Everything is Going to Seed

Thousands of years ago our ancestors led a nomadic life, following the food chain and forever on the lookout for edible grains and berries.  Yes, some were lucky enough to live in areas where aquatic creatures were abundant, but many tribes, the hunter-gathers, had to hit the trail whenever stomachs started to rumble.  That all changed when one of the smarter ones (it must have been a woman) came up with the idea of starting permanent settlements where animals could be domesticated and cultivation of the land produced edible grains and vegetables.  One story told is that this became very popular when people learned how to turn grain into alcoholic beverages.  This could just be an early urban legend!

                The hunter-gatherers are still among us, searching the forests for wild mushrooms and other delicacies, as well as hunting wild game to supplement the family’s supply of meat. For the most part today, the majority of our hunting-gathering is done in local grocery stores.  All our dietary needs and beyond are in one location, food from all over the world is ready to be plucked off the counter and taken home. 

                The convenience of modern grocery stores is wonderful and I certainly wouldn’t want to be without them but…  How many of you have picked up a store-bought tomato with perfect skin and smelled it?  Nothing.  When you cut it up and added it to your salad, did you pour on lots of dressing because the tomato didn’t have much taste, and neither did the lettuce?

                Think back to those days when maybe your family had a vegetable garden in the backyard.  It may not have been much, but there were usually a few tomato and pepper plants at least, and perhaps some onions and watermelon.  I remember helping my dad pull out weeds and “accidentally” soaking myself while watering the plants and playing with the caterpillars.  Finally, the day came when the tomatoes turned red and were screaming to be removed from the vine.  Can you remember the tomato’s warmth from the sun and the aroma as the globe was sliced very thin and loaded onto white bread that was smeared with mayo? Heaven!!!

                For various reasons, many of us chose to leave that lifestyle behind and instead rely on food that we have no connection with except the financial transaction.  We didn’t have the time, the money for seeds, or the knowledge of the requirements for a successful garden.  There were always those folks who went against the norm and did keep gardens and were successful at providing food for their families and planned ahead for the next year.  They kept track of what grew best in their area and how to best battle bad bugs and blight while encouraging pollinators to increase their crop.  They dried the seeds from the best of their produce and kept them safe to plant the following year.  Those folks were out there but we didn’t hear much about them.  Then COVID came!

                Suddenly the world was on lockdown and we had nowhere to go. Our workplaces were closed as well as restaurants and movie theaters.  Masks were worn everywhere and we slathered ourselves in hand sanitizer. We became homebodies. Home improvement projects surged during this time.  Those now working from home needed a space as well as children who no longer attended school.  Then you had homeowners who had been putting off projects where time was no longer a viable excuse.  Since indoor space was being used now by more people, why not do more with the outdoors?  Decks were added as well as patios, and what would be better than some plants!

                Many of us had gardens long before COVID but it did create plenty of new converts. Information was important for gardens to get off to a good start. When you buy seeds at a dollar store, they are inexpensive but, where did they come from and will they grow in your area?  More expensive seeds can be gotten for your particular zone but that covers a pretty wide range.  What plant draws pollinators?  Do you know which plants should not be grown close together, and which ones should?  This is where a neighboring seed library comes in.  There are thousands of seed libraries around the world.

                A patron walked into our local library some time in 2019 and inquired about the feasibility of starting a seed library.  A seed was planted.  Librarian, Elizabeth Jones, researched the possibility and, the project took off.  Even with COVID restrictions a group of growers gathered.  Seed donations came from seed companies, individuals in the community, and from the library’s budget.  Meetings are held at the library where a Master Gardener may give a presentation dealing with matters relevant to our growing area.  Questions are raised and stories are told.  Seeds can be taken out during the correct planting time using our library cards and plant kits were assembled and distributed last year with everything needed for spaghetti.  I’m looking forward to what will be in the kit this time.  This year approximately 150 members are signed up with around 50 to 75 actively involved.  Not bad for a small town. 

                Elizabeth could have stopped at doing the basic requirements for maintaining a local seed library but with the attitude that education is the goal, she created a website where anyone interested in first time gardening or seed saving techniques could go for help.  There is a wealth of information that growers around the world can benefit from.  The site takes you from your first thought of beginning a garden to how to preserve the bounty you’ll receive from your labor.  Please check out this website at www.excelatgardening.com.  No matter where you live or how long you’ve been gardening, you’ll find something of interest.

                Elizabeth shared a website that was beneficial to her when she first started this project.  If you have an interest in a seed library near your home, you might want to pass this on to your local library http://seedlibraries.weebly.com/sister-libraries.html.  Different rules and regulations regarding the donation of seeds depend on where you live so that might be something to look into. There is a lot of work involved but it sounds like a great way to bring people together to educate them, feed them and give them bragging rights for the biggest Zucchini. 

Sharon

Long Live Tupperware!

Have you heard the terrible news regarding Tupperware?  After all these years of being a household staple, it looks like they may be closing their snap-top lids forever. The company has been losing sales, especially to the younger crowd, and stock prices are significantly down. A world without those containers will be a drab place indeed.  

