Pantries and Preparedness. Pantry meals and expectations.

For many reasons, all added together, our meals have become much simpler.  They are usually delicious and nutritious but overall I have completely let go of some past expectations.   We have all been impacted by so many things in a short time.... not being able to shop, shortages, rations, price rises and more.   On days when someone isn't well or in a storm I have always thought a toasted sandwich and soup are a fine achievement.  Now I just think this more often!
One of my very favourite You Tube channels is Roots and Refuge Farm.   Jess was talking about how if you have a homestead dream you should act like a homesteader right now.  She says normal consumers dream up what they feel like eating and plan a menu and go out and buy the stuff to make it.  Or they just buy it ready made.   A homesteader, gardener, budgeter ... will see what they have and figure out what on earth they can do with it that will feed the family.  Big difference.   Many of us may have become better at this while the supermarkets haven't had usual choice or while we are staying home and eating what we have.  And this is a good thing.  This is a skill and a skill worth practicing.     Like in some cooking shows they give them a mystery box and they have to use just what they have.   Well our pantry, garden, fridge, freezer and what we might have found on a good deal are out mystery box.  
When we were kids  (and when my parents were kids) no one asked "what do you feel like for dinner?"  It just wasn't a thing.  Mum or Grandma put a meal on the table using what she had and usually it was something really good.  They didn't cook 19 different meals either they made it up and my Nan would set it out on the table in a serve yourself fashion mostly.  It was usually a meat dish with a lot of vegetable sides.  But on our own (rather than with everyone there)  it was very often soup and toast.  I loved Nan's soup.  And we were happy and grateful for Nan's cooking.


Vicky wrote me on this and here is part of her letter:

Life has certainly been a bit different these days, but once again if we look to our foremothers there is still lessons we can learn from them. And I always look for ways to draw upon their experience and knowledge. I also wonder if some peoples' mindset have changed during this pandemic? Not long ago I was told gardening and canning is for old ladies who don't know how to eat organic! And the statement was made of who wants jars of gross looking food sitting around? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I guess for some seeing what's in a jar is off putting and gross, but the same thing in a can is fine. That really isn't my issue, but the fact that so many overlook the resources right in front of them. We are lucky that we can politely or not snub ingredients, but that wasn't always the case. Again looking back to the Great Depression, WW1, WW11 and even beyond to the Civil War here in the states and the first peoples to settle our countries they couldn't be as choosy and persevered through way more than we can imagine. 

A few weeks ago while I was at the post office I overheard a conversation that got me thinking. Well having to stand 6 feet apart it's kind of hard not to hear a conversation haha! 

One woman said she didn't have much to make meals and the other said her problem was they had a lot of food, but nothing to eat. What?!

I think now is a good time to take a good look at the versatility of the ingredients we have on hand or are able to get. Not only to prevent waste, but also to realize that if things get harder we may still be able to do more with what we have should our ingredients get on the slim side. 

Some of the stories I've read at times the only meat available in some cities were hot dogs, bologna or Spam. And of course we know about sugar and butter shortages among other things that happened back then. 

What constitutes a meal? Or a treat? Is it a table full of food or just the blessing to have something to put on a plate or in a bowl? I would have to say right now is the time for us to think on this.

And I am learning. I made a cake that was way too crumbly and impossible to eat since it fell apart so much. Well a little research and a ration recipe came to my rescue. That cake became a whole new cake using those crumbs, a little flour, etc. 

Stale cake was steamed a bit and served with a toffee sauce.

Self rising flour and milk, yogurt or sour cream became little drop donuts. Two ingredients became a treat and let me tell you they are good! 

Also like Annabel's pizza base plus dinner rolls and so on variety from stemming from one basic ingredient.

Vegetables whipped or pureed can be added to scones or biscuits for a bit of variety in flavor. Pumpkin or squash is especially nice. 

Herbs can be used in salads, teas or herbal drinks, freshening the home etc. and have many, many health benefits. 

Well I could go on and on, but if things get worse before they get better I want us all to realize that we can do so much even with a limited pantry as most ingredients can be very versatile. 

XOXO

As Vicky is saying I have changed a bit on what constitutes a meal.   Right now a lot of people are struggling.   There are also some pretty significant meat shortages and restrictions in some places. 

I thought what Vicky said about all that food and nothing to cook is like when we have a wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear! haha!   We might need to get better at some more adventurous mixing and matching!

I have heard people who have been away on a swanky holiday saying they just couldn't wait to get home for some mashed potatoes and home food. haha!  I understand this!   At the end of the day really I have to admit in the same way I would overall rather stay at home, I would rather lots of vegetables, veggie bakes,  a roast, tuna mornay, fried rice, scones, pancakes,  soup, a toasted sandwich...  stuff like that!   If you have visitors I have noticed home style food like a roast, gravy and veggies seems more thrilling to them than something "fancy."  To those that never get a home cooked meal this is really actually positively thrilling.  You don't need a 95 step recipe... just a few basic ingredients.   My go to is if I have a guest the fruit cake comes out, I made scones and put out homemade jam.   Everyone loves it and it is actually so cheap it is hardly worth counting.    Many soups made from what we have that needs using up are just about free meals too.
Tonight we are having mashed potatoes, carrots and broccoli as they are what I have and sausages I dug out of the freezer.  I have some venison so tomorrow I will make a stew using that and every vegetable I can find.  It will be beautiful and I am blessed to be given venison!

