Coffee Chat and Always More

 

Thinking is difficult, that is why most choose to judge instead.

Guilty. What can I say, I know my own flaws, and getting judgy at times...is one of them. So, today's blog is definitely going to hit on a lot of topics. Let's dive in, and talk through some of this.

While I am completely onboard with American's having to take back our country, reign in our government, and safe guard our borders...I am questioning the tales being spun to us. For every perceived tragedy in America, our government has stepped in to remove more of our freedom and liberty; in the name of "safety." In the grand scheme, I remember very little about conflicts prior to Operation Dessert Storm. What I do know of prior conflicts, was written in history books by the winners...not an unbiased report. So, take that as you will. My memories of soldiers coming back from Dessert Storm, coming into my history class and talking about that war, began my desire to help veterans...that was my during my high school years. The pride they took in serving their country, the horrific sights they saw, the amazing citizens they met, and being told who they could/could not fire upon; by their higher ups. During high school, History was my favorite subject...and that has never ended! After that, the next major tragedy was 9/11. I had a one year old baby. I was watching the noise box that morning when they announced the attacks. I remember being terrified. Being afraid like I had never been in my life. The common ground here is that with each new conflict came less and less freedom for our citizens. You know, I can remember the national pride on 9/12 and for many months after. There were flags flown everywhere, by nearly everyone. People became one again. The divisions that were felt prior to 9/11 were forgotten for a time. We the people rallied around each other. We helped each other. 13 years have passed, and we are more divided now than ever before. The government is massive, is handing out our tax money like it's candy, the political entities have managed to bring major divides back amongst our people and the result of nearly half our population depending on government support in some fashion has given them even more power. But....why now? Why after 3 years of invasion in Texas has the governor suddenly decided to make a move...and he is not even in OUR country? Why has the current resident suddenly decided that his policies must change because we do have a problem? Why has the media suddenly begun to air actual photos from one small area of the southern invasion, but has completely neglected the northern borders? It makes me really question the antics happening. Most people that I know, are sick of the illegals, sick of the government over reach, and sick of paying massive amounts of taxes that are showing any return on investment. 

I honestly don't have answers. I'm just a no body, in fly over country, that wants to live a meaningful life, be left alone, not paying over 50% of our income to taxes, and be able to decide for myself, what is best for my family. While I am a little different from some: I do not believe any of us have the right to truly judge others for their choices, I also do not believe that any religion or government does either. I am all for living your best life...whatever that may consist of. However, do not push your choices on me. You want to be a purple people eater...fine. Go pretend away from me. I'm not going to tell you yay or nay, I may think you're not very smart...but hey, you do you. You want a job...great! Go earn a living, based on your skills. You do not deserve to be hired just because of some discriminatory stigma. Build your character to be one that is top of line. You don't deserve to be CEO, just because you think you should. You start at the bottom, and work to earn your way up...with class, integrity, character and skill. If you don't like the pay, again...build your skills, character and work your way up. Just like everyone before you. I believe that medical decisions are NOT a public conversation. What you and your doctor decide is your best course of action - is between you and your doctor...PERIOD! Not the government, not the media, not a court, and definitely not some pencil pusher in an insurance company. Everyone wants to save something. Whether that be money, business, animals, or even the land/air. Yet, the only thing I see is more taxes - leading to more expenses, more abuse and disconnect from the land/air, more CEO's and 501 companies paying grand amounts in salaries, more regulations strangling new business, more freedoms being taken, and more governmental control of our lives. 

In my own household, a regular conversation we have is one about farming. We actually just had one this morning. We are in an area that is mostly row crop. For those that don't know, this means your typically thought of farming - corn, soybeans, and wheat. In the 13 years of living on our farm, we have watched so much destruction of the land. So many of our local farmers have to keep wiping out trees and brush, habitat for wildlife and the very oxygen production we need, because they have gotten too big. Before I get grief, I get that we need to feed people, but the large portion of our crops do not stay here. The extra acre or two they may get seems petty to me. So many of the farmers in our area could not farm anymore, without all the technology. They are so far in debt, they need $6 bushel for corn, just to continue to make their payments...yes, this came from an actual local farmer. Some of the local farmers, are destroying areas by throwing their trash(net of hay bales, feed sacks, seed sacks, etc.) into the brush/trees/ditches. This is killing the wildlife. Deer are getting hung up in the net, birds/baby fox, coyote, racoons, etc. are getting caught in the sacks. They are destroying other people's property driving across it, spraying their chemicals when the wind in too strong or not in a good direction, they have neglected to care for the land so the run off from those fields is causing multiple issues for the surrounding properties. I have seen so many beautiful areas decimated because that extra acre or two might give them another bushel or so. I get farming. It is necessary. It is essential to most of us. What I do not get is the complete disconnection and destruction that has occurred to chase the mighty dollar. I have heard a lot of non-farming folks talk about the "rich farmer," and I can promise you...I do not know a single one! They may LOOK rich, because of their large equipment or their numbers on paper but I can tell you - first, a large majority have a large amount of payments on that equipment, and the numbers on paper are just that - if you don't hold it...you don't own it! One bad year of crop growth, one bad year of decreased crop prices, and a whole bunch of these farmers would be in bankruptcy court! When you learn that all these lending institutions base your loans on cash flow....they do not have a choice but to keep lending, in hope that they will get, at least most of their money back. If you can't show a cash flow - typically by borrowing, repaying, and borrowing some more, you probably won't be getting a farm loan. It's pretty messed up, but that is what it is. 

