Thursday, April 14, 2022

True or False

 I try to keep track of what is going on in the world.  Or at least here at home in the States.  I hear about food shortages.  I hear about the possibility of the economy crashing.  I hear about threats of another World War.  And I hear that 'bird flu' is destined to be the next pandemic.

Because most of those in DC wouldn't know the truth if it bit them on the bum, and because most of the media doesn't recognize anything except the Democratic Party Line, I just don't know what is true and what is not.

But here's the thing.  Whether we are told the truth or we are lied to, whether bad things happen or not, our families still need to be taken care of.  I prefer to err on the side of caution.  

A few weeks ago I bought two turkeys on sale, cooked them and froze the meat.  This past week I bought carrots, potatoes, cabbage, celery and onions and with the turkey meat, canned 30 quarts of turkey vegetable soup.  And then canned the leftovers.  Next week I have about 10 lbs. of bacon to can.

Not everyone cans food.  And that's OK.  Some are in a place where they can plant a garden or raise animals and birds for meat, dairy and eggs.  Good for them.  Really.

Some of us have to rely on Farmer's Markets and local farmers or the grocery stores.  And if that is the case, I truly hope you have been preparing for quite some time.  It can be done.  I am living proof of that, as I am among the apartment dwellers who can maybe grow something in pots on a window sill, but doubt the landlord would be happy if I kept chickens in the kitchen.  :)

There are those who question the sanity of those who prepare.  There are those who believe nothing bad could ever happen here and if it does, it surely will not be in their back yard.  I wish you well, but do not look to me to take food from the mouths of my grandchildren because you can't or won't prepare for emergencies.

It is time to get busy.  Now.  While you still can.

 

19 comments:

  1. Amen, Vicki. It is definately time to get serious about food storage! We can't pretend things are normal any longer.

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    1. CW...Sadly, there are still many who want to pretend all is well. I fear they will be in a world of hurt as things progress.

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    1. Ed...Although that story has been teaching a lesson for years, we still have an over abundance of grasshoppers.

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  3. I'm not surprised to hear that you've been "making hay while the sun shines" so to speak. Agreed on all fronts; I can't believe how many people are oblivious to it all. Locally, there are some good sales this week and I plan to take advantage of them. Have a blessed Easter!

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    1. sbrgirl...This thrifty lifestyle of putting food back was taught to me decades ago by parents who lived it. I am forever grateful to them. I, too, am watching the sale ads. Every little bit helps. May you and yours be blessed as well.

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  4. Welcome back. As another apartment dweller playing Tetris to fit everything into my little space, I get it. I don't can like you do and that's ok by me. I enjoy hearing your stories. I too have been stocking up slow and steady for a while.
    Cheers, SJ in Vancouver BC Canada

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    1. Thanks, SJ...Yes, finding room for it all in an apartment setting is challenging, to say the least! But well worth the time and effort to make it work. I suspect that Canada will be much the same as the US as the insanity increases.

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  5. Have you herd about Shanghai, China? A city of over 23 million people (NY has 8.4 million), they locked people in their hi-rise homes. They buy groceries 1 meal at a time there. People are jumping to their deaths, to stop starving. So very SAD!!! You can find this story on theblaze.com Government is so destructive to common sense. Dangerous times we are living in. Hugs, Kara

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    1. Kara...I haven't seen the Blaze article about this as yet, but have heard about the Shanghai situation from other sources. If what we hear is true, there needs to be a special place in Hell for those who woud starve their own people for the sake of power. And if we believe that something like that could never happen here, we are living in the land of unicorns and fairy dust. Our politicians are proving every day that the only thing they care about is power. God help us all.

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  6. Bayou Renaissance Man had an article on this topic--the food shortages and inflation--earlier this morning.

    We are definitely being lied to. Costs are skyrocketing. But so far, people aren't panicking. So it's still a good time for the rest of us to continue stocking up and learning new skills.

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    1. Jennifer...I was busy this morning, but thanks for mentioning it. I will take a look at that article later today.

      I have a hard time watching any of the speeches or press conferences coming out of DC. I have never liked liars. So no matter what they say, I continue to stack it high and learn what I can. Grandma made it through the Depression because she knew how to preserve food and how to do stuff.

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  7. I got ahead of the meat prices a while back, loading up the freezers. Then guess what; Edison raised the electric rates... on the order of 60%! Another case of the state "going green" translating into the citizen's "green going." Canning is definitely the way to go. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to dive into it. Right now the food is mine, but its cost goes up by the day! Any way you can cut a cord is one less hook the government has into you.

    Think about the other stuff too, folks. Things like soap, laundry detergent, toothpaste, and the like. There are a lot of things that we only tend to think about when we get low on it. If you need one, buy two; that kind of thing. At the beginning of "the pandemic" I bought eight or nine "refill" bottles of antibacterial soap. I got home only to find my wife had done the same. We ended up with something like fifteen bottles of the stuff. My wife was filling the soap dispensers last night and I got to thinking how much the price of that stuff has gone up since we "overbought!" Now is NOT the time to be backing off!...

    God bless to all...

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    1. Pete...As you probably know by now, I get my groceries delivered due to health issues that prevent me from doing my own shopping. Comparing my grocery bills now to those of a year ago and considering the orders are basically the same, I am now spending at least $200 more per month now. But my freezers are full. And I have lots of meat, veggies, soups, etc. already canned and on the shelves. Even though prices have gone up considerably, I figure that whatever I buy today will cost more tomorrow. You are spot on. Now is NOT the time to back off.

      Because basic utilities are included in my rent, I am not sure just how much the electric or gas bills have increased here. But I am bracing for the inevitable rent increase. I have the best landlord on the planet, but even he wil have to cover his costs. And so it goes.

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  8. Vicki~ We harvested the first of the season crop of potatoes. Over 10 pounds. Turned around and planted 4 more beds of them. Made a casserole with the red and purples, plus ham and veggies. The yellow and russets were baked and will be frozen. Sweet potato slips will be here tomorrow. We are growing as much as we can for later. Once the tomatoes ripen, I'll be using my Sun Oven to dry them. The Delivery Guy said things are getting more strange out there. For those of you with Kids and Pets make sure they have their shots up to date. And food they can eat. Red

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    1. Red...Good for you on planting as much as possible!! I think we are going to need every bit of what we can put away now. I hadn't thought about using a sun oven to dry food. Excellent idea! Things seem to be getting more weird by the day. I think we are on our own.

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  9. Hi Vicki...It's lovely to see you back!! So glad all is well with you. And, yes, I'm still stocking my pantry because when I first read your blog a few years ago, I knew you were right....PREPARE! Thanks so much for that valuable advice. I'll be fine if we have really tough times ahead now.

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    1. It is good to be back, lynney62...Sometimes we just need to shut down for a while and regroup. It is good to know that you are ready for whatever is ahead. I really wish more folks felt the same. Take good care.

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  10. Even people who snark on those who are in preparation mode for political reasons need to remember natural events can cause the need for having food on hand. Those who have been through the aftermath of storms that knock power out for even a few days, let alone weeks or months, over a wide area can attest to that. Many in Iowa were woefully unprepared for the after effects of the derecho that hit in August 2020.

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