Catching up a little...Nov 2010

Today is the last day of November. I am sad at how quickly this year seems to have gone by.  What's been going on? DS1 got his Eagle and GED, DS2 got his Eagle and might get his license soon (scary), DD2 & DD4 are now in public school like the other kids, and I am now in school!  In 5 weeks I have written 4 papers and had 6 finals!  My brain hurts.  I came home from school today dizzy, oh joy. So since I don't do much during dizzy spells I thought I'd catch up on friends' blogs. While looking at everyone's posts (which btw have been amazing!  I have missed a lot in 5 weeks!) I found a great post on Angela's site that I think would be beneficial for all of you. So please check out Adventures in Self Reliance.

Also, I am wanting to get a StoveTec rocket bulk order done. This is a fabulous emergency prepareness and camping item! The price on these has doubled in six months!! I would like to get one before the price is out of my reach.

Also over at Adventures in Self Reliance, Angela has worked hard on a 4 part blog about Basic Firearms, that is worth the read! go to the link provided, then read the parts in order. She did a good job.

SCAM !!! BEWARE!!!!

 Hi All,

This morning I received a phone call from a woman who informed me that DH had entered a contest in February and he won a million dollars.  They asked if they could deliver the check to our house today and if they could bring news cameras and balloons. They even told me the name of the man who would deliver the check and what color car he would be driving.  He would be carrying credentials they said.  Always the skeptic, I asked for her number so I could call and verify.  She didnt know it, she was new.  Then she gave me the check number and told me to verify it when he came.  I asked to speak to her manager.  He wasnt available.  Finally I asked what time she would be here and then she said," well all you have to do is go to Walmart and send a money gram to this name at this address to pay for the lawyer fees, etc and then when our guy comes to deliver your check show him your receipt and we will give you the million dollars."  RIGHT!  Well I told her I would have to talk to my husband. I would call her back.  She made excuses as to why she couldnt giver me her number.  So I said forget it then.

Well they called back three more times.  I finally asked to talk to her manager again.  He eventually called me and was very insistent.  When I told him I was not going to wire him money.  He got really mean and nasty and threatening.  He said he had a guy in the area that was ready to come to my house and award the million if I could just get the money RIGHT NOW!!!   I told him I had to run but that if he would give me his number I would call him back.  Well he reluctantly gave me his number.  It ended up being a number from Jamaica.  Wikipedia said that the number he gave me was a popular number with scam artist that call and say if you send money to secure legal fees for a large sum of money that you won you will get a million to 10 million dollars. 

Again they called me and got really mean on the phone.  They told me their guy was parked outside my house and that he wanted to come in Right now.  I called the police and they said if they come to the door call 911.  So far no one has shown up.

So the purpose of this e-mail to warn everyone that these guys are in the area today.  They are targeting people in our area for this scam.  Do not give any personal information over the phone.  THey will have your name and address, dont verify it!  If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Stay safe,

Power outage 10.24.10

It's that time of year again.. power outages. We had our second one this fall yesterday.  Our first one was also on a Sunday and it lasted 9 hours. Yesterday's outage lasted 6 hours.

How does your family react to a power outage?

Are you calm or freaking out?

Heat source?

Way of cooking?

WATER?

I was unpleasantly dealing with being dizzy for my second day in a row. We woke up to winds we though would break the windows in! The noise woke everyone except Devon, of course. We thought for sure we would lose several if any trees. Not sure what time it was when the power went out, around 8 or 9 am. We were being lazy and snuggling a few kids when it went out, and it was a slow morning due to me being dizzy.

Got up and found Drew outside, getting wood, clearing drains, and checking for trees.

Devon was in bed. The girls filled water pitchers, then were checking the chickens, walking the dogs, and looking for trees. The littles were crumpling paper for the fire. I didn't have to say anything. Wow, all these years of power outages have taught my kids what needs to be done and when. It was great.

Drew had a fire going in 5 minutes after he was inside with the dry wood. The girls dried the dogs and moved Red's bed closer to the fire (he chills fast). Breakfast was easy, pancakes on the campstove on the front porch.

After breakfast everyone got ready for church.. then of course Russ was called to an Emergency for work due to power being out, everyone thinks they need 20 oxygen tanks! crazy.  Anyway.. it was interesting.

