And Then There Were Three

What a week it has been!  Life here on Gael Glen Farm has changed forever, and for the better, with the birth of our third son, Alistair Scott.

Both Alistair's gestation and birth were on his own terms.  He may look angelic but I will not be at all surprised to find out that this kid has an independence streak unparalleled even by Seamus'.

At 38 weeks, Alistair had still refused to turn head down.  It was not until we made the appointment at the hospital to have him turned by a doctor that he decided to turn on his own.

Me waiting to see if Alistair is head down or if he will need to be turned.

In collaboration with our midwife, we decided to induce Alistair at 39.5 weeks given his high estimated weight, off the chart abdominal measurements and Liam's experience of shoulder dysplasia at birth.  Alistair did not want to be induced.  He refused to budge until we were faced with the most invasive method of inducing labour.  I went into labour hours before we were scheduled to head to the hospital to be hooked up to the oxytocin IV.

Despite full dilation and much pushing, Alistair refused to descend into the birth canal during labour.  At this point, the OB and midwife agreed in their recommendation for proceeding with an emergency C-section.  Faced with the prospect of being cut out of my uterus, Alistair apparently decided that he would rather just be born.  Eight minutes after the OB said the word "C-section" and three massive pushes later - Alistair arrived; no surgery required.

After all that, Ian and I are very proud to announce that Alistair Scott was born at Almonte General Hospital at 4:01 am on Wednesday January 16, 2019.  He weighed 9 lbs 4 oz and measured 52 cm.

Alistair looks exactly like baby Seamus did; the resemblance is uncanny.

Alistair on the day he was born.

Seamus on the day he was born.

One week in, Alistair is breastfeeding like a champ.  He loves to sleep during the day and stay up all night long.

His brothers were very excited to meet him but have since decided that he sure nurses, sleeps and poops a lot.  Liam and Seamus have turned out to be excellent baby holders.  Seamus helps me change diapers and even helped give Alistair his first bath.

I expect it will take us a while to establish a new routine here on the farm but of one thing I am certain - life will never be the same and we would not have it any other way.  Welcome to the family Alistair.  We waited a long time for you and we are so incredibly thankful that you finally decided to join us.

A Dog's Life

Tonight is a good night to be an inside animal; it is wicked cold outside.

Emily has made herself cozy curled up on a fleece blanket on the couch.

Meanwhile, Charlotte has been sitting in front of the fireplace most of the afternoon
absorbing the heat into her black fur.

Ian's Search & Squash Mission

To some extent we can choose our battles in life.  Since the fall, Ian has been waging war against the aphids determined to devour the leaves of the hot pepper plants that he is attempting to overwinter inside. 

At some point each day, I find him methodically surveying his plants, searching for the offending creatures. 

When he finds an aphid (which he inevitably does), he sprays the infested plant with soap water and then gleefully squashes the bug.  Ian is meticulous and very regimented in his search and squash mission but, between you and I, I think that the aphids might be winning.  He finds at least a few each day and they are doing their utmost to migrate to Liam's baby pumpkin plants that he planted at school and gave us for Christmas.

So far, the aphids have left my houseplants alone and I am really hoping that they are not fond of the microgreens that I began sprouting earlier this week.

Peas.

Now that our outside garden is officially done, I am craving fresh greens.  Moreover, I will soon be able to eat sprouts and microgreens again without worrying about food poisoning our fetus.  So, I figured I better get them started.  Besides, it is nice to see something growing besides my stomach.

Three Unusual (and Not Very Scientific) Experiments

Experiment #1

Research question: Will shovelling snow induce labour?

A quick google of this question provides a very clear answer:  No.  No, it will not.  As other women point out, shovelling very late in pregnancy will not induce labour but it will give you a very sore back and an aching vagina.  Check and check.  Note to self: next time, google before trying some new way to kick start contractions.

Experiment #2

Research question: Does it make a difference whether you bake bread in a dutch oven or on a rack in the oven using steam from melting ice cubes and a spray bottle?

Loaf on the left was baked on a rack in the oven. 
Loaf on the right was baked in a pre-heated dutch oven with the lid on.

Oven rack.

Dutch oven.

When using the same dough and baking for 30 minutes, it seems that the method of baking does not make a substantial difference to bread outcome.  The crumb in both loaves was similar.  The crust of the rack baked loaf was very slightly browner and chewier, than that of the loaf baked in the dutch oven.  The oven spring was about the same in each loaf.  In conclusion, the loaves were very similar.

Experiment #3

Research question: When making corn bread, does it matter if you mix all the ingredients together at the same time even though the recipe calls to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately and then combine?

Mixing everything together at once changes the texture of the corn bread.  It is moister, has large holes and doesn't rise as well.  Who knew?  On the bright side, it still tasted good and we only had to wash one bowl.

What an enlightening day.

