FAQ's & Recipes

FAQ's about Happy Hen Farm plus one of our favorite recipes

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Rob’s Farmer’s Bread - No Knead Ciabatta

3 1/2 cups white flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. yeast 2 cups warm water Place all dry ingredients in large bowl. Stir in water until all flour is well incorporated. Cover with plastic and towel, place in cool spot to rise for 12 - 24 hours. Scrap onto well floured towel or pastry cloth (dough will be very bubbly and soft), cover with towel and let rise for 2 hours. Place a dutch oven and its cover in cold oven and heat oven to 550°. Remove dutch oven from oven, carefully lift towel with dough and flop upside down into pot. It’s okay if it gets out of shape in the flipping process and any flour from your towel that ends up in the pot does no harm. Put cover on dutch oven and return to oven. Lower heat to 450° and bake for 30 minutes, covered. Remove cover and bake for additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and dump loaf from dutch oven onto cooling rack. Allow to cool at least one hour before slicing. We found the texture of this bread to be moist with a wonderful crunchy crust. Makes great toast too.

Questions we are often asked.

Q - Do you really have hens?

A - Yes, we have a small flock which we are slowly increasing to try to meet the demand for their wonderful eggs. Our hens are indeed HAPPY since they live the life of REAL chickens getting outside each day to eat bugs, grass (that's what makes their yolks so nice and orange) and scratch in the dirt. We supplement their outside findings with organic chicken feed.

Q - Are you an organic farm?

A - Yes, though we have chosen to not be certified and therefore, can not use that O word in any of our literature. We use the phrase "Environmentally Friendly" instead.

Q - Do you grow your own gourds?

A - Each year Lee grows several different types of gourds. Pepos are the small ornamental gourds that most people are familiar with for fall decorations. When they dry the color changes to a nice tan which gives his Santa ornaments their healthy complexion. Laganaria are the hard shelled gourds that are said to be the oldest cultivated plant. Since early times they have been used as storage vessels, food containers and musical instrucments.

Q - How do you get those intricate designs on your gourds?

A - Lee's designs are his original creations which he burns onto the surface of the gourd with a pyrographic tool used most often for woodburning.

Q - How long does it take to weave a towel?

A - It takes Ora about an hour to weave a towel. However, getting the loom ready to begin weaving takes from 6 - 8 hours depending upon the pattern she is wishing to weave.