So what came to my attention? The same as this season gets started every year... how and what to cook. We eat what will spoil first, milk products. Usually we bake with them. So we had mac and cheese (a little too salty, but cheezy creamy yumminess). We still had our family potluck, almost by candlelight! The power came on just before my family showed up. So I spent a few minutes putting out candles and a lantern (as it had gotten so dark I couldn't see my recipe). Guess how I cook with out power... go on guess...... camp stove, fire place coals, charcoal and my dutch oven.. love it!

I mentioned to Russ I strongly feel we need to get a Stove Tec Rocket stove for when power is out. It would make an easy way to boil water outside with out using up my gas. I have a post about it on the blog.  

All Purpose Flour

Here is my recipe for All-Purpose Flour:

I use a 4:1 ratio.. mostly.

4 cups soft white wheat
1 cup kamut
1 cup triticale
1 cup oat groats (not rolled!)
1 cup barley
1 cup rye (if I have it)
1 cup raw buckwheat
1/2 cup cheap white rice

I mix these grains then put them through my grain mill on the finest setting. I use cup for cup in place of store bought all-purpose flour.   If I don't have any of the 1 cup or less grains then I just go with out them. No big deal. Usually all-purpose flour is made from just barley and soft white wheat. But I like to get more grains in there. Occasionally I will throw in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of lentils too.. Just to add some protein.

OR try this one as I know alot of those grains are not easy to get. Again, I use a 4:1 ratio

4 cups soft white wheat
1 cup barley

Zymergy

What am I talking about? Don't you know? Why not? Our ancestors surely used zymergy all the time. It is a way to preserve food. And when done right tastes amazing!
Zymergy is fermenting food, you know like pickled herring, sauerkraut, pickles, etc.. I just spent 3 days making dill pickles, the new way :( by using vinegar, but I would like to learn to do it the old way.
My friend has just posted an amazing article on fermenting foods, with books to read in her article. Please go and check it out. Then use the library and read some great books :)

Expiration dates... are so misunderstood!

Ok, my mom and I were discussing expiration dates the other day. Then I finally have a chance to sit down and work on my blog, and my friend has written an awesome article.. I think our minds are linked in some way.
Check it out PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

So, how do I use expiration dates??? Well except for store bought milk, cream and meat. I use these funny little dates to tell me how to put items in rotation. Example: I just bought 18 jars of Ragu spaghetti sauce because it was on sale. I got home and found out I still had 6 jars left. So I looked at dates on the jars, wrote those dates on the front of my jars with my SHARPIE where I could see them easily, pulled out my first 6 jars. I then look a the dates and put the date that is the farthest away, in this case 7-2010, and put the oldest dates in the back and line them up so the closest date to today is in the front. Easy to do. I ALWAYS rotate. I also do this in my fridge with cheese, although I don't use a sharpie on those items, it eventually leaks through the plastic onto the cheese, much like those USDA stamps for meat used to do.

Please read both articles above, they are both great sources of info.. Amazing what the FDA will admit, the whole expiration date is so misunderstood!!!

Can you prepare too much?

I am sending you to another blog to read this article.  A few key points, the last 6 questions you need to really look at.  So go read the article. And make sure you are preparing the way you need to :)

Zucchini Pineapple

Yes that is correct. You use this in place of pineapple. So cool Zucchini is special, it absorbs the flavor of whatever it is cooked in, how great is that?  So try this canning recipe. Use this to make pineapple banana bread, or something else yummy :)  Some people use this in place of pineapple chunks when they make pizza. This is so cool!

Zucchini Pineapple
4 quarts cubed or shredded zucchini
46 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice
1 1/2 cups bottled lemon juice
3 cups sugar

Yield: about 8 to 9 pints

Peel zucchini and either cut into 1/2-inch cubes or shred. Mix zucchini with other ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 20 minutes. Fill jars with hot mixture and cooking liquid, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.  BOILING WATER CANNER

0 - 1000ft = 15 minutes
1001 - 6000ft = 20 minutes
above 6000ft = 25 minutes

DEALS WOW!

I so love my DK Market!!  Send hubby to pick up some dried hot chilies and then I remembered I was out of bananas. And boy am I glad I was on the phone with him!  He got 15 pounds of bananas for me. I am so happy I could pee my pants! But I won't :)  What will I do with these bananas? Well, everyone (almost) eats one a day, plus when they get brown spots on them I will dip slices into a lemon juice dip or pineapple juice dip and dry them. Home made banana chips!  The kids love them. Also banana muffins, banana bread, and of course special pancakes!!!

