Bread Grandma O'Brien's Health Bread

"Sponge" or first mixture: 
1/2 C dry potato flakes
 or 1/4 C granulated potatoes
1 C lukewarm water
1 C lukewarm buttermilk
2 1/2 C white flour

Mix these ingredients, stir 1 pkg dry yeast
moistened in 1/4 C lukewarm water into 
mixture.  Let stand at room temperature 
until light (about 1 hr.)

Mix dry ingredients together:

6 C white flour
2 C all-bran
1 C whole wheat flour
1 C oatmeal
1 C wheat germ
1 T salt
1/2 C sugar
Stir into dry ingredients:
1 C sorghum molasses or mild molasses
2 C lukewarm water
Sponge (first mixture)
Let stand about 1 1/2 hrs at room temp
Work down and make into loves and let 
double in size in loaf pans (small).  
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Makes 3 large loaves