Our Jam/Jelly Labels

My husband is a good sport! He is.

To come in the future:
"Creamer's Funny Goat Soap"

An Evening at the Farm

And this is how I think children should be allowed to grow up;

Would that it were possible for all of them. . .

"Let them be Little. . . "

* * *

Farm visits are WELCOME

to allow kids to enjoy the farm life!

tinia@lucasfarmwv.com

Jellies and Jams Made and For Sale

There are Blackberries and Red Raspberries (which are amazing, though not as good as Black Raspberries by half) abound here, so we decided to endeavor to make some jelly and jam out of them.

Here we are tonight at midnight. . .

Starting with the lovely berries (I am a berry fiend, I confess)

Scroll to the bottom for prices

The Jam was first and easier than Jelly

Look how pretty they are finished!

On to Jelly

Christian being sure to smoosh the berries

Strained the seed and such out

Finished

We are offering some, as we make them, for sale

or can make them based on order:

Blackberry

or

Blackberry / Red Raspberry Combo

* * *

A few 1/2 Pint Jelly left

$5.00

Full Pint Jars

$6.50

* * *

Red Raspberry Jelly Only (if available)

$6.50

Pint

1 Pint Jam / 1 Pint Jelly

Blackberry/Red Raspberry

$12.00

Discount for more than 4 jars

Can Ship for cost of shipping

PAYPAL acceptedDiscount for more than 4 jars

Can Ship for cost of shipping

PAYPAL accepted

A plethora of berries = Equals cobbler

As sad as I am to see the Black Raspberries go, as they are doing now (fleeting is the time they are ripe), at least that isn't the end of Summer Berries!

Yes, they are the best, but "Wine" or Red Raspberries are no ripe and there are SO many, and then there are Dew and Black Berries all over the mountain.

The Red Raspberries are sweet and amazing off the bush, but Wild Black Berries are quite tart, so they make great jam and cobbler!

I'm going to make some jam/jelly, too, but for now, here is a play by play of

"Cobbler Night"!

The Black Berries

Love Stonyfield products!

Love this plain Vanilla Yogurt, too

It is great in batters, like below

The Dough

(Sugar, Flour, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Yogurt, Butter)

Adding batter

In the Oven

Done!

It was fantastical, too :)

Got Milk? Not in West Virginia . . .

GET THE FACTS!

Got Milk?

No, if you're in West Virginia,

you DO NOT have REAL MILK.

You are not ALLOWED to purchase or sell real milk in many states in the USA!

TAKE ACTION!

http://www.realmilk.com/where2.html

http://www.raw-milk-facts.com/

http://www.rawmilk.org/default.php

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLEASE SIGN MY PETITIONS:

To Support to legalization of Real Milk / Raw Milk sales across the USA,

including in the state of West Virginia!

Click the links below:

LEGALIZE RAW MILK

&

LEGALIZE RAW MILK IN WV NOW

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The right to clean, unpasteurized, whole milk is as essential a right as that to clean drinking water.

How can a government that is supposed to support Freedom, then deny it's citizens the right to buy locally produced, raw milk or the right to sell the same?

Denying a citizen of the United States the right to choose his or her own food, as well
as to deny those citizens the ability to sell good, wholesome milk from their farm as a way to provide for their families and preserve a way of life known to Americans since its founding, is to infringe on the rights those citizens.

How can a government essentially disenfranchise local, small milk producers by creating laws against the sales of their

product, presented in the healthy manner nature intended it? How can they then create laws that regulate the sale of milk even in pasteurized

(some might consider it "destroyed") form, creating such an expensive venture that the average milk producing farmer could never hope to achieve grade

"A" Dairy status, and therefore, prevent consumers who desire local milk a source in which to buy an essential product?

To say Americans live in a county founded on freedom and then tell those citizens they

risk jail time and heavy fines for attempting to sell a food product that has long been a staple in this county is shocking, to say the least.

During an economic crisis such as we are seeing in America, to preventing farmers from earning an honest income from the sale of their natural,

real milk in the same manner milk has been sold since the founding of our country is insupportable.

Whether you wish to drink or sell raw milk in the USA is not the question. The question is whether you believe citizens have a right to consume and sell fresh,

raw milk if they choose. Do you believe a state has the right to deny its citizens access to milk in the form they would have it? Do you believe a state can rightfully

deny its farmer a right to sell milk in it's natural form? Can a government really involve its self that heavily in what a citizen consumes for nourishment,

especially when the citizens have spent hundreds of years doing so? Should we be taking away rights that previous generations have enjoyed at this time?