Why am I so excited over 15 pounds of bananas? Because hubby got them for ...... are you ready for this? .... $0.29 a pound!!!  Yup! That's is correct! I am looking at the receipt and happy as can be! He also got my dried hot chilies for  the salsa I am going to attempt to make. Hope it's good.

I may run back next week for more bananas and make some banana jam, if I don't make any from the ones I already have. yummy!

Give Away - Tattler Lids!!!

I am new to using Tattler lids, but they are amazing!!  I love them so far!  Just DON'T stretch the rubber ring and you will be fine!  My friend over at Adventures in Self Reliance is having a give away for these amazing lids!  Go read about it and enter!! 
Why do I love these lids?? Well, let's see, they are reuseble, easy to use, reuseable, dishwasher safe, reuseable, great for pressure or water bath canning, reuseable , and REUSEABLE.

Ok, so now you know. So head over to Angela's site and check them out!  Tattler lids are amazing!

Zucchini Cream

Ingredients

• 2 lbs zucchini
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter ( no substitute)
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested

Directions

1. Cut off stem and blossom ends of the zucchini and peel. (Remove all the green for a prettier color at the end). If the zucchini are very large, cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. If small, leave whole. (I cut the zucchini into chunks at this point).
2. Boil in a small quantity of water until tender OR you may microwave in a covered dish until tender, about 10 minutes. In either case, drain well, then mash or process to a smooth pulp.
3. Cook in the top of a double boiler over hot water with sugar, butter, lemon juice and zest. Stir frequently, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.
4. Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rims clean, put lids and rings in place and tighten down.
5. Invert jars for a few minutes, then return to upright and cool completely. Check seals, label and store in cool, dry place.
6. Note: It took 30 minutes for my batch to cook down. I processed my jars in a hot water bath for 5 minutes.

Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles

Ingredients

• 18 small zucchini
• 4 medium onions
• 4 cups vinegar
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons pickling salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons celery seeds
• 4 teaspoons turmeric

Directions

1. Thinly slice the zucchini and onions.
2. Mix together the vinegar, sugar, salt, celery seed, and turmeric in a large pot; bring to a boil.
3. Cook for 5 minutes, then add zucchini and onions and return to a boil.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Pack mixture into sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.
6. Adjust caps.
7. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes.
8. When cool, check jars for proper seal; refrigerate any that do not seal promptly.
9. Store others in a cool, dry place; pickles taste best after aging several weeks.

Zucchini Salsa

Ingredients

• 10 cups zucchini, peeled & shredded
• 4 onions, chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2 red peppers, chopped
• 1/4 cup pickling salt
• 1 tablespoon pickling salt
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 5 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 12 ounces tomato paste

Directions

1. Day one:In a large bowl combine; Zucchini, onions, green pepper, red pepper and the salt Mix together cover and let stand over night.
2. Day two.
3. Next day rinse, drain well and put into a large pot then add mustard, garlic, cumin, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper flakes, salt,cornstarch, nutmeg, pepper, tomatoes and tomato paste.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.
6. Water bath jars for 15 minutes

Special Pancakes

4 eggs

4 cups flour

3 cups milk

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 large VERY ripe bananas, mashed

1 small zucchini, (6 - 8 inches), seeded and grated

1 TBS. cinnamon

1/2 - 1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 - 1 cup water (OPTIONAL)

1 - 1 1/2 cup choc. chips, optional

Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl, except chocolate chips. In large bowl mix eggs, bananas, zukes, milk and oil. Next add dry ingredients, and mix well. IF too thick, add some of the water. Mix will be thick. Measure 1/4 cup pancakes onto hot 400 degree griddle. Turn when edges are slightly dry and top is bubbly. Cook until golden on bottom.  IF you use the chocolate, I add 5 chocolate chips to each 1/4 cup pancake right before putting on griddle, because the chocolate sinks to the bottom of the bowl of dough.

This is our favorite breakfast during summer when we have zukes.

Zucchini Brownies

2 cups zucchini, shredded

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Fudge Frosting

Combine zucchini, sugar, vanilla and oil. In separate bowl combine dry ingredients, then add to zucchini mix. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and stir.

Pour into greased 13 X 9 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. 

While baking, make frosting.

