Is anyone listening?

[rancher hicks]

It's always a matter of balance what you'd like to do with what you CAN do. If I could, I'd grow all my own feed for them...but we're restricted by space. If I could, I'd have a whole lot more chickens and have various breeds and mutts, and let them breed and hatch their own...but we are only allowed 6 hens. So, we all have to do what we can given our options and abilities. With what little we have, we're able to provide about 20% of their diet with found, grown or free items. It's not nearly as much as I'd like, but it's what we can do, and IMO every little bit helps.

This was all I had hoped to encourage folks to do. I realize for myself and others we can't afford to do all we would like in the way of our food. However I do feel it's foolish to do nothing. I also hope that as we make better choices, organic prices will come down making it more affordable and more readily available.

 

[mickey328]

Right on, Rancher. Dave and I were talking in a similar vein just a while ago. We thought it sad that so many people have so little "connect" with their food...they've never seen meat except in nice neat packages at the grocery store...don't know how it was raised, fed or slaughtered. They've never had real, homemade jam...don't even know that it can be done that way! Younger folk have grown up with nothing but store bought stuff.

Of course, in today's fast paced world, all this time/labor intensive stuff may well not be practical for a lot of folk. Their time is worth more than the food they can produce. If I were working full time and being paid $20 or more per hour, I don't know how much of my own stuff I'd do either. When I was younger and career oriented, I did very little...made a few batches of jam each fall and that's about it.

It does my heart good though to see some of our younger folk taking a step back...learning that you CAN do well with much less in the way of "things" and that it can be extremely satisfying to live closer to the land with your family. I'm glad that some of the skills of our forebears are being re-learned and used and kept alive for future generations. I'm not one of those "gotta prepare for the end of the world folk" (shoot, if the Caldera blows or there's an all out nuclear war, I'm hoping to go in the first boom) but I do think that where and how we can, we should slow down and be more in touch with the land, our food and each other.

 

[rancher hicks]

Most folks who know me say I'm opinionated and that may be. However the way I see things going is more folks will have less money to run here and there trying to find that next thrill.

I was making more than $20 just a few years ago and now I sit here unemployed on disability. Not being one to just sit I'm here now. Oh I could work but the ADA doesn't work for everyone and age discrimination can't be proved.

Fortunately I have an imagination and use that to get by. I've canned more tomatoes than last year and more jams and fruit too. My garden has more than doubled.

I posted on the canning thread that I don't think we'll ever buy jelly again. Nor eggs as long as I can keep a small flock.

I say do what you can and leave the rest to God. I ain't got time to worry about the end of the world. I'm to busy living in the present and hoping for the future. Anyhow I get the "preppy" catalog and e-mails but I can't afford the stuff.

Such is life,

Take care and wish you the best,

Rancher

 

[7 Biddies]

Right on, Rancher. Dave and I were talking in a similar vein just a while ago. We thought it sad that so many people have so little "connect" with their food...they've never seen meat except in nice neat packages at the grocery store...don't know how it was raised, fed or slaughtered. They've never had real, homemade jam...don't even know that it can be done that way! Younger folk have grown up with nothing but store bought stuff.

Of course, in today's fast paced world, all this time/labor intensive stuff may well not be practical for a lot of folk. Their time is worth more than the food they can produce. If I were working full time and being paid $20 or more per hour, I don't know how much of my own stuff I'd do either. When I was younger and career oriented, I did very little...made a few batches of jam each fall and that's about it.

It does my heart good though to see some of our younger folk taking a step back...learning that you CAN do well with much less in the way of "things" and that it can be extremely satisfying to live closer to the land with your family. I'm glad that some of the skills of our forebears are being re-learned and used and kept alive for future generations. I'm not one of those "gotta prepare for the end of the world folk" (shoot, if the Caldera blows or there's an all out nuclear war, I'm hoping to go in the first boom) but I do think that where and how we can, we should slow down and be more in touch with the land, our food and each other.

Amen.