Tupper, a chemist, developed the plastic originally for use in radar, and later came up with a much  broader use, selling his lightweight, non-breakable bowls in 1946.  Sales were reasonable but not fantastic as many prospective buyers did not understand the full potential of bowls that needed to be burped. The product was good but needed some interpretation.

 

  Along comes Brownie Wise, who was a 1950s marketing genius.  Keep in mind that the norm was that a woman's first priority was to cook, clean, and take care of the children and husband.  Brownie created the home party method of sales, and Tupperware became a household name. Women were given the opportunity to make their own money selling these useful products through networking family and friends.  They learned sales techniques and party games and knew that if they needed help, the Tupperware sales community had their backs.  Those invited to these parties had fun, refreshments, and the occasion to earn prizes for themselves and the hostess.  The ladies demonstrating the products received good money and incentives to attain goals for additional rewards.

  

  Did I personally attend any of these parties?  Yes, I was dragged to a few of them and have to admit they were fun.  1968 was my year of Tupperware overload.  Jerry and I were getting married and my mother attended a party along with one of my aunts, intent on supplying us with items necessary for a happy life together.  I was gifted with a plethora of products, some of which I still use like my canister set and juice pitchers; I think I still have a Jell-O mold as well. Oh yeah, some large cupcake holders are in the basement along with a cereal keeper that’s missing the top.  I do miss the plastic stick that I won as a prize that was used to clean the grooves in the Wonder Bowl covers.

  I do hope something can happen to keep Tupperware going. We’ve lost so many things that were  important to us when we were young.  Mini skirts.  The Beatles.  Movie theaters that charged less than a dollar admission.  Jell-O.  I say that only because it was a safe place to put pineapple and cottage cheese and it was fun to watch it wiggle. 

  

  Perhaps a number of us have lost faith in the future.  We look ahead and only see an unstable economy, the beginnings of a new Cold War, and increasing violence on the streets and in schools; sometimes it’s hard to find the bright side of life. Life in the heyday of Tupperware wasn’t perfect; no time in history was.  But, so many families all across the world knew that if you put your leftovers in a Tupperware container and pushed down on the lid, the burp you heard gave you confidence that the food would be safe in the fridge for another meal, another day. Maybe there’s still hope for the future if we just hang on.

BTW  Brownie Wise would be fired from the company in 1958.  Mr. Tupper was selling the company to Rexall and was afraid her agressive sales techniques might disrupt the sale.  

Sharon

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

These words have been spoken by many orators over the years, some say as far back as the ancient Greek storyteller, Aesop, (c620–564 BC) and by Benjamin Franklin and, President Abraham Lincoln. They can be found in the New Testament as well as lyrics from a patriotic song from 1776.  I mean can you think of any more intelligent advice!  Perhaps the only other pieces of advice that come close would be to “Look before you leap”, or “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.  It’s hard to imagine how something so simple to understand has become so completely ignored.  

Maybe this is too simplified but, picture today’s situation as a game of Jenga.  All the pieces are organized in a manner that creates a stable structure, then the game begins.  A single wooden game piece is pulled from the tower of blocks and, other than a gap in the structure, the tower looks to be just as sturdy.  Then another piece is pulled out, then another.  The tower looks a little less structurally sound but still stands. Eventually, after more pieces are removed, the tower starts to sway.  Even by slowly and carefully removing the next few pieces, it’s evident that the tower is near collapse.  Which player will be the one to bring it down? Which piece is in that strategic spot that holds the tower’s last chance at stability, permanence?  

Unfortunately, life is not a game that, win or lose, can be put back in the box and returned to the shelf.  Our country as well as many others have been suffering from structural erosion over the years.   We are led to believe parts of our history need to be revised or forgotten.  Anger and mistrust run rampant.  Our money is being spent by our government on ridiculous projects at the expense of necessary ones.  Excuses have replaced common sense. So many people have become “special” and no longer have to play by the rules. Information from media sources is biased or filled with misinformation and, personalities who have no more knowledge of a situation than we do want us to believe that they know best. Yes, you have to right to say what you want but accept the fact that you also have to take responsibility for your words. 

Yes, America is not perfect but tell me of any place that is?  Instead of whining about it, try to make it better.  Don’t find excuses as to why you can’t achieve your goals, just try harder.  People haven’t traveled to this country to find excuses for failure; they came here to do better for themselves and their families and many have. It is still the land of opportunity for those who want to work.   If you want everything for nothing, things may not work out so well.  If you find that you don’t fit in with what this country stands for or that you are offended by certain words and beliefs, I am sorry.  Most of us do try to take into account people’s backgrounds and differences when dealing with them and try to stay polite and respectful but we are not ready to accept the fact that we should be ashamed of our country and our patriots and, our first responders.   

Our schools should not be asked to “dumb down” at the expense of our gifted or to teach our children edited history.  The people placed in government offices at all levels have lost control by catering to certain groups while ignoring others.  Everyone wants a piece of the action and nobody wants the responsibility.  