While I keep planting trees, keep getting after my own family to take care of our land...our little corner is just that...our little corner. Too many are in so deep, that don't have any choice other than to keep on their current path. I do get upset seeing my own yard, garden and trees killed off on a regular basis because of other's doings. It's very costly for my family, that doesn't live on debt. We have had boundaries pushed to where our last mapping was showing less property than our deed, we've had portions of our hay ground worked up, and as I said...trees killed, garden plants killed, and those expenses to replace and repair had to come out of our pockets. We have talked about getting a survey just to be able to set our boundaries, but we have tried to avoid that since the farmer is not the owner of the land next to us. The area where all the netting is would take a bulldozer to clean it up now. Fences have been damaged and some destroyed. I do my best to keep a lot to myself because I know nothing I say is going to make much difference to anyone. These things do matter to me though. I believe in having a solid connection to nature, be that the land/animals/resources. I work hard to avoid chemicals and trying to add in plants/trees to preserve the natural processes. Making the smallest foot print possible without all the hype of things claiming to be climate safe - which is a complete lie. 

 

We are less than 24 hours from the start of February, which is a leap year this year. That means my gardening is beginning. While the gardens themselves are still under a lot of snow, my little greenhouse and probably several surface areas of my house, will be housing seed starts. I have spent several years learning how to seed save and grow plants from said seeds. It's not always as easy as just throwing some seeds in dirt. Especially in my area, where we will be in the 50's for the next 10 days but could fall back down to below freezing a lot over the next 3 months. I invested in myself this year and bought some heated seed mats, some more starter pots, and some grow lights. Our days are finally showing more daylight hours, which is amazing. However, I am not dumb enough to believe we won't have more snow/cold/freezing temps. The last frost date for our area is around the 26th of April. As I said, that's still 3 months off. But each day, is one day closer! This year, I am planning for multiple gardens again. Our main garden has been pretty consistent since 2011. Last year, I had my husband work up a small area to plant flowers that would draw bees, and another good size garden protected(hopefully) by our home. I have added a strawberry bed, the orchard(which we finally got a lot of fruit from last year - planted in 2014), grapevines, horseradish roots. This year, I have elderberries to make a bed for, and have a few more areas I hoping to convince my husband to work up for me too...and if finances allow, getting some replacement trees again. Those trees won't be near as affordable now, as they were the last few years. We will do what we can. I hope to get a few raised beds put in also. I love to mow, and have grass to walk on, but grass doesn't feed us, it's not cost effective to fence off the couple of acres around the house, and as much as I would love to cover the entire area with trees...at $20+ per tree...that's not in the budget either! So, I will make do with whatever I can pull off. Having a barrier to protect our food and livestock from chemicals is my priority. 

This is already shaping up to be a very odd year. January has kind of set the pace for me. I do what I can, to the best of my ability...but I can not do it all. I am not going to kill myself to try to appease everyone. I do everything within my power for my family, but beyond that...I have to back up a bit. Trying to be everything for everyone, has only made me physically ill and a whole lot cranky. I have had to learn, set and limit my boundaries. This pisses people off, I know. My priorities, my responsibilities, are to my husband, children, and my farm. That means my energy goes here first. I know that is difficult for many to understand. I get it. Many people do not live the life I do, and do not understand it either. That's ok. I choose to not live under a mountain of debt. I don't need a vacation from my life - I love my life! I have no desire to travel - even to our newest towns, although I do when I have to. I like my home, my farm, and the peace I have here. Traveling brings me stress - stress to my budget, stress to my brain, and adds responsibilities to others to tend to my farm. I have a child I am still teaching at home, livestock that requires daily(sometimes a lot more), and responsibilities that come with managing this farm. In short, I won't shirk my responsibilities unless necessary. I have worked extremely hard for the past 6 years to not only rebuild what we lost, but to continue to make a better life for my husband, children and myself; than we had before. 

