Brussels spouts, peas (both cow and sugar snap), cabbage, broccoli, pretty much everything is sprouting!
Except my ox hearts. They aren't sprouting yet. I'm hoping they start sprouting soon since I'm really excited about those tomatoes. Everything else is tiny so they aren't too far behind. Here's hoping they catch up soon.
The snow has started to melt. The weather has started warming up. It's getting sunnier and warmer. Soon it will be spring! And soon my little spoutlings will be outside and growing me food.
Saturday, March 14, 2015
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Fwigg post: Spent Grain to Flour
What the heck is Fwigg? I'm glad I imagined you asking dear. Fwigg is the brand new community garden plot next to Fwigf. It stands for Field Where I Grow Grains and it does what it says on the tin. This year Husband and I are attempting to grow barley for his brewing efforts. We are attempting to make our hobbies intersect so we can both get more excited about what the other does, and reduce both our costs of doing business. Clever, no?
Posts marked with Fwigg will be things having to do with grain production, malting, brewing, or uses for spent grain. If you have no interest in brewing, or don't know a brewer that you can get spent grain from, feel free to skip these posts. Nothing about regular Fwigf will appear here, and I will try to keep Fwigg business out of Fwigf posts. Ok? Ok.
Today we're going to skip to the end of the brewing process (no, not drinking loves.) What the heck to do with spent grain?
Spent grain are the left overs from brewing. Unless the home brewer has a garden, or turns them into flour like I'm about to discuss, they generally get tossed. Pounds of useful grain just discarded. I don't have enough money to let that keep happening in my house. There are really three ways to deal with spent grain.
1. Compost it. Seriously, just toss the whole wet mass onto your compost pile and let it go. Use it as fertilizer later. Your garden will thank you.
2. Feed it to livestock. Chickens, goats, sheep, cows, ect. Spent grain is a tasty treat.
3. Turn it into flour and use it for baking.
Lacking both a compost pile (thanks dogs) and livestock I'm going with method 3.
First thing that needs to happen is you need to dry your grain. When your beloved brewer (this may also be yourself. You should be beloved to yourself, darlings) has finished with the grain it will be a heavy, dense, sopping, mass. Not very useful or appetizing. Unless you have an industrial dryer you're going to need to use your oven. Do NOT put wet grain in pillow cases and put it through your dryer, I don't care how many websites say this is a good idea. That knot WILL come undone and your dryer, lint trap, and vent will be clogged with grain. That will proceed to be impossible to get out an rot. No I didn't need to do this for myself to know this is poor decision theater, don't make me disappointed in you darlings. I know you're smarter than that.
So, set your oven to 350 F. Spread our your grain in an even layer (no more than 1/4 inch thick) on as many baking sheets as you've got. I used two. You will have to do this in batches. This is an all day affair to process 12 pounds (what I'm working with). Roast your grain, stirring it at 15 minute intervals until it's dry and brittle. Mine took about 45 minutes a batch. Make sure your grain is very dry. Do not cut corners, a little damp is not acceptable here. It'll just clump in your grinder. Transfer dry grain into a mixing bowl, spread out more grain and get those trays back into the oven.
Next you need to grind the dried grain into an powder-like consistency. If you're lucky you have a stand mixer with a four mill attachment. If you're like me and you are not so blessed, use a very clean spice grinder. A food processor will work in a pinch but it really won't get the really fine flour we're looking for. You'll end up with a courser flour and that's ok. If you're using a spice grinder or food processor, pour in as much dried grain as it can safely handle, pulse until it's the right texture, then pour your flour into a container that seals.
Repeat until your grain is gone, your container is full, or you can't take this anymore.
Baking with Spent Grain
Your flour is going to be a little more course than commercial flour. That's really not avoidable. This means don't use it for things were fine flour is a must. IE no malted pastry baking. Really this can replace commercial bread flour, not all purpose.
Because beer is made with malted grains your flour is malt flour. In general it'll be sweeter and hardier than standard flour. Beyond that the flavor profile depends on what the grain bill for the beer itself was. Stout flour will be darker and richer than IPA flour for example. I have scotch ale flour. This is light brown, mildly honey flavored, flour. I like it. For the sake of comparison I've made two loaves of bread, exactly the same, except for which flour I used. The commercial flour was King Arthur Bread flour. Below the recipe are mine and Husband's different impressions of the bread.
Basic Bread Dough:
(single small loaf)
1/4 cup warm water
1.5 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups flour
1 table spoon olive oil
Proof the yeast in the warm water, add the sugar, it'll make the yeast proof faster. Put everything into a mixing bowl and mix until the dough is a non-sticky lump. You may need more water. Set it in a warm place to rise. Punch down when it's doubled. Form it into a loaf (I like round loaves on the baking sheet) and let rise again. Bake at 375 F until it the loaf sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom.
