The beginning of summer
vacation certainly has been busy around here! As my kids said
goodbye to another year of school, I resumed classes for the summer
session for college. I am taking classes toward an Ag degree
at Oregon State University. Having been eleven years since
completing an Associates degree, I have been pretty careful about
the class-load and since Math is not a strong subject for me, I
opted to make it my sole summer class. Turns out, that was a
wise choice. Last week it was Euler and his formulas relating
to circuits. ((Gag)) This math class is a study of
everyday math and I had already taken it once while studying in
Hawaii. Math is different in Hawaii, but that’s a whole
‘nother post. Regardless, it didn’t transfer.
So, here’s me on my little farm running my clutch of little chicks on summer vacation to different activities wondering what in the world is “everyday” about Euler and his circuitry and graphs. And then it dawned on me…perhaps I already know about Euler, but, I didn’t know that I knew! Here’s where the farming comes into play…
A few weeks ago, Diane and I wrote about our daily lives living on a farm. A lot of point A to point B and beyond. And in order to get the maximum amount done, we have to be pretty efficient with our footsteps. After all, we are pretty busy ladies. So, as I set out to do chores I think about what needs to happen to set my route. Now, Euler was made famous for this when he solved a bridge problem (you should look it up, I can’t explain it very well) and companies who use an Euler circuit can save serious money! So, if I use a Euler circuit while doing farm chores, it will free up some time and energy to accomplish more important things, like Balsamic Vinegar Strawberry Jam!!!
And that leads me to the real point of my story. It is finally strawberry time and we are on the cusp of raspberries, too! Jams and jellies are a great way to explore food preservation and I would love to teach you how to do it! Don’t worry, we won’t be discussing Euler’s circuitry. My classes are FAR more interesting than that! Plus, we will make a batch to share! So, head on over to the WSU Kitsap Website and sign up for my class THIS Thursday! This class will be from 10 am to 1 pm and is held at the Silverdale Community Center. You will also notice that “Jammin” is a class from the Hip Homesteading summer series exploring everything from Jams, Pickles, Soap, Cheeses, Pressure Canning…there’s something for everyone!
If you are looking for local strawberries, Pheasant Fields Farm has them! We spent an hour in her patch picking strawberries that she will sell at the Silverdale Farmers Market today! These berries are the smaller more flavorful ones, perfect for a batch of delicious jam!
And as your going about your daily business, give Euler’s Theorum a thought…there just may be some time in your day to make some jam!