You can have the "fast paced" city life and the big paychecks, too. I don't want the stress and the lifestyle that go with them. I gave all that up to live a quiet and plentiful life in the country, and work in the slower pace of a small school system. Works for me. I've never been happier since I've discovered that living well doesn't mean "having more". My city friends now look at me with envy, but haven't figured out how to leave it all behind.

Simplicity and learning to want what you have is the key.

 

[mickey328]

Totally agreed, Rancher. We can only do what we can do. Some folks have no ability or even desire, so...well, to each his own. personally, I love making my own...anything I can; been that way pretty near as long as I can remember. My interest is a "career" is long over and while Dave and I work part time to pay the bills, we now have more time to devote to the stuff we really like to do.

Until we're so decrepit we have to be put in a home, we'll never buy another egg. I haven't bought a jar of jam for years and years...well except for black raspberry which is my all time favorite and I could never find any black raspberries. I finally did find some this year and will be making my own at last. Our garden will be hugely expanded for next season. Well not the specific garden area, but I'm going to pepper both yards with vegetables and herbs...I don't see why my tomatoes can't grow right in there with my flowers and my grain in there with the clover.

At this point in our lives we're MUCH less interested in material things and much more interesting in stuff that really matters (at least to us)...like good wholesome food that we had a hand in producing, and spending time together enjoying the process.

And Biddles...right on! That's what I'm talkin about. Dave and I could get more ours if we wanted but...for what? To get more useless channels on the TV? I don't think so. To get a "better vehicle"? Why...what we have perfectly suits our needs. To buy jam? The only thing I'd want more money for now would be to get a small acreage somewhere...so we could do more of the stuff we really want to do.

 

[7 Biddies]

Totally agreed, Rancher. We can only do what we can do. Some folks have no ability or even desire, so...well, to each his own. personally, I love making my own...anything I can; been that way pretty near as long as I can remember. My interest is a "career" is long over and while Dave and I work part time to pay the bills, we now have more time to devote to the stuff we really like to do.

Until we're so decrepit we have to be put in a home, we'll never buy another egg. I haven't bought a jar of jam for years and years...well except for black raspberry which is my all time favorite and I could never find any black raspberries. I finally did find some this year and will be making my own at last. Our garden will be hugely expanded for next season. Well not the specific garden area, but I'm going to pepper both yards with vegetables and herbs...I don't see why my tomatoes can't grow right in there with my flowers and my grain in there with the clover.

At this point in our lives we're MUCH less interested in material things and much more interesting in stuff that really matters (at least to us)...like good wholesome food that we had a hand in producing, and spending time together enjoying the process.

 

[7 Biddies]

I am currently reading, In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan. By food he means *real* food, not what he calls "edible foodlike substances". It's a real eye opener into how this country got so far off track with our eating; through the ideology of nutritionism - focusing on "nutrients and healthy eating" instead of food. He explains why the more we've worried about calories, fats, carbs, and, now, antioxidents, the more obese and diseased we've become.

Absolutely fascinating. If you aren't already focusing on "real" food instead of nutrients, you will be after reading this book.

 

[Gomes Bantams]

Thank You for posting ma'am.

 

[mickey328]

Thanks for the recommend, Biddies...think I'll check that out!

 

[7 Biddies]

I am currently reading, In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan. By food he means *real* food, not what he calls "edible foodlike substances". It's a real eye opener into how this country got so far off track with our eating; through the ideology of nutritionism - focusing on "nutrients and healthy eating" instead of food. He explains why the more we've worried about calories, fats, carbs, and, now, antioxidents, the more obese and diseased we've become.

Absolutely fascinating. If you aren't already focusing on "real" food instead of nutrients, you will be after reading this book.

I've always preferred fresh food to processed, but have fallen into the convenience trap just like the rest of us. However, since I've been on my mission to eat "real food" only, I've noticed that my clothes are getting big on me. This morning I decided to try a pair of pants that I haven't been able to fasten for the past couple of years. Not only did I fasten them, but I had an inch to spare (before eating lunch)

A friend just returned from a year in France 15 pounds lighter. She said it was the fresh "real food" diet and walking instead of driving everywhere.

There's obviously something to Michael Pollan's ideas about the *UNhealthy* Healthy American Diet.