The Need to Knead

As I work on perfecting my yeast bread making skills, I am trying to figure out things like optimal kneading time as well as rising times and ingredient measurements.  I am also trying to figure out time efficient ways of doing things since I expect my down time to be more limited in the coming weeks.  For example, it is commonly accepted that 10-12 minutes of kneading by hand equates to 2 minutes of kneading using the Kitchenaid mixer's bread hook on Speed 2.

After the autolyse (rest) period of 15 minutes but before kneading.

After 2 minutes of kneading on speed 2.

I have now left the dough to bulk ferment (first rise) in the refrigerator overnight.  In the morning I will shape it into a boule (round loaf) for the second rise in the banneton (proofing basket).

Just call me a baker extraordinaire!  At least perfecting my bread baking is something productive that I can do with this 9.2 lbs baby still in my stomach and 12 more days until my due date.  Sigh.

A Scrumptious Meal with Cranberry Appeal

I love the time of year when you are able to buy fresh cranberries at the grocery store.  They are a seriously versatile berry and are superb for making both savoury and sweet treats.  It is lucky that we don't own a bog or I would be tempted to try to grow them myself.

For supper, Grandma whipped up a delicious apple and cranberry pork dish, featuring the tenderloin from our friendly neighbourhood pig.

The boys and I complimented this dish with apple cranberry muffins for dessert.  The next time I make this recipe, I will add both some extra spices (I'm thinking cloves, allspice, ginger, or cardamom) to kick it up a notch as well as nuts for some crunch.

It was a serious scrumptious meal with just the right tart cranberry appeal.

Muffin Recipe

INGREDIENTS
1 1⁄2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3⁄4 cup brown sugar, packed
1⁄4 cup vegetable oil
1⁄4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
3⁄4 cup peeled apple, diced
3⁄4 cup whole cranberries

1/2 cup raisins
1⁄2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.

In a medium size bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, oil, sour cream and vanilla until smooth.

Fold wet mixture into dry ingredients.

Stir apple, cranberries, raisins and walnuts into wet mixture.

Scoop batter into greased muffin cups .

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Citation

Inspired by: Matthews, D. Apple Cranberry Muffins.  https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/apple-cranberry-muffins-151975

Scooping Hens

Seamus might not be much help mucking the barns yet but he certainly provides barnyard entertainment.  It is like he is the hero in a video game where the object is to collect hens.

He has taught the hens to crouch down when he comes near them so he can scoop them up and carry them around the barnyard.  He thinks this is excellent fun.  Honestly, the chickens do not seem to be too bothered by it either.  There is nothing cuter than a boy and his hens.

My Mixer Fixer

Every homesteader has their favourite tools - those super useful items that make completing important tasks much easier.  My favourite outside tool right now is Ian's ice fishing sled.  Without this lightweight, easily balanced sled, feeding and watering the animals twice daily would be much more difficult during wintertime.

My butter yellow Kitchenaid mixer is by far my favourite indoor tool.  Not only is she a beauty but I have made countless loaves of bread, muffins, whipped cream, churned butter, etc. with the help of this little lady.

Ian and I splurged on this yellow mixer and travelled across the border to pick it up over a decade ago - before we even had our first apartment together.  I even painted the kitchen walls in our home to colour match her.  I am very attached to this particular mixer. 

Not surprisingly, I was quite distressed yesterday when the mixer's locking mechanism stopped working.  It is almost impossible to use the mixer for kneading bread dough with the top bouncing all over the place. 

Thank goodness, over the course of our marriage Ian has evolved into an excellent fixer.

Ian has always been good at taking things apart; however, there have been times in the past where his "fixing" ability has been questionable.   I remember when he attempted to fix our kettle.  Unfortunately, one piece remained after he put it back together and the automatic shut off function never worked again. 

As Ian took my mixer apart today, I will admit I was a bit nervous to see its parts all spread out on the counter.  Happily, he was able to put the mixer pieces all back together and now its locking mechanism is working again.

In celebration, I made some bread starter which I will let ferment over night in anticipation of kneading with my mixer and then baking for fresh loaves of bread tomorrow.  All these years later, I guess the kettle's sacrifice was worth it.  Thanks for being my mixer fixer Ian - you are the best!

Maintaining the Status Quo

Ian spent the day driving to and from Toronto to pick up a Honda Odyssey van. Unfortunately, the roads were terrible and he ended up spending close to 13 hours on route. He is now home safe and sound and we are a two vehicle family for the first time in a decade - a life of luxury, for sure.

My job today was not to go into labour. Not only is the baby not yet head down but with Ian away, it was not the ideal day to have this baby. Thankfully, I was successful in maintaining the status quo, though it meant that today's activities were very low key. Liam, Seamus and I did laundry, changed beds, fed and watered the animals, and made bread.

We tried out a new french-style country bread recipe. I got to test the new banneton proofing baskets, lame and shower caps that I received from Santa.

