Posts Tagged ‘gardening’
Good evening, Dear Readers:
Happy Monday! I know, Mondays are awful, right? No, not necessarily, but we’ve been conditioned to believe that they are. It’s just that for a great number of Americans, the work week starts on Monday, and the fun ends until Friday. However, I’ve had enough fantastic Mondays and bloody awful Fridays to be able to tell you that you shouldn’t hang a label on either one.
No, not yet.
I’ve completed watching all 7 seasons of the USA Network super-spy TV show Burn Notice thanks to the free DVDs I get from the library. No, it’s not instant gratification, since you have to order them and wait for them to arrive, but if you’re patient, you can watch a whole lot of stuff for free. Been doing that for 20 years now. I’ve moved on to a BBC program that our Houston PBS station was running but stopped, called New Tricks. It’s about a group of retired police officers under the supervision of a somewhat disgraced Detective Superintendent who is assigned the UCOS, or Unsolved Crime and Open Case Squad. I’m on Season One, which I’ve never seen, and I’m waiting on Season 9, which is where the TV station stopped broadcasting it. Season 10 will be out on DVD soon, and I’ll be putting my request in for the library to get it to me when it’s my turn. Smart, well written and impeccably acted by a skilled British cast, there is nothing on American television like it.
One day, when things get a little better, I’m going to have SO many DVDs!! My next DVD player will be region free so I can buy the shows from overseas and watch them. Yes, I already have a few in mind.
So I’ve got a little good news about the HeatCageKitchen garden. First, what’s growing is growing well. Last week’s drought-busting rain helped, even though I do water regularly. However, I’m still fighting off the slugs. Somehow, the darn things are still getting at my basil and pepper plant leaves, although I can’t figure out how. I have discovered that some are finding ways around the eggshells, particularly on the basil. GRRRRRR.
The beleaguered basil
Still hoping for a bumper crop for pesto later this year. If not. . .it’s off to Trader Joe’s for big clam shells full of fresh basil! One way or the other, I’ll have lots of pesto in my freezer this winter.
I haven’t done anything with the garlic scapes,which, as you can see, are happy. I’ve gone through some parsley, though.
But the big news is the little strawberry plant that I transplanted into a hanging planter. I think it’s about 3 years old, and last year it got parked in a paint bucket for a while. It’s now producing berries! Right now there are 13 of them in various stages of development, and one is turning red as of this morning:
See it?
I don’t know if it will fully develop, or what, but it’s trying to. There is one berry that’s developed into the proper shape, but will likely get bigger,and not changing color just yet.
The perfectly shaped berry. I can’t wait to eat it.
Oh, boy, I love strawberries, and if this little plants starts putting them out. . .I’ll be one happy foodie.
Week before last, I told you about a replacement book I bought, The 20-Minute Natural Foods Cookbook by Sharon Claessens. I’ve looked through it a few more times and remembered some good food I’d made a long time ago. I think I finally ditched the beat-up copy I had maybe seven, eight years ago, but I remember using it last about the late 1990s, maybe. I remember the ex-husband coming home to my favorite Spaghetti with Garlic Salmon Sauce (page 48), and complaining about the kitchen smelling like “stinky cat food.” No, he wouldn’t eat it, but that’s what he gets for coming home early.
This weekend, feeling a bit nostalgic (and thawing out more chicken than I needed) I decided to make the dish on the back cover of this book, Pineapple Chicken Mozambique. The dish calls for a quarter of a small, ripe pineapple, but all Food Town had was big ones–so I’ve got a lot of chopped up pineapple in the fridge. I’m thinking about putting it on a small baking sheet and freezing it, because I just didn’t intend to have that much left.
Admittedly, I do like pineapple, but not a whole one at once. Yes, I would, in a prior life, occasionally have pizza with pineapple on it, along with ham, sausage, pineapple or some other kind of meat, olives, bell peppers, and whatever else I could remember. I have to say pineapple on pizza might seem weird. . .but it was REALLY good.
I was also out of onions, so I got some, and wouldn’t you know it? No turmeric! I ALWAYS have that orange-looking powder around, but not this time, so I had to get some. And raisins–a six-pack of those little lunch-box sized boxes. I only needed 2 tablespoons, and that’s what one of those boxes provides. I nibbled on a couple, then the rest went into my briefcase and my weekend/non-work bag. Along with a couple of small packets of peanuts, I might be able to survive a long drive home from town without stopping for a bite somewhere.