I have read things on social media that make your eyes water.  Like young Mums working out how they can buy enough school snacks for their children.  The amount they budget would make several hundred pikelets, cookies and other homemade snacks and they are genuinely struggling but they just don't know snacks do not have to come in a packet!   We really need to help and teach each other the simple basics.

The old cookbooks are wonderful.  They don't use fancy and expensive ingredients.  Whatever you have you can look it up and there will be recipes!  
Knowing your substitutions is a help.
Knowing you can halve (or less) your meat and double your veggies and sides is a help.
We have talked about this subject in different ways over time.  But now this is an area we really need to be happy to get back to basics.

If you have any family recipes that make something good out of nothing please share them! For Mum's with hungry teenagers, toddlers and babies... if you have tips please share.
For those packing their husbands and or school lunches please share your ideas.
What about those with kids who walk through the door at the end of the day ready to inhale the whole contents of the fridge?  
How about recipes that just use pantry ingredients?
I will add some recipes in the comments.  
It is ok to be basic and it is ok to be simple.  Simple is good.  At the end of the day single ingredients are better anyway, we know what is in them!  
If you have a question or struggle in this area ask away and let the Bluebirds help you!  We love to help!  xxx

Pantries and Preparedness, Victory in the veggie garden.

As the weeks pass by we are all noticing different shortages or items that are either limited/rationed or not on the shelves at all.  Not much has changed at our local supermarkets, the same things apply with limits of one or two items in so many categories.  But now the limits and hard to get items have extended to the plant nursery.   I found this at our local nursery and they said three companies that supply them say they will have no seeds for the rest of the year and the fourth company doesn't even answer the phone anymore.    And seedlings were not much better.  I placed my name on a waiting list however and this led to some success!   Like finding  flour I was over the moon excited to get seedlings!

Now we have many seed savers in the group (and too many to mention) but SewingCreations and Jane have both inspired me to save seeds.  And when you have gardening friends seeds are a good gift!  Like soap and face masks seeds are now worth more than gold!

Many things will grow from a cutting, some things propagate themselves.  I once had a Lavender bush that had babies come up all around it year after year.  I dug them up and potted them continually!   So now we can think of ways to get some food growing in any way we can.

Vicky and I were talking about how to creatively get around the seed issue and she wrote....

Food shortages, seed shortages and basic supplies being hard to find or sold out before we get to them makes it stressful right now, but again if we look at what we have on hand or even what someone else may be tossing we may just be able to eek along and add to our pantry or meal table or save a little when prices are increasing. In lean times even just a handful of this or that can be so satisfying. From just adding a bit of flavor to possibly becoming an actual harvest it really is time to take a second look at things.

I have heard that some places are having seed shortages right now. If you have bought produce then you more than likely have a resource right at your fingertips you can use. Most have seeds in them or can be regrown easily. Instead of tossing them out consider saving the seeds and drying them until it's time for you to start them or if it's time to plant in your area get them sprouting to plant. After having talks with the produce managers at the stores I have found that many of the veggies I buy are actually heirloom, but not advertised as such. For example California Wonder peppers which most stores sell here are actually an heirloom veggie. I have started many things from store bought veggies just to see what they would be and I have not so far had any that didn't produce something. And something is better than nothing. 

Celery and lettuce root ends will continue to grow and produce new, onions and potatoes, garlic and carrot tops that sprout can be planted to regrow. Just don't hurry them along. 

Dried beans from store bought bags I've planted before by soaking them overnight first. You need to look at the bag though to see if it says irradiated. That is done so they will not sprout. Bags of sprouty beans on a store shelf wouldn't be wonderful. 

And the beauty of this is other than some time we are out nothing really. Looking at food differently helps too. Someone else may look and see a few small potatoes that grew I look and see what I can actually make with those few small potatoes! It is all a matter of perspective. 

I am currently starting celery which I will put in pots in a few weeks. I have tomatoes starting from a store bought tomato that wasn't good when the hubby brought it home, onions that are sprouting which I will trim and plant and potatoes that are sprouting.  

So don't get discouraged use what you may have on hand or can get someone to save for you this is another example of using our resources to our advantage!

XOXO

Vicky

We have all had plants come up when we didn't expect them too, especially if you put things in the compost or garden.   This does prove many store bought veggies and herbs do still produce viable seeds.   I certainly have had tomatoes grow and produce this way.     I now save any sprouting potatoes and plant them.  Suddenly I look at everything for potential!

My own garden right now is pretty much starting over.  I did get a lot of tomatoes, spinach, parsley, zucchini and basil over summer.  But things are quiet now and I am rebuilding.

My make shift fence to keep the dog out is so far working!

I have some things on my side... access to sheep and chicken poo,  good water (we have a bore)  a fairly sheltered spot that is protected from the wind,  space for other gardens if I want to extend...   this space gave me somewhere I could just let pumpkins sprawl everywhere and I am so happy I planted them!

We have only been here a year and a half.  It seems like much longer!   So everything with the garden is trial and error.   I would dearly love to add some raised garden beds.   

I am admiring how many people share garden spaces or have an allotment like in England where you garden a patch in a big garden,  I presume you rent or lease this plot.   And the good use of space in a tiny garden where everything is growing upwards.   Up is the way to go when space is short.    I have been reading how in the war years and depression people formed clubs.   There were things like chicken clubs and pig clubs... where one person might house them on their property but the feeding and caring for them was a group task... at the end the produce was shared.   We have had a lesser version of this when others saved their household scraps for our chickens and we return the favour with fresh eggs.  