I know, I know, I don't normally measure anything. But to make sure the loaves were the same (except for flour type) I needed to. I did end up having to go about 2/3 spent grain to 1/3 commercial flour in order to get it to form anything resembling dough. I either got a mudpie or a crumbly mass. It didn't rise either, but stayed a small, dark, loaf.
My flavor reaction:
This is a very hearty and coarse bread. Not really good for sandwiches but would be awesome dinner rolls. It's got a bitter molasses/caramelized sugar flavor, but isn't sweet.
Husband's flavor reaction:
Needs soup or honey. I'd want it sweeter and it's too dense to eat by itself.
Posts marked with Fwigg will be things having to do with grain production, malting, brewing, or uses for spent grain. If you have no interest in brewing, or don't know a brewer that you can get spent grain from, feel free to skip these posts. Nothing about regular Fwigf will appear here, and I will try to keep Fwigg business out of Fwigf posts. Ok? Ok.
Today we're going to skip to the end of the brewing process (no, not drinking loves.) What the heck to do with spent grain?
Spent grain are the left overs from brewing. Unless the home brewer has a garden, or turns them into flour like I'm about to discuss, they generally get tossed. Pounds of useful grain just discarded. I don't have enough money to let that keep happening in my house. There are really three ways to deal with spent grain.
1. Compost it. Seriously, just toss the whole wet mass onto your compost pile and let it go. Use it as fertilizer later. Your garden will thank you.
2. Feed it to livestock. Chickens, goats, sheep, cows, ect. Spent grain is a tasty treat.
3. Turn it into flour and use it for baking.
Lacking both a compost pile (thanks dogs) and livestock I'm going with method 3.
First thing that needs to happen is you need to dry your grain. When your beloved brewer (this may also be yourself. You should be beloved to yourself, darlings) has finished with the grain it will be a heavy, dense, sopping, mass. Not very useful or appetizing. Unless you have an industrial dryer you're going to need to use your oven. Do NOT put wet grain in pillow cases and put it through your dryer, I don't care how many websites say this is a good idea. That knot WILL come undone and your dryer, lint trap, and vent will be clogged with grain. That will proceed to be impossible to get out an rot. No I didn't need to do this for myself to know this is poor decision theater, don't make me disappointed in you darlings. I know you're smarter than that.
So, set your oven to 350 F. Spread our your grain in an even layer (no more than 1/4 inch thick) on as many baking sheets as you've got. I used two. You will have to do this in batches. This is an all day affair to process 12 pounds (what I'm working with). Roast your grain, stirring it at 15 minute intervals until it's dry and brittle. Mine took about 45 minutes a batch. Make sure your grain is very dry. Do not cut corners, a little damp is not acceptable here. It'll just clump in your grinder. Transfer dry grain into a mixing bowl, spread out more grain and get those trays back into the oven.
Next you need to grind the dried grain into an powder-like consistency. If you're lucky you have a stand mixer with a four mill attachment. If you're like me and you are not so blessed, use a very clean spice grinder. A food processor will work in a pinch but it really won't get the really fine flour we're looking for. You'll end up with a courser flour and that's ok. If you're using a spice grinder or food processor, pour in as much dried grain as it can safely handle, pulse until it's the right texture, then pour your flour into a container that seals.
Repeat until your grain is gone, your container is full, or you can't take this anymore.
Baking with Spent Grain
Your flour is going to be a little more course than commercial flour. That's really not avoidable. This means don't use it for things were fine flour is a must. IE no malted pastry baking. Really this can replace commercial bread flour, not all purpose.
Because beer is made with malted grains your flour is malt flour. In general it'll be sweeter and hardier than standard flour. Beyond that the flavor profile depends on what the grain bill for the beer itself was. Stout flour will be darker and richer than IPA flour for example. I have scotch ale flour. This is light brown, mildly honey flavored, flour. I like it. For the sake of comparison I've made two loaves of bread, exactly the same, except for which flour I used. The commercial flour was King Arthur Bread flour. Below the recipe are mine and Husband's different impressions of the bread.
Basic Bread Dough:
(single small loaf)
1/4 cup warm water
1.5 teaspoons yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups flour
1 table spoon olive oil
Proof the yeast in the warm water, add the sugar, it'll make the yeast proof faster. Put everything into a mixing bowl and mix until the dough is a non-sticky lump. You may need more water. Set it in a warm place to rise. Punch down when it's doubled. Form it into a loaf (I like round loaves on the baking sheet) and let rise again. Bake at 375 F until it the loaf sounds hollow when you knock on the bottom.