Now, while this book is all about 20-minute cooking, what they didn’t do in 1982 was mention the prep time. I had to gather up some parsley and chop that, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces, then deal with the huge pineapple. I think the whole thing took about 30 minutes, maybe 35, including prep time, which is still not bad for a quick meal for two people. (or one, if you’re that hungry.).
BTW, you can now buy pineapple already peeled, cubed and and dealt with in most produce sections, as much or as little as you want. THAT’s a time saver we didn’t have back then, too, and why didn’t I think of it yesterday? Next time, I’ll get the pre-cut pineapple instead.
One alteration I made was to use olive oil, not corn oil, since most corn oil (to my knowledge) is hydrogenated. Grapeseed oil, as faithful reader Kanani mentioned last month, might be a good substitute, since it’s a flavorless oil, and would let the good taste of the food come through; however, grapeseed oil can be expensive. While I didn’t have a problem with the olive oil, I may try the grapeseed one day and see if it makes a difference.
Oh, and because they are nearly the same thing, instead of tamari, I used regular soy sauce, the kind you find in packets in nearly every Chinese restaurant in America. (If you are gluten-intolerant, you’ll need to find that kind.)Â Soy sauce is fermented, so I don’t have a problem with it, and it provides pretty much all the salt you’ll need anyway.
Also, this dish is intended to “serve with brown rice or whole wheat noodles,” but I bet a little quinoa would work too, or some gluten-free pasta, if you have some. Then again, you could just eat it by itself like I did and have more veg on the side, a salad, or some home-made gluten free bread. Otherwise, without the noodles, it’s what I like to call “gluten free by default.”
Remember, this was an “exotic flavor” back in 1982. So how do you make this golden oldie? Like this.
Pineapple Chicken Mozambique
2 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 medium onion
2 teaspoons oil (corn is specified, but I used olive)
1 teaspoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 small, ripe pineapple
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (I grow the Italian flat-leaf kind)
2 teaspoons tamari (I used soy sauce)
2 tablespoons lime juice
- Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces. Chop the onion.
- Heat a medium skillet and add 1 teaspoon oil. Add the butter, then the onion. Stir over medium heat, adding the cinnamon and turmeric. While the onion is cooking, peel the pineapple section and remove the tough inner-core fibers. Cube. Yield should be about 1 cup of pineapple cubes.
- When the onion is translucent and slightly tender, remove from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining oil. Heat the skillet until quite hot, but not smoking, and quickly add the chicken. Stir to brown all sides of the chicken.
- When the chicken is just nearly cooked throughout, after 3 to 4 minutes, add the onion, pineapple cubes, raisins, parsley, tamari and lime juice. Heat through and serve.
What you end up with looks like this:
Pineapple Chicken Mozambique! (The cat food just sits there, honest.)
Want a closer look?
I do love my Splayds.
The combination of cinnamon and turmeric adds a nice color to the onion and chicken without being overpowering. I do think I should have measured the lime juice instead of just eyeballing it, because it was a bit tart. That, of course, was MY fault.
For a quick and easy meal for two, this is a good one, and you can get the needed ingredients on a quick trip through the express lane, assuming you have none of the onion, the spices, soy sauce, oil and butter, that makes for a supermarket drop-by on the way home. For four people (or more), just a little math is involved, and maybe a bigger pot.
For a busy Monday, or anytime you want something fast, you won’t go wrong with this recipe.
Happy Dining!
Good afternoon, Dear Readers:
My sincerest apologies for my lateness in updates. As they say in IT, I have once again been OBE, or “overcome by events.” No, I’m not getting married, but you know if I were, I’d be working on how to bake my own wedding cake. Gluten-free, of course. And then some chocolate has been involved.
One thing I have been doing is some overdue sewing stuff. I’ve used up quite a lot of leftover pieces, have one overdue Christmas present to give (he knows about it) and am buzzing through stuff that has been sitting anywhere from one month to ten years to make. I completed two lunch bags and gave one away this weekend, along with three vinyl rain bonnets. At some point, the scraps will be either sold on Craigslist, donated, or, last resort, bagged up for the trash or recycling bin.