Two families could agree that one will raise chickens and another will garden and eggs will be swapped for veggies.  We don't have to do everything we need some things that we can produce to be self sufficient in and able to sell or barter with.  Something is better than nothing!   Because of this I grow a lot of the things that grow well.  I had about thirty feet of lush Parsley and none was wasted.  I was able to use, dry, give away bunches and feed chickens, cows and sheep with it.   Then I harvested the seeds and packaged them.  I got so much from it!   So now I have a huge amount planted again and it is just coming up.

I want to do more and I want to do better.  If you have suggestions for how to multiply and propagate, save seeds, grow from cuttings and any tips at all please share them!   There is so much to learn.   One of my newer discoveries is how in Europe many use all kinds of things to fill a raised garden bed... including fallen logs.  They will after all break down eventually.   What a saving this would be!   You do not need to purchase heaps of expensive soil as most of your garden beds can be filled with found and salvaged things.  If this is interesting to you look up Hugelkultur method for raised beds.  Amazing!  One thing we have is plenty of fallen logs!  

Another is to look at potential containers for raised beds.   I have my eye on some large wooden boxes that the farm has had pumps arrive in... they look like garden beds to me! 

Each year Vicky calls her garden The Victory Garden.  So then her pantry became Vicky's Victory Pantry.   I love this!   The less we depend on the store the more victorious I feel.   

My niece has been here cleaning our gutters.... now I have some more compost material for the garden!  So I am off to spread this around and water my seedlings.xxx

Pantries and Preparedness. Ingredients that keep you able to clean and wash anything.

Last week our subject was about log lasting things to keep in your pantry.  They will not "expire" for many years so they make a good investment.  This week I want to do the same thing in the area of cleaning and laundry.  

I ventured back into town yesterday. It was very interesting.  In the bigger of the two supermarkets there was music playing and every five minutes  a recording played.  It went  "we are aware there are many things missing from the shelves right now due to unprecedented times but we want you to KEEP CALM."  It sort of had the opposite effect on me.  It wasn't calming.

Anything to do with cleaning, washing, sterilising and sanitising was either unavailable or limited. This included hand soap, body wash,  hard soaps ...  dish washing soap or tablets where you could have one item... disinfecting sprays were two items but there were none there anyway... and so on.

I am so glad I learned to make soap!  While it would take up a ton of space (and money) to stock up years ahead on laundry soap and all the different soaps we use it is pretty simple and inexpensive to store away items that will always let you make just about anything you want!
Apart from cleanliness and sanitation keeping things clean affects morale.  I am starting to get why soap was such a valuable item during the war and depression years.  Especially something that smells good!

Soap making is really easy.   I am going to link to some of my soap making tutorials and recipes.  Here you will find Rachel's homemade laundry soap recipe.  Laundry soap is a great way to get soap making!  You will also find a recipe that does not need caustic soda (which intimidates a lot of people but shouldn't!) as you use soap flakes.   However this makes beautiful soap.
Soap Making Part 1.   So we will start off with Soap Flakes.... in Australia the best is Lux Pure Soap flakes.  If you keep this on hand you are going to be able to make hand soap, laundry soap, wool mix... basically anything.  In the US I believe Ivory has a pure soap flake.   You are looking for pure grated soap.  Of course you could find a pure gentle soap and grate it yourself.

To enable you to clean windows, make gentle Wool Wash and many more items Methylated Spirits  
 is an  excellent thing to keep.     The Wool Mix recipe is a wonderful introduction  into soap making as it sets in a jar as a hard soap which you dissolve in hot water to use.  It is the most divine smelling mix...   Wool Mix   It contained  Eucalyptus Oil which is another item to keep on hand.   If you prefer you could use Lavender Oil.   Both scent things beautifully and both have antiseptic and strong cleaning properties.

This link is to another favourite soap I make that is so smooth.  It is a good soap for gifts.   Beautiful gift soap.    So I need to add Lye/Caustic Soda to the list of things to have in your cupboard plus Coconut oil.    Olive Oil is another thing I like to have on hand for soap making.

This post has the laundry liquid recipe that I use.  Laundry Liquid recipe.     So now I add Borax and Washing Soda/Lectric Soda  to my list of items.   The beautiful of most of these things is one packet is going to go a long way.   And most have many other uses!     If you use this recipe in a stronger concentration you have a laundry soaker.

I find that saving jars, buckets, items that could be used as soap moulds and an old cooking pot are all handy.   I have my soap making pot and whenever I am mixing something up out if comes!  

Epsom Salts is a wonderful versatile cleaner.  So is Vinegar.   Epsom salts can be added to your wash for a softening effect. You can clean your teeth with it and use it as a mildly abrasive sink and surface clearer.   Vinegar is an ingredient in Miracle Cleaner (see below) and mixed with a simple dish soap it will clean the shower screen. 

Hydrogen Peroxide is a multi purpose cleaning item.    Prepsteader on You Tube has a whole video on the uses of this.  I use it to soak the toothbrushes if anyone has been unwell.   It also makes a great laundry treatment/ spot remover.    