If you are one of those people who would rather have your own way and refuse to use common sense or if you hate this country and have no respect for its laws or flag, leave it.  If you hate living here, leave.  I’m sure there are plenty of places around the world that will be happy to have you.  You may have to dress differently or you may have to keep identification paper with you at all times.  Maybe you won’t have internet or electricity twenty-four hours a day or convenience stores nearby.  You might get good healthcare but your taxes might be higher or the waiting list longer. Those in charge may like your progressive ideas or, maybe not. I’m sure life will be wonderful wherever you choose to go.  Just GO. 

After two hundred and fifty years, the United States shows a little wear and tear; some cracks are showing and a few holes can be seen but it is still standing tall.  When this country was new our founding fathers did the best job they knew how to create a government to withstand the rigors of time.  Undoubtedly, they couldn’t have imagined the future, such as it is, but they tried. They argued and threw hissy fits and stormed off in a huff but then put aside their differences and came together to listen to one another’s suggestions, work out a compromise and to the best of their ability, come up with what would be best for the new nation as a whole.   

We have become a diverse country.  Diversity is beneficial for all of us.  Diversity can work at melding all of our views, to help unite us.  What we don’t need are those that insist on only their way or the highway.  When you get to your new “perfect country” send us a postcard and let us know how it works out!  We will be here standing straight and tall! 

Sharon 

What is a Survivalist?

Recently, a conversation came up concerning groups of people waiting outside a sporting goods store to buy ammunition, arriving before the store was even open for business.  The person had the impression that these “Survivalists” wasted so much of their lives waiting for the once-in-a-lifetime, if ever, chance to defend themselves against their perception of the “bad guys.”  Sure, there’s plenty of bad guys out there to watch out for and, we still want to defend ourselves against them, but isn’t there more to survival than just physical confrontation?  

A Survivalist needs to do whatever it takes to protect their family.  Occasionally that may translate to keeping everyone safe from physical harm. It means being aware of your surroundings in order to take action in case of any potential dilemma.   On a day-to-day, more boring level, it may mean working hard to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.  It means making sure children get educated in both average school subjects and practical skills.  

Survivalists teach their children that life is not always fair.  They teach that there are no set rules everyone is willing to follow and, that they have to think and decide for themselves which way their moral compass points.  Children also have to learn that in order to survive in this world the phrase “my way or the highway” will only lead to trouble down the road when working with others.  Sometimes, listening to additional suggestions and working toward a mutually agreeable compromise can lead to a better situation for all.  

Over the course of this last year, many people learned the hard way that being prepared is not such a bad thing after all.  Suddenly, having extra provisions on the pantry shelves and more than a day’s worth of toilet paper in the closet doesn’t make a person paranoid, nor does not waiting until the last dose to reorder medication.  Having an extra blanket or two along with some water and snacks in the family vehicle doesn’t seem so far-fetched in case of being stranded during a storm any more than a packed bug-out bag at the ready in case your home is no longer safe to stay in and evacuation is a must.  

It's been quite a year, between the Pandemic, wildfires, blizzards, and flooding.  We don’t know what is going to happen next but I think there are a number of converts to the concept of Survivalism and that they are not all hairy guys wearing plaid shirts living in a cave, feasting on roadkill, and beer.   

As The Survivalist, John Rourke taught us many years ago, “It pays to plan ahead”. 

Sharon 

Back to the Future

Well. 2021 has finally arrived with a boatload of expectations.  Suddenly the world was going to be a better place and all bad things would come to an end.  Have I missed something?   

Yes, Covid vaccines are slowly becoming available.  Still, too many people are getting sick and dying. 

Yes, political harassing phone calls and junk mail have ended.  The future of our country is still uncertain. 

Yes, school systems have worked out ways to keep our children’s learning process in motion.  Some students are using the pandemic as an excuse for future failures. 

Yes, we won’t see the Budweiser Clydesdales in a commercial during the Super Bowl this year.  They don’t care and they are just as happy to be home in their cozy stalls. 

Yes, our military is spending less time fighting in foreign countries.  Instead, they are needed at home to protect us from ourselves and our neighbors. 

Yes, all lives matter.  Still, some people think certain lives matter more than others. 

Unfortunately, we can’t snap our fingers and make bad things go away.  We will have to have patience to let time take its course; uphill battles take more time and energy than downhill plunges.  Having patience though does not entitle you to do nothing but wait until an outcome has been established.  Rather it means doing what you can successfully do, while letting things beyond your control at the moment, take its course.   

Instead of getting riled up by staying on social media for hours on end, try reading a book.  If you have the time to be online you certainly can spend some immersed in a good story be it fiction or otherwise.  It’s a good way to get a different perspective on things we may be taking for granted.  

Instead of bemoaning the fact that you are cooped up with your immediate family, embrace it.  Talk to your kids!  Tell them stories about when you were their age – embellish if you must.  Ask them questions and actually listen.  Work on a project together be it a puzzle, painting a room or the entire family contributing and burying a time capsule in the backyard. Get in the car and find a highway you’ve never travelled; see where it leads you! 

We can’t be sure where 2021 will lead us but we can learn from the past and plan ahead for our future.  We can’t waste time making excuses for the past.  Now is the time to step forward into our future and make it better. 

Stay safe and stay prepared. 

Sharon