Jumping into this year, I am seeing the absolute need to be very conscientious in finances and preparations. I believe this is going to be a tough year for everyone. While we have a laundry list of things that need taken care of, we will be working diligently to do so with fiscal responsibility. I will continue to hone in my skills for gardening, finances, preservation, frugality, and anything else that help to improve my family. I hope to share so many back to basics ideas this year, and help others do the same. Forcing myself to step back some, slow down some, and refocus has truly been difficult, but necessary. Sometimes, it hard to see the forest through the trees. Taking a 40,000 foot view is the most difficult thing I have had to learn. I am looking forward to sharing along my journey, and bringing in some different perspectives along the way. 

Salli

Coffee Break - fixing politics

 

So, taking a coffee break to clear thoughts a little. There is so much happening all the time, anymore, that it gets a bit chaotic. There is constant distractions to get us looking over here, not over there. It's honestly, got me fuming.

This is my opinion, from my own research, if you disagree...I encourage you to do your own research and stop listening to the narrative projected from the noise box. To start, I am disappointed with our government - ALL OF THEM! No party lines for me. I am not only an observer, but a researcher, a tax payer and an American citizen. The kind of voter, that tends to make people uneasy. I vote based off record, observation, discernment, prayer, and overall - for whomever I feel will do the best job. Never have I based my voting on party lines. Every couple of years, we hear empty promises from the majority of candidates either running or trying to get reelected. They are always "going to fix X, Y, and Z," yet, miraculously...X, Y, and Z are only important BEFORE they get elected. Once they are elected, it's amazing how quickly they "forget" their promises. They are quickly bought by the highest bidder(lobbyist), to vote in whatever direction that lobby group wants them to. So, what about the American's? You know, THEIR actual bosses? The voters they only appease during election cycles. Well, we are only useful to these people during the elections. So, how's that working for everyone?

We have a complete dumpster fire in our country. We are being invaded - both from our borders, north AND south, and from within by out-of-control politicians. Our dollar is worth 3 cents currently due to their excessive print and spend policies. Our citizens are NOT being protected, our veterans are sleeping on the streets, and millions of American citizens are not only homeless but going without food, medical care and medicines because of the excessive inflation. We have a President that has threatened to bomb a state in our country, because that state is trying to enforce the law. That same resident has spent billions on other countries securing their borders, yet ours are wide open. Our Congress and Senate spend millions of tax payer dollars on constant investigations, inquiries, and time...and for what? Not a single thing is being done by these people, besides collecting their paychecks - PAID FOR BY OUR TAXES!! Our deficit spending has the United States over $35 TRILLION in debt. For what reason? These people we send to D.C. are supposed to be educated, smart people...yet, they do not understand budgeting or economics? A large portion of them are lawyers, and we all know how lawyers work! We had a businessman in office...yes, I'm aware that he was demonized so a lot of folks didn't like him, but are you aware of all that he accomplished, while fighting BOTH parties? Maybe before someone wants to repeat the talking points of the noise box, you go research the laws, regulations and executive orders that were put in place from 2017-2020. 

Do you remember September 11, 2001? Really? 19 supposed terrorists took out the World Trade Buildings, put a hole in the Pentagon, and crashed in Pennsylvania, supposedly. 19!!! Are you aware that as of this morning, January 29, 2024; there have been 49 known terror suspects apprehended crossing our southern border?! 49, people!!! What happened to National Security, all these safety provisions like the TSA, that took aware American's rights, that are being bypassed to allow all these illegal people to fly across our country with no identification? What happens when an American citizen does something illegal? What happens when you cross into another country, any other country, unlawfully? I don't recommend you try it, but at best you will rot in that country's prison and at worst, you will be killed. So, tell me WHY are American citizens expected to allow this invasion here?

Our government, from both parties, are allowing modern day slavery. Period! These unlawful people entering our country, they are being "pimped out." I mean this in the implied definition as well as our border agents being told to also break the law by allowing it. The human trafficking, drug and weapon smuggling is real. When you have millions of children crossing into the U.S. with absolutely NO idea where they have gone, many of these unlawfuls owe a lot of money to the cartels so they are forced into many undesirable scenarios - prostitution, theft, murder, etc. Americans who are already taxed to death, are on the hook to feed, cloth, house and support these millions of unlawful immigrants; when most American households are struggling to pay their bills. But, let's just keep listening to the MSM about how racist, gender biased...yada, yada, claiming half of Americans are. Is there some, absolutely. You know why? BECAUSE TRASH IS TRASH...NO MATTER YOUR SKIN COLOR, GENDER, OR SEX. Your character will determine your value, period. 

