Monday, August 24, 2020

Always Have a Plan - B

So here's the deal.  I talked with Youngest Son last evening.  He has been scouting around for a new pressure canner for me since a part on the lid of mine broke.  He has found none.  He says there are no canning jars or lids to be had, either.

I could go online and order all the supplies.  Thing is, when you are on a fixed income, choices have to be made.  I am not destitute.  I can pay my rent and my bills, pay for groceries and meds, do what I need to do to live relatively comfortable.  But I have just so much cash set aside for extras.  And at this point, I have decided that the extra cash needs to be spent on food.

Things are getting dicey out there, folks.  Weather destroyed a good bit  of the corn crop in Iowa.  Many migrant farm workers are now being tested for the virus and when the tests come back positive as they all do, farms are being shut down.  China is in the middle of a food crisis which then has an effect on our food supply.  Ice Age Farmer has several good videos out about these things, but I have also seen other similar reports.

Now maybe these reports are all just fearmongering hype.  But then again, maybe they aren't.  The question is, am I willing to listen to those who think I have taken a swan dive off the edge of sanity with my preparations, or do I pay attention to my gut instinct that tells me I had better kick it into high gear because time is running out.

Bottom line.  I will not risk the welfare of my family by doing nothing.

So onward with Plan-B.

I like having home canned meat in jars because it is fully cooked and often it makes meal preparations easier for me due to my physical limitations.  But there is no reason I can not have the same product in my freezer.

I have a FoodSaver.  Oldest Daughter is picking up several rolls of FoodSaver bags for me at Target this week.  The plan is to cook up the pork that is in my freezer along with what comes on my grocery order this week and what Youngest Son is picking up for me at Sam's Club next week.  All of that can be divided into meal sized portions, vacuum sealed and frozen.

My grocery order this week includes lots of frozen vegetables that can be dehydrated.  There is a sale on fresh vegetables, so I am ordering cabbage, carrots, celery, bell peppers and onions.  I am not sure yet what I will do with those.  I am still able to water bath can, so I might can some relish or pickle some of the vegetables or some can be dehydrated.  It is all food to add to the stores.  It is all food that will sustain my family if things really do get bad.

Flexibility is necessary in these uncertain times.  If Plan-A doesn't work, move on to Plan-B.  Or Plan-C or Plan-D.  Whatever it takes to do what we need to do.

Maybe everything will work out.  Maybe the rioters will go back to their Mama's basements and play computer games again.  Maybe those governors and mayors who are drunk on power will back off from their virus mandates and defund the police initiatives and be sensible again.  Maybe life as we knew it will come back.

Or maybe not.

Pray and prepare, my friends.  Right now, that's all we've got.

19 comments:

  1. Vick--just had a thought...what about fermenting some of those veggies? I know that you need to be careful with the sodium content of things, and I know that doesn't help with the meat issue...glad you have a Foodsaver. That is on my wish list.
    Too bad you don't have a daughter or daughter-in-law who canned, and you could borrow their pressure canner.
    But you are right--always have a Plan B!!
    Even if you just freeze stuff now, and dehydrating should help free up some space in the freezer, and then plan to can up foods later when you can get a canner delivered...maybe everyone contributes to "the only thing I want for Christmas this year is"??
    Stay safe!!

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    1. Suz...That's pretty much the plan. Because canning supplies are scarce in my area, it makes sense to me to freeze food or dehydrate it now, before prices go even higher. Basically, it is a matter of choices. I can do this - or I can do that. But I can't do both. Some in my family water bath can, but nobody pressure cans. So I will wait on the canning supplies and work with what I have for now.

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  2. I hate to be a wet blanket, but I lost a bunch of food when my entire region went dark for over a week one summer. I would never depend on a freezer unless I have a generator.

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    1. I understand the risks of freezing food, Gorges. But right now I feel I need to spend the available cash on food. I have only lost power for two days here once and that was before the city buried the lines and a drunk ran his truck into a pole, knocking it down. I know losing power is a possibility, but I will risk it this time.

