Routine/Inspection

Plum jam

Steven has been home on vacation from his work this week. I love having him home with me, working together on the garden, but it does change the daily routine a bit. I also got a harvest bin full of plums and a bunch of blueberries. That changed the routine a bit, too. The plums came from friends who had a bumper crop this year and the blueberries came from Sauvie Island Blueberries, a thank you gift for putting their sign in our yard. I spent Tuesday freezing blueberries and canning plum jam.

My new scale, with inspection sticker

On Wednesday, the Oregon State Department of Agriculture Measurement Standards Division stopped by to do the yearly inspection of my scale. This was my first one, since I just got the scale this spring. I asked a bunch of questions and the fellow was very nice. I have heard other farmers complain about this State regulation of scales. But, honestly, I think it is a good thing. It gives me confidence in the accuracy of my scale and, in the broader spectrum, it is a protection for consumers. They checked the scale out with different weights, on different parts of the weighing platform, and put a seal on the scale where adjustments would be made. So, just in case you were concerned, that pound of beans really was a pound.

Now you can read that sticker

Approved and sealed