Jeep -- The Farm 2025

I'm way behind the blog updates in general, but also have been spending a lot of time working on the fire company history.

Jeep Club's annual big event at a property one of the club member's family owns and we've re-opened.

Was able to mostly take back roads and secondary state highways up and back, including trying to take a dirt road that I came across about 100 folks either in some hard core paintball or militia exercise; not sure which and not sticking around to find out. Just smile and wave as I turn around.

No video as I didn't realize my Jeep dashcam only had 12 hours and I didn't pull it till the next morning :(



Before I prepped the Jeep, needed to get to finish assembling the new garden beds and move them by the house. Need to order some screened loam this coming week (so I don't have to fight my own stuff to clean out rocks).





Kind of like how I got this packed...much of it would later slide to the back on "the hill."










Heading down the "green trail"...for the color blind.













And...where the green trail forks into blue and black. Not sure how that is supposed to work :/ (there are two short blue segments but jeeepers they're both pretty rough/tough).


Note the fork to green and blue...




Think I'll back up and go green...gotta winch both ways, but only one way is dragging yourself over a rock...


LOL Gaia Maps picked up my attempts to power up the hill before winching. Had it been bone dry I think I would've made it, but with a bit of mud/water getting on the one big rock you had to drive over on the way up just didn't have the traction. Heck I think if I had 35" tires I would've gotten just far enough over to do it. I was that close.






















Took the scenic way back. Going around north side of Barkhamstead Reservoir.

Hartland




North Granby






Cool mid-century modern library in Suffield, but holy f'ing hell -- no licensed and competent arborist could have possibly recommended topping those sycamores. Should've just replaced them; the re-growth will just be weak.




Entering Enfield with Soapstone Mountain in the distance:


Somers and closer to Soapstone:









Still one of my favorite old farmhouse/barn complexes. Love the wooden silo hanging on still:

Peepers 2025

Heard them a few days ago!

3/16/2025
3/14/2024
3/22/2023
3/17/2022
3/23/2021
3/21/2020
3/30/2019
3/25/2018
4/05/2017
3/10/2016
4/10/2015
3/21/2012
3/30/2011

December Baking & Other Stuff

Wednesday the week before Christmas...was not a good night with work. I told folks either the 8pm change would go smoothly but take about 90 minutes or it would be a shit show. Binary, no in between "works" and "horribly wrong." Was on the phone with support till 3am.

Hit the high test stuff for the Keurig the next morning :)



Guess what time it is!



Mom even called to say it was excellent o_O

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7010/finnish-pulla/https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/7010/finnish-pulla/

and

https://bakerpedia.com/a-guide-to-properly-heating-milk-in-baked-goods/
and
me

Original recipe (1X) yields 36 servings
2 cups milk
½ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup white sugar
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
9 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup raisins
Almonds
Granulated Sugar



Directions

Warm milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Let cool until lukewarm. 
(110° in a water bath/sous vide would be fine; just need to break down the milk a bit so the yeast isn’t inhibited by it)
Stir together warm water and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. 
(Guess what…grab it from the water bath)
While milk is warming, take the eggs out and put on the counter to warm up
Put the 1/2 stick of butter in a small mason jar and into the sous vide bath
Put the raisins in a bowl with warm water to plump up; can be tap warm water.
Stir lukewarm milk, sugar, 4 beaten eggs, salt, and cardamom into yeast mixture. Beat in 2 cups flour until combined. Add 3 cups flour and beat until dough is smooth and elastic.
Add melted butter; beat until glossy. Mix in remaining flour until dough is stiff.
Transfer dough to a floured surface, cover with an inverted mixing bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes.
Knead dough until smooth and satiny, then place in a lightly greased mixing bowl and turn dough to coat. Cover with a dish towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down dough; let rise again until almost doubled, about 1 hour.
Turn dough out again onto a floured surface and divide into 3 equal pieces. Divide each piece into thirds. Roll each piece into a 12- to 16-inch strip. Braid 3 strips into a loaf to get 3 large, braided loaves. Lift loaves onto the prepared baking sheets. Cover with a dish towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 20 minutes. 

Can also make into buns instead of a loaf.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease 2 baking sheets (or parchment paper)
Beat together 1 egg and water in a small bowl. Brush over loaves and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Check occasionally because the bottoms of loaves can burn quickly.








Also had a bread going; second small one I made this month. Was supposed to be a sourdough, but the sourdough yeast wasn't really thriving so after like 36 hours I rescued the dough with some regular yeast. Bread was still good. I like the new cast iron bread pan! Lets me make smaller loaves than when I do the dutch oven style.














Sunday I did the baking the high was 20°...Monday morning my Fusion was due to go to Sorel's and they had to come jump start it first as it was dead in 0°. Got up to 5° by the time that was all sorted out and I was headed to work.


With the bread I made.


Christmas morning mixed up some cookie dough for the freezer; chocolate chip batch and an oatmeal raisin batch.






Little bit of Xmas light viewing on the way home that night.




Ok, this little bugger came across my Facebook feed -- it's a vacuum sealer for Mason jars for $25. Kind of went crazy using it on the surplus I have since I don't actually bake that much.






Freezing my half of a pulla loaf (gave mom, Pat, and Pam the others) while I finish eating the buns.