Keeping

There seem to be but three ways for a nation to acquire wealth. The first is by war, as the Romans did, in plundering their neighbors. This is robbery. The second by commerce, which is generally cheating. The third is by agriculture, the only honest way, wherein man receives a real increase of the seed thrown into the ground, in a kind of continual miracle, wrought by the hand of God in his favor, as reward for his innocent life and his virtuous industry." Benjamin Franklin

[ Drying ] [ Canning ] [ Freezing ]

Eating habits are really changing these days. Funny how the more things change, the more they stay the same. When my parents were growing up, people ate locally grown vegetables and fruit in season. During the winter, they either ate "winter vegetables" such as turnips, carrots, cabbage and squash or else what they had canned and frozen from their gardens.
 
 I'll admit to eating differently as a young adult. I ate whatever fresh fruit and vegetables that I could afford, without a whole lot of concern as to where the food came from. Or just how many chemicals might be needed to keep it so fresh and blemish free all the way to my table.
 
 History tells us that bringing anything in from "away" has seldom been a success. Whole villages were wiped out by diseases brought in that the carriers were immune to. In these days of the global village, its impossible to pull up the drawbridge, nor should we hide from the world.
 What we should be doing, whenever we can, is to eat locally grown food in season. If we can't grow it ourselves, the next best thing is to buy local, preferably from organic farmers. Not only is it a healthier way to eat, but it also supports the local economy.
 These days I eat out of my garden all year long. By Drying, Freezing and Canning, I am able to stretch the harvest out for the year. Home gardens don't take a lot of space. I live on an acre and a bit, with much of that being woods, ponds and lawn.
 During the Second World War, people planted Victory gardens in their yards. Wouldn't it be such a lovely thing if people were to plant Little Earth Gardens now? Good for themselves and good for the Earth. What could be better?

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