It is very easy to make liquid hand soaps as it is really just a runny version of any soap.  You can find many recipes for using soap scraps to make liquid hand soap.   Re filling your pump containers with soap you made yourself is pretty satisfying especially now they are hard to get!  I like to add a few drops of essential oil like Eucalyptus or a Germ Fighting blend. 

The best all round cleaner I know of is Miracle Cleaner.   This smells amazing, kills germs and you can make it up from ingredients already mentioned.  Miracle Cleaner.  If you clean with this your house always smells fresh too. 

In Australia we have Sunlight Soap or Velvet soap which are basic all purpose old fashioned soaps.  Many of us probably had our hair washed with Velvet soap at some stage.  You can wash your dishes or your laundry.  Vicky sent me some Zote soap from the US.  It made wonderful laundry liquid!     You will never be sorry if you line a few drawers with some bars of good all round useful soaps.  They take up very little space and they harden further over time which makes them last a long time when you do use them.   Some luxury beautifully scented soaps make your linen cupboard smell nice (and your linens) but in a shortage there you have your supply!  

My last tip is that if you purchase soap flakes to transfer them into a container rather than leave them in the cardboard box.   They retain the scent and stay better long term in a large jar or tin.  

Right now soaps are a great gift. Heike made tiny soaps and popped them into little tins to carry in your purse.   This was a nice idea for anyone!  Thoughtful!   My next experiment is to make soap leaves by thinly slicing freshly made soap into single use soaps.   I will report back on that! xxx

Pantries and Preparedness 2020. Foods that last years and years.

Things have been calmer here in the last week but I know this certainly is not the case everywhere.  And things have evolved.  Shortages and rationing have changed somewhat too. I would love to hear your observations in your location but here the new sought after goods are chickens, seeds, seedlings...  I am seeing also canning jars, lids etc.   All the same stuff as before as well, toilet paper, soaps, hand sanitisers, flour, sugar, pasta...  and so on.
In the wider picture I am seeing meat processing plants closing down specially in the US.   I am also seeing massive price rises!   So by keeping our eyes open we can see what things we might need to be doing to be ahead.

One of the things I hear a lot is about the worry of increasing food supplies only for it to be wasted.  People worry about expiry and best before dates.   We need to get ourselves educated on this.  For instance I see honey has a date on the lid!   Yet honey will keep forever.  I have Himalayan Pink Salt in my pantry. It took hundreds of thousands of years for someone to package it but it expires in June.   Seriously!    We are taken for idiots!

Today I am going to share some foods that you can store for many years.   We can never really hope to stock everything.  But in this time I have seen that if you have good supplies of some things you can trade and help others.   And the things I have noticed people chasing most of all are basics such as flour and sugar.     Many basics also have a whole lot of uses.  If you stock them you have the beginnings of so many recipes and some medical and cleaning applications as well.    Next week I am going to cover the ingredients and items that keep for years that will allow you to make all your cleaning and washing supplies.  Today we will stick to edibles.

My first long term item is Alcohol.  You do not need to be a drinker for this one.   This Pandemic has shown if everyone had a high alcohol Vodka,  Everclear or similar in their storage they could have made a great amount of hand sanitiser, surface spray and cleaner.   Alcohol over 60% proof kills germs and viruses.   If you have Vodka you can make extracts and tinctures that also will last years.  You can also make Alcohol wipes for many purposes.   This is a very valuable thing to have.

Some of the foods that will keep years if stored properly include:
Rice.  White rice keeps years longer than brown rice.   I freeze if for a few days first.  Then store properly... in each case you want air tight, rodent and bug proof containers.  I use glass jars or glass canning jars with rings and clips.   Then rice should last 30 years!!   Imagine how many things you can do with rice.

Dry beans.   So many types of beans.  Filling and versatile.   Many will last a good 30 years also!

Pasta.  This will last years and years.  30 years even!  Plus you can vary the shapes and types for variety.

Salt.   I am not much of a salt user.  However it is a preservative and I keep Himalayan Salt as part of my medical pantry as you need it to make Electrolytes which can be life saving.

Vanilla Extract.   This basically lasts forever and in tight times some heavenly flavour would be so nice!

Bullion cubes.   They last a long time packaged well.  Flavour is a good thing!

Vinegar.   Lasts and lasts.   Useful to preserve and also in cleaning!

Wheat.   Well sealed it will last years and so will many other grains.  If you have a grinder you are set.

Sugar.    White sugar will last years and years.   So will castor sugar.

Cornflour.   This lasts a long time too.

Potato Flakes.  Stored properly they will last YEARS.

Honey.   So many uses that this is something I keep large supplies of.

Maple Syrup.   Will keep indefinitely!

Baking soda.   Another thing with so many uses.  It can be stored indefinitely.  Getting it out of a box into a glass jar will greatly help.    In a pinch you can clean your teeth with baking soda and clean the dish washer!    Very useful thing to have.

Cocoa Power.   It will last a few years at least.

Molasses.   Full of vitamins and minerals too!

For Australians... Golden Syrup and Vegemite.  Both useful and lasting!

Powdered Milk.  So useful.  Stored well it lasts many years.  It needs to be kept in a cool dark place.   Sealed well.   But it will last long after the date on the packet.

You will never go wrong storing these long lasting items.   There are more as I believe many freeze dried items are very long lasting.    If you can think of others please add them!    I think spices such as pepper probably do last a surprisingly long time.    Tea leaves also sealed up well will last a fair while.  They will not go off... just lose some oomph.   When desperate for a cup of tea I would still be trying it!  Dried fruit lasts a long time... I am just unsure how long!?

