Food Crisis: What you can do now!

With recent rise in food prices and the worlds food crisis now is the time learn some skills that could be useful in the future. Although I am really not concerned at this time for a food food shortage in the basic foods we will likely have to go without the the varieties of food products due to the sheer costs and not being available. To be able to have a great diet with variety I suggest you take action in three ways.

1) Learn to garden. Start small now and in the future make your garden larger. Start buying seeds now. Many seeds will last for years in kept refrigerated or in a cold place. You will have the best growing experience with hybrid seeds but It is good to have some seeds that are open-pollinated seeds or heirloom seeds that so you will be able to save seeds in the future. One benefit with saving seeds is you can develop land race plants with will tolerate your climate better that other varieties. If you can start planting fruit trees do so. In some area it can be difficult to grow many of the tress but check state/local sources of what will be best to plant. Discover the native fruit trees/shrubs/vines that grow in your area. I have already planted wild plums and elderberries on my land and have some mulberries growing. Already the plums are producing and growing new plants that I will be able to start planting elsewhere or give to others.

2) Learn to can, dry and store your food. Even if you are not able to produce all you want or need you may be able to barter or purchase fruit or vegetables that you do not want to got to waste. The Grand pappy information page has lots of articles and recipes. If you do not want to can or dry for you own family I suggest going to any of the many emergency supply companies or start stocking up on food your family enjoys eating.

3) Learn to cook. You can learn to make do and make great food if you learn to cook.

Moving day in the barn

It was moving day for the Welsummer chicks. They went from the away room to the barn after preparing they brooder. The goslings were moved from the brooder to a small pen where we still have a heat lamp for them. Now I can get that away room a spring cleaning. I ended up having a rather productive day and got a lot of the barn cleaned up.

I spend some time taking pictures to for my photography class. I already had one lesson and have learned quite a bit.

Chickens and Geese

I got the geese to the barn in my set up I have using a water trough. It works well and keeps them safe. I put heavy wood and weight on top but for the most part nothing large gets into the barn with the two guard dogs.

I will soon get the chickens out there. They are starting to get feathers and are getting crowed in the box I have them in.

I came up with plans to move the older hens and roosters into the orchards to be with the geese. We have a cement pad out there that used to be for a garage that I will build on. I plan to make it easy to clean and a safe place for the poultry at night. One part of the building will be a tool shed and a section in the back will hold the wood pile. I figured keeping the building to one for three uses will help keep the cost down.

Nobody’s Friend

Nobody’s Friend

My name is Gossip.

I have no respect for justice.

I maim without killing.

I break hearts and ruin lives.

I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age.

The more I am quoted the more I am believed.

My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.

To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.

I am nobody’s friend.

Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.

I topple governments and wreck marriages.

I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion. I make innocent people cry in their pillows.

Even my name hisses. I am called Gossip.

I make headlines and headaches.

Before you repeat a story, ask yourself:
Is it true?
Is it harmless?
Is it necessary?
If it isn’t, don’t repeat it.

~ Author Unknown