I have a busy day planned, food wise. I’m heading to my local, organic farmer friend’s today and paying up-front for a year’s worth of raw milk and 20 free-range chickens. My good friend, Sara, is having me over this afternoon to plan out my herb garden and I’m doing an on-line search for a giant, hand crank bread kneader. I know I’ve seen one but I can’t find a distributer under any goggle heading that makes sense to me. If any of know what I’m talking about and how I can order one, I would sure appreciate a shout out. I realize that we go through 1-2 loaves of bread a day, depending on how much company we have. Making a batch a day is a terrible waste of propane. I makes more sense to get it all done in one baking day but my arm is not up to all of that kneading. In the coming months, when Ben and Maggie return home, the bread making will have to step up even more. The big bread maker will be a huge help.
More and more, I’m looking at my local food shed. I still need to find a source for wheat and oats but, other than those two things, I can manage pretty much around here. Well, those and salt and sugar and coffee and citrus and Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies. Oh, and olive oil, chocolate and mangoes. The list goes on but you get my drift.
I just put in bulk orders for walnuts, cranberries, and more sprouting seeds. One of my jobs this week is to tidy up the food storage room. It gets cluttered pretty quickly if you don’t keep up on it.
I don’t go to the market very often so it’s not easy for me to keep track of food prices. If any of you notice big changes, could you post it here? While it matters less for those of us with big gardens and a few chickens, it certainly matters for poor people. Bruce works at the food pantry and he says usage is way up. a lot of the clients are the elderly. It gets tough when you have to chose between food, heat and medicine. This may be the year we see community gardens as a growth industry.
Speaking of chickens. My girls a laying like crazy. Apparently, they see signs of spring under 2 feet of iced in snow banks. It was 3 degrees when I got up this morning. Yuck and double yuck! At least the sun is shinning and the forecast looks like the sap will be running next week. We aren’t boiling this year so we’ll make a trip up the street to get a gallon of syrup from my neighbor. I’m going to spend a bit extra and get it in smaller jugs so it’s easier to manage. I sure wish I could get him to sell it to me in Mason Jars. Maybe if I sweeten the deal (alright-a really bad pun) with a jar aof honey, he’ll consider it.
The Just In Case Book Blog 
March 4, 2011 at 11:40 am
Why don’t you offer to supply his with the mason jars at the start of his season? You also might be able to barter him with some honey.
I found anything with chocolate has gone up, coffee is up and so is sugar. My girls are laying real nice for newbies, so we have plenty of eggs now. (yippee!)
I look around for a hand kneader, sooms to me I might have seen one somewhere…maybe Lehman’s?
March 4, 2011 at 11:44 am
Kathy, there’s a hand cranked mixer advertised on Lehmans’s website, but it’s $650 – that’s a lot of “bread” ….
March 4, 2011 at 11:54 am
Hi;
Lehmans has a crank mixer that has dough hooks. I’m not sure if it would be any easier,
but here is the link..
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitchen___Helpers_and_Accessories___Dual_Speed_Hand_Crank_Mixer___1075600?Args=#
Steve
March 4, 2011 at 11:59 am
Way too much money for me and it isn’t the extra large capacity I want. My good friend Sheri suggested getting used to no-knead brad. Sometimes the easist solution is best.
March 4, 2011 at 12:17 pm
Hi;
Lehmans has a crank mixer that has dough hooks. I’m not sure if it would be any easier,
but here is the link..
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitchen___Helpers_and_Accessories___Dual_Speed_Hand_Crank_Mixer___1075600?Args=#
This is probably what you are looking for:
http://www.zathras.net/gallery/main.php/v/Zathras/iowa2007/IMG_0015.JPG.html
But according to one post I read on answers.com they aren’t made anymore. So ebay or craigslist may be you only option.
Steve
March 4, 2011 at 12:23 pm
That’s the one!!! At least I now have a name for it (kneading bucket)and I will take a look on ebay. Thanks.
March 4, 2011 at 12:28 pm
Hi Kathy,
For some real tasty mint cookies, put a few drops of pure peppermint oil in a bowl of melted dark or milk chocolate. Use a fork and dunk a Ritz cracker into the chocolate mixture. Tap off the extra chocolate and let the “cookies” set-up on a sheet of waxed paper. These are a party favorite with words, names, or a little flower piped on the top.
March 4, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Would cranking a hand powered bread kneader be as hard on your arms as just kndeaing bread? It’s a sincere question, I have no idea how hard it would be to crank such a machine.