I know, I know, I don't normally measure anything. But to make sure the loaves were the same (except for flour type) I needed to. I did end up having to go about 2/3 spent grain to 1/3 commercial flour in order to get it to form anything resembling dough. I either got a mudpie or a crumbly mass. It didn't rise either, but stayed a small, dark, loaf.
My flavor reaction:
This is a very hearty and coarse bread. Not really good for sandwiches but would be awesome dinner rolls. It's got a bitter molasses/caramelized sugar flavor, but isn't sweet.
Husband's flavor reaction:
Needs soup or honey. I'd want it sweeter and it's too dense to eat by itself.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Fwigf begins in 2015!
Today is the day my loves! Today I have started some seed (in a covered tray, with the cover taped on, so my asscat won't treat my seedlings like her own personal salad bar.)
No picture today, since they're just wet plugs of peat with some seed on top, and that's not exciting to anyone but me. Consulting the Old Farmer's Almanac (you did save that link last post didn't you dears?) I saw that this week is the week to start broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.
Going back to my garden plan I counted how many of each I need, realized I only have 75 small plugs and 12 big ones, and promptly started hoping I'd have space for these to go in time to start the next batch of stuff.
It's starting! I couldn't be more excited about this guys, I mean it! I'm going to have food that I grew again! That aren't PICKLES!
UPDATE:
Here's what actually in the trays (numbers and all)
Large plugs (16)
8 Oxheart tomato seeds (I need 5, if all 8 sprout well I will offer the other three around to see if anyone else wants to give them a shot)
4 Brussels Sprouts
4 Snap peas
Small plugs (72)
5 Cowpeas
7 anaheim hot peppers
10 peacock broccoli
5 eggplant
7 marconi sweet peppers
16 snow peas
8 Copenhagan market cabbage
8 Calabrese broccoli
6 waltham broccoli
I do have a second type of cabbage (dutch flat leaf) but that's a late season so I'm going to sow that when the market cabbage is gone. And I do have a bunch of other things that are either getting direct sown (corn, beans, squash, turnips, carrots) or I'm not sure how and when to plant yet (kholrabi). The cherry tomatoes should get started but those can wait until the second round of plugs since they're just going into the front yard.
No picture today, since they're just wet plugs of peat with some seed on top, and that's not exciting to anyone but me. Consulting the Old Farmer's Almanac (you did save that link last post didn't you dears?) I saw that this week is the week to start broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, peas, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes.
Going back to my garden plan I counted how many of each I need, realized I only have 75 small plugs and 12 big ones, and promptly started hoping I'd have space for these to go in time to start the next batch of stuff.
It's starting! I couldn't be more excited about this guys, I mean it! I'm going to have food that I grew again! That aren't PICKLES!
UPDATE:
Here's what actually in the trays (numbers and all)
Large plugs (16)
8 Oxheart tomato seeds (I need 5, if all 8 sprout well I will offer the other three around to see if anyone else wants to give them a shot)
4 Brussels Sprouts
4 Snap peas
Small plugs (72)
5 Cowpeas
7 anaheim hot peppers
10 peacock broccoli
5 eggplant
7 marconi sweet peppers
16 snow peas
8 Copenhagan market cabbage
8 Calabrese broccoli
6 waltham broccoli
I do have a second type of cabbage (dutch flat leaf) but that's a late season so I'm going to sow that when the market cabbage is gone. And I do have a bunch of other things that are either getting direct sown (corn, beans, squash, turnips, carrots) or I'm not sure how and when to plant yet (kholrabi). The cherry tomatoes should get started but those can wait until the second round of plugs since they're just going into the front yard.
Monday, March 2, 2015
The timing of seeds
Welcome back my darlings!
It is kinda-sorta-almost spring if you squint here in the lovely Northeastern US. It will be spring some day drat it. I have eternal hope. Even if it is March and snowing. Anyhow, moving along. Today we're going to look at starting seed indoors.
First off, why on earth would anyone want to start seeds indoors, then transplant the baby plants? Why not just stick the seeds in the ground and have done with it? I'm so glad I imagined you asking.
The benefits here are two fold:
1. A longer growing season. You're planting seedlings outdoors, which means they've already got a head start. When you have a shortened growing season (I mentioned I live in the Northeastern US right?) you need all the time you can wring out.
2. Your seedlings are less vulnerable. Those tiny tender shoots that happen when the seed first breaks the earth are easily shaded out or eaten. Planting something a bit larger and established makes it less likely to die off because a dandelion decided to take up residence right next to it.
