As you plan, store, and use your food daily, one thing becomes clear: It needs replenished, and we’re much more dependent on systems and stores than we might have realized. Right now, many more of us are feeling vulnerable.
Fortunately, restocking is simpler than starting from scratch. But that ‘dependency’ issue? Hardly anybody can be completely self-reliant in this right now. And we’re made to learn from and help each other. More self-sufficiency, however, is better than less. And almost everyone can grow some sort of food, even if it’s herbs in a pot on the windowsill, or tomatoes in a planter on the porch. You can even grow some vegetables without needing to buy seeds.
Ezra Taft Benson- an apostle at the time, who had also served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture-- gave us excellent advice 40 years ago. He said,
“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.
“The counsel from Church authorities has been consistent over the years and is well summarized in these words:
‘First, and above and beyond everything else, let us live righteously. …
‘Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague; where we are now in debt, let us get out of debt; if not today, then tomorrow.
‘Let us straitly and strictly live within our incomes, and save a little.
‘Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead. You of small means put your money in foodstuffs and wearing apparel, not in stocks and bonds; you of large means will think you know how to care for yourselves, but I may venture to suggest that you do not speculate. Let every head of every household aim to own his own home, free from mortgage. Let every man who has a garden spot, garden it; every man who owns a farm, farm it.’ (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., in Conference Report, Apr. 1937, p. 26.)
“You do not need to go into debt, may I add, to obtain a year’s supply. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage each pay-check. Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job. If you are saving and planning for a second car or a TV set or some item which merely adds to your comfort or pleasure, you may need to change your priorities. We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now.
“I speak with a feeling of great urgency. I have seen what the days of tribulation can do to people. I have seen hunger stalk the streets of Europe. I have witnessed the appalling, emaciated shadows of human figures. I have seen women and children scavenge army garbage dumps for scraps of food. Those scenes and nameless faces cannot be erased from my memory.”
__________________________
Meanwhile, gardening season is here-- a beautiful time of year! It’s best to wait until about Mothers Day to plant frost-sensitive vegetables, but everything else can be planted now here along the Wasatch Front.
Here are blog posts you might like:
Starting on Your Spring Garden
Start Thinking 'Garden'
Gardening 101
The Early Garden
What Brigham Young said about wheat vs. gold
How to Prune and Fertilize Trees and Shrubs
Or just click on the 'Gardening' category at the bottom of this page if you're on a mobile device; to the right if you're on a regular computer.
___________________________
Below is information from two of my local resources—the USU Extension office and a local nursery, but it’s helpful stuff for anyone, anywhere.
Your state Extension office has tons of resources. Here in Utah, it’s the Utah State University Extension office. Replace “Utah” with any other state name, run a search online, and you’ll find lots of gardening and yard that is specific to your area.
Here are three new gardening videos to help you get started in your garden; they’re from the Utah extension, but these are good advice for any location:
· How to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors
· How to Start and Grow Sweet Potatoes
· How to Create Soil Blocks
There’s also a great book, Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs guidebook and other gardening resources through their online book store. One resource I’ve used quite a bit is their free online book, “Common Weeds of the Yard and Garden.” Use it, and you’ll know better what to weed out, and what to keep. And it's super useful to know what your soil actually needs to be healthy, before shelling out serious money on fertilizers or supplements. You can get your soil analyzed, here. (I have this done at every house we've lived in, as we're getting started growing things there.)
The USU Extension has a gardening group on Facebook, called Utah's Gardening Experts. Post photos, share your knowledge, or ask questions and get help from your fellow gardeners and Extension experts. Join the group here.
The Extension offers online courses. They’re usually $25, but are currently $15 with code GARDEN2020. The code will automatically apply at checkout if you use the link below. Browse courses.
--------------------
April (Mid-Spring) Gardening Tips from Glover Nursery
They also have an article on Victory Gardens: 4 Steps to a Bountiful Harvest
_______________
What will you grow this year?