Sadly, what so many people are missing, is this:  Our borders, both South AND North, are open thanks to the current federal government NOT enforcing the laws currently on the books. While our southern border is highlighted in Texas, rarely is anything said about New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Honestly, until the New Hampshire primary...I had not heard ANY coverage discussing our Northern borders - Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, and Washington. Rarely is anything said about these states, and the struggles they, too, are forced to manage. If you think this border mess is just an issue because of Democrats, you are sorely WRONG! Democrats AND Republicans, alike, have neglected to uphold their oaths to our Constitution and the American people, by neglecting to maintain our sovereign nation. Each party, has had plenty of time, resources and laws - CURRENTLY ON THE BOOKS, to FIX our border issues for YEARS!!! 

I believe America is an unbelievably amazing melting pot of cultures. Our differences are what make America an amazing country. However, we are like every other country in the world. We have laws that MUST be followed. Do you know what it takes to come to our country LEGALLY? I can tell you what I have watched my son and daughter-in-law go through. 2 years of waiting, stacks upon stacks of paperwork, more hoop jumping and waiting, a LOT of money, and even more paperwork...and it is still going on. They have been working on this for 3 1/2 years, and STILL are not done. Do you know what happens if they DON'T do each and every step? She is deported, and can not return for 10 years, even to visit!!! So, tell me how this is even remotely close to right. Do you know, in order for someone to marry a U.S. citizen, that have to make more than poverty level income, and it states in the paperwork, the citizen MUST be able to provide for the immigrant. Do you understand how degrading this is to the American citizens watching people pour over our borders when the legal process is so stringent?! 

As a citizen, the only answer I see at the moment is a complete stop of immigrants crossing our borders. Find all those that are currently here and ship them back to Mexico. Clean house in D.C. and only elect people willing to follow our Constitution to the tee, that includes the white house, congress, senate, and the supreme court. Filter that down to our states, and our local officials too. Make lobbying a crime, stop all the insider trading to get our stock market back in line, stop spending and printing. Take our money back to "gold standard," or precious metals. Open up our industry again, reducing regulations, taxing imports higher than industry, start producing back in America. Reduce the incomes of elected officials to resemble only what the average pay is of the area they represent. TERM LIMITS on ALL elected positions. No more run-away, unelected agencies with black budgets and no oversight. No more Military Industrial Complex. No more Federal Reserve. No more bail outs for irresponsible businesses or banks. I don't see the government coming to bail out American's who don't know how to budget. No more back room deals, no more of the buddy system in government, ABSOLUTE transparency to the American Citizens. No more laws for the citizens that our government does not have to abide by. No more special benefits for congress & senate...they pay into social security, medicare, and have the same healthcare as the American citizens. No more 2 tiered legal system. Laws are laws...NO MATTER WHAT. You break the law, you deal with the consequences! No more bureaucracy in our schools, healthcare, or anywhere else. As long as no laws are being broken, what each of us do in our own lives, in our own homes, is NO ONE ELSE'S BUSINESS! Doctors need to go back to their oaths, first do no harm and heal their patients. No more pushing drugs because they are paid extra to do so, no more insurance companies with pencil pushes deciding who gets treated and what is decided by a doctor and patient is not open for discussion by politics. Politicians should have one term to prove they are fit for the job, after that if they do not keep their word...they are gone! I know this is how it is supposed to work already...but that is not how it is working. No more campaigns spending millions of dollars to bash each other. No more special interest groups allowed to do it either, so no super PACS, or other such entities. Realistically, there should be no more party lines. If you want to represent Americans, you better be supporting American policies, that actually work to the betterment of Americans. Voting needs to be on paper, a single day. Make it a national holiday. Voter rolls need to be cleaned up immediately. No more politicians with duel citizenships, you are either an American or you're not!!! If you have duel citizenships, you must relinquish one. Our country needs to go back to Statesmen, people who served their time in government then return to their previous employment...none of this swapping a government position for some cushioned job in another agency, business or position that creates a conflict of interest. No more illegally spying on Americans - smart tvs, phones, tracking internet usage, etc. Just think about how many times you have something pop up in your news feed that you just spoke about the day before. That is no coincidence. Remove the National Security Act. It is a complete fraud. No more money sent to any other country until our national debt is paid off. No more than the average salary in the U.S. for any elected official until the national debt is paid off. Reestablishing our GDP, is no less than 90% actual industry within the U.S. instead of debt. No more getting a job based on anything except merit. You either earn it or you don't get it. 

So, I guess my coffee break is over and I need to get back to WORK.

Strategizing "Back to Basics"

 

I have taken so many notes over the past few months...my table is looking pretty cluttered! One area that my husband and I have talked a lot about is getting back to basics. Things that are quickly being forgotten or never taught to our younger generations, and honestly even some of our older generations too. It's amazing to talk to people and learn that a majority don't know how to garden, cook from scratch, what certain utensils are or as simple as what is considered a common courtesy. So, here is a break down of my outlined plans for this series. I may do these in sections with blogs and videos...we'll see what we can get arranged. 