And while I sew, I’ve been binge-watching the cool crime drama known as Burn Notice. Since I get the DVDs from the library, I’m not watching them in order. I’ve seen seasons 4, 5 and 6, and have 7 and 3 on order, along with a prequel called The Fall of Sam Axe.  The last one is a movie where they take one of the supporting characters and bring him to the fore to show how he got to the current day point. I saw a couple of episodes originally in 2010 when it was new, because I was dating someone who watched it and liked it. I found the DVDs on the shelf a while back and have made it my mission to see every episode through the end of the series. The final season has numerous requests for it, and last I checked, I am 17th in line. The only downside is that I will never be as smart as Fiona, the “trigger happy ex-girlfriend.” Oh, well.
I’ve got a roast in the crock pot, and will be making more of the white bean mash later this evening. But I have a few things to tell you about, so here we go.
First, from faithful reader Aunt Kathy, another gluten-free funny from a comic strip called Speedbump:
Aunt Kathy finds these and I love them. ‘Cause if you can’t poke a little fun sometimes. . .you’re no fun.
Opinions on my recent pineapple upside-down cake were “great” (Neighbor R), “really good” (Neighbor K) and “I didn’t care for it” (Neighbor T.) I thought it wasn’t as good as K’s, and I probably won’t make it again anytime soon, but K felt like mine was better than hers. Weird, huh? Neighbor R also really liked it, and I thought it was pretty good too, but I needed to know that T didn’t care for it–feedback is important, right? (I was only using up a pineapple anyway.)
While shopping in SuperTarget last week, I’ve discovered a new product from Smuckers, a fruit spread sweetened with stevia-based Truvia instead of the chemical Splenda:
Truvia-sweetened strawberry preserves!
So far it’s just blackberry jam and strawberry preserves, and there hasn’t been much fanfare on it. The ingredients also include malitol, which is also used in sugar-free chocolates. If you continually nibble on those sugar free chocolates. . .don’t leave home. Seriously. But a tablespoon of strawberry preserves is 15 calories; on top of a 45-calorie rice cake, well, you do the math. May have found me a go-to nibble with no consequences. The strawberry is indeed pretty good; next time, I’ll try the blackberry. Look for the green label and tops. You can find out more here.
New trend? I hope so. I do miss jam and jelly sometimes.
The HeatCageKitchen garden is still going strong. From the blooming Meyer Lemon tree to the high sprouts of garlic and green onion to the little tomato that just won’t quit, I’ve got it going on. This is not without challenges, of course, but there is green stuff. The monster pineapple plant has finally gone to its new home in a backyard, and I’ve been promised some pineapples if it ever bears fruit.
![IMG_0174[1]](http://heatcagekitchen.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/img_01741.jpg?resize=640%2C853)
Lots of flowers, but dunno about the day when I can pick me some Meyer Lemons. When I asked my gardener friend about it, he said, “you might get one or two.” Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dude! I don’t know how old that puny strawberry plant next to it is, but I’m thinking it’s going to get replanted to get more sun, like in a hanging basket.
Get a load of the garlic, shooting as high as the sky:
Anti-vampire insurance. Not sure about zombies.
I like to go out there and nibble on the green shoots. Yum. They’re not as strong as the actual cloves, but I wouldn’t go kissing anyone after nibbling on them.
The Enigma Tomato, about the size of a golf ball.
We have had multiple freezes since this plant was purchased a year ago, identical to the dried up stem next to it. I have no idea why, how, or for whom this tomato still exists. But it’s growing and hanging in there, as well as the plant beginning to regenerate. Maybe I’ve got Jack’s Magic Tomato Plant; I’ll see how this finishes off.
I’ve got plenty of mint, parsley and green onions for whatever I decide to create:
A little water and they GROW!
And rosemary until the Twelfth of Never:
Just plant it. Grows wild. Great stuff.
Oh, that bucket next to it? Yeah, there are two of those that were planted with lettuce. Not much since that snail got in and feasted on it. <burp>
Ditto for the radishes–I had two growing with foliage, and some inconsiderate nocturnal creature came by and nibbled all the greens down. Now I’m not sure if I have any growing, or just two, and I’ll need to dig them up in the next month or so and look for red orbs. The article I read about planting radishes said that the colder the better, and you’d see the tops of the radishes peeking out from the soil. No such luck, despite several freezes, and no other evidence of anything, only shamrocks coming up.
