Lisazone6, we make lots of jam, and we eat it, too! The very small 4oz jars and the 8oz jars (half-pints) are too small for us. Well, at least the 4oz jars are. I usually make the 16oz (pints) and decide that "that's the flavor we'll eat right now" so that it doesn't sit around too long. We also refrigerate the jam once it's opened because my husband's worried about spoiling. If you're purchasing new jars you'll see that there's very little difference in price from the smallest to the largest jars. That might be another factor. If you're gifting some of your home canned products (which many of us do) you'll notice that most people don't return the jars ... although it would be wonderful if they did. So, if you'd like to make some gifts of jam you might want to use the smallest jars for some of the batch, and fill up the larger jars for your own use. Jam making is so much fun. It doesn't take a huge amount of fruit or time or equipment. And it always tastes wonderful! Oh, and when you "skim the foam off the top of the jam" before you bottle it, don't throw that foam away. It's delicious. Keep a little bowl handy to fill with the extra jam that won't fill a jar ... and that will be your reward. Freshly made jam on a spoon, a piece of toast, or a bowl of ice cream! And yes, I understand exactly how excited and proud you are. I don't think you'll outgrow that feeling either. It's that feeling that will keep you canning in triple-digit heat, standing over a boiling water bath, and cleaning up the jars and mess (and being too tired to make dinner) that will keep you doing it year after year!

Ok! So now the dirt and the sweat is washed off, and the garden is "where it would have been at the beginning of any other olde year!" Time for a break--and a few slow walks to admire the Fruit of Your Labors! There's not many things I delight in more than walking past the things I've finished---over and over and over---to just look at what I accomplished---and the longer it took and the harder it was to do, the more fun it is! This year I decided I was gonna de-clay my veggie garden! Ok! That's not entirely true, but I decided I was at least gonna try to get the potter's clay out of it! It took me 3-4 weeks, but I went out there day after day (whenever the weather was halfway decent) and dug up one shovel full at a time, down about 8-10", and then sat down and went thru it clump by clump with my hands, breaking it up into tiny pieces, and throwing anything that changed shape rather than "breaking up" into a big pot, and lugging it to the dumpster. Had to space the crummy stuff out in the dumpster every week, 'cause clay is HEAVY, and if the truck can't pick it up, they might get out and look to see what I had in there---and I don't think we're allowed to put "dirt" in the dumpster! So for several weeks I was dumping a bunch in, and testing the weight, and dumping more in, and testing the weight---and saving the left overs in other big pots for the next week. Shovel full by shovel full, and clump by clump, I got half of the garden done! That's an area about 3 1/2 by 14 1/2, so it's really only about 50 sq. ft., but, oh, my, what a job! When I started, I was gonna do the WHOLE veggie garden (minus the tomato/eggplant area), but, uh, that's not gonna happen this year! The cukes and carrots and beets and parsnips and squash are gonna have to bide their time for one more year in the BAD clay! That side's a little bit bigger, more like 65 sq. ft., and my hands and back are simply not gonna consent to doing that this year! BUT--oh boy, is it ever FUN to walk out there now--over and over and over--to look at the good (for MY garden) soil that's on the lettuce/spinach/pea side of the garden now! And all those things are planted now, tho it's been pretty chilly since I put them in about a week ago, so definitely no action yet! But, cold or not, I have something to stare at every day now! :-) It was HARD work--when I was doing it---but it's SO much fun NOW! Next year the other side!!! With all the massive gardens you plant--every year--I have trouble believing that you're "round the bend" at all! Yeah, the bod hurts in a couple new places every year (found out a couple weeks ago I have bursitis in my hip--I already knew it hurt, but now I have a NAME for it! Woohoo! And found out last week I have four seriously deteriorated discs in my cervical spine! Woohoo?), but the joy of going out there and looking at what I've accomplished somehow seems to make the pain go away---for a while at least! And if I didn't have the garden, I wouldn't have anything to "make the pain go away!" Definitely time for a break and a chocolate Easter egg! And that's from somebody who just finished a very large piece of Marie Callender Chocolate Silk pie! (Chocolate helps with "that pain" too! LOL) Tomorrow sounds like it's gonna be a wonderful day for a long walk to look at all you've gotten done, Skybird

Sol, I need to research the raw milk thing some more. It's funny how things come full circle. When I was growing up, we had alot of family friends in the church I grew up in, that were "health food" NUTS..lol..When I babysat for them, I used to think they were weird..LOL unpasturized milk, grains, grains and more grains, lentils, carob, honey, homemade yogurt..there wasn't a single processed item in their house..not fun for a teenager! LOL One family actually grew mushrooms under the kitchen sink, and had a goat in the yard for milk and weed control.. Now as a parent..I realize the importance of these gifts from nature. And of course now, they are a bit more costly and require a bit more work then back then. But I'm determined to give my boys/family much more healthful options. It's amazing how much different an organic banana or carrot tastes..They taste like they should...fresh and true. ~I used to have instant acid reflux when eating a banana, or anything baked with bananas...now I can happily eat bananas daily...as long as they are organic.. I've turned your beloved cookies into health food. LOL I use only organic white flour and replace some of the flour with ground almonds. Of course there is the problem of 2 cups of brown sugar..but that's the LOVE..the caramelly sweet goodness.. tee hee...

I suggest that you go in with more than a mention. Oil companies have massive amounts of money and could financially, easily put in another road. But putting in a road involves rights of way, and sometimes land purchase which can translate into a long waiting time to drill which I can assure you is not going to happen. Before you go in, see if you can get some info/suggestions about alternative routes so it will look to the commission like any possible road change is doable in a reasonable amount of time. Don't make the mistake of thinking that any oil or state commission is on your side. You can get concessions, sometimes, but they involve planning and work on your part before you ever walk in and propose them. The trick to getting concessions from the commission/oil companies is to look at the world with their eyes, and to suggest changes that are quick and efficient and will shield them from possible liability, like a safer road. Morals isn't going to get it so try for the effective changes. They will spend money but do not want to spend time. And go in prepared, if you show up and just whine you are going to get ignored and you will have lost your 'first impressions' advantage. And, one more suggestion. If the trucks are not flying but actually doing the speed limit, don't overstate your case; it may be that a suggestion by the commission might be made to change custody/location of the child if there are no records of accidents but your son insists that the current setup is dangerous. Don't open a can of worms you can't close. If you agree that oil has bought up all the politicians, and your grandson's location might hold up a well, and that could be changed by an oil bought politician asking a judge to make a custody change, well you see where this is going. If there are police records of accidents in that area, however, that is powerful info bring records of the reports with you.