Fudge Frosting:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon agave nectar OR corn syrup

dash of salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Mix granulated sugar and cocoa in 2-qt. saucepan. Stir in milk, butter, agave nectar or corn syrup and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring frequently. Boil 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; cool. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread over brownies.

Lamb Fest 2010

 

Please read this offer to better understand how it works to order in an animal in whole or part. Lamb Fest 2010 is an opportunity for you to buy USDA lamb cuts directly from the farmer in individual packages to see what you like.

Organically Raised Lamb Available Now

We are pleased to be able to offer you organically raised lamb from Josh Farmer of the Snoqualmie Valley.  He has been farming for near 30 years and grazes his beef, lambs and goats in both Duvall and Bothell.

A fellow farmer told us, “Josh raises beyond the organic standard.” This means that there are no fertilizers or pesticides used on any of the grasses upon which his animals graze. Although his animals primarily eat grass and are moved between the Duvall and Bothell farms as needed for maximum nutrition, they also receive a daily meal of special grains. Josh feeds his animal grains that have been recycled from the brewery, which means all harmful sugars have been removed. It’s these sugars that weaken an animal’s immune system. This grain is slightly damp, smells fresh and is much lighter than soaked wheat, barley or spelt.

These animals are fed no hormones and are never injected with harmful drugs. All medicinals are natural and herbal as required by organic certification. I repeat: These lambs are not certified organic but are raised to a standard beyond organic certification. Remember, organic certification is costly and a lot of paperwork for any farmer or rancher.

BREED and AGE:  Josh raises chevettes or cheviots. These lambs are born and raised on his farm alone, not imported. All lambs harvested are under 6 months of age. Here is a link to better understand the various breeds of lamb:

http://139.78.104.1/breeds/sheep/

On the left hand side of the page, click on Cherviot and the picture and description will come up quickly.

 Lambs are not grown sheep. The Scots used a lot of “mutton” and it was the 2-year-old sheep that were used in stew pots. Mutton is very fatty and stringy. Baby lamb is more mild flavored, much more lean, more tender than beef, yet full-bodied in flavor when it is harvested young. It’s especially delicious with garlic.

TERMS OF SALE:

You purchase a lamb from Josh on two terms (see below). When we have a minimum of 4 orders, he takes the lambs to Lynden to a certified USDA processing plant. Here the inspectors supervise the process of dressing out each.  Then licensed butchers cut and wrap the lamb into individual packages. Each package labels the cut, the weight and has a USDA stamp on the package.

Lambs, live weight, are about 120 pounds

You pay Josh Farmer a $100 non –refundable fee that is applied to the total cost of your ordered lamb.

OPTION 1:.

You can pay Josh $1.48 per pound for this LIVE weight of approximately 120# + $90 for slaughter & package fee, which would be $177.60 + $90 for a grand total of   $267.40. There will be some tax charged by the USDA processor.  This would be your USDA finished cut, wrapped lamb frozen, ready to go into your freezer. Each package bears the USDA stamp and weight.  The finished weight, after slaughter and trim, would be about 60 pounds of beyond organically raised lamb

.

OPTION 2:

The other alternative payment is to pay Josh $3.75 per pound FINISHED WEIGHT.  This  finished weight is approximately 60 pounds x $3.75 which is $225  plus tax and $90 slaughter & packaging fee for the whole lamb.  This is done for customers order ½ lamb. For this price, you receive your cut, wrapped USDA packaged cuts with the weight of each on the package label.

DELIVERY:

When at least 4 lambs are ordered at one time, Josh will deliver the frozen meat to Duvall for distribution to those who ordered. Since the meat is frozen, it will be important for coordinate pickup so you can transport quickly to your home freezer.

ORDER AND PAYMENT PROCEDURES:

(1) You order your lamb thru oxygen14@comcast.net

(2) You provide me with your name, accurate email address, phone number to reach you quickly, and the number of lambs you want to order in.

You attach the lamb “cuts” list along with your order or say, “traditional cuts only please.

(3) I will CONFIRM your order by email. Send your check for $100 deposit to me IMMEDIATELY.

(4) I will notify you when your lambs have been delivered to Lynden for processing, and when they are estimated to be ready for pickup. As soon as your particular lamb is hung and cut, the USDA facility notifies Josh with a “ticket” of the hanging weight or the “live weight.”

(5) Since Josh must pay all the processing fees for your lamb out right before he can pick them up, I will email you and ask you to send him your check immediately. You will have approximately 10-14 days turnaround time to get him your payment.

