We hosted a class in sheep artificial insemination the first week of December. 10 students from all over the US and even one from Canada came to learn about non-surgical procedure that Dr. Purdy has developed. Students got to practice thawing straws of frozen semen and also actually performing the procedure on our sheep. All told we did inseminations on 34 ewes.

2018 Sheep Artificial Insemination Class

The students were a great bunch to work with and we look forward to the new lambs next spring.

We had an overabundance of food but one of highlights was Kit DeJager’s Bacon, Cheddar, Chive breakfast scones. She was kind enough to share her recipe.

BACON CHEDDAR CHIVE SCONES (32 Scones)

Ingredients:
197 g cooked bacon (24 slices)

1.764 kg all purpose flour
50 g baking powder (4 tbls)
29 g salt (2 tbls)
5 g garlic salt (1 tsp)
6 g paprika (3 tsp)
3 g black pepper (2 tsp)

455 g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed (1 lb)
228 g bacon fat

681 g cheddar cheese
9 g dried chives
466 g heavy cream or half and half (2 c)

In the bowl of the stand mixer, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, garlic salt, paprika, and black pepper. Add the butter and bacon fat and mix on low until the mixture looks like a coarse meal. Add the bacon, cheese and chives. Mix until incorporated.

With the mixer on low, slowly add the cream. Mix just until the dough comes together in large clumps.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and clean off the paddle. Press the dough down a bit so it forms a more cohesive mass in the bowl. Turn it out on the table. The dough will be crumbly at this point. Separate the dough into 4 even pieces. Working with one chunk at a time, press and knead the dough lightly until it comes together in an even disk, about 8 inches across and 1 inch thick. Cut disk into 8 pieces, like a pizza. Repeat with other 3 pieces of dough.

Place scones on a parchment-lined full sheet and flash freeze. Once frozen, place in large Cambro and label.

Bake at 325 for 17-20 minutes, or until slightly golden and just firm in the center.

If you don’t plan on making a bunch at a time then she says this on-line recipe from King Arthur Flour is similar.

King Arthur Flour Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Scone Recipe

I hope you enjoy making and eating these wonderful scones.