“It has occurred to me that I am only doing what every housewife did as a matter of course only a generation or two ago.
She always preserved food for the coming year as it came into season and bulk-purchased staples such as sugar and vinegar.
Our grandmothers did this not because they were paranoid, isolated survivalists,
but rather because they had learned from experience that blizzards, crop failures, and epidemics happened. The prudent, prepared household prevailed.
Others did not.
As the winter storms howl outside my window and the political, economic, and ecological news goes from bad to worse, I sleep well, knowing I can care for my family during times of plenty and times of want.”
by Kathy Harrison
The weather was cooler this week, topped with many rainy days — thus giving us Gauthier girls a chance to dust off the pressure canning and begin our stock up for the Provision Room.
If you have been reading this blog for a while, you will know that every summer and fall, the girls and I work together to fill our pantry and Provision Room. We grow a large garden all summer long and preserve as much as possible. We still make mistakes and are learning but we’re definitely becoming accustomed to what is needed to feed our family throughout the year.
{Our 2023 garden}
{We planted twice as much corn as last year}
{adding fruit bushes to the property}
We raise our own meat birds (chicken) for the freezer and we have a cow we grow out for beef. We have a dairy cow, which is amazing and one of the biggest blessings to our little homestead. We have fresh milk every day, butter and more. We have our garden full of vegetables and we work hard to fill our Provision Room, limited the need for the grocery store throughout the year. Yes, we do still buy from the grocery stores, but with our gardens and home grown meats, we are certainly requiring the store less than a regular family.
This week, we pressure canned beef chilli, chicken chilli and spiced chicken, along with making dilly beans, Dill pickles, bread and butter pickles and blueberry jam.
If we have learned anything over the past few years with the state of the world, we cannot depend on anyone else – the stores, the farmers, the government – to feed our family. Being prepared is a necessity for us. The words “food shortages” are not something I thought I would ever hear in my parenting journey but they certainly were something we did see over the past two years. If you do not have the feeling to get your house in order right now, then you are asleep!
Every day, there is a new topic under world events that could make you shiver.
However, we are not to live in fear – but to live in faith and to be wise. And to teach our children so they will one day have the same skills …
“Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.
9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?
10 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
11 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.”
~ Proverbs
[My children and I have this passage of Scripture memorized and we recite it to each other, if ever feel lazy and not willing to work hard during the daytime. 🙂 ]
It’s very easy to say, “Oh, well, it’s all too much work, I can just buy it at the store, buy it from the market, etc. ” However, we’re missing out on a few facts … 1) it’s healthier grown at home 2) you are learning a skill and teaching it to your children and 3) it is providing food security that you cannot receive elsewhere.
I do remember my grandma, who is currently 85, telling me “Anyone can grow potatoes! Just stick it in the ground and it will grow!” and she was truly right. There’s no excuse to not at least try to grown some food. And if you do not have the energy to grow too much, you will need to find an organic farmer that you can rely on to provide your food for your own provision room.
And then get preserving, stocking up, filling your freezing and learn how to can! We are so blessed to have an organic farmer down the road from us, who has indeed helped us with many things – eggs when our chickens would not lay and meat when we ran out – but we still work on raising and providing our own food, as much as possible.
Stock up. Now is the time. As I have heard it said:
Pray up and prep up.
“Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.”
~ Proverbs 31:25
“
by Gigi
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