I don't normally talk about politics on my blogs, but I feel I must before I continue posting recipes here.
I live kinda in the middle of the country ... in Colorado, near the Rocky Mountains. Our weather has been super-weird for a few years now, not getting very cold in the winter, going from Summer to a couple months of Autumn then almost directly to Spring for a few weeks then on to Summer. It was 107 degrees F. 2 days ago! We've had more than our share of rain in the last few months, but now it's dry as a bone. First it was too wet to plant anything and now that we do, it's too hot for things to grow.
A lot of the eastern to middle of the country, all the way down to Texas, is flooded. Too much rain means crops aren't being planted, and if they are, then they are rotting in the fields. Of course, the rain is also messing with roads, housing, being able to get to jobs, and more.
Shall we talk about California? I understand that in a good year, California produces MOST of our fruits and veggies, and nuts like almonds. But this is the fourth year in a row that Cali is in the throes of a horrible drought. Farmers, with their parched landscapes, are giving up. People aren't allowed to water lawns and landscaping, or even fill pools! See this picture ... all of those dead almond trees mean so many products that use almonds from ice cream to trail mixes, will drastically jump up in price, or just disappear. Plus, so many dead trees create a huge fire hazard.
And what about the bird flu? It's killing thousands and thousands of domesticated chickens and turkeys, among others. That means there are far less chickens for eggs and meat, and turkeys for meat (think: Thanksgiving). Eggs are being rationed AND their prices are going up. People are turning to little farmers like me for chicken eggs, and will soon be asking for meat birds too. (And some of us are having chickens stolen! What?!)
Between the flooding, the drought and the bird flu, food prices of all kinds are jumping up. Not just for us humans but food for animals too. Because corn isn't growing in the flooded areas like Kansas, feed for cattle (milk AND meat) just isn't available. Know what that means? Farmers and ranchers are slaughtering most of their herds NOW so the animals won't starve later. Yes, meat will be plentiful and priced reasonably for another week or two ... maybe even a month or two ... but soon, there won't be much on the shelves.
That goes for vegetables, fruits and nuts too.
Take some time NOW to stock up on canned foods, or can or dehydrate your own. Can or dehydrate what's in your freezer. I want you to stop going out to eat and spending money on frivolous things, and get supplies for 1 year. Yes, I said ONE YEAR. That estimate is conservative because it will probably take 2-3 years ONCE THE WEATHER RETURNS TO NORMAL, to get our flocks, herds, orchards and farms back up and running.
(p.s. don't tell anyone you're stocking up so that people won't be beating down your door, or steal what you have)
Take at the sample list below, then take quiet action. Please.
===============
MOST IMPORTANT: WATER!!!! Lots and lots of bottled water. But remember, after a while, the gallon bottles WILL leak. We store our bottled water in a bathtub.
DAIRY (dehydrated/freeze-dried/NOT refrigerated):
-sour cream
-cheese
-butter
-milk (cow, rice, soy, goat, etc)
etc.
FRUITS (canned or dehydrated):
-pears
-apple sauce
-peaches
-berries (
www.justtomatoes.com)
etc.
GRAINS:
-wheat berries (to grind)
-muffin mixes, crackers
-oats (quick cook)
-rice (instant brown and white)
-millet
-pasta (easy to store tiny pasta in jars, or spaghetti noodles)
-instant mashed potatoes/canned potatoes
etc.
PROTEIN:
-eggs (powdered)
-bacon pcs (look at Hormel)
-nuts and seeds
-beans
-canned spam, ham, beef, etc
etc.
VEGETABLES:
this list is so long - stock up on dehydrated or canned veggies that YOU and your family like.
MISC:
-broth or bouillon cubes
-seasonings, spices, herbs
-gelatin, pudding, desserts, candy, cake mixes
-vitamins and supplements
-coffee, tea, hot cocoa, instant apple cider
-soda pop (you'll see why on my blog in a couple of weeks)
-canned soups, stews, sides, etc.
-powdered unsweetened drink mixes, instant tea, instant lemonade
NON-FOOD that could be effected:
-toilet paper, paper towels, tissues,
-medicine (OTC and other)
-cleaning products
-a way to go to the bathroom, in case your water and/or electricity stops working
-hygiene products
-cooking methods, like an alternate stove, fuel, matches
This is just a small list. Take a look at your grocery receipts for the past 2 months. What did you buy? Do you have enough of those items for one year? If not, GET THEM!!
============
I sincerely hope the weather and bird flu will straighten themselves out, and this will all be unnecessary.... But wouldn't you rather have it and not need it, than not have it and desperately need it?
Take your favorite cake mix and instead of adding the oil, eggs, butter, or other add-ins, just add ONE CAN of any flavor soda pop. Completely combine (it looks weird at first), then pour into a 9 x 13 greased pan, and bake for the time on the cake-mix box.
