Gut instinct.....That little voice in the back of your head.....God leading us. Whatever name we put to it, most of us have experienced the feeling that we need to do something in particular - or to not do it. I have learned over the years to listen. When I don't, chances are pretty good I will find myself knee deep in yucky doo.
So this week, plans have changed. I had thought I didn't need to do any food preservation just now. I scrubbed out my pressure canner and put it away. And I washed all the dehydrater trays and the plastic liners. They are neatly stacked out of the way.
So when I went to figure out my next grocery order, that little voice in the back of my head was yelling at me. Chickens and turkeys are being killed off and destroyed by the hundreds of thousands. Probably reached millions by now. Better order some while you can. So I did.
If they are in stock, I ordered two whole chickens and a turkey. Along with that I ordered cabbage, carrots, onions, celery and frozen peas. I have a couple of cases of quart jars left. Groceries are delivered Thursday. Over the weekend I hope to can quarts of chicken/turkey soup. This soup has many uses. It can be heated up as soup. Rice or pasta can be added to stretch it to feed more people. It can be made into stew to serve over biscuits. It can be thickened for use in pot pies. There are possibilities limited only by imagination.
I seem to be more aware of using every bit of food lately. The "waste not - want not" of my parent's teachings comes back to memory. So any leftover meat will be canned in smaller jars. Any leftover vegetables will be dehydrated.
I am not telling you that you have to rush out and buy poultry. That's not the point. The point is to listen to whatever small voice speaks to you. Bad things are coming, even though many are convinced bad things can never happen - especially not in their back yards. Whatever you need to do to be as ready as possible, do it. And pray. That's the most important thing. Pray.
Vicki~ Whether you call that small voice your intuition, Guardian Angel or that Memory from your childhood when it stands front and center poking your stomach, A Person better listen.
ReplyDeleteWe roasted two brined turkeys today, stripped the meat for meals and tomorrow morning the bones are becoming broth. The Cats waited patiently for some tidbits, then promptly fell asleep. Tomorrow 5 lbs of beef is getting ground into burger for freezing. I spoke with a friend about adding to their poultry flock. Her son already figured out a few things and there are more chickens and some turkeys being added. Red
Red...When I am foolish enough to ignore that voice in the back of my head, I usually wind up in a world of hurt. This time it was sort of like, "What do you think you are doing! Chickens and turkeys may be scarce soon Get busy!" Hence the chicken/turkey soup.
DeleteThe price of eggs here has gone down just a bit, so in two weeks I will likely order more for dehydrating.
In the meantime I need to go through what I have so I know for sure what I need to get to fill in. Sometimes I need a quiet, recovery day, but I can not stop. Things get more crazy by the day. Take good care.
I have also learned to listen, Vicki. Over the years, it's been nice to have a break in the urge to prepare. However, there's been no such break lately, other than the family vacation we took in June.
ReplyDeleteAnd like you, I have become so much more aware of and concerned about not wasting anything. Some chicken breast meat got canned. The bones cooked in the crockpot overnight to make stock, which then also got canned. The bones were stuffed into canning jars (with a used lid) and covered in water and then canned for emergency cat food.
Yes, we all need to listen to that still small voice and follow the promptings. And we need to remember that others are trying to do the same, but that they might not be led to do the same things we are led to do. That's a tough one at times.
Oh, heck. For some reason half the time the new blogger update doesn't automatically fill in my name. Sorry.
DeleteJennifer...Don't concern yourself about the name thing. Blogger seems to have slowed everything up. I have to admit to making up a couple of brand new swear words while dealing with it all. :)
DeleteI had thought to take a break from processing food right up to the time when that voice said nope. So here I am again - ordering groceries to be used in canning and maybe dehydrating as well. I don't know how much of what I hear about shortages is real and how much on YouTube is just fear porn for clicks. Thing is, what if much of it is true. If I ignore it all, my family might suffer and I can not have that. So here we go again - filling more jars.
Pray and prepare. That's what I know how to do.
Wouldn't it be nice if it was just fear porn for clicks? Unfortunately, I don't think that's the case. I listen to SouthernPrepper1 on YouTube for his Boots on the Ground reports--people from all over the country reporting what they are seeing with food shortages, economic problems, etc.--and it's not fear porn. It's real and it's coming soon to all of us. The sad thing is, the deepest, darkest days of the Great Depression are going to look like a Sunday School picnic compared to what we are facing. Keep on prepping and praying.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I also listen to SoutherPrepper1 and his daily boots on the ground reports. Very good information.
DeleteHarvesting of soybeans and corn has begun in our area and all reports are that yields are significantly lower than last year. This crop was a very expensive crop to plant with fertilizer costs sky high. This is a concern as some farmers may go backwards financially and be forced out of farming.
Jennifer...Just this morning Pinball Preparedness had a video out about what is coming our way at breakneck speed. He, along with SouthernPrepper1, are among the few that I trust. You are spot on about what is coming making the Great Depression look like a Sunday School picnic. At least we are doing something to prepare. Those folks who think we are crazy are in for some really bad times.
DeleteOh Vicki, no rest for us preppers. Nope! Listen we must as the craziness just keeps on day after day. Today I have zucchini to shred and freeze. Then there are apples which need to be turned into applesauce to be canned.
ReplyDeleteStay strong everyone, and as Vicki says keep praying.
CW...As much as I would love to sit back, put my feet up, read a good mystery novel and pop a bon bon into my mouth occasionally, that will not feed my family when things get bad. We need to keep at it. Why can't so many see what is happening? Keep on preparing and praying.
DeleteVicki, seems truth is the rarest element on Earth these days. God is showing us the fallen nature of humanity in order that we will trust Him and Him alone.
ReplyDelete2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
God knows His own, and His own know Him. Listen to the voice, folks. God's voice is in the whisper!
Sadly, Pete, there are so many - especially those in power - to whom truth is completely foreign. It is right there - in black and white - what needs to be done to heal our land. But it is being ignored. The still, small voice - the one without the noise, without the drama - is the one to be heeded. God's voice never, ever steers us wrong.
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