(5) Pickup will be in Duvall unless other arrangements are made. For example, members of the Bulk Buy Group who live closer to Marysville, Stanwood, Sedro-Woolley and Whidby Island might prefer to pick up in Lynden directly.

COOKING WITH LAMB:

We are fortunate to have cooks in our group who are experienced in preparing delicious lamb dishes. Terrie, Cheryl, Dick, Charity all enjoy lamb as do their children. Lamb was so unaffordable in Canada when Fred and I were raising our children, we didn’t have it often.

Terrie suggests:

·        2 parts ground beef and 1 part ground lamb makes delicious meatballs.

·        Sautee loin lamb chops in a bit of olive oil and savor their taste when surrounded with veggie and brown rice

Susan suggests:

• Ground lamb seasoned with middle eastern seasoning, grilled into burgers and stuffed in pita bred with fresh veggie chopped from your garden. A simple chipotle mayonnaise to dress your burgers.
• Lamb stew in a crock-pot with local root vegetables of parsnips, leeks, potatoes, and roasted turnips. The lamb imparts a distinct flavor to the vegetables.

So, this is yet another opportunity to work closely with a clean Washington farmer and expand your children’s palate at the same time. Imagine your healthy lamb cut surrounded by walls of vegetables and nourishing grains piled around it.—Yum!

Lamb Fest 2010:

Since many of you are not familiar with lamb, you will have the opportunity to purchase organically raised cuts of USDA inspected and wrapped lamb cuts in mid-September. I will go meet the my co-op on a Saturday morning (Either Sept 18 or 24) at Josh’s Duvall farm and I may purchase particular cuts for $5.00 a pound. Each package has the weight on it so you will multiply it by $5 per pound and pay Josh directly. Only farmers/ranchers who use USDA facilities are permitted to resell meat in this fashion.

If you want to participate in Lamb Fest 2010, please email oxygen14@comcast.net to reserve your place at this event.

I’m thinking that once you taste this high quality delicious lamb, you will want to consider purchasing a lamb from Josh for your family’s longer term pantry.

Standard Possible Cuts of Lamb:

I have attached a list of possible cuts for lamb from a gourmet butcher who advertises on the internet. It’s a way for you to see all the possibilities for serving lamb from the entire animal, wasting little. This does not mean that YOU would be able to order all these cuts from the USDA facility in Lynden, but it gets you thinking about options and cuts that might be most suitable to your family.

End of summer coming soon!

You may have noticed that the temperatures aren't high, and it isn't staying light as long in the evenings.  I am rather bummed about this. I really do love the summer time. So many fun adventures to have. So much to get done. Anyway, I have been busy with canning, drying and children.. of course.. LOL

Today I went to DK market, winco and Foley's.

DK Market:

bartlet pears $0.49/#
apples $0.59/# to $0.89/#
peaches and nectarines were under a dollar a pound, sorry I didn't really notice as I wasn't looking for those.

Winco:
apples from $0.99/# and up
walla walla sweets 5#/ $3.98
rolled oats and quick oats $10.70/25# bag
pinto beans $15.35/ 25 # bag

Foley's:
gravenstein apples $9.95/ 20# box
golden apples in 20# boxes, I forget the price
canning tomatoes too!

Just a heads up.. good luck finding roma's for canning, they have had a terrible season.

What happened???

This is about as clear and easy to understand as it can be - please read
it!!


          The article below is completely neutral, ...not anti
republican or democrat.

          Charlie Reese, a retired reporter for the Orlando Sentinal has
hit the nail directly on the head, defining clearly who it is that in
the final analysis must assume responsibility for the judgements made
that impact each one of us every day.

         

          545 vs. 300,000,000

EVERY CITIZEN NEEDS TO READ THIS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS JOURNALIST
SAYS IN THIS MESSAGE.  READ IT AND THEN REALLY THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT
POLITICAL DEBACLE.

          Charley Reese has been a journalist for 49 years.

          545 PEOPLE--By Charlie Reese

          Politicians are the only people in the world who create
problems and then campaign against them..

          Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the
Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

          Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against
inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

          You and I don't propose a federal budget.  The president does.

          You and I don't have the Constitutional authority to vote on
appropriations.  The House of Representatives does.

          You and I don't write the tax code, Congress does.

          You and I don't set fiscal policy, Congress does.

          You and I don't control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve
Bank does.