Fortunately, restocking is simpler than starting from scratch. But that ‘dependency’ issue? Hardly anybody can be completely self-reliant in this right now. And we’re made to learn from and help each other. More self-sufficiency, however, is better than less. And almost everyone can grow some sort of food, even if it’s herbs in a pot on the windowsill, or tomatoes in a planter on the porch. You can even grow some vegetables without needing to buy seeds.
Ezra Taft Benson- an apostle at the time, who had also served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture-- gave us excellent advice 40 years ago. He said,
“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the last days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.
“The counsel from Church authorities has been consistent over the years and is well summarized in these words:
‘First, and above and beyond everything else, let us live righteously. …
‘Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague; where we are now in debt, let us get out of debt; if not today, then tomorrow.
‘Let us straitly and strictly live within our incomes, and save a little.
‘Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead. You of small means put your money in foodstuffs and wearing apparel, not in stocks and bonds; you of large means will think you know how to care for yourselves, but I may venture to suggest that you do not speculate. Let every head of every household aim to own his own home, free from mortgage. Let every man who has a garden spot, garden it; every man who owns a farm, farm it.’ (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., in Conference Report, Apr. 1937, p. 26.)
“You do not need to go into debt, may I add, to obtain a year’s supply. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage each pay-check. Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job. If you are saving and planning for a second car or a TV set or some item which merely adds to your comfort or pleasure, you may need to change your priorities. We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now.
“I speak with a feeling of great urgency. I have seen what the days of tribulation can do to people. I have seen hunger stalk the streets of Europe. I have witnessed the appalling, emaciated shadows of human figures. I have seen women and children scavenge army garbage dumps for scraps of food. Those scenes and nameless faces cannot be erased from my memory.”
__________________________
Meanwhile, gardening season is here-- a beautiful time of year! It’s best to wait until about Mothers Day to plant frost-sensitive vegetables, but everything else can be planted now here along the Wasatch Front.
Here are blog posts you might like:
Starting on Your Spring Garden
Start Thinking 'Garden'
Gardening 101
The Early Garden
What Brigham Young said about wheat vs. gold
How to Prune and Fertilize Trees and Shrubs
Or just click on the 'Gardening' category at the bottom of this page if you're on a mobile device; to the right if you're on a regular computer.
___________________________
Below is information from two of my local resources—the USU Extension office and a local nursery, but it’s helpful stuff for anyone, anywhere.
Your state Extension office has tons of resources. Here in Utah, it’s the Utah State University Extension office. Replace “Utah” with any other state name, run a search online, and you’ll find lots of gardening and yard that is specific to your area.
Here are three new gardening videos to help you get started in your garden; they’re from the Utah extension, but these are good advice for any location:
· How to Start Vegetable Seeds Indoors
· How to Start and Grow Sweet Potatoes
· How to Create Soil Blocks
There’s also a great book, Vegetables, Fruits and Herbs guidebook and other gardening resources through their online book store. One resource I’ve used quite a bit is their free online book, “Common Weeds of the Yard and Garden.” Use it, and you’ll know better what to weed out, and what to keep. And it's super useful to know what your soil actually needs to be healthy, before shelling out serious money on fertilizers or supplements. You can get your soil analyzed, here. (I have this done at every house we've lived in, as we're getting started growing things there.)
The USU Extension has a gardening group on Facebook, called Utah's Gardening Experts. Post photos, share your knowledge, or ask questions and get help from your fellow gardeners and Extension experts. Join the group here.
The Extension offers online courses. They’re usually $25, but are currently $15 with code GARDEN2020. The code will automatically apply at checkout if you use the link below. Browse courses.
--------------------
April (Mid-Spring) Gardening Tips from Glover Nursery
They also have an article on Victory Gardens: 4 Steps to a Bountiful Harvest
_______________
What will you grow this year?
RSS Feed