What would be some origins of this excess soil or turf? From hardscape installation? That would be oe of the primary sources I can think of in which you are replacing your soil with something else you've brought in and would not necessarily have any other place to put it. Also in my town, if you try to dig, you will turn up large rocks, which most people to try to use in their yards somehow, but if they really don't "go" you'd have to make a pile and put a sign "take me" and wackos like me might, or you would have to kinda make them disappear. I've never used Freecycle, but I suppose if you had a dirt pile you could say, please come fill your buckets. However, if you have any kind of garden bed at all, you'd be amazed at what you can add to it. Or if you have a lawn, there may be low spots or ways to recycle some sod. But obviously not for huge amounts of material displaced by major construction.

I called around some more and I found a Goodwill a few towns away that will take them. I'll try a few churches in the area but honestly the stuff has just got to go! Looking for shelters in our area (and I'm sure that they are here) are impossible to find. Our towns not too organized! When I picked DS1 up from school and told him that toys had to go he totally agreed. He said 'There's too many anyways and I can't find my favorites' so he's all on board! Whoo Hoo! I can't go through another yard sale and CL is the biggest PIA in my experience. Just not worth my time and the trash e-mails that I get from scammers when I post is ridiculous.

You should not run a gas pipe, especially a flexible type, in a place where it will be stepped on. I also don't think you should be extending the length of a flexible hose by adding a second hose. I suggest you have hard black pipe installed where it will not be stepped on up to where the grille will be located. From there you can connect it with a short flexible pipe. You need a flexible connector made for outdoor installations. All of this can be done and is much nicer than having to deal with propane tanks.

Reporting back on two turkey bacon projects. One was "Irish Bean Soup with Smokey Bacon." It was good, but gave the soup a peculiar chemical aftertaste. Not overpowering, but definitely there and not a plus. The soup is simple so the bacon flavoring is key to its success. I liked that it was lower fat than regular bacon, that was a plus, but I wouldn't use it again due to the aftertaste. Also made it more salty than usual, since I use either uncured or lower sodium bacon usually. The second dish I made was German potato salad with the vinegar, sugar, bacon and onion dressing. It was good in that. No bacon fat for the dressing, but this was a lower fat recipe anyway, called for olive oil as the fat. So not strictly traditional but I don't much care for the traditional anyway. It was favorite of my late mother. Takeawy is that I think this would be better in salads and sandwiches than the long simmered soups.