As I'm pacing around a cold home today, thinking about food (as usual, LOL) lots of different things are popping into my head all at once. In front of me on the butcher block is the new Seed Savers catalog. You know what happens next, I start thinking about where I can fit this new plant in or maybe a couple new plants. Laying under it is the new Murray McMurray chickens and fowl catalog. I so love that one, about as much as I do the seed catalogs. All those beautiful birds I could be raising. I've really got to fix a spot for some turkeys and quail.
My thoughts keep wandering back to the garden. Thinking on it has been consuming my day. The urge to get seeds started has been mostly caused by some of the news articles I have been reading. The food and unemployment riots in Tunisia and now the US State Dept has issued a warning for US citizens to not travel there. Well duh! Hey guys, let's all go vacation in a country that is in the middle of a catastrophic social and economic collapse! The official unemployment report is a joke and the story about $8 a bushel corn and $15 a bushel soybeans isn't very comforting either. You know, just about everything you buy from a grocery store, all commercial foods, are made with some form of corn in them. Not to mention the animal feeds that contain both corn and soybeans. The price of meat is going to go up from the cost of feed going up. it's a vicious circle folks, no end in sight.
So, now here I am, sitting by the fireplace with my fuzzy socks on, feeding the goat and dreaming of what I'm going to put in the garden this spring. I wonder if I will be able to grow enough? How is this new "global warming" trend going to affect the coming growing season? Will the shift in our magnetic poles cause some growing zone changes? Will the increasing fuel costs keep me from being able to afford to provide the feed and hay I need for my critters?
Meanwhile, the oh so wise Democratic governor of the great state of Illinois (loaded with sarcasm) is about to sign a new income tax increase on us. Gee thanks Quinn, really appreciate it. You are OFF the Christmas card list. A big thanks to Cook County as well, for voting that idiot into office along with the rest of the Cronies.
I'm going to go back to garden dreaming now, maybe I can figure out how to triple the size of it this coming season..........
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While I don't have fuzzy socks, I am dream a similar dream. Considering last Fall we talked of downsizing our garden because my folks won't help nor will they use our fresh produce, so why kill ourselves growing food for them when they'd rather go buy stuff from someone else( literally they buy from another farm, nice huh?) Anyway upon further discussion we've decided to expand, to include alternative crops for our animals. Not only do we NOT trust the grains and corns in our area( they certainly are GMO, or crossed with GMO*sigh*) the feeld costs are getting ridiculous and we still want our animals for meat, eggs and dairy we just don't want to go bankrupt trying to feed them good feed, so the next best plan is grow it ourselves, right? I know, Iknow I'm a total glutton for punishment, but I'm also trying to hold on as I see a day( coming soon) that we'll be glad we did what was needed to keep our animals.
ReplyDeleteDreaming of a wet and yet warm spring, so we can get a head start on some of these alternative crops*wink*
Blessings and keep dreaming, let the rest shed off your back like water on a duck,
Kelle
We got all our catalogs too and have been busy making little plot maps and lists, then going back and squeezing more in. however, I have a solid 4 months before anything can go in the ground. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteYou brought up some fine points in this post. I too am wondering about feed prices and the polar magnetic changes. The weather in 2010 ruined our container gardens and I am not sure what to do this year. Raised beds maybe. I think Kellie is right to do what we have to to keep our critters. Ah thought pops up about co-op with others to all grow together feed for our animals. Hmm some thinkin to do.
ReplyDeleteHey Kat!
ReplyDeleteI unfortuneatly still love in Cook County, and it's an evil place (LOL)--it's impossible to elect anyone with a brain.
The Govenor never talks about reducing speniding, only on how we have to raise taxes. At least the $1 a pack cigarette tax didn's pass (smile).
Illinois has the honor of being the most screwed up state financially--even California is not as bad as us. SIGH
At lease we can all dream of seeds...
Cheers!
Mike
My seeds have already come since I did it online. I've held off ordering my layers but when the McMurray catalog came, it turned my head! I really want to get turkeys, too, but I doubt that will happen this year since 2011 is the year of the goats. I'm lovin your little baby!!
ReplyDeleteThose of us who aren't in IL sure do feel your anger -- we're angry just watching it happen!
Hey LynnS! Year of the goat, cool! I'm going to build a pen like what I read about in the "have more plan" I blogged about a while back. I'm going to give it a try, God willing of course!
ReplyDeleteHey Mike! I feel your pain up there in Chi-town, folks live in DuPage. Quinn can choke on the cigarette tax, I'm growing my own! One of these days I'll quit and then it will be a good barter/trade item! LOL
Hey Toodie! Have you looked at the usgs earthquake site? it shows all the quakes around the world every day, it's scary! Co-ops are a great thing!
I'm with ya Kelle! I feel the same way, we just have to keep going and do what we can to make it work!
I have been thinking the same thing. I do have a question for you though. What kind of grains and such do you grow for your animals? I've been wondering about growing some myself.
ReplyDeleteOh, MM, I cleaned out the chicken coop this morning and laid the shavings on the garden.....I can't WAIT!! The time for seed starting will be here before we know it!
ReplyDelete