Hello, It is really neat to read about everyone. I am feeling really young. I am 31, married and have 3 girls and 1 more on the way. I live in the country near Clay Center Kansas. I am an elementary teacher. This year I moved schools and moved up to Middle School Math. I grew up on a farm raising livestock (Cattle and Hogs) and crops. There was not enough $$$ on the farm to support more families, so I went my own direction. Now I am starting my own "farm" as my wife says. I have around an 1 acre garden. I grow alot of our produce for sale at 3 small farmers markets I attend. I started to make jellies to add to the produce that I sell. It also helps me use stuff that I don't sell or isn't perfect. I work very hard at what I do and enjoy every minute of it. I don't have a tractor, (I wish I did) and I am expanding every year. Everything is done by hand, usually mine. I get the kids involved as much as possible. They are great at somethings, but not everything. Next year I am putting up two hoopbuildings,(12 by 45ft each) to grow tomatoes and cucumbers in. I want to capture the most $ for my labor. I have time in June and July, but once August roles around, it is back to school and I don't have that much time to spend in the garden. I am not into gardening for the $$, I am into it for good produce and flavor. I also love to grow things that people have never seen before. Black tomatoes, Lemon Cucumbers, Chocolate Bell peppers, Strange Squash, etc, etc, etc. I usually don't sell lots of these things, but they do keep bringing people back. We have a small flock of chickens, started out as a 2nd grade chicken egg hatching project. Those chickens were some tough 'ol birds. We use alot of eggs and sell the rest at my market stand. Future plans? To continue the garden and probably expand by another 1/4 acre. Maybe try using floating row covers for squash. I enjoy gardening more and more. I wish I could do it full time year around. Kansas weather doesn't allow that to happen! I want to expand my pepper jellies and sell online and to local shops and I wish I could win the lotto so I could do it all. It just isn't possible or is it? I will still come back here and read about everyone and find new recipes to try. Thanks for the support and Keep up the good work! Jay

Dawn, I suspect the mama possum found entry under our house and had her litter there. We probably just weren't paying attention to how much the cats were eating. (We have a tendency to just fill the bowl, not knowing exactly when one or the other is filling it. ) Amy, the closest my husband was releasing the possums was 5 miles away and that was crossing a highway, so I don't think they were finding their way back. (I asked after the third one, because we do have a creek about a half mile from the house.) To be sure, he started releasing them at a creek closer to his work, which is over 30 miles from the house.) We had to cut one of the wires on the cage yesterday morning because the possum because it had its bottom jaw trapped, trying to bite its way out. It was trying to play possum, but those claws were wrapped tightly around the wires on the sides. It "woke up" immediately when we got it loose! Poor guy. I don't hate them; I just don't want them living under the house (and eating the cat's food.) lcdollar, we are almost midway between Seminole and Wewoka (closer to the latter) just off Highway 9. My grandparents lived and farmed between Earlsboro and Maud from at least 1917 to early 1929 (my dad was born in March, 1929) about a mile west of the Pott County/Seminole County line.) They moved to Stratford and sharecropped on my grandpa's uncle's (Frank Day) land there for many years before moving to town also. I've heard many stories about my aunts, uncles, and my dad picking cotton. He was well known for his "Williamson's white corn" also. If you knew any Beasleys from the Earlsboro area, they were probably related to my grandma and my great aunt Annie Taylor and her husband lived in Seminole for many years as well. Wouldn't it be interesting if our families knew each other? Oh, and I teach at Varnum, so I'm familiar with the area your family is from. Carol

Nancy, I don't think I have tried that salad dressing before. I'll have to make it some day. :) What kind of vinegar should I use? Apple cider, white, or it doesn't matter? Kim, that recipe is so simple! Haha, will have to try it when my garden starts producing tomatoes. DH loves raw tomatoes. (He hates it when I cook sliced tomatoes in my stir-fries.) Also, has anyone watched Ugly Delicious on Netflix? I thought it is pretty fun to see how the different food cultures create the same dish in each episode. Disclaimer: think it's a either-you-love-it-or-hate-it kind of show, and there's some cussing in it.

You've gotten great advice regarding diet but I just want to suggest you have a checkup with your doctor at the same time. You may have already had this test, but I'm mentioning it since not every doctor requests it or knows how to read the results. Having high lipids is one of the causes of heart attacks at an early age. My DH has the problem and it was discovered several years ago by our 'new' PCP. The cause of his high lipids was not due to his diet but his genetics. The tendency can be hereditary and we now believe that is why his grandfather died suddenly in his early 50's. DH had always been on a strict diet and daily exercise, so they added cholesterol meds to his regimen. Even with that, and yearly monitoring, he recently developed shortness of breath and ended up needing a stent in a major artery.....doctor called it the 'widow-maker'. So.......needless to say, I believe everyone should have a complete blood panel done.