I am quite happy to keep some of my pantry over flow in random cupboards and even in plain sight.  To me jars are a beautiful thing!   These are in my lounge room... they are salt and sugar mainly so I am not too concerned about them getting some light.

One thing I am sure of is the situation with rationing and shortages will be around for a while.   It might change to different items and we need to keep an eye on that.  But supply chains are broken in many places.  Currently it takes one person coming down with the virus in a warehouse or factory and the whole thing is closed down.  So this is a pretty volatile situation.  While some things might be made in our own countries  some items to make them might be imported.  It is surprising and the most interesting things are harder to get... my brother purchased a generator and it was a circus to get it as parts come mostly from China... 

Being able to stay in and feed  your family is a huge accomplishment.  Being able to help others is also!  We are not helpless and afraid, in fact we are not afraid of the winter as we prepare!  

I want to wish you all a very blessed Easter.   We are having a quiet day.  The sun is shining.  I have eggs to collect and seedlings to water.  We have faith and hope and many blessings!xxx

Pantries and Preparedness 2020. Bartering part two and little bits of information.

My last post was about bartering and how now more than ever this is so helpful.  Since, I have had a realisation...  nothing is normal and you cannot assume anything!   Someone I know who has a highly paid job and one would (wrongly assume)  have everything they need could not get masks, hand sanitiser and several grocery basics.  She was just doing without.  And so I realised... money now cannot buy many things people want.  This is why we prepare and why money in the bank is not always the number one wise way to save.  What if you have money but it will not buy you the things you need?  At times like these money might not help if the availability isn't there.    We need to diversify and not have all our eggs in one basket!
So if we have chickens, a garden, we can sew, we can cook, we have useful skills.... we might be able to provide things that money cannot buy!

So I sat and sewed some more masks and gathered some eggs for my friend.  I might as well have given her gold!   It is as though all the normal things we get excited about are out the window!  Now a bag of flour... rolls of toilet paper and antibacterial wipes get the reaction once reserved for much fancier stuff!    This gives us a lot of ways to help others and in a significant way.

This applies in other ways too.  I think it has always been lovely to send someone a hand written letter or card.  But now it could mean so much to someone isolated.  Many quite ordinary things are bigger now.  We thanked our Pharmacist in writing for his help to us and this also got a reaction that was way more than I would have guessed.  People seem to be so thirsty for some kindness and gratitude.  This might come because I have heard the chemists are abused when they cannot supply goods in shortage... and that doctors, nurses and ambulance officers are being abused too.  They could so with some kindness and a show of thanks.

Now I want to share something Rachel wrote to me.   She bartered her way though a whole day quite miraculously.  And I think this is inspiring and lovely!


 MY AMAZING DAY!

        Yesterday was an amazing day for me! I had been up early, and had travelled to town for the mechanic to do further testing on my car. It was losing large quantities of water, and the idea was to test another alternative method for repair, instead of having to replace a $250 part.
It was Dad who mentioned, in good humour, that I was there to clean the windows (as I now do window cleaning for income), and the mechanic said to go right ahead whenever it suited me! Since the supermarkets were not yet open, the mechanic shop’s windows, tracks and sills were treated to a rare cleaning! The mechanic was pleased.

        Dad chauffeured me through the day. We visited several supermarkets so that I could buy basics. It was good to see that most stock was on the shelf. There was even flour in one shop, although I didn’t buy any because I grind wheat at home using an electric mill, and find this very satisfying!

        I had shops to call back to regarding window cleaning. At the new little picker’s shop   (selling antiques and modern items of interest), I was prepared. Another window cleaner had underquoted me, so I was ready to match his lower price and get the job back! As per prior arrangements, I took the owner a set of six tiny Italian, gold-plated coffee cups with saucers. He sat down to review the price that we would agree on. He had previously suggested bartering when he had seen that I was interested in a pair of easy-moving old sheep shears that would suit my hands when cutting greens for my chooks. When the owner said that he could not afford the window cleaning that day, with everything being so quiet, I made a suggestion, and he was very interested to carry it through! So, I contributed the gold coffee cups and saucers, which I had no use for, and I cleaned his shop windows. In return, I took home a very useful pair of shears and a kitchen tool which cuts a potato into chips!! Inside the bag, too, he had added a couple of chocolate bars for my Dad and I to eat on the way home!!

Back at the mechanic’s, to pick up the car, the apprentice gave us a message that my costs would be covered by my window cleaning. The boss had to bring my car keys back, and he confirmed the message. He said that, if I was happy, he was happy, and we called it even! The car was fixed, saving a huge bill, and the miracle is that it cost me nothing but my window cleaning!

I know that we can’t just make bartering happen, just as I don’t find window cleaning jobs just jumping out at me! Ha ha! What we can do, however, is to be prepared, and realise that money is not what matters most. If I do my bit, and people see that I am genuinely trying and doing a good job, then, somehow, there are some people who respond  out of the goodness of their heart.

We bartered, and it was an amazing day!!


I love this, thank you Rachel!  💕

So we might not need goods to barter with but skills and acts of help or service.  I am considering more what assets I have.   Whether to barter with or to give to help someone.   I have lots of pretty cards and writing paper.   I can send mail.

My eyes have opened to more things I could barter with and gift.   I made a short list in the last post.  I knew eggs are good!   I listed herbs and Bay Leaves.  But each day I have realised how many more things I have!  I can make laundry liquid and I have the ingredients to make loads.