Back to Basics Series:

* What preparation means to me 

* Cooking - learning how to use spices, wines, and vinegars

* Cooking - from scratch

* Preparing budget friendly meals even on a shoe string budget

* Growing and raising your own fruits & vegetables

* Preserving food - from gardens, farmers markets and stores

* What can you freeze?

* Changing flavors with spices

* Forgotten Common Courtesies and Respect

* Proper Table Setting

* Kitchen Gadgets and their uses

* Food preservation tools and uses

* Cooking meat without drying it out

* Best oils to cook with and infusing oils

* Health properties of spices

* Differentiating wants vs. needs

* Learning to be frugal

* Understanding assets - paper vs. real

So, what do you think? Are there any other areas you'd be interested in learning a different perspective from? I am not going to tell you my thoughts are right for everyone, these are just the ways I do things, the way I cook, the way I plan, etc. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Let's see if we can make 2024 a better year for everyone!!

Coffee Chat and always more

 

January is halfway past us already. Between snow storms and illness, I am struggling to find my feet. I have spent so many years pushing myself so hard, the past couple have kicked me hard! Realizing that I am only human, that I am only one person, and that there are only so many hours in a day...seems logical, right?! Well, I have always pushed myself hard. I have held the weight of the  world on my shoulders, and it caught up to me. An injury started my slow down in 2020, and it's just progressively gotten worse since. I know better than to slow down too much, but out of fear...I did it anyway. I slowed down, I allowed too many outside opinions to capture space in my head, and then did one thing I am determined to conquer....doubting my own mind. 

The past decade brought me into the transition of menopause. Let me tell you, this has been an experience. The hot flashes and night sweats are tolerable...the rest, not so much. There is just way too much to break down. Since most of the women I know, my age, are going through this...we can all just shake our heads knowingly! The absolute worst for me has been the headaches, the skin sensitivity, and uptick of pet peeves.

 

Keeping that in mind, some things...I haven't really changed on, they just got worse. Like seeing so many messes in my house, but no one else can. Leaving a drawer partially open, the lid off the trash can, clutter of any kind, animal hair not being vacuumed up daily,  a dirty bathroom, trash in the yard, regular trimming around the yard not being done...and not taking time to actually enjoy our farm. Just working from before daylight, to well after dark. A farm is a lot of work, but there is no good reason to not enjoy regular bonfires, cookouts or some yard games. 2024 has already shown us that a lot of things need to be fixed, redone, or designed differently. It has also shown me a lot more. Every year, around my birthday, I set my goals for my next year. Sometimes they are new goals, sometimes just updating old ones. I have found setting goals for myself helps me to stay focused. 

One part of my new goals was setting boundaries with consequence. Setting boundaries does not do much when others run right over the top of them. So, you set your boundaries, someone else doesn't like them, so they beat you down until you basically give in to their whim, and discard your own needs. Setting boundaries with consequence is a whole new level. Keeping this on a personal level, while I have plenty to do every single day, my goal is to not be so "busy" that I can't enjoy my life. That means limiting a lot of extra activities. This is upsetting to a lot of people. I constantly hear, "you can't be THAT busy," or "can't you just get someone to take care of your farm?" So, here's the thing. No, I am NOT so busy that I can't take time down or just relax. I have worked hard to make a life that I DO NOT need a vacation from! Period! I refuse to run all over the country for anyone or anything. I love my home, my farm and my family. I don't want to leave any of it. It is my sacred place, my refuge. The second part of that is, NO, I can not get someone to take care of MY farm. It is no one else's responsibility to manage this chaos. Not even getting into the issue of not having anyone who will or can help out, there are not people here to do that. We ALL have our own farms, our own responsibilities and while we can help each other in an emergency...just taking a "vacation," is NOT an emergency. I have a child I am still teaching, livestock that needs tended to at least daily, indoor pets that need cared for, in the Spring to Fall - I have gardening and food preservation, in the Winter - the roads suck! Once it snows, I do not drive. There are enough idiots on the roads in those conditions, they do not need me there too!!! I can't drive well in the snow, it makes me too anxious, and I refuse to put my life or anyone else's in danger because my own lack of skills. 

