I have tried to sit down and continue with this blog so many times I've lost count. I wish I could say, life just happens but it's so much more than that. A country under siege happens. A constant daily attack on the environment, the institutions I've depended on for my entire life. The National Parks, the CDC website, every branch of the government and state. Climate Change is real and the only people who think it isn't real; work and live in air conditioning. I watched ICE vans roll through my town. The educational system is in a horrible state, then talk of defunding PBS and libraries. No one has held accountable for any thing, a bought and paid for corrupt Supreme Court. Enter Super El Nino and nobody know what will happen to the food system and water systems by the time we get through that. What happened to science?
And then they attacked food security and something we all took for granted. That was my line in the sand. Then Taylor Farms and explosive diarrhea hit the country and then I found all the companies owned by Taylor Farms. "Organic" Companies bought and sold and field workers provided with no bathroom facilities or hand washing facility so I put 2 and 2 together and decided no more store bought produce and time to know my local farms and farmers. But not to worry because now there is a tariff on toilet paper from Canada. We import $328 million dollars of the stuff. I have utter contempt for the billionaires and what they have done to this place we call home.
Sooooo I stayed on the compound, watched the news occasionally and knew we were headed for a pretty rough road ahead. Especially when the agricultural reports started coming in and then the wheat reports and cattle reports and and and......
Better start planting as much as I can possibly plant on this little plot and the studio was turned into the grand central seed starting station. Then I dropped down the hydroponic tunnel. I bought another system and I love it!
The fourth summer of high humidity, high heat and bolting lettuce. We like lettuce a lot, so indoor gardening during the summer months is now a thing.
Then the American Farm Bureau Federation released a report on April 13, 2026; stating farm bankruptcies have surged 46% in 2025 - 315 filings. Half of all farmers now hold jobs off the farm. The report does not provide information on farms that ceased to operate or been consolidated by a corporate AG farm. AND YET the USDA reports that farmers are experiencing "THE GOLDEN AGE" of farming. Can I interest you in some beef from Argentina that China rejected? Ya, if you eat food and are not a breathairian, and even if you are, have you looked at the air quality reports? Ya, we are fucked.
Then I read Chapter 10 of Project 2025 and watched as it unfolded for farmers, federal farm subsidies and crop insurance, Biotechnology and Regulations on food with little to no regulations, nutrition assistance, school lunch programs, farmers, food banks, dietary guidelines. Chapter 10 of Project 2025 was written by Daren Bakst (senior Research Fellow in Agricultural Policy at the Heritage Foundation), focuses on the USDA and critques the current direction of the agricultural policy, particularly it's emphasis on climate change and environmental issues.
In February of this year I gave my first presentation on Urban Homesteading, Home Canning and Food Preservation. It was a busy weekend and I was so happy to see other people are concerned about this stuff too! Not just me in my little bubble on the compound. I had hopes there would so much more that would continue on after the "Homesteaders Conference" hosted by Lake Metro Parks. There is clearly an interest and a need for this information. It was hoped we would be able to keep in contact with other people interested gardening and food preservation and how we get through this. It is valuable information to hear which crops failed or if one tomato made it through the heat and humidity of this summer before succumbing to the dreaded blight. Hybrids vs Heirlooms maybe a little of both. Seed saving and sharing with neighbors. It felt like a missed opportunity.
We ventured off the compound to attend "No Kings" protests, "No Data Center" protests and realized the residents could not even show up to a "No Data Center" protest and the majority of us holding signs were from neighboring communities. My time was better spent planting more seeds and saving them.
This month I opened my garden and home to a tour for Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Asso. I am a member and support their mission for the state of Ohio. Anything that connects farmers and consumers is a win in my book. Keep your dollar in the community and don't give it to a huge corporation dictating the price of crops to your local farmer. Shouldn't the farmer have a say in how much he earns, not some corporate monopoly? Again, 30 people show up and no word of getting together to compare notes on the year in review. But then it's still early and we have time to still get this together.
Henderson Library called and asked if I could present a canning workshop. I already had the power point so why not? On June 11th we had 30 people register, the library was surprised and so was I! We decided to hold monthly meetings on food preservation and gardening. I drive 45 minutes out to a rural library and talk about food preservation in the middle of a farming community. I love it and I love all the people who attend and support this library.
Yesterday I filled my van up and the cost of gas in NE Ohio is now $4.59 a gallon. I'm on social security and decided I would be driving, only when absolutely necessary, Plus I am a believer in public transportation and I can walk to the bus if I need too. I can also walk to my local library but not Henderson. I'm looking into an electric bike for local errands.
I have decided I probably won't be driving out to Henderson Library as it isn't cost effective or good for my carbon foot print and I am a volunteer.
All this and its time to resurrect the blog. Maybe better for my carbon foot print but I am sure it's connected to a data center somewhere. With more people canning, gardening, dehydrating, cooking etc I thought it would be a good time to start posting when I start seeds, how to put a garden to bed, how to stock my pantry etc. It's a good cost effective way to keep sharing and getting through the day to day war of living in a crazy world. Lawyers, guns and money were great for Warren Zevon. Yes, Warren the shit has hit the fan but send the gardeners, seeds and chickens.
Peace out and stock your pantry!