I can make soap!  What was I thinking!?  Everyone needs soap and I have everything on hand.  I am thinking to make little sized soaps and putting them in little tins so where ever you go a small soap is with you.  In The Tuesday Club Heike did this and I thought just now that is the nicest gift ever! 

So be encouraged, be productive and creative with what you can lay your hands on and what you have.   If you want to make masks and have no sewing machine then hand stitch.  If you have no fabric then cut up an old pillowcase.  Be resourceful.   Let everyone know what you are needing... people have all kinds of things in the back of the cupboard!  It is ok to ask.    I am about to ask for help with a few things I cannot do and I will be offering cooking as my trade.  I have apples to dehydrate so bags of dried apple will be added to my list.  Last year I did trade those to get the gutters cleaned out!

So wish me luck and I wish you every success as we realise our skills and many ordinary things are now worth more than gold! xxx

Pantries and Preparedness 2020. Bartering and encouragement.

I am finally able to post the next in our pantry and preparedness series.  It has been hard to keep up with everything going on around me, family, gardening and all that needs doing.  In a week so much more has happened.  This would be the same for you all.

Last week I still went to town one time and I had a couple of my homemade face masks with me.

I also had my sanitiser sprays and wipes.   I quickly found out that if I had a hundred of these I could have sold or bartered all day long.    I had made a deal with a lady to make her two masks in exchange for a pile of cotton sheeting she said she will send me.   And she did!  It is many meters of plain solid colour sheeting which she washed and ironed.   I made her two masks and some sanitiser.    And then she discovered I have eggs so I can sent her eggs too.   And this is how I find myself constantly bartering!   

Vicky has written how bartering helps her family so much.  And boy I have know her to do some good deals over the years!  

Over to Vicky!

Right now with so many things going on all over the world we need to think about all of our resources and what we can do with them. There are so many things we can do to keep our households going and bartering is one of them. 

Bartering was a way of life for many at one time and we can draw upon that, it is a way of helping each other and obtaining things we need or use without cash. My great grandma and some of her friends and family did a lot of bartering during the Depression from fabric scraps so they could have something different, fruits and vegetables from their gardens or foraging like blackberries and wild plums. 

We barter a lot and it is amazing the trades that can be made! 

Take a good look at all that you have, do you have a lot extra of some things, but need others or if your offered something even if you may not need it at the moment would you be willing to trade for it? I have accepted barters for things I may not need myself, but have been able to gift to someone else that had the need and then was gifted with something I did need so the saying what goes around comes around is very much true. 

And it can be hard to ask for a trade, but I have found that people actually love to trade and find it a small excitement so if you need to don't be afraid to ask. All it takes is to say I have this etc. and would you be willing to trade for this,etc.? 

What do you have plenty of that you could barter? Do you have plenty of flour it only takes a cup or two to produce a small baked good. Maybe you would like to trade with a gardener? Do you have chickens who lay eggs and can trade for something to add to your pantry? Or maybe something isn't available at the store and you know someone who has plenty and fuel prices are cheaper consider taking a can and getting a few extra gallons to barter with. I've bartered with lots of my canned goods and the hubby too. He was asked if he would take a hay elevator for some of my canned pickles and he did then bartered it for something else. 

Bartering can include labor too. My husband has cut down trees for the wood or more recently bartered 6 dozen eggs for a truck load of wood. It doesn't have to be even, Steven as long as both parties are happy. We can even coordinate with family or friends like great grandma did and see who has an abundance of what and divide it up and trade so everyone has a little variety. There are many, many ways to work things out and with a lack of resources we need to consider all possibilities at our disposal. 

We can be each others eyes and help each other, buy a pack of toilet paper and someone else can get something else if their store has it and then trade off half of each. Some is better than none. 

What do you have that you could barter? What do you need that you would like to get? Since we don't know the extent of damage this virus is going to do it is a good time to consider all of the ways we can get along and make do. making our own, stretching things, making sure we have no waste, helping others and also bartering and we are off to a good start! 

XOXO

Vicky

Thank you Vicky.  Here a load of wood is worth several hundred dollars.  That is a wonderful trade! 

I have had a lot of reasons to be grateful and amazed this week.   I built up my chicken numbers and set up.  Now it is hard to buy a chicken and eggs are in demand and a great bartering item.

We bought an extra large freezer as we just felt the need.  Then it became hard to buy a freezer as everyone had the same idea at the same time when the virus first broke out.

We planted a fruit orchard and veggie garden.  And now it is hard to get seedlings and even seeds.   But we are already established.   I read ages ago that the time to do these things is before you need them.  These things were things we worked on as soon as we arrived here.

This is not to say it is too late to get going.   I have always said the same... take every opportunity!   Do what you can and make the most of everything.  

Bartering is natural to Vicky and to me.   I think now is the time to help others and a great time to barter.   Thing of your resources and what you could be producing.   To get by in hard times we need to be producing things and not just consuming them.   This helps you supply your own needs and gives you things to sell or trade.   So I have a list of things that I can barter that I have... fresh herbs, Bay Leaves,  eggs, sheep manure, jam, baking, wood... things I can produce.... face masks, hand wipes, soft fabric tissues (kleenex) and essential oil rollers.   I am making producing things each day part of the day.  If you have a skill put it to good use.  Learn a skill too!   Your abundance of one thing is something you can swap with others!  

