Hello everyone. Chiming in from Italy. This government’s actions are shaking everyone, everywhere. I am struggling. Feels good to find you all here. Sending love to everyone.
I have read your post twice and feel absolutely gutted by your words and for you. I am sorry you did not feel safe here. It makes me so ashamed for the US right now. It's demoralizing and I am very afraid for our national parks and protected lands. How the current policies will affect small farms and food programs was an eye opener. Like everyone I am feeling the effects of the price and scarcity of eggs, dairy and meat from avian flu. I live in a smaller town with agriculture and many local farm stands. It helps. Be well.
Hi Sue! I am so glad you have access to the farmers and their produce / even those small weekly purchases make a power of difference to your local economy. Have a great evening!
I am so sorry, Celia. I am also having a tough time with it. Our local food bank feeds a lot of folks in need; their funding was cut, and they need to make up the loss of $75,000. I feel for those folks who were betrayed by their vote. The Botanical Gardens, where I am a Board member, donates 8-10,000 lbs of vegetables and produce to the food bank each year. But it won't be enough. My daughter is transgender and is terrified. Good for you that you can get out of the country; it's not a good time here.
I feel for your daughter. We have kids who are terrified in our US family too. I am grateful to be able to give them my study space while I am away. It is too awful. Many I am afraid will stay in emotional hiding.
The cuts to food banks (we have them too) are beyond reproach. And just as the lines of people who will need this food will be lengthened with the SNAP cuts. We get a lot of bread and veg across to our struggling families but our contributions are not enough. At this point it will come back to families and farms like yours and mine to pick up the pieces. We just have to.
I might be out of the country but I am still working hard to fill the gaps.
Keep going Liz. That’s all we can do. Small steps. Love to your daughter!
I had no idea that the delightful voice behind Toad and Rat and Pooh has been going through all of this. You are a good, kind person, and that’s what has shown in your characters.
I am as outraged as the next person about what is happening and also as wary of the future. We have a small piece of land at the back of the house where we raise veggies for ourselves, usually with some extra for friends in the city. The changing climate wasn’t good here in Japan last year, smaller yields, more insects, weaker plants in the heat, etc. Will do what we can this year, and just wait and see.
Thank you for the stories, an oasis in the midst of the chaos. x
Good morning Louise and thank you for your lovely comment. Interesting to hear about the changing climate in Japan - are you looking at new plants to plant. That would grow better in a changing climate. I did like reading Toad and Rat but Pooh I find little harder I think Pooh and Christopher Robin are both similar so they kind of keep wanting to have similar voices. 😂
I’m enjoying them immensely! I came in with Willows, so I need to catch up on Alice. So little time (said the Rabbit).
Re: plants, I think along similar lines. We’ll have to start planting things that take a more, what, tropical? Climate? It’s so hot and humid here in summer (30s end of June through Sept - 39 in Aug last year) but very cold and dry in winter. Our pinapple plants didn’t make it. Where we live, there are stong winds (and the occasional typhoon) that sort of prevent vertical farming. Not much space indoors, but that might have to change… Also getting up there in years, so not sure how much tilling we’ll be able to do. There are limitations, as I’m beginning to find out. 🫤
So, these are some questions that we’re going to have to investigate and think through.
I’m sure you’re enjoying the warmer weather where you are, at least for the nonce. Big change from Illinois, innit.
Huge change from Illinois. The kids said to me today as we walked along the beach in balmy breezes in warm sun - did I prefer Illinois winters or New Zealand summers. I just looked at them. Laughter 😆. What were they even thinking?
As to the plants, I sometimes think that we might go to more container growing and just a little bit more in pots at the doorstep. My son grows in large raised beds and builds frames up and around them so that he can shift the shelter as the wind comes through - I think that’s kind of useful.
In my new garden in Melbourne when I eventually reach there on my progress - I will be thinking carefully of water use and food per unit. It is a good exercise.