It was a slow and steady kind of day, though sometimes that is exactly what you are going for.

Recipe

STARTER
1 cup cool to lukewarm water (90°F to 100°F)
1/2 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour

DOUGH
all of the starter (above)
1 cup lukewarm water (100°F to 115°F)
3/4 teaspoon active dry or 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
3 3/4 to 4 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 to 2 1/4 teaspoons salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
To make the starter: Stir all of the starter ingredients together to make a thick, pudding-like mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 2 hours. For best flavour, let the starter rest longer; overnight (up to 16 hours) is best.

To make the dough: Stir down the starter with a spoon and add the water, yeast, sugar, 3 1/4 cups (13 3/4 ounces) of the flour, and the salt. The dough will be a loose, messy mass. Let it rest for 12 to 15 minutes, then stir it again; it should become more cohesive and a bit smoother. Dough handles better once it's had time for the flour to absorb the water while resting and relaxing. By using this method, you'll tend to add less flour, and have much bigger holes in your finished bread.

Knead the dough, adding up to an additional 3/4 cup (3 ounces) flour (as necessary to make a soft dough), 10 to 12 minutes or 5 minutes in a Kitchen Aid mixer on speed 3.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl or plastic container, cover with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until almost doubled (depending on the weather, this could be 1 to 2 hours). If you're going out, or if you prefer, let the dough rise slowly in the fridge. If your dough has been refrigerated, allow it to come to room temperature before shaping; it'll warm up and rise at the same time.

Deflate the dough gently, but don't knock out all the air; this will create those "holes" so important to French bread. For one large loaf, form the dough into a round ball; for two loaves, divide the dough in half and shape into two balls.

Place a semolina- or cornmeal-dusted piece of parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Gently place the ball(s) of dough on the baking sheet, seam-side down.

Cover the bread gently with lightly greased plastic wrap, and let it rise until it's puffy and about 40% to 50% larger, anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 475°F.

Slash or cross-hatch the bread with a sharp knife or lame. Dust it with a little flour. Spritz water into the oven with a clean plant mister, and place the bread in the oven. Reduce the heat to 425°F and spritz with water every few minutes for the first 15 minutes of baking.

Bake the bread for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until it's a rich golden brown, and its interior temperature registers at least 190°F on a digital thermometer. The smaller loaves will bake more quickly, so keep your eye on them.

Remove the bread from the oven, and cool it on a rack. Store bread, loosely wrapped in paper, for a couple of days at room temperature; wrap it in plastic and freeze for longer storage.

Citation

King Arthur Flour Company, Inc. (2019). https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/french-style-country-bread-recipe

A Bright Sunshiny Day

It was a beautiful sunshiny day here on Gael Glen Farm but it was cold!

Charlotte had the right idea.

Cozy afternoon naps all around.

New Year, Final Harvest

It is with mixed feelings that I start a new year.  Fresh starts are exciting but I am a bit sad to see the end of the abundance of family time and festivities that accompany the holiday season.

We came no where close to greeting midnight on New Year's Eve - we were in bed by 9 pm.  It was an uneventful night despite my many home remedy efforts (pineapple, spicy curry, lunges, long walks, loud music) to encourage our third to be a 2018 baby.  He was apparently not swayed by my argument for saving a year of day care fees if he would only be born in December instead of January.  Sigh.

We did have an action packed new year's day.  After an overnight ice storm, it was a frozen paradise outside this morning.

After shovelling the barn doors open, we took advantage of the mild temperatures to undertake the final harvest of our 2018 garden.  We pulled back the row covers and found enough fresh kale and frozen carrots to satisfy our cravings for garden produce, even though we are in the middle of winter.

Liam was enthralled by the possibility of harvesting in January (though admittedly he looks like he is in pain in this photo - those are actually smiles.  I swear.).  Despite being bundled up in a fur hat and snow suit, he remarked excitedly, "This feels like summer!"

Ian, Grandma Cora and Seamus took advantage of today's sunshine to do some ice fishing.  They did not catch anything but it was a beautiful afternoon to be outside.

Meanwhile, Liam and I bottled some cranberry-apple flavoured kombucha for a second round of fermentation and we brewed up a new batch.  After a much needed afternoon nap, we all reconvened for a crowd-pleasing family supper consisting of crunchy kale caesar salad and super sweet roasted carrots.

There is nothing like a frosty winter night to make you want to curl up in front of the fire and wish all your friends, family and blog followers a wonderful New Year!  May 2019 bring you and yours health and happiness.  May it also bring me an abundance of patience which I feel I will need both awaiting the birth of this baby who seems to be in no rush to arrive as well as thereafter to survive being a mother of three sons under six in addition to a homesteader, farmer, wife and human.  I have a feeling that this coming year is going to be quite the ride.  I hope you stick with us as we continue our journey here on Gael Glen Farm into 2019 and beyond.