We have the right to choose unpasteurized whole milk instead of the commercially produced substitute!

Please sign this petition that requests the Raw Milk sales be legalized in the USA.

Also, please copy and send this to your state's governing body.

Tell them:

"The right to clean, unpasteurized, whole milk is as essential a right as that to clean drinking water".

West Virginia Governor:

Joe Manchin

1900 Kanawha Boulevard, E

Charleston, WV 25305

1-888-438-2731

Governor@WVGov.org

http://www.wvgov.org/sec.aspx?id=36

West Virginia Senators:

Jay Rockefeller

405 Capitol Street

Suite 508

Charleston, WV
25301-1749

(304) 347-5372

http://rockefeller.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

Robert C. Byrd

Charleston Office

300 Virginia Street, East

Suite 2630

Charleston, WV 25301

Telephone: (304) 342-5855

http://byrd.senate.gov//contacts/index.cfm?ID=54

West Virginia Congress:

Nick Rahall

301 Prince St.

Beckley, WV 25801

http://www.rahall.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=91§iontree=91

Shelley Capito

4815 MacCorkle Ave.

SE Charleston, WV 25304

https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Alan B. Mollohan

Room 209, Post Office Building

PO Box 1400

Clarksburg, WV 26302-1400

https://forms.house.gov/mollohan/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm

New Chicks!

Chickens are addictive! So many breeds, so little coop space!

We must work on being able to allow them to free range; if only Henry, the
little farm dog, would allow it!

These four are 2 Welsummers and 2 Barnevelders. We were supposed to have
two Delawares, but the seller's brother accidently took those yesterday :(

I have to admit, these Barnevelders are the prettiest chicks I've ever seen.

We will, hopefully, get a few of those later in July when her next eggs hatch.

In the meantime, you if you have any Dominique or Delaware chicks for sale, let me know.

tinia@lucasfarmwv.com

Flea Market Find!

We were thrilled to find this antique stainless steel milking jug at the Milton Flea Market on Sunday!

Only $30!

Honestly, as we left with it, we were stopped by more people and had more stares than
if we'd had a box full of puppies!

We certainly found the Gem of the day there!

The Chicken Coop Progresses

My husband's father was in from Clearwater, Florida over the weekend, and he was able to help my husband work on the chicken coop!

This is awesome since the hens have been in rather cramped quarters until now.

It is not quite finished, but it should be by this week!

Thanks, Dan!

Trailing behind, fighting the good fight

Following my second viewing of Food, Inc., which I
HIGHLY recommend everyone watch at least twice
for the full effect, I find myself at a cross-roads.

I will remain a life-long vegetarian regardless of my decision
on this matter, but I have a husband and three boys, none of
which will likely ever follow in my foot-steps, and I

cannot, in good conscience or faith, allow them to go on taking
 part in the food machine that is the commercial meat industry.

Granted, my reasoning is largely based on the treatment of the
animals involved, but there is a lot to be said, probably more
actually, against the quality of the meat being consumed, the
 negative health effects and so forth than anything else.

Regardless, I am at a point where I do not know whether to break
over into full homesteading, where we raise animals for my family's
 consumption and slaughter onsite ourselves (well, I wouldn't be
present) or to try to buy locally raised beef, pork, chicken, and such
at a higher cost than if we raised these animals ourselves and assume
they have been cared for and slaughtered humanely.

Either way, the consumption of commercial meats is something
 that must stop in this household or get to the point it is so minor,
I can reconcile myself to what is necessary only.

This is A HUGE turning point for me, and I cannot say it is
something I am coming around to easily.

I feel I must use reason here, though.

I wonder about the repercussion that might
be had from my oldest son. He is sensitive
and probably will not deal well with this decision.
 I just do not know how to approach this subject there.

There will be more to follow as I sort this out in
my own mind in the coming days.

For now, that is the issue, as it currently stands.  

Few things in life so good as. . .

Black Raspberries! I've had a fondness for them I can barely put into words since
I have been old enough to recollect much of anything!

To find out that our hill is covered in them was the ultimate gift of the Lord to me for the summer, I suppose :)