After the start to 2024 has been what it is, I am realizing not only many areas of improvement that need to happen, but also many areas that I have done that have helped my family. I have talked about preparations for years now. How you prepare is dependent on how you live. What I have noticed is that having to be very general, means a lot of people get bent out of shape, claiming to be an exception or allowing themselves to be victims. I have had remarks from not having room, to being to broke, to hearing that I am just a "conspiracy nut," and even that "the government" will help in times of trouble. Okay, if you say so. You do you. Whenever I discuss preparing, I HAVE to be general. Not only do I get censored on social media - almost daily, but also there are targeted words on you tube that ding you too. My generalized preparation videos are meant to make you THINK! Not to tell you what to do. The government is nearly $35 TRILLION in debt, they can't help themselves let alone any of us! No one is going to open their home to people that are going to just deplete their own supplies while those "guests" did absolutely NOTHING to help themselves. As I have said a lot the past few years, when someone or something becomes an anchor, it's time to cut the chain and be done. To be honest, I've found that that could include anyone from friends to family! With this in mind, I encourage each of you to keep preparing, keep improving your skills, get your finances in order, get your physical health in order, get your spiritual health in order, and look at your circle. If your circle is NOT doing anything to help themselves, you need a new circle.

Here on my farm, we spend about 8 months preparing for the remaining 4 months. Our annual preps truly begin before the bad season is over. My garden planning, preservations, and inventory have already began for the next winter season. The physical planning begins in February with the start of garden seed in the greenhouse. Learning to increase your skills, as time and finances allow, means I have not only added my little greenhouse to my cache of tools, but this year...I have added seed starting heat mats and grow lights. It means learning to container garden when the big gardens are full. It means learning how to add additives to my gardens to help increase productivity in the future gardens. It means taking inventory of what has to be grown from year to year to guarantee my family has what it needs each winter. It means planning annually for how much meat has to be butchered to get through a year. It means having and maintaining plenty of freezer and pantry space to allow for the annual preps. It means knowing how much sugar, flour, baking soda, paper towels, etc. we use in a year to maintain plenty in reserve. So, we don't have to worry about things like the great toilet paper disappearances from 2020. Knowing that if we get snowed in or lose power(like we have recently experienced) we can eat, stay warm and not lose our food. Yes, I did find some areas we need to improve, but overall....we were as prepared as we could be. The thing is, had our power stayed out for a week or more...or the roads been uncared for, for another week...we may have had some issues. So, even in all my own planning and preparations...I found holes. So, if I did...I would be willing to bet there are some a lot worse off than us. Meta data is my companion in all my planning. I keep a copious amount of notes. I have notes going back to 2018, and some much further than that. I have an estimated average of everything we use, how much we use, and how often we go through it. I have notes on the hay usage, feed usage, straw usage, mineral use, and about every other dang thing under the sun. I may not have a paying job...but my full time jobs never end...teaching, managing the farm/house, etc. Anyone that lives on an active farm or homestead knows the juggling it takes. We have been given multiple tests so far this year, and while it has been challenging...now we know, and "knowing is half the battle."

In addition to everything everything else, we have an active dumpster fire in our country. I will tell you, it does not matter about political parties anymore. They are both a dismal failure. With the continuously rising debt, the invasion allowed to continue in the south, the increasing number of homeless Americans, the complete disregard and neglect of our veterans, the increasing number of American's having to turn to food pantries and welfare...our governments have FAILED!! We are paying taxes many times over on every item bought or sold. Our tax monies are only increasing salaries, not paying to improve our lives. The divide in our country is not organic, it is fueled. Rather than focus on fixing issues or improving America, too many are using the divide and conquer techniques to keep the focus from the elite politicians that are all screwing everyday Americans. The B.S. numbers we are being fed about unemployment does NOT constitute for the hundreds of thousands that left the job market during 2020. Their numbers are seriously flawed. The inflation rates we are hearing about is ONLY a year over year rate, not the FACT that most of us remember the prices of things just 4 years ago. If they came out with real numbers, Americans would come out in groves against the government. As long as they continue to keep us distracted, battling amongst each other, and too busy to pay attention - we continue to stay complacent and under their control. At some point, I pray that everyone's blinders are lifted so that everyone can see what is really happening!

Anyway, I am working through some more notes and managing regular trips to the barn to check for new babies. A "Back to Basics" series is being planned. Still trying to figure out the best way to manage that, but it will be happening. Basics of household management, basic cooking, basic tools, basic gardening, basic food preservation, everything possible to bring the basics to those who want it. 

See ya'll soon!

Winter Storm #2 Updates

 

Here we are basically half way through January, with the total precipitation in a 7 day span, what is normal for all of December AND January! We have 24" on the ground. The snow makes things treacherous, but the extreme Arctic cold is making it so much worse. We have had some pretty major "natural disasters" already this year. The first being 27 hours without power. Now, we have 2 foot of snow, -40 degree windchills, and the start of lambing season on our farm. So, let's do a little break down.