Building movable frames around raised beds. GREAT idea. Also the thought of more pot-based plants (also portable when battening down the hatches). Food per unit. Never thought about that. We just put in three or four cucumbers, tomatoes, gr. peppers, and aubergine. That’s about all our tiny space can hold, but I’m sure there’s a better way to make use of the space. Gee, NZ summers or IL winters - that’s a tough one (- ‿ ◦). Oh, yes. Please keep me posted about Alice!!
We have local grower-farmer friends who are part of a small cooperative. We have always and will continue to support them while they/ it operate. We can grow more stuff ourselves and find a spot for a few chooks if necessary but it makes sense to support the greater good. But with the possibility of change of government in Australia and or recession and or collapse looming we are having conversations about other strategies.
Let’s hope Australia does not collect itself a dangerous autocrat like the USA has. But - always - people with local ties and local food will do better.
The idea of hunkering down and building up local resources feels like the only way forward right now. Supporting small farmers, growing our own food, and creating resilient communities isn’t just a nice idea anymore. It’s survival. And you’re right, asking for help and offering it in return is how we’ll get through this. This is what was done in Trinidad decades ago. It worked then, and it still works now.
When I heard that Musk had threatened to cut off Ukraines internet if they did not capitulate to the US demands I knew it was time to get down and as local as we could.
Just having the power to turn a country off terrified me.
I am so astounded by the bad actions of so many in our government offices. They took oaths and swore on bibles. They promised to do the right thing. None of that phases them.
I will be back - just not for a while . This has all coincided with a familial situation I can help with and once in the equation made it easy to travel again. But I hope to be back and forth unless my status is threatened.
We are planting a lot more veg varieties this year than we did last year, our starter year. The seeds are coming up gangbusters and the ones that aren’t, I have popped in another seed in the small segment for another try at it. I too am nervous about foodstuffs in the future so will try to grow as much as possible. If we have too much, I will donate it to the local community food kitchen. Keeping our heads down and growing our food is my plan for the foreseeable future. We do have a small worm farm and my husband has several compost bins going with his veg leavings, so that’s good. My neighbor across the street expressed a desire to grow some vegetables. I will help her if I can. Three years and eleven months of madness to go. I’m sure your son will be pleased with his birthday present!
I love that you can connect with your neighbour in the garden. I bet she is enchanted by all your seedlings and knowledge. I know for sure you will find a way to work together on her garden and get that good fresh food into your kitchens. You are doing good stuff.
Hello everyone. Chiming in from Italy. This government’s actions are shaking everyone, everywhere. I am struggling. Feels good to find you all here. Sending love to everyone.
We are here! I have wondered how European peoples feel about the USA aligning itself with Russia against NATO. Is there talk
About it?
I have read your post twice and feel absolutely gutted by your words and for you. I am sorry you did not feel safe here. It makes me so ashamed for the US right now. It's demoralizing and I am very afraid for our national parks and protected lands. How the current policies will affect small farms and food programs was an eye opener. Like everyone I am feeling the effects of the price and scarcity of eggs, dairy and meat from avian flu. I live in a smaller town with agriculture and many local farm stands. It helps. Be well.
Hi Sue! I am so glad you have access to the farmers and their produce / even those small weekly purchases make a power of difference to your local economy. Have a great evening!
yes, finding our people is incredibly important for our well being
And gathering locally. It makes such a difference to know there is someone down the road who supports us.
I am so sorry, Celia. I am also having a tough time with it. Our local food bank feeds a lot of folks in need; their funding was cut, and they need to make up the loss of $75,000. I feel for those folks who were betrayed by their vote. The Botanical Gardens, where I am a Board member, donates 8-10,000 lbs of vegetables and produce to the food bank each year. But it won't be enough. My daughter is transgender and is terrified. Good for you that you can get out of the country; it's not a good time here.
I feel for your daughter. We have kids who are terrified in our US family too. I am grateful to be able to give them my study space while I am away. It is too awful. Many I am afraid will stay in emotional hiding.
The cuts to food banks (we have them too) are beyond reproach. And just as the lines of people who will need this food will be lengthened with the SNAP cuts. We get a lot of bread and veg across to our struggling families but our contributions are not enough. At this point it will come back to families and farms like yours and mine to pick up the pieces. We just have to.
I might be out of the country but I am still working hard to fill the gaps.