Maybe another time. I just wanted *something* to be successful and abundant. At this point, I can make one small salad with a few lettuce leaves, one tomato, mint, parsley, garlic shoots and possibly one or two sliced radishes.
Hey–I bet that would go over well in one of those high-end restaurants. You know, the ones that serve 3 scallops with a tablespoon of chopped fresh baby arugula with olive oil as an entree and charge $85 for it? I’ll give that some thought. A teaspoon of olive oil, a drop of lime juice, a pinch of Maldon sea salt or that pink Himalayan stuff, and all those arranged in some kind of artistic fashion on a fancy china plate. Call it Amy’s Garden Delight Salad. Let me think on this–I bet we could have them lining up through the door! (Unless I just gave Giada de Laurentiis an idea for her new restaurant.)
As a gardener, though, it’s a bit of a flop, unfortunately. But I’m working on it.
Last week was neighbor K’s final evening lecture for the year, and the last evening I would be taking out the pug and feeding him while she was working late. And as has been the custom, K brought home some delish food that was left from said event, which included meatballs with a sweet/sour sauce, corn chips with some spinach-artichoke dip (YUM), and an assortment of dessert bars, which included a lemon bar, several chocolate chip brownies, and something new with chocolate chips, coconut, and other delicious things. Mind you, the bars were sliced small this time, they weren’t big squares, thank heavens. I texted her later to tell her that everything was up to its usual high standard. MMMmmmm. . . .
However–last night neighbor R gave me some chocolate truffles and some chocolate covered acai berries. Well, they were OK, and the truffles are nice, but I don’t think I want any more for a while!
So last Thursday, I had a weird day. Four phone calls, all from people who could not pronounce my name at all. On Friday, neighbor J, one of the few males in my building, got home the same time I did. I told him how annoyed I was at the phone calls, and he said, “You want a beer?” I said, “is it cold?” He said, “No.” I can make it cold, and I did.
However, one beer was all I was interested in. He gave me one beer with another 23. Yes, a CASE of beer. I frosted up one, and cracked it open. . .and remembered why I don’t drink beer. It’s a guy thing. I took one taste and, well, let me put it to you this way–what I normally drink is water with lime or lemon and pink stuff, coffee, tea, or on occasion, a little fruit juice, or, even rarer, wine.
This was a complete shock to my taste buds. But I finished the frosty cold can without a buzz, since I was also eating at the same time. And decided that I would not say “yes” to a beer again. Last time I had a good beer was in 1991 at a place called the Crescent City Brewhouse on a date, and I wasn’t driving. That was wonderful–and I haven’t had one like that since.
The next question was what to do with the remaining 23. . .and they went to neighbor R, who does drink beer. I hope she enjoys them, and thank heavens, has room for them, too.
Please, don’t bring me beer. Thank you.
I’ve got two appointments this week, and some more work to do on sewing up old projects and either giving them away, donating them or otherwise putting them to good use. Meantime, I’m going to make me some dinner. Make yours, too, and make it good, whatever it is.
Happy Dining!
First off, I have to give thanks to my very nice neighbor, who brought me some delicious food last night from a work function. The cookies went first, so she couldn’t bring any. The spinach-artichoke dip (which became breakfast) was just addictive–I told her it should be Schedule 2 illegal. The meatballs were perfect for lunch, too. She promises next week that there will be lemon bars on the menu, which she promises to bring, as well as chicken poblano dip. YUM. I loved the lemon bars last year. She remembered. That’s why I’ll walk her doggie anytime.
Oh, and she gave me some home-grown oranges when she came back after Christmas. I saved some of the seeds to sprout and plant. Love oranges.
My last blog post about Suzy Homemaker appliances now has me looking on eBay for that stuff and wondering a) where I will put it, b) when can I buy it, and c) when can I buy a house so that I can have my Suzy Homemaker room to put them in. Sorry, you think about a lot of stuff when you’re unemployed and working on other opportunities.
And, you can actually buy an original Amana Radarange on eBay, right now. My dad bought one in 1976, when they were VERY expensive–a lot more than the $100 or less at Target. Oh, no, we went to a special appliance store in Metairie and got one. This was a big deal for us, and he figured with four kids it would make life a little easier on Mom. (I never asked, though.) They only parted with it because it stopped working (like, maybe 1997?) and they couldn’t get it repaired anymore (or maybe they didn’t care.) Still, it was a great appliance, and if it didn’t weigh 50 pounds and take up half my little kitchen, I might consider bidding on it.