I have preached for years about preparedness. I can say without a doubt, we were as prepared as possible. Some things you can never fully prepare for; although having some new disasters has given me a fresh outlook for not only continued preparedness but things to improve. Until you have been forced into a situation, you don't fully recognize what you will need, let a lone how much you will go through. We have rarely experienced extended power outages, or this bitter cold; so we only had limited knowledge of the extent of chaos it would all bring. Not to mention, me getting sick thrown into the mix. I have seen how ill-prepared my family is to manage much when I am physically clear down. My husband could make everything work...with a lot of "hurt" feelings. The kids, could survive, but having to decide on meals, how to plan a meal in enough time to thaw meat without a microwave, and managing boredom without technology...that was fun. They did eventually play cards and board games by candle light. It's been difficult for me to want to try to encourage others to prepare, when my own household fights me at every turn..."that will never happen, or that won't happen here," Guess what? IT DID!!! I can hope maybe now they will listen.

Even though the power outage and illness has been a nice break from technology, it has really driven me to want to encourage even more, get back to the basics of homestead life, food preservation, gardening and cooking. I will be keeping up with the economy, politics, and the dumpster fire we are seeing in the world. Whether we want to admit it or not, it ALL effects each of us daily. It doesn't matter if you have a farm, a condo, an apartment or live in town. The policies, the taxes, the legislation, and the people we elect that are supposed to be serving as our voices in government are essential. So, I will definitely be continuing on my path there, as well as continuous research of the corruption in the life long politicians and agencies. 

With the winter weather already this year, it has shown us how many repairs and updates we really need around the farm. We have and are managing, but there is definitely areas that need improving....areas that we have discussed for a few years but have put off due to the excessive price of everything. We work and sacrifice a LOT to not live in extreme debt. We have been working hard the past handful of years of get everything paid off. The pandemic hit us hard for about 6 months, and we are still recovering from that mess. While we will have several debts paid off this year...assuming nothing else comes up, it appears that the progress made with that, will be negated with repairs, maintenance and improvements. As we were talking this morning, it was a moment for me, of reluctant realization. We have a lot of blood, sweat, tears and finances wrapped up in our farm, and protecting our investments means investing to ensure we can continue. I'm not sure yet, what direction or how far we need to go, and probably won't until late spring...but changes will begin happening this year. 

As I said earlier, I will be getting back to some basics of this blog and videos. I really feel like more people could benefit from learning basic skills like cooking, baking, gardening, and food preservation. Additionally, learning to be more prepared in a general sense, like meal planning, purchasing groceries for more than a few days at a time, and less of those crazy "like hacks" shown by social media that are a disaster just waiting to happen. I've learned that a lot of things, tools and plans that are common knowledge to me, are not for many others. So, I may even try to convince my dear cousin and kindred spirit to team up to compare notes in the future. I know she and I have plenty of conversations, and have agreed to disagree on a few things, but living on opposite ends of the same state, means traditionally different weather too. 

On the subject of weather, let me touch on this before I finish this blog. Here at our farm, the snow storms that dropped 24" on us, was completely different results from the town just 20 minutes from us. Before the motor graters found us, we snow drifts across our lettered highway 6+' tall. We drifts around our vehicles and our house just as high. Getting just an eighth of mile down the road to check, feed and water the cows meant the guys having to literally walk to get there. The tractors struggled to get through the drifts. As quickly as the roads were plowed, they were snowed under again. Out here in our rural hide away, it's DAYS and has been as much as a WEEK before we see plows. We know to be stay prepared. Anyway, when some areas close have only had 12-15" of snow, they don't realize how the different the weather is, just 20 minutes away. Because we are so far out, and truly at the end of the state line...many times we are forgotten. It does not matter if it's snow, ice, or flooding...which will become the next disaster when all this damned snow starts melting next week. 

I'm going to wrap this up and hopefully feel well enough to do some housework today. 4 days of feeling like crap has shown that no one is going magically help keep the house picked up. Everyone please stay safe, warm and prepared!

Winter Storm #1 Updates

 

January 2024 - Storm #1 - January 8 - 11, 2024

Well, at this point, I can say... That didn't go as expected. I was pretty confident as to the snow but the power outage was not in the cards. I have spent YEARS telling people to prepare...do you really think I wouldn't have or didn't practice what I preach? After lots of messages and texts, I decided to share updates on Facebook. I did it only to keep those messaging me updated. I was in complete preservation mode with cell phone battery. The internet goes out when the power does so, the laptop was useless. Anyone that has done any kind of preparations know this. We have 2 generators. We have had our electric co-op for about 20 years and never experienced an outage longer than 6-8 hours. This was the first. We did fine...for the most part. Obviously, as I have also said, you can not fully plan or prepare for everything. Learning to function without lights, without simple conveniences of a microwave, not just popping snacks in one, and the extreme darkness around here was new. When you live in the sticks, it's a different kind of dark...kinda spooky when something like this happens. Fortunately, MY own preparations, my husband's ability to grill anything, and thinking ahead nearly a year ago; gave us what we actually needed. Being honest, we did learn some areas we needed to improve "just in case" this were to happen again. We will have some of those improvements this afternoon, so we are ready for the next round coming in tonight. One thing I am going to stress right now.... GET YOUR CELL PHONES CHARGED, YOUR BACKUPS CHARGED; RIGHT NOW AND KEEP THEM CHARGED.  You do not realize how quickly those batteries run out with any use...like checking weather updates and checking on neighbors. So, here are some areas we have found, and how we really fared.