See if your elders neighbours need anything.  There are very lonely people just now.  We can still phone and write!

Now I need your help.   I am struggling with my work, family needs and blog but I want to keep going.  You can help me by sharing any good trading ideas and ways to help others at this time.   Last week I mentioned our family shopping co op.   We all let each other know what we are looking for and add these things to our lists.  I was able to get Mum some Gluten Free Flour.  Mum was able to give me venison!   (Trade!)  Chloe needed sugar.  She was able to give me figs (another trade!)  Her friend was desperate for flour and Chloe sent her some.  Her friend sent back apples and tomatoes!     

This is where a network comes in!   Some of my network is a family.   But also I have a wider network.  I have always highly valued the Pharmacist.  The one we went to in the city was a discount chemist.   We got to know them and they got to know us.  We also have an excellent chemist in our local town.   I am always asking him questions so he knows me too.   The city pharmacist I follow on Facebook.  I think I am probably their number one liker and commenter!!   They posted they had an arrival of face masks.   The next day they posted they had an arrival of hand sanitiser!    I rang up... they immediately knew me on the phone and said "hello! How is Andy going?"  and I said I realised they must be incredibly busy at this time but would they possibly have time to do a phone order and post things out?   Yes!!  And within minutes I had a list of items that are very hard to get on their way.   Networking and being nice to people, getting to know them...  doing things to help and encourage them and then when you need help they are there for you too.

Next week Rachel is adding to this subject of bartering.  She is also a natural at it!! And we can learn from her!

The other way you can help me keep going is to help me with replies.   I have always felt it is important to reply to everyone and answer all questions.   Lately I have missed some replies which I feel bad about... I am still going though!   If someone asks a question and you can answer it please do!   If you see someone needs encouragement or a few words of kindness reply to them.  It can turn this way into a giant discussion and it will help me to manage.   I do feel at this time our friendship is needed more than ever.  Instead of trading goods we are trading ideas and knowledge and helping each other get through this time!  

Locally the shortages and rationing are worse... in Mum's town even the Post Office is closed.  I became aware a couple of weeks ago that while the stores were low we might become reliant on mail order/online shopping  but that soon these might be suspended too.   Coming into cool weather we acted fast to make sure the girls would have warm winter clothing.   So if you have children and needs like this think of them now. 

There is more to the picture than the illness.   Our own Government and mainstream media now talk openly about some countries collapsing.  Concepts such as a cashless society and One World Government are also getting pretty regular mentions.  The collapse of whole countries would make the Lehman Brothers look minor!   

The financial brains that I speak to are sure this will be no recession, it will be a depression. I guess we will soon know.   So we have a lot to do and need to be our very best and most prudent and watchful. xxx

 

Pantries and Preparedness. 2020. A new reality.

Thank you to everyone who participated last week and shared what is happening in your area and what shortages you are experiencing.   In several instances this helped me as there were items I had not anticipated and I was able to make sure we have some on hand.  And then guess what?  The next time I shopped they also were gone.
The most recent Pantries and Preparedness post is here.  This link will also take you to all the others in this series.

A week ago I felt that things happened so fast it was hard to keep up.  But this week has been even more this way.... I have had moments where I have been dumbfounded.   Speechless even!  (and that is saying something!)

During the week I did one trip away from the farm.  At this stage we are reducing our exposure to the outside world as much as possible.  I anticipate sometime soon we will not be going to town at all.

I am in country South Australia for anyone who is new here.

Things had changed a lot since last time.  There are government signs before you go into the stores...

As you go into the store you begin to see signs on limits on products.   Which is a nice way of saying rationing.

Then there were warnings to not abuse staff.... which are apparently necessary as staff are having a really hard time.

So in I went.  Some of the above limits were hypothetical only as there was no toilet paper or antibacterial towels.  

We have two stores and they were both the same. 

Bread and rolls were just an empty space.

All soaps were gone.  Antibacterial soap, regular liquid and foaming soaps and bar/solid soaps.

This interests me as I knew that in the Great Depression and the war years soap was one of the most sought after things.  If you wanted a highly tradeable and liftable item then a supply of soap was hard to beat.  Also inexpensive (in good times) small to store, long lasting and improves with age...  soap is like gold!  

Other items like gold apparently are tissues (kleenex) 

And frozen vegetables..

There was almost no meat at all.  Including pet food.

I was able to get fresh veggies, diary and I got some flour in one store.   The other was empty and both had limits.

The limits do not take into account your family size.  So if you are one person you can buy one pack of flour and if you are a family of ten you can still buy one pack.   Same with bread, rice, soap,  etc.  

Many country people shop once a month or once in three months.  That is a long drive to get one or two of everything.... and it is not going to feed larger families.   

Any notion that this is short lived was well and truly cleared up this week.  We have been told to be ready for at least six months...

The next day at home I had a comment from a reader telling me that a bus had pulled up in their small country town.  People got off this bus, went into the store and bought pretty much all they could then back on the bus and three hours back to the city!  So the pretty well already empty town shop was now in even worse shape....  

Within the next several hours I found out this is happening across the state.  Buses and cars are coming from far and wide to the small towns as they have heard we still have stuff.    When I realised this I felt the colour drain out of me.   Oh my goodness...

Next Mum confirmed this had happened in her town.   People were descending from everywhere.  And my town (which is one hour away) had people coming from interstate!  Then buses started arriving!   