So in my Wall Street Journal this morning,”Personal Journal” section, there was this article about the new Agrarian Collection at Williams-Sonoma. I get emails and catalogs from both Williams-Sonoma and from Sur la Table, but this was new to me. Had no idea they had this whole new collection. It’s for a specific niche market that’s been around for a long time, but let me give you a little background, first.
Lately the press has thrown around the word “prepper” like it was a negative thing, since it was attached to a negative news story. They always tell you that it’s people getting ready for the end of the world or something. Not always. I’m not venturing into that fray of course, but being a “prepper,” or having emergency plans for disasters, is not really a bad thing. Living in Houston as I have since 1998, and in New Orleans for most of my younger years, we do “prepping” frequently, because hurricanes have an affinity for the south. You keep stuff around for emergencies. Extra water. Batteries for the radio and flashlights. Canned food. Stuff like that. Lots of books are dedicated to the subject; I have a few of them as well.
I’ve also noticed that when people start doing their own thing, which is as American as apple pie, the media REALLY likes to ridicule the people doing it. Homesteading and having some preparations, is one of those things to be ridiculed. Until the day you are prepared, and then you’re not so nuts.
As technology has gotten more sophisticated, more people have things like generators and solar chargers for phones and computing devices. You can go all out for stuff like this, if you want, and be ready for just about anything. Yes, even the end of the world that didn’t quite happen in December.
And, you can bet that the New York/New Jersey part of the country will become preppers after Sandy gave them a taste of what we go through in the south periodically. Hurricane Ike didn’t have snow attached to it. In about six months the New York Times will pick up that story, and the Los Angeles Times may decide to run it so Californians can read about the new east coast preppers. Maybe they’ll get the idea they should be more ready for earthquakes, too. . .just sayin’.
I don’t wish that kind of thing on anybody, of course, but, you know earthquakes, hurricanes, snowstorms, tornadoes, and droughts happen, so keep reading.
A few years ago I was involved with a bloke who, among other things, wanted us to a) get married and b) live in the country. (My “townie” friends were horrified when we actually looked at properties.) The second part appealed to me, since I’ve long had this idea of moving out of the city and raising veggies and maybe even chickens for eggs and, well, chicken. At the time, I had a good job in IT, and he didn’t. He lived 50 miles to the north, meaning that I would be driving 100 miles a day to go to work. I’d be dead in six months after I bought the new car I’d need to commute, but that didn’t deter him. Eventually, I realized he was a control freak, and it took quite a lot of prayer to get rid of him (because “I don’t want to marry you, please go away” didn’t seem to do the trick.)
It’s called “Homesteading,” and folks from all walks of life, and in all kinds of places, are doing it. Growing vegetables has caught on in urban and suburban areas partly because of the economy, but also because of a “back to the land” mentality. There is nothing wrong with this.
But you know when something goes mainstream, gets “popular,” it’s not “cool” anymore. Oh, well.
I have a small plot of land , measuring 8’x5′, and I’ve been trying to make it a full-blown garden. So far I’ve got mint, scallions (green onions), rosemary, and a surprise bamboo shoot from a plant I thought was long dead. And weeds, which I’ll be digging up one of these days to plant lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and basil. (I like salads and making pesto.) I’m also trying to sprout and grow a pineapple top. My container garden is a little simpler than one you’d see elsewhere. Paint buckets from Home Depot are cheap.
With the “wedding” off, I got back to a normal life, and the idea of buying property and doing some of my own farming stuck with me. I haven’t done it yet, being unemployed and all, but I love reading magazines like Urban Farm, Hobby Farms and Hobby Farm Home (kind of like Martha Stewart Living for the farm set, with good recipes, ideas and advice for the modern-day farm household.) Guess I should subscribe, so I can keep them coming. I mean, what’s not to like about growing nuts for food and profit?
But now, Williams-Sonoma has a line of products for the homesteading backyard farmer, including a $1,300 chicken coop, a $29.95 butter making kit, a $598 vintage copper cricket weather vane, as well as an $11.95 herb garden kit. Not to mention raised bed planters, a fungi log for growing your own mushrooms, vertical planters for small spaces like mine, beekeeping equipment, canning and preserving, food dehydrators, sprouters. .. crikey, just go look at it if you don’t believe me.