I hope you find it, Kathy.
peace, shamba
March 4, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Kathy, I’ve been making Jim Lahey’s no-knead bread for years now, and it’s wonderful — a tasty boule that requires little effort, holds up well and freezes well. I grind red whole wheat in my Country Living grain mill so the flour is fresh. Deeelish! I also make whole-wheat Irish soda bread when I’m pressed for time. It makes satisfying toast. Best wishes, Donna
March 4, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Kathy, I recommend you consider no-knead bread if you haven’t tried it yet. It produces a wonderful loaf. I’ve learned to make an excellent multi-grain variation, and it’s a wonderful bread for toast and sandwiches. I made two largish round loaves at a time, each one in a cast iron dutch oven. No other equipment required (other than mixing bowls), and no wear and tear on the wrists. Contact me if you want a specific recipe, or just go to the breadtopia website for instruction.
March 4, 2011 at 3:24 pm
What kind of chickens do you have? I’ve lost several this winter during a move (new digs, new dangers) and am looking to replace with hardy birds, good layers. The current rag-tag bunch of breeds that make up my flock seem to regard the “laying” part of laying hen as optional! Suggestions?
March 4, 2011 at 3:35 pm
A question for you since Bruce is working at the local food bank. I hope I can explain this.
Does anyone (volunteers) there in your area help the elderly by creating a small garden spot for them in their backyard? It’s not always easy for an elderly person to go to a community garden spot but they can usually make it to the backyard just fine. (smile)
Do the local plant nurserys (that provide stores with garden transplants) give plants to those at the food bank willing to grow their own food in your area?
I’m curious because a few years ago I saw lots and lots of plants in pots thrown into the trash at a store in my area. You know what I’m talking about? The garden plants you see outside of stores in the spring.
This was done by the nursery people because the plants had simply outgrown the pots after a couple of weeks setting on the sidewalk. I asked why the plants were being thrown away. I was told the store only wanted perfect plants to sell. I was told they were not allowed to give the plants to anyone. I was about to cry at that sight.
Here I am am elderly person, who would love to have help preparing a spot in my yard for a garden. The sight of all those plants going into the trash instead of being offered to food banks just broke my heart. Stores will donate bread and fruit past it’s prime to the food banks…. why not fresh veggies in it’s earliest form?
Maybe before the gardening season gets into full swing you and Bruce could look into getting plants donated by the nurseries in your area? It can’t hurt to offer plants to those who need and want them before it’s thrown away.
Ok, it was just a thought of mine I figured I could pass along to you. Maybe if ONE food bank starts the idea it will catch on in others…. eventually getting to my area. I can hope can’t I?
March 4, 2011 at 3:55 pm
What a wonderful thought Anita. I’ll ask Bruce to check. We have New Hampshire Reds. Laying is not optional! Rhode Island Reds have always done well too.
March 4, 2011 at 4:16 pm
I agree- we’ve had that discussion, my hens & I, about laying being non-optional. They’re currently having a stare-down with the soup pot. They’ll get another month of grace & then if they haven’t mended they’re ways… ;o)
Thanks for the response!
March 4, 2011 at 4:41 pm
Yeah, I checked with Lehmans too and they didn’t have any suggestions either as to were to look.
March 4, 2011 at 8:34 pm
i would also recommend the “artisan bread in five minutes a day” version of no knead bread. Their quantities usually make 3 or four loaves and could easily be doubled up. For a family well used to homemade bread, they make nice loaves and if you choose to keep some of their dough in the fridge you can magic up a pizza or some rolls in no time at all. If you want anything from their book, please feel free to pm me. The only problem I have here is that Dear husband and his two kids are so used to shop bread they miss it ( esp as his kids are at mum’s half the week,eating shop bread). I need to keep persevering, I live in hope that that one, perfect, life changing loaf is out there!
March 4, 2011 at 9:18 pm
I am kicking around getting 3 chickens, I saw plans for a great movable coop ( a frame_) Do you think 3 is enough for eggs for a family, or not. I want to have enough to be worth my while in eggs.
Thanks!!
March 4, 2011 at 9:32 pm
I finally remembered to ask for frosting containers and the bakery department of my grocery store. I got 8 food-grade buckets with lids for free! I got a few different sizes, but the smallest holds 10 pounds of sugar, so they are just perfect. All that I had to do was wash out the dried on frosting and the buckets were good to go. I was pretty excited when I came home because I had also purchased my 1st dehydrator–Nesco American Harvest. I had taken in some old gold jewelry for cash and actually got a pretty decent amount, so I stocked up on some bulk supplies and the dehydrator with the extra money. I was thrilled to get the buckets for free!
March 4, 2011 at 10:07 pm
Depends on the size of your family Cindy. When I had 8 kids at home we went through 3 dozen eggs a week. That’s so cool Cindy!