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    2. LOL - I'm all too familiar with drunks and phone poles. When I first moved to my home here on the ridge, every Friday night I could depend on the juice going out when the bars would start closing. Invariably, it was some drunk traveling 7th Street of our town. It got to where I joked about it being closing time on 7th Street whenever the lights went out and I was rarely wrong. They finally seemed to get the problem fixed (Now, they just flicker.)

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    3. Gorges...Considering my neighborhood has several bars, I consider us lucky to have had that happen only once. I watched the guy slam into the pole, snapping it in two. Got out of his truck and staggered on down the street like nothing happened - sparks flying from the downed lines. It was only one time, but it was spectacular! :)

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  3. Definitely go with your gut.
    I don't know why, but I ordered 12 boxes of canning flats for the upcoming year's canning, but earlier than usual. There were a couple of other things that I stocked up on early, like in January, before all this hit. That was a response to gut feelings. Maybe God had an angel whispering in my ear? Dunno, it was strange.

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    1. chipmunk...We ask for God's help all the time. We shouldn't be surprised when He answers. Nothing strange about it.

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  4. Just a thought, Vicki; is the "broken part"
    on your canner replaceable? Canners might be unobtainium, but the parts might not be. What make & model is it? Also; has your son checked the local thrift stores for a pressure canner?

    I have a Foodsaver myself. If you buy meat in bulk, the ting saves you money. If not,... those bag rolls are EXPENSIVE!


    That "gut" feeling is most likely the Holy Spirit. Listen then, if you have ears!

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    1. Pete...There is a small red button on the lid of the canner that pops up when pressure is achieved and falls back when pressure is gone. It is built into a handle and cannot be accessed from underneath. I fussed with it for a couple of days, but it is wedged in sort of cockeyed and is stuck in the down position. Then I called around to see if I could find a place that could repair it. No luck. That's when I called Youngest Son for help in finding new canner. I know he has checked everywhere without success.

      I lucked onto a sale on pork and have a considerable amount in the freezer now. Youngest Son is doing a Sam's Cub run next week, buying more meat among other things. The bag rolls are spendy, but right now it is the best way I know to preserve what I have and what is coming.

      For me, it is that pesky little voice in the back of my mind that keeps telling me now is not the time to slow down and I had better do as much as possible now, for tomorrow may be too late. Gut feeling or pesky little voice - I have learned to listen. Always.

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    2. Have you gone on the gopresto dot com web site under Parts and Service to see if there's a replacement part? You'll need the model number of your canner. Just a thought.
      SJ in Vancouver BC

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    3. I did, SJ, until I remembered mine is a Mirro. :) Their website offers no replacement parts. I have decided to worry about that problem later, as I have lots to keep me busy and out of trouble for a while. Thanks for the suggestion and later when I have more time, I will research some more.

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  5. I have grown tired of the world is coming to an end crap. I know what I have and that's all that's important..

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    1. I don't think the world is coming to an end, Rob...I just think it is changing fast into something I do not like.

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    2. It's not coming to an end, Rob. All we're saying is "Stand by for heavy rolls as the ship comes about!"

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  6. My two cents - listen to that inner voice yelling at you. I'm still kicking myself for not listening to said inner voice last fall when I was getting poked to buy more rubbing alcohol. whoops.

    Today was a good day - I finished staining the last two fence panels and touched up my 'whoops' spots from yesterday's staining. Still standing and doing ok...LOL
    Cheers, SJ in Vancouver BC Canada

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  7. SJ...Sometimes we either ignore that little voice or we think we will do what we need to do - later. Which is why I am going to Plan-B!!

    Good for you on finishing that job without incident. I once had a friend that, when asked if he was OK, would reply that he was upright and taking nourishment. Glad you are doing better than that. :)

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  8. Some days I try to have a Plan C and Plan D.

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    1. BW...Most days we seem to NEED Plan C and Plan D - at least I do. :)

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