Oh, here’s something I’ll be all over: the Asian Tofu Cookbook. NOT!
The Wall Street Journal article says that they will be publishing a standalone catalog for this line, too. Urban Outfitters is also getting into the act, with Terrain gardening centers, targeted to women. I haven’t looked at that one yet, but I should see if we have one here in Houston.
I wonder if they have their own version of the Topsy Turvy planters? I have one but it didn’t go well last year. I put it away, and will try it again soon. Heck, maybe more than one.
Back in WWII, people did this kind of thing as a matter of course. Henry Fonda–yes, the movie star–was famous for his Victory Garden. People raised chickens, veggies, canned, all that stuff, even in the city, however they could. Over time, we got away from doing these things for ourselves.City folks tend to look down on farming types, but suddenly it’s “fashionable” to be a homesteader.
I have a replica poster from WWII that says “Sew For Victory.” Well, sewing is my favorite thing to do, and I thought it was appropriate decor. But that’s what people did. Now, we’re getting back to doing for ourselves, bit by bit. I’m glad to see that, but I don’t think I’m gonna be buying a $1,300 chicken coup.
While Williams-Sonoma is just branching out into a new market, and they call it a “lifestyle,” I have to say that taking care of yourself can’t be a bad thing. Can it? I mean, my paint bucket garden isn’t something you’ll see in River Oaks or Beverly Hills. Unless that’s a big dirty secret.
Confession: two years ago, we had a drought here in Texas. Bad one. I planted zucchini (from a small potted plant) and cantelope (from seed) back there, and they took over half the plot! I watered it carefully, but over time, the heat and dry conditions were too much, and they shriveled up and died. What survived is what I still have, except the rosemary, but that’s another story.
Here in Texas, it’s getting on digging-up and planting season, and I need to get back there and get busy with it. I should have planted sugar snap peas back in November, but have been otherwise occupied. I love them, but they’re expensive, so why not grow them? Ditto for celeriac, fennel, and some other pricey veg. This year I hope to successfully grow grape tomatoes, finally, as well as bell peppers and cucumbers along with lettuce and the aforementioned things I haven’t killed yet. Oh, and I want to grow lots of strawberries. I love strawberries. Louisiana’s are the best, Texas comes in second. I think the birds got the few that made it last year. Maybe a Topsy Turvy strawberry planter will work better.
I’m not producing ALL my food yet, heck not much of it at all, but I’ll make the effort. Maybe even some cantelope this year. (Love that too.)
You can see the short WSJ video here. And if you have any growing tips, or ideas for stuff, pass it along in the comments.
If you’re interested in homesteading, I can also recommend Backwoods Home magazine, which has a free newsletter and a few free Kindle issues on Amazon.com; you’d just have to search for them. There are also a lot of free articles on their website; just search for what you need. Keep in mind that these are folks that really do live in the backwoods, not in a wooded suburb. This is the real thing.
I also came across this book, Made From Scratch by Jenna Woginrich, after reading about it by a newspaper colunmnist for the Houston Chronicle. It’s an interesting read with good advice and even a few good recipes. She talks about what it was like to have her attitude changed towards a lot of things–you’d have to read it to understand. She talks about sewing, too, although not the kind of sewing I like to do, just stuff to get you started on your way to self-reliance.
Another good book for the “prepper” is Just In Case by Kathy Harrison. Geared toward emergency preparedness, it’s a good basic manual for being ready for emergencies. June will be here before you know it, so I guess I should re-read it again soon before hurricane season.
Of course, these are just books I have in my possession–a trip to Amazon.com or a bookstore and a little searching will yield lots of titles on both homesteading and preparedness (not to mention cooking and sewing.)
Let me say here and now that if you suddenly decide to do a little homesteading and a little preparedness, you are not nuts. You are taking care of business and getting ahead of a problem. There is nothing wrong with that. Think about the pictures and the stories of folks who lived through Sandy just a few weeks ago, and you’ll see it’s not a bad idea.
You can also buy freeze-dried food online, similar to the MREs that the military uses, and seeds stored in sealed cans for long-term storage. Many are non-GMO and will last many years. Ditto for the freeze-dried food. I have never tried this stuff, but if ever I do, I’ll let you know. I haven’t even taught myself canning yet, although I do have the Ball book for it.
See why I need a house?
Happy Dining!