*making sure the power cords used for connecting to the generator are correct...not so well here. We did have a back up heat source. One thing to keep in mind with any back up heat source...they all need some form of power; whether that be fuel, diesel or propane. When you are using those fuel sources, they will run out, and you will lose that back up...even if you are prepared. 

*food - we had plenty of eatable food that didn't need to be cooked, and plenty that could be cooked on the grill or griddle. We also have a burner on our grill, that allowed us to use a kettle made for outdoor cooking, to heat up water. Hot drinks helped us to stay warmer. Thawing food, naturally, is more difficult the colder it gets indoors. 

*water - make sure you have plenty of water if you know bad weather is approaching! There were many local updates about water districts without power, since we were out for an extended time. They were telling people to limit use. Make sure you have plenty to use for drinking, cooking, and especially toilets! 

*Warmth - make sure you have plenty of warm clothes AND blankets!! I am of firm belief you can never have enough blankets! I can promise you, we have more than I know where to store them...but I will continue to welcome more!! Wool socks, stocking hats, long underwear, thermal clothes, those hand warmers you can buy in the hunting sections of stores are amazing! Insulated bibs, heavy coats(not the "pretty" one), insulated boots, gloves - MANY pairs, we have insulated slippers too! Layers are your best friend when it's cold!

*Lighting - although I was plenty prepared...you don't realize how dark it can get when there is zero light source. Candles, flashlights, lanterns...in addition lighters, lighter sticks(easier to light candles), matches, and make sure everything works! My planning and preps, had been a good thing. A year ago, at our local bargain warehouse, they had those sticky backed, switch lights that ran on batteries. They are bright!! I got them on sale for $4 each, and those were a God send during our outage. They had sat in my preps for nearly a year, and they were an incredible alternative. If you use candles, especially if you have pets...have something you can put them in, or they make a decorative dome you can put over them. Having cats especially, having open flames is a no-go!! I had found a set of candle sticks with the old fashioned hurricane wraps at a yard sale years ago...they provided us plenty of light and safely since we have cats. I also have a metal and glass decorative thing that I can set a candle or two in...it's completely enclosed to cat tails don't run through the flames. We do have a fire place, however, it has been unusable for many years now, as an actual fireplace. Since we don't have a big call for it, and I avoided using it even when we could...it made a safe place to put more candles that the cats couldn't get to. The last thing you need is a pet accidentally starting your house on fire when you have any kind of emergency. Keeping safety is mind is imperative, ALL-THE-TIME!!!

*Medical needs. While we were lucky and really didn't need anything, there are many that do. For us, it is always making sure to have plenty of allergy meds, Tylanol, sinus/cold meds, bandaids, triple antibiotic ointment, gauze, cotton balls, alcohol, peroxide, and butterfly stitches. 

*Animals/pets - making sure you have plenty of food and supplies for your animals is just as pertinent as it is for you. We planned for the worst, and weren't thrown totally off guard. We had some extra feed, pet foods, and had hay and straw for beddings. We also know when the weather is at its worst, at least where we live, it would be DAYS before seeing a plow or being able to get to any town safely. While I have heard some run their yap about not being afraid to drive in snow or ice...that is not the issue. The issue is when it is not safe to do so, you're an idiot if you do! Period!! You are not only putting your life in danger, but also the lives of others. If you don't value your life more than that...then know that the lives you are putting at risk do value theirs! 

Overall, planning and preparing requires a small level of common sense. If you aren't sure what or how to prepare...take a 24 hour period, and go completely off-grid! No cell phone, no internet, no lights, limited bathroom trips, no microwave, no indoor cooking, no oven, not opening a refrigerator or freezer, no heat/AC, no radio, no going anywhere. See how well you survive. It's tough! We have all become addicted to our creature comforts, us included. When you have all of that removed, it stirs a period of panic before the survival instinct kicks in.

So, this is my update for this first round of severe winter weather 2024. Yes, there has been plenty of room for improvement. Yes, we survived just fine. Honestly, aside from the heat...I'm ready to go dark again! Supper and games by candle light was super nice! The quiet was amazing. We are restocking everything possible today...well, the guys are bringing it all home, before our next round comes in tonight. I will be spending some time this afternoon getting some baking in, getting my chores done, refilling any water I can, and getting meat out to thaw! :) 

Thanks to all for the sweet thoughts. We are good because we practice what I preach about!