          One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine
Supreme Court justices equates to 545 human beings out of the 300
million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for
the domestic problems that plague this country.

          I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because
that problem was created by the Congress.  In 1913, Congress delegated
its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally
chartered, but private, central bank.

          I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound
reason.  They have no legal authority  They have no ability to coerce a
senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-picking thing.
I don't care if they offer a politician $1 million dollars in cash.  The
politician has the power to accept or reject it.  No matter what the
lobbyist promises, it is the legislator's responsibility to determine
how he votes.

          Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing
you that what they did is not their fault.  They cooperate in this
common con regardless of party.

          What separates a politician from a normal human being is an
excessive amount of gall.  No normal human being would have the gall of
a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating
deficits.... .  The president can only propose a budget.  He cannot
force the Congress to accept it.

          The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives
sole responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and
approving appropriations and taxes.  Who is the speaker of the House?
Nancy Pelosi.  She is the leader of the majority party.  She and fellow
House members, not the president, can approve any budget they want.  If
the president vetoes it, they can pass it over his veto if they agree
to.

          It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can
not replace 545 people who stand convicted -- by present facts -- of
incompetence and irresponsibility.  I can't think of a single domestic
problem that is not traceable directly to those 545 people.  When you
fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people exercise the power of the
federal government, then it must follow that what exists is what they
want to exist.

          If the tax code is unfair, it's because they want it unfair.

          If the budget is in the red, it's because they want it in the
red.

          If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it's because they want
them in IRAQ.


        If they do not receive social security but are on an elite
retirement plan not available to the people, it's because they want it
that way.

          There are no insoluble government problems.

          Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats,
whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose
gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the
power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. 


Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists
disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or
"politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.

          Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and
they alone, have the power..

          They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people
who are their bosses.

          Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own
employees...

        We should vote each of  them out of office and clean up their
mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando SentinelNewspaper.
What you do think should be done?
       
The following might be funny if it weren't so  true.
         
          Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table, At which he's fed.

          Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes Are the rule.

          Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts Anyway!

          Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat.

          Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt.

          Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he Tries to think.

          Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries, Tax his tears.

          Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways To tax his ass.

          Tax all he has Then let him know That you won't be done Till
he has no dough.

          When he screams and hollers; Then tax him some more, Tax him
till He's good and sore.

          Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in Which he's
laid...

          Put these words Upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom'...
When he's gone, Do not relax, Its time to apply Theinheritance tax..

          Sales Tax
          School Tax
          Liquor Tax
          Luxury Tax
          Excise Taxes
          Property Tax
          Cigarette Tax
          Medicare Tax
          Inventory Tax
          Real Estate Tax
          Well Permit Tax
          Fuel Permit Tax
          Inheritance Tax
          Road Usage Tax
          CDL license Tax
          Dog License Tax
          State Income Tax
          Food License Tax
          Vehicle Sales Tax
          Gross Receipts Tax
          Social Security Tax
          Service Charge Tax
          Fishing License Tax
          Federal Income Tax
          Building Permit Tax
          IRS Interest Charges
          Hunting License Tax
          Marriage License Tax
          Corporate Income Tax
          Personal Property Tax
          Accounts Receivable Tax
          Recreational Vehicle Tax
          Workers Compensation Tax
          Watercraft Registration Tax
          Telephone Usage Charge Tax
          Telephone Federal Excise Tax
          Telephone State and Local Tax
          IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
          State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
          Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
          Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
          Telephone Federal Universal Service FeeTax
          Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
          Utility Taxes Vehicle License Registration Tax
          Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
          Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax

          STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

   
                Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our
nation was the most prosperous in the world.
                We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest
middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
   
              What in the hell happened?  Can you spell
'politicians? ' I hope this goes around THE USA at least 100 times!!!
YOU can help it get there!!!
   
              GO AHEAD - - - BE AN AMERICAN!!!

DK Market prices 8.4.10

I went grocery shopping for the first time in a month. I went over my budget of $50 by $20 but we should be ok. Here are the prices for what I got.

