We’re feeling a little uncertain about the nation’s economy with all the trade wars coming with China and rattling of swords by both the U.S. and Russia. So we’re doing what we can do — keeping on keeping on. David’s been working extra hard on his cabin. By the time he gets home from work, it’s about 6:30 so he hits the woods then. (But as a volunteer firefighter, he had to miss last night’s work for a fire meeting.) He’s got all the blocking in, floor joists spiked down and most of the bridging (which keeps the joists in place and adds strength) finished cutting. But he’s added lights around the building site and plans on working extra long on Fridays and weekends. I’m afraid a jet will think it’s a landing strip and come on in!

David, busy nailing in blocking between the floor joists
There’s lots of lumber stockpiled and ready to use.

Meanwhile, I’ve been canning extra meats, which I’ve bought on sale. Turkey breasts were only 99 cents a pound and pork loin $1.49 a pound. So that’s extra for the pantry. Bill plans on coming up for a weekend of work this spring to help butcher our extra roosters, which we have about 20. I’ll can them up for chicken soup and stew. Less poultry to feed!

I’ve also been crazy busy planting and transplanting seeds and seedlings inside, too. We’re not only growing for ourselves and for seeds for our seed business, Seed Treasures, but also so we can harvest extra seeds to send to folks we’ve learned about in Uganda who are helping orphans and widow women survive. (And we whine and think WE”VE got it tough!)

Inside, I’m planting the little seedlings in peat pellets into cups with holes in the bottom, each nicely labeled as to variety.
We’ve bought two more little plastic greenhouses and I’m busy filling them on our enclosed back porch.

Today it’s 45 degrees and the sun is out so the snow is going fast. Will just got in from checking a very pregnant cow and also our new garden spot down by the training ring barn. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do anything and won’t be able to start shoving branches and stumps out until the frost goes out. The same for fencing.

We’re doing what we can to add to our pantry and prepare for anything the future may bring. You can see more of what we are doing in my article “Sitting Pretty as the Economy Tanks” in the Twenty First Year Anthology.

On a good note, our barn water line has thawed out. Now if our house water line would do the same. But it will … soon, I hope. Can’t wait to get outside in the dirt! — Jackie

27 COMMENTS

  1. Yes, we are concerned, too, but we are both in our late 70’s so what can we do? Just turn off the news and keep on keepin’ on, as you said. Try to economize where we can (thank goodness the house and car are paid for) and try to stay well. Those are our goals in life! Oh, and eat lunch out once a week.
    Love your blog, by the way, Jackie! We’ve been reading you for a long time, used to get the Backwoods Journal.

    • By doing what you can, you’re still way ahead of many folks. After all, how many people today have a paid off car and home???
      AND you do need to do something enjoyable each week. As the old saying goes, “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.
      Sorry you’re not getting Backwoods Home any more. I have just bought a Kindle so I can read it again. (The Kindle is my big jump into technology. I still have a flip phone….) I’m still writing for both Backwoods Home on Kindle and Self-Reliance Magazines.

  2. Was in the store tonight and saw that the price of almonds dropped dramatically recently and wondered if it was due to some of the trade back and forth. Wasn’t on the shopping list, but picked up one large bag and will get another next time if still the same price. I’ll dry can them and put them away.

    I work in IT and make a decent living when there’s work. But I’ve seen enough times when there isn’t work so I don’t ever trust the economy… What goes up, must come down.

    • Boy is that ever true! Good buy on the almonds. I can up all my nuts and that way, they keep forever. (Pressure can for 10 minutes at only 5 pounds pressure.)

  3. Working here to keep the pantry full. I am always a little skittish about the economy as well as being aware that other things such as job loss or illness can be devastating. I have your book on recession proofing your pantry and find it a very valuable guide. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us all. My tomatoes are ready to transplant to a larger cup now. The seeds I got from you all germinated well and are quite vigorous. Looking forward to garden season!

    • So are we! I’m glad your seeds are doing so well. May your entire garden be bountiful!

  4. We used to buy them through Jungs, but they only carry Kozy Coats, now and we prefer the green or (older) clear Wall’O Waters. You can find them on ebay or buy them directly through the manufacturer (US made!), Wall’O Water.com. Yes the middle generation of Wall’O Waters were terrible. The company was bought out and the manufacturing slumped into half-hearted. Now it’s again dependable and the Walls can be purchased with a guarantee of good quality.

    • I don’t believe so, but if that changes, I’ll let everyone know. I needed more time on the homestead than last year. (It’s fun meeting folks at the various shows but hard to be away so many days during the summer.)

  6. We actually feel more confident than ever in the current leadership and his actions. This hasn’t changed our ongoing efforts though, to be as self-reliant as we can. So we continue to do what we’ve been doing all along toward that goal. Glad to see the progress on the new cabin, and all of the good things growing in your house! Thanks for the update Jackie.

    • Oh yeah! It just lets us get more done and better prepared. We sure don’t figure it’ll go on as is forever.

  8. Hi, Jackie. Yes, as you’re doing there, we’re doing here. Doing what we always do, and also always keeping our eyes and ears open for how to help others. The seeds we have from you are doing well….as little seedlings, of course! jeanne

    • We figure every single day we have is a bonus. Around here, every single penny goes into developing a more sustainable homestead. So thank you for buying our seeds as that helps more than you know.

  9. I agree things are looking grim. I’m a pensioner on my own but I still try to make sure the pantry is full. I’ve just installed 4 raised garden beds so I can at least have fresh veggies this summer. If it’s not too much for me to manage, I’ll add more next year.
    Davids house is looking solid. The apple certainly hasn’t fallen far from the tree as far as he’s concerned!

