On Monday I got tested on whether I am walking my talk. I was heading to town (an hour from my house), and just as I was making a turn towards my first stop, my car started making a horrible noise. Fortunately, I was only three blocks away from a mechanic shop. So I limped my car into their parking lot. I was warned that they were booked 2-3 weeks out, but then I explained my situation and they drove it around the lot, and they put me on the schedule for next week. So it looked like I wouldn't have transportation to town (grocery, pharmacy, bank) for at least 10 days. I had to do a quick scan of the basics for the family and 83 farm animals. Do we have enough on hand? I knew the humans would be ok. Even though we were out of kid snacks, we had actual food. There would be a little protesting, but he would live. Do we need pharmacy stuff? Do I have enough rabbit food? Do I have enough cash for fuel and hay? Sooo, if YOU were stuck without warning, and couldn't get to resources for 10 days, would you survive, without having to survive on stale graham crackers? Weather events, mechanical issues, illness, supply chain disruptions or busy sports seasons all can interfere with access. In the next week I will be posting in the classroom, a 7 day workshop I ran this Fall on how to prepare your home for extended disruptions. It isn't from a place of scarcity or fear, but to help build and maintain a buffer for your family, to insulate against the unforseen events that we can all experience, so you can keep rolling forward. What is one thing in your house that you know right now isn't ready for a 10+ day disruption?

In January, in cozy clothes we are seduced by fancy colors and great marketing in seed catalogs, dreaming of warmer days. But it is super easy to skip straight to the 20 pages of tomatoes and forget a really important step that will make your life much easier in August. What do you actually eat, and how much? In August, what are you going to do with 45 pounds of tomatoes? Will you genuinely have time to learn to process it every week? Does your kitchen have space for 45 lbs of tomatoes? Many crops mature at the same time, such as zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, corn and peppers. So there will need to be room and time for them too. An alternative is to focus on things that you eat regularly, that store with minimal processing and spread out the harvest season. Onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, lettuce (with staggered planting), cabbage, chard, peas, snow peas, kale, spinach, winter squash, berries, broccoli, sweet potatoes and herbs. All take minimal work for storage, and mainly harvest either before or after August. Trying to learn how to garden AND preservation skills like canning at the same time is a recipe for overload and rotten fruit disaster. This is a huge reason why I regularly say that the concept of "bugging out" is a myth. The learning curve is too steep to be realistic. For your first few years, take a look in your fridge, take inventory, and only look at those sections in the catalog on your first pass through. Then add a few plants of the things that you enjoy fresh during summer. Think, melons, corn on the cob, caprese salad, or pesto (basil). A staple summer treat for our house is sliced spicy radishes (Zlata or Spanish radish). I also love tabbouleh (slicer tomato, cucumber, parsley, and mint). 1 flavorful early slicer tomato like Brandywine, one mid season tomato (I like Mr Stripy), and 2 cherry tomatoes are great for a family of 3 or 4 for fresh eating. Beyond that, start with a reasonable mix of some foods you eat often. Don't worry about fancy colors or rare heirlooms. Focus on flavor and compatibility with your growing area and you will be headed for success.

The part everyone wants to ignore, but taking the time will make gardening so much easier and more successful!

1. The easiest place to start is sprouts. You can sprout many food plant seeds (even chia) in a clean jar on your counter (no light required). The trick with sprouts is to just rinse the seeds daily and drain. If they get too wet, they can get moldy. Then eat them once they get the first two leaves. Depending on the seed you are sprouting, they can be VERY nutritious. 2. Baby greens can be grown in any flat container. They don't need much soil, and only need light once the leaves develop. If you use a deeper tray (like the plastic container that baby greens come in), you can cover it with clear plastic to protect it from bugs or cats. 3. Herbs are a great start for bigger plants. It is easier to start with small plant starts from the garden center. With basil or mint you can take a cutting from a friends plant and keep it in water in a windowsill until roots form, and then plant it. 4. There are a lot of inexpensive grow lights available. The hanging strip grow light from harbor freight has worked really well for me. Make sure you adjust the height for the type of plant you want to grow.

A frozen storm of unaliving is heading to the Midwest this weekend. They are expecting some areas to lose power for days. If you are stocking up, focus on foods that are easy to warm, or can be eaten cold, in case the power goes out. Canned beans ( not dried beans). Tuna or other canned fish. Crackers. Cheese. Peanut butter. Dates. Big bottles of water. Olives. Salsa. Pita bread. Canned fruit. Dried fruit (if you enjoy it). All the kid snacks. Pick up any medications that need to be refilled in the next week or so. Stay hydrated. Avoid alcohol. Close off all the rooms you don't need. Don't use scented candles (they can affect lung health). Wool and silk layers will not pick up body odors as much as man made fibers. Try to open the fridge as little as possible. Download the rules for a few card games (I'm a big gin rummy fan). Build a blanket fort (even grown ups). Maybe precook a batch or two of oatmeal cookies or homemade granola bars. Wishing you warm weather quickly. What are your go to foods for emergency events?