(1) Russet Potatoes 10#/$1.59
(1) Watermelon, seedless $0.29/#
(1) Carrots, 5lb/$1.89
(1) Cauliflower $1.19 EACH
(1) Bean Sprouts 2 lb / $0.99 each
(1) Puffed Rice 7 oz/ $1.19
(1) Carrots, baby 1 lb / $0.39
(8) Avocado $0.69 each
(8.32 #) Pink lady Apples $0.79/#
(3.83#) Peach donut $0.79/#
(5.51 #)Peach Yellow $0.69/ #
(2.81 #) Nectarine Yellow $0.79/#
(19.62 #) Banana Organic $0.39/#
(2) Grapeseed Oil 1 liter $4.99
(2) Nido Pwd Milk $8.95
(1) Danish Butter cookies $3.99

PEACHES

More interest than I thought.  And since we don't know when we will be able to go out of town due to work, I am going to do the peaches. The price is excellent, and the peaches are really good.   NO LIMIT!!!  Call friends, neighbors and relatives and see if they would like some too. I am driving all the way to Monroe to pick up from my supplier, and so I'd like to  make it worth the trip :) Sorry about all the confusion. 

Peach pick up, Aug 13 .  It is a lot of work to put these orders together and drive to get the food. I love providing this service for all of you, but it is time consuming. I am going to ask a $0.25 gas charge per person's order. Just to help a little with my expense. I hope you all understand.

I’ve attached an Excel sheet for the varieties of peaches available for order. Each box, regardless of variety is $12 each for 25#. The big peach pickup is scheduled for Fri, Aug 13 about 2:00 pm.

 I realize this email offer is long. Most of the questions people ask are usually answered if they will read through the email carefully.

We are pleased to offer 3 varieties of  early canning peaches from Mott Liek of East Wenatcheee.  Mott has been an orchardist for 30+ years. He supplies a busy fruit stands in Monroe as well as other stands throughout Puget Sound.  

 These peaches are not organic. When the peach seed is the size of your thumbnail, Mott sprays the seed to prevent disease. He sprays once more but not heavily on the skin about 30 days prior to harvest.  This is why we say they are  “lightly sprayed” to ensure no bug damage. Since we recommend these as delicious canning peaches, you will be peeling off the skin when you preserve them.

 Peach Pick up:  Friday, August 13, 2010 about 2

DEADLINE TO ORDER AND PAY:  ASAP. All orders for peaches are due to Lisa Kenyon ASAP SATURDAY AUG 7TH AT THE LATEST!! 

The peaches will not be ready to can on the day of pickup. They will need 3-5 days to ripen properly for easy canning.

 COST:  Our bulk buy price on Red Globe, Rosa and Early Elberta peaches is $12.00 per 25# box. The cost of boxes, labor, fuel, fertilizer have all gone up. This is a very good price this year for quality peaches

 You may invite other family members and friends TO ORDER WITH YOU when you place your order. We have plenty of peaches—over 14,000# so quantity is not the problem.

Here's the information from the grower and his wife:

All the varieties we are ordering are free stone also known as “cling-free.”

        'RED GLOBE...Freestone...  is a cross between a Red Haven and an Elberta.  A great canner and slicer... Does not turn brown when sliced and left on table. It’s my personal favorite... not the sweetest peach but real peach flavor. Use a very light syrup.  Available Aug 1-25    Our #1 seller

        ROSA...Freestone... is the sweetest peach we have.. my wife's favorite.. great for slicing or canning.. Use a very light syrup.  In a jar I cannot tell the difference between the Rosa and Red Globe..  Available  Aug 1-20    Our #2 seller

        EARLY ELBERTA...Freestone... just an earlier version of an Elberta.  A good canner and slicer.  Use a very light syrup to preserve the delicate peach flavor.  '

CANNING INFORMATION: NOTE:  The USDA has specified that peaches must be water bathed or steam canned for a full 30 minutes per quart (or 25 minutes per pint) in simmering water to be safe for home bottling without risk of contamination.

HOW TO ORDER—SPECIFIC FORMAT: Send your email order to Lisa Kenyon in the following format:

YOUR NAME

YOUR PHONE NUMBER

     

YOUR ACCURATE EMAIL ADDRESS

YOUR ORDER: # of boxes of which varieties 

Example:

Lisa Kenyon

(425)-392-1390 home

oxygen14@comcast.net

2 ROSA + 1 Red Globe

PICKUP on FRI, AUG 13 OR AUG 20:

 At Lisa Kenyon's home about 1:30 TO 2pm. PLEASE be on time to pick up.  

AGAIN, the fruit will NOT be ready to can on the day of pickup. It usually takes 3 to 5 days to ripen fruit for canning.

Thank you!!