Today my local Foodland has posted on social media that we will now need ID to shop there and they are limiting shoppers to a 100 kilometre radius.   They said authorities had made them aware more buses and cars were coming long distances to buy up food and leave... leaving locals with nothing. 

I am still amazed.   I can see this all getting really out of hand.  Dangerous even.

In the store there was a young woman with a little boy in a pusher. (stroller)  She was standing looking at the empty frozen vegetable freezers.  I said to her a hello and a friendly comment.  She said "I can't get anything on my list.."     I felt she had planned what to buy and what to make.  I said to her ok try doing it the other way, try seeing what you can find that your family like and work out what you could make from it.  I honestly don't think she had thought of that.  And this is what we will all have to do.

People who have kept a good pantry and even people who have saved money are now being labelled HOARDERS.   Ladies become very discreet about what you have in your home.   Someone amongst us has had death threats for having a well stocked pantry.  Yes I am serious.   Someone who has been frugal and hard working for years, bakes, grows her produce and cans her food....  she is labelled a hoarder and greedy.  Yet you get someone who has their annual Bali holiday and $5000 in tattoos saying they can't afford a pantry.  I don't have anything against either if that is what people want to do.  But leave those who want to get ahead alone!    Ironically those of us who do have gardens and chickens and full pantries are in a position to take care of our families and help others.  However these things (just like taking care of your own children) are now frowned upon. 

It is becoming harder and harder to stand up for Jesus and Christian values. If you believe things as set out in the Bible you will be labelled a bigot.  So I guess now we are bigoted hoarders! 😳

Don't let people calling you names stop you! 

I am not talking about people who are profiteering by buying basic goods up and selling them for huge prices online.    There are some really shifty people who are not helping at all!   But this is a whole different category!   Families who are trying to provide for their families are not in this group.

With a week or two of low stock and some items unavailable we are already seeing angry people. Abusive people.   Pushing and shoving.  Fights breaking out in supermarkets...  So it has to make you wonder if this situation goes on and we continue to see prices rising and shortages what things will be like.   Mum's town had a four kilo bag of potatoes for $20 today.   Suddenly really ordinary items are going up and up.   Thousands of people are losing their jobs every day.    I am betting everyone already knows of job losses.   Thousands of businesses are closing every day.   How many can survive closing, possibly for months?

Each day more countries are shut down. Our government has called all Australian's to come home asap.   I just saw California is having everyone shelter in place like in Italy or France.   Hundreds of thousands of businesses will not survive this.... ships are headed to New York to be set up as hospitals... every hour that passes things just escalate.  It is actually just mind blowing.  It is so mind blowing it can be hard to think straight in a time we need to think fast and clearly.  We all need a plan.  We need to review everything.  

During the week Lucy send me a list.  She said "Mum, I have done a freezer inventory.  Here is the list of meals I can make."    This was just her freezer and not her pantry.   I was so pleased!  Suddenly we need to consider everything.  If we can't go out we need everything on hand.

Pharmaceuticals are also being rationed now.   Over the counter medications are not on the shelves here anymore.

News from our capital (Adelaide) was that supermarkets had no meat or very little and that you could no long buy a freezer either!  Everyone had the same idea at once...

What can we do?  Well, I hope you have been building up your pantry and preparedness week by week.  I have thrown everything including the kitchen sink at trying to get everyone to do that.  

We need to sort ourselves out and be calm.   Assess our positions and think.

Simplify.   Be prudent with everything.   We need to keep our household calm and protected.  Children fed and tucked up in a warm bed.   They will sense if you are in a crisis.   Bedtime stories are one good medicine.   Having the TV on is not.

If you are able to buy food then  buy staples that can be used in many many ways and will last a long time. We are going to think fairly long term here. 

There are good things to think of.  The skies are clearer and the water in Venice and cleaner!   People are suddenly interested in growing their own veggies and having chickens.  Learning new skills. 

We can band together and lift each other up, help our neighbours,  deliver food to older people and plant our own Victory Garden.   When the going gets tough the tough get going!

The purpose of this post is really to show our new reality which is changing so fast.  Some people will see this as mild as we are still allowed to go out.  Some will be shocked!   Wherever you are on the timeline I hope we can help each other.  

My next posts I hope to concentrate on things we can do, things we can make... things that will help.

Proverbs 22:3 The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.   

Yesterday I had cause to be talking to a man who is very clever and quite high up in one of the major banks in Australia.   I thought mmmm I have this brainiac on the phone I should really take the opportunity to see what he thinks of all of this....    So I went right ahead and asked what did he think of the financial situation for Australia and the world in this crisis?  Now this is just an opinion but this is what was said...  he paused.  I said "it is not going to be a recession is it?  This is 1929 and it is going to be a great depression."   There I said it and risked looking silly to him.  

 He passed some more then he said "I agree with you, this won't be a recession it will be far far worse unlike anything we have ever seen."

Within a few hours Australia then closed the borders.   And this escalated once again.

I know people who can't wait to jump on a cruise shop or a plane and I know people who are preparing their vegetable seedlings to plant out.   I am in the "get a few more chickens group."

Please share what the situation is where you are now,  what is hard to obtain and what you wish you had thought of earlier as this might help someone else.   I will begin to work on things we can do.  I think if there are things we can do we are better.  We are not helpless.  We can help our families so much.  Now is the time...xxx