Seed starting is easy. First thing you need is to know when it's safe to get your seeds into substrate. May I suggest the Old Farmer's Almanac? They have this awesome free planting guide, you put in your location (city an state) and they automatically generate a listing of planting indoors, outdoors, and harvest times for a whole range of plants. Here's what mine looked like:
http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/NY/Schenectady
(copy and paste that, I couldn't get the picture to work).
Timing is important. If you're anything like me your natural inclination is to toss everything in at once, do a little garden dance of glee, then wonder how come your peas aren't doing so hot (hint, it's because it's too hot). If you plant too early then your seedlings can (and more than likely will) end up root bound. This makes it far more difficult to get the nutrients they need from the soil and it'll stunt their growth. If you start too late you end up not getting the benefits of starting indoors, only now you've got the added challenge of transplanting wimpy seedlings. So follow that link, input your own location, and check your starting dates.
Next thing you need is something for your seeds to grow in, and the seeds themselves. Personally I just buy the jiffy seed trays that come with the compressed peat moss pellets. They are stupid simple, add water to the tray until the pellets inflate, add seed to the moist peat moss, put the lid on it, set it in a place with ample light, and ignore until the seedlings start pushing on the lid. These do have limits (they're small, you can end up with root bound seedlings if you let them get too big in there, ect) but they're good basic starters.
Another option is to visit a hydroponic store (hydroponics - not just for growing weed anymore!) an pic up some of their starter plugs. They'll function roughly the same, you still need a tray to keep them safe in, and a light source, but they're a heck of a lot cheaper than peat moss pellets, and the person at the hydroponics store will more than likely be perfectly happy to talk your ear off about the various benefits to using them. I'll be using them next year, I'd already bought the peat moss pellets this year. Next year though... next year I am all over a whole tray full of plugs for the cost of one frickin' pellet.
Speaking of hydroponics, actually, no. Hydroponics will be its own post, keep an eye out for it.
It is kinda-sorta-almost spring if you squint here in the lovely Northeastern US. It will be spring some day drat it. I have eternal hope. Even if it is March and snowing. Anyhow, moving along. Today we're going to look at starting seed indoors.
First off, why on earth would anyone want to start seeds indoors, then transplant the baby plants? Why not just stick the seeds in the ground and have done with it? I'm so glad I imagined you asking.
The benefits here are two fold:
1. A longer growing season. You're planting seedlings outdoors, which means they've already got a head start. When you have a shortened growing season (I mentioned I live in the Northeastern US right?) you need all the time you can wring out.
2. Your seedlings are less vulnerable. Those tiny tender shoots that happen when the seed first breaks the earth are easily shaded out or eaten. Planting something a bit larger and established makes it less likely to die off because a dandelion decided to take up residence right next to it.
Seed starting is easy. First thing you need is to know when it's safe to get your seeds into substrate. May I suggest the Old Farmer's Almanac? They have this awesome free planting guide, you put in your location (city an state) and they automatically generate a listing of planting indoors, outdoors, and harvest times for a whole range of plants. Here's what mine looked like:
http://www.almanac.com/gardening/planting-dates/NY/Schenectady
(copy and paste that, I couldn't get the picture to work).
Timing is important. If you're anything like me your natural inclination is to toss everything in at once, do a little garden dance of glee, then wonder how come your peas aren't doing so hot (hint, it's because it's too hot). If you plant too early then your seedlings can (and more than likely will) end up root bound. This makes it far more difficult to get the nutrients they need from the soil and it'll stunt their growth. If you start too late you end up not getting the benefits of starting indoors, only now you've got the added challenge of transplanting wimpy seedlings. So follow that link, input your own location, and check your starting dates.
Next thing you need is something for your seeds to grow in, and the seeds themselves. Personally I just buy the jiffy seed trays that come with the compressed peat moss pellets. They are stupid simple, add water to the tray until the pellets inflate, add seed to the moist peat moss, put the lid on it, set it in a place with ample light, and ignore until the seedlings start pushing on the lid. These do have limits (they're small, you can end up with root bound seedlings if you let them get too big in there, ect) but they're good basic starters.
Another option is to visit a hydroponic store (hydroponics - not just for growing weed anymore!) an pic up some of their starter plugs. They'll function roughly the same, you still need a tray to keep them safe in, and a light source, but they're a heck of a lot cheaper than peat moss pellets, and the person at the hydroponics store will more than likely be perfectly happy to talk your ear off about the various benefits to using them. I'll be using them next year, I'd already bought the peat moss pellets this year. Next year though... next year I am all over a whole tray full of plugs for the cost of one frickin' pellet.
Speaking of hydroponics, actually, no. Hydroponics will be its own post, keep an eye out for it.
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