Food Storage

I am a total Security Freak. I live by the mantra "Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best". For me, it isn't about having things for the sake of having them. It is about having everything I might need in case of tragedy. There is so much uncertainty in the world.

Mr. Barefoot thinks I am a nut.

Now, my sanity or lack thereof should not be the issue when what I am trying to do is beneficial for the whole family. Right?

RIGHT?!

Anyway, the think that I have been harping about lately is the whole food storage issue. Now, we don't have a system set up like those awesomely prepared folks who always have a years worth of food stored. I am not saying that I even want to go that far, necessarily.

That's a lie, I would love to have a years worth of food handy at all times, but I am gonna start small.

I try to keep enough food in the house that we could go a couple of weeks without a trip to the store at all times, but lately that has not really been happening.

So I am focusing my efforts a little better. At least I hope I am.

Mr. Barefoot has been talking about how much he likes buying our meat in bulk. He is talking about getting a whole hog next time, and either 1/4 or 1/2 cow just for us. He is also talking about stocking up on broiler chickens (since I am a chicken fanatic). I keep telling him that he needs to take up hunting again, cuz my FAVORITE food is venison. Oh, yummy! Venison chops with onions, green peppers, and mushrooms? Nothing better in the whole world. Not even cheesecake can top it. Sorry, Lisa. I don't really think he will ever become a hunter, though. It would take time away from other things he enjoys much more.

Stinker.

I am planning out a new coupon system so that I can take better advantage of my food buying dollar. I have been spending some serious research time on the net, getting inspired by how other folks are doing it and the absolutely INSANE amounts of $$$ they are saving.

I am also compiling tons of recipes to start using around the house. I am going to make an effort to start actually making foods more from scratch. Not that I haven't pulled a lot of the pre-packaged stuff out of our diet already, but there is still room for improvement.

On top of all that, I have been spending some serious quality time with my graph paper and seed catalogs, figuring out the garden situation for this spring. Since I am in MN, I have a few months yet before I can do much (other than start my seeds, which I SWEAR I am gonna do this year), but I am thinking that if I garden at the folks' place and my place this year I should be able to do some pretty amazing things with the veggies.

Of course, my long term plan involves planting berries by the hundred over at the folks' place, and then using our place for veggies. Then we can share the goodies back and forth and live "high off the hog".

What does that mean, "high off the hog". I gotta look that one up.

The point of all this is that.....well.....did I have a point?

Oh, yes! The point is that I am excited. I just thought I would share. I might end up posting some things that work really well for me as I get going on this, so be prepared for that.