  10. Economy good here in Texas if you want to work. Key if you want to work. I Don’t watch the drive by doom and gloom news slanted negative.
    Texas low taxes companies moving here wonder why? Look at the unemployment numbers seem to be down. If people would be conservative and work, everything would be ok. Seems like in the past I heard a lot of crying about China taking our jobs, now some of those jobs are coming back (steel for one). so every thing will be ok if we stay away from negative people and news. Sorry for length will not post in future.

    • You go ahead and post, Ben. We don’t listen to doom and gloom stuff either; hardly any TV at all, in fact. But we do know what’s going on around the world by talking to people who live in diverse places. And as an old-timer, now, we figure it’s always a good idea to be prepared for anything this old world throws at us.

  11. Miss Jackie and ALL, I too have been uneasy about the economy for some time not just because of the past week reports of troubles at home or abroad. Therefore I concur, Lets can, dry, or preserve whatever we find that we like when it is available or affordable. Pork shoulders are often on sale in my area. We slice them for chops,or steaks. One shoulder makes a couple of large roasts for the freezer. We think frozen pork doesn’t keep a good taste for extended periods. So though I keep a couple pork roasts handy, when they are reasonable in price I buy several. I cut them up and can them in pints as this is plenty for Sharon and me. If they have extra fat, I put it in a big roaster pan and render it overnight in the oven, strain it and have lard on hand. The cracklins flavor beans, corn bread or what ever. Canned pork keeps very well as does chicken, turkey, beef, venison, rabbit,fish etc. And we all can fruit and veggies, DON’T WE? If we have any amount of meat bones I put them in a big roaster in the oven with veggie trimmings, celery, carrots, onion, garlic or what you like and slow roast overnight covered with water and a few tablespoons of vinegar, salt to taste. Then can up the meat stock for soup bases, gravies, stew bases or to drink as bone broth for minerals. I freeze some things, short term, but I always feel canning is better for us as occasionally the power goes out here. IF there were an EMP problem, the grid would not likely be available for a loooooong time. SO if one hears and understands Miss Jackie do what ever you can to assist yourselves before TSHTF!!! Don’t wait for FEMA or some group to come bail you out!!!
    Nuff said. Rick

    • Well said, Rick. If folks just look at our past, history, in one way or another does repeat itself. And our economy has been good for generations now, which is great but when you look at history, unusual. There have been dozens of country-wide “panics” and the Great Depression.
      Same thing with “serious” wars…I mean where folks have serious worries about the U.S. being attacked, such as in World War II or the Cuban Missile Crisis.
      Now we have most folks spending way more than they earn via credit cards, buying new homes and cars they can’t afford plus North Korea, China and Russia…not to mention terrorists of various sorts cropping up worldwide.
      Me, I just feel better doing as you and your wife do and trying to get better set, ourselves, to weather any storm on the horizon.

      No, we ARE NOT doom-sayers, just folks with common sense.

  12. I too am concerned re the economy. I am doing what I can to prepare personally for the future. I believe we will see an inflationary spiral now the National debt has been increased astronomically. Have debt paid off, cellar full of food, wood cut for a few years and hang on. In our area the farmers are being very stressed with low commodity prices. A steer (feeder) is bringing $300 less than a year ago and milk prices are bad. Not all the economy is doing well. Here we are warm, well fed, and look at the news with disbelief. We know that you will have to be prepared. Looking forward to spring and we still have snow predicted for tonight. The developing house looks nice and what pride to have done it himself. Jobs are available all over but poor paying. So it goes, I won’t be installing a gold toilet soon. ER Lindsey. PS the plants look good at your place and the seeds I purchased are doing great. I look forward to the harvest.

    • Well said, Everett! The economy around here isn’t so great. Hundreds were laid off at the iron mines and ended up moving away to find jobs as you said, there are plenty of jobs around here but they’re $10 an hour jobs, not enough to make a living when gas is $2.49 a gallon and even an apartment is over $500 a month…not to mention the cost of groceries. The mines have re-opened, but our economy is still dismal as we have an older population with many of the younger folks having moved when the mines closed.
      We’re planting more this year, both so we can offer more seeds next year and so we can continue eating well…both our family and our kids’ families, if need be.

  13. The Lord is in control of the mess that the world is in and it’s all a part of His plan. All we can do is keep on keeping on doing our part and preparing for whatever may come as much as we can.

    God bless you guys. You’re situated better than alot of people. So many are just clueless.

    • Definitely. But He does expect us to shoulder our burdens joyfully. So we continue planting, building and thanking Him for our many, many blessings! We’re so thankful to be in our situation. We’ve also worked very hard to arrive where we are.
      You’re right, many folks today are totally clueless and in total denial of any impending problems.

  14. YES I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE NAME OF YOUR COOKBOOK THAT TELLS HOW YOU CAN MEAT.AND MANY OF YOUR OTHER RECIPES.I TOO AM TRYING TO PUT UP FOOD FOR A RAINY DAY. THANK YOU MUCH

  15. Good afternoon Jackie.

    Where do you get your Wall O Water plant insulators? There are a million (sort of) of them to choose from. I remember a friend had them some years back and they did not hold together very well. So, I am seeking some guidance.

    I have been concerned about the economy for at least year. Yes,canned meat and whatever else I can put together.

    Take care,
    Jacquie

    Thanks
    Jacquie

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