon Bread.  I’ve had one starter growing for 10 days.  I started the starter for next week two days ago.  It is quite the schedule to keep up with.

Just out of the oven

These are the first 2 batches.  In the batch of smaller loaves I used a ‘brick’ of the eggs I froze earlier.   They were a little thicker than fresh eggs, but the batter tasted fine.  (I always get to lick the bowl before washing it for the next batch!)  The bread baked just fine and looks perfect.  If they seem a little dark on the bottom, that is because the pans are dusted with cinnamon sugar.   Another batch in the oven, and the fourth yet to be mixed.   Come and get your fresh bread at the Market!

Our neighbor has a small flock of bantam chickens who seem to be out producing themselves.   We are the fortunate recipient of part of this windfall.   We don’t eat nearly as many eggs now, as I will need when I start baking Amish Cinnamon bread for the Farmer’s Market  in May.   The bread recipe calls for 3 large eggs per batch.  I make 4 or 5 batches each week.  That’s a lot of large eggs – and even more bantam eggs. 

4 eggs

Aren’t they pretty.  I use 4 or 5 of these little eggs per batch of bread.    I stirred up that many eggs in little plastic containers.

3 containers of eggs

I freeze those for a day and pop out my frozen ‘egg-cube’.

Eggs for 6 batches of bread

Then I keep my bag of eggs frozen until needed in May or June!

Baby News!!!   Yesterday I’m sure I saw Annie’s baby moving inside her.  Her fiber is so long, I was quite surprised to see movement.   Lots of exciting things going on here!