March 4, 2011 at 10:23 pm
I am seeing coffee, chocolate, and especially butter going up.
March 4, 2011 at 10:33 pm
Oh, my goodness, Anita, what a fabulous idea!
I’m helping to get a community garden started in our area, working with the City and with the Salvation Army. I’m going to try and include some variation of that idea. I’ll ask my contact at the Salvation Army food bank if she can get overgrown plants from the garden center. I know she’ll love that idea.
March 5, 2011 at 9:28 am
I bought 6 Golden Comet chicks from Tractor Supply last April. I sold 3 when they had feathered out and the other 3 started to lay very large brown eggs every day. I find that they are rather agressive and prolific layers even through our very cold winter. I wraped their coop with plastic to keep the wind off them.
March 5, 2011 at 1:58 pm
Kathy, I have a bread dough bucket mixer that my dad gave me just before he passed away 16 yrs ago. Don’t know how long he had it. Think it is made by Mirro. Don’t know if they make it anymore. I know I recently saw one at an antique store in the original box, low priced like 30 bucks or less, don’t think it was ever opened. It’s a lot of work yes, but it IS good exercise for the arms. With younger folks around, they can take turns….lol I found a picture online that shows what mine looks like only not a gold-tone color. If I can get a pic of mine I’ll post it. The antique one Steve posted looks really heavy duty! Love the old tools
Anita, I agree with you! I live in an area with plenty of farm land – land that just sits and does nothing, apple trees galore that no one picks (and I’ve tried to contact the owners for permission – they don’t call – I leave my number) – there is food here that could help the hungry children and elderly folks…
Don’t want to get on my soap box on this one – just sayin’ that the younger folks who ARENT working and have kids and are on public assistance should be required to have a community garden plot and learn to use that food for their children. There should be some requirements to their assistance besides having children and being unemployed. For the sake of the kids.
And, many churches could make this a project to glean those seed starts and help some elders/families in their areas plant those gardens. Hmmm, a seed planted in my mind…thanks for the idea.
March 5, 2011 at 5:04 pm
Jenn M, in our city, most community gardens fill up fast and have long waiting lists. Plus, they’re not all in places that are accessible by walking or bus. Our neighbourhood is low income and there is NO community garden.
We’ve managed to find a church that will – with evident dragging of heels – allow us three or four plots this year, and we still don’t know if they’ll let us access their water. Every neighbour I’ve spoken to so far is thrilled about the idea and wants to take part. So FOUR families out of the hundreds who live here will be ALLOWED to have a garden plot. Next year, we might be able to double that. I think many on assistance would love to be required to have a garden – assuming one was available and accessible. 🙂
I’m meeting this week with someone from the City, and we’ll go over how to create a proposal and business plan for the garden, and all the other paperwork, as well as other ways to get funding. I need to have a map of the church’s land, showing where our garden will be, a list of the members, a detailed budget, etc. There’s a lot to be done to get a community garden going!
March 5, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Wow Kathy your posts always get me up and back to buisness. I thought I was the only one who seems to always have my head in the pantry and food storage area doing a clean up, it never seems to end, thanks for sharing
March 5, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I seem to have started a converstion I sincerely hope will put the idea out there. I see a need and want somehow to get it filled. When I suggested the idea to a food bank in my area I was brushed off as some sort of nut case. I’m hoping if the idea works in other areas it will spread.
Thank you Kathy for letting me talk about it on your blog.
March 6, 2011 at 2:52 pm
Okay. I’m new to posting here although I’ve been reading for awhile, and don’t want to offend anyone, but one of my favorite ‘dreams’ is for the schools K-12 to add permaculture to the curricula – non-elective – and for them to give up one of their sports fields and turn it over to the practical application of the subject.
The produce could feed the lower income student families or, crumbs, looking at the size of some of those fields, a larger part of the needy in each community. I know there are schools out there doing this in the small corners ‘generously donated’ by the school board, but if each school could do that, then you’d have ‘in-the-community’ production. I know that this would not be popular with those who see a need for the sport whose field is sacrificed, but I’d argue that exercise, discipline, and teamwork could be taught just as well in such a project with much longer lasting and rewarding benefits.
[Ducking for cover]
March 7, 2011 at 5:10 pm
Mandy- couldn’t agree with you more. *Great* idea!!!
March 7, 2011 at 7:04 pm
I’d never made bread until I discovered Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois’ “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day.” It changed my life. Fabulous breads and couldn’t be easier. Their second book, “Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day” is also great. And thanks, Kathy, for your book and your blog.