Keep going Liz. That’s all we can do. Small steps. Love to your daughter!
Hi Cecilia,
I had no idea that the delightful voice behind Toad and Rat and Pooh has been going through all of this. You are a good, kind person, and that’s what has shown in your characters.
I am as outraged as the next person about what is happening and also as wary of the future. We have a small piece of land at the back of the house where we raise veggies for ourselves, usually with some extra for friends in the city. The changing climate wasn’t good here in Japan last year, smaller yields, more insects, weaker plants in the heat, etc. Will do what we can this year, and just wait and see.
Thank you for the stories, an oasis in the midst of the chaos. x
Good morning Louise and thank you for your lovely comment. Interesting to hear about the changing climate in Japan - are you looking at new plants to plant. That would grow better in a changing climate. I did like reading Toad and Rat but Pooh I find little harder I think Pooh and Christopher Robin are both similar so they kind of keep wanting to have similar voices. 😂
I’m enjoying them immensely! I came in with Willows, so I need to catch up on Alice. So little time (said the Rabbit).
Re: plants, I think along similar lines. We’ll have to start planting things that take a more, what, tropical? Climate? It’s so hot and humid here in summer (30s end of June through Sept - 39 in Aug last year) but very cold and dry in winter. Our pinapple plants didn’t make it. Where we live, there are stong winds (and the occasional typhoon) that sort of prevent vertical farming. Not much space indoors, but that might have to change… Also getting up there in years, so not sure how much tilling we’ll be able to do. There are limitations, as I’m beginning to find out. 🫤
So, these are some questions that we’re going to have to investigate and think through.
I’m sure you’re enjoying the warmer weather where you are, at least for the nonce. Big change from Illinois, innit.
Huge change from Illinois. The kids said to me today as we walked along the beach in balmy breezes in warm sun - did I prefer Illinois winters or New Zealand summers. I just looked at them. Laughter 😆. What were they even thinking?
As to the plants, I sometimes think that we might go to more container growing and just a little bit more in pots at the doorstep. My son grows in large raised beds and builds frames up and around them so that he can shift the shelter as the wind comes through - I think that’s kind of useful.
In my new garden in Melbourne when I eventually reach there on my progress - I will be thinking carefully of water use and food per unit. It is a good exercise.
Building movable frames around raised beds. GREAT idea. Also the thought of more pot-based plants (also portable when battening down the hatches). Food per unit. Never thought about that. We just put in three or four cucumbers, tomatoes, gr. peppers, and aubergine. That’s about all our tiny space can hold, but I’m sure there’s a better way to make use of the space. Gee, NZ summers or IL winters - that’s a tough one (- ‿ ◦). Oh, yes. Please keep me posted about Alice!!
I will also unlock Alice so you can read it without paying the subscription- I will let you know when it is open again.
We have local grower-farmer friends who are part of a small cooperative. We have always and will continue to support them while they/ it operate. We can grow more stuff ourselves and find a spot for a few chooks if necessary but it makes sense to support the greater good. But with the possibility of change of government in Australia and or recession and or collapse looming we are having conversations about other strategies.
Let’s hope Australia does not collect itself a dangerous autocrat like the USA has. But - always - people with local ties and local food will do better.
Happy birthday to your son.
The idea of hunkering down and building up local resources feels like the only way forward right now. Supporting small farmers, growing our own food, and creating resilient communities isn’t just a nice idea anymore. It’s survival. And you’re right, asking for help and offering it in return is how we’ll get through this. This is what was done in Trinidad decades ago. It worked then, and it still works now.
Happy New Week Cecilia :)
When I heard that Musk had threatened to cut off Ukraines internet if they did not capitulate to the US demands I knew it was time to get down and as local as we could.
Just having the power to turn a country off terrified me.
And they will do it because they are vile :(
I am so astounded by the bad actions of so many in our government offices. They took oaths and swore on bibles. They promised to do the right thing. None of that phases them.
Though - I did notice that when our current president was sworn in he did not put his hand on the Bible. I thought that was interesting.
Solid plan! Don’t give up on your adopted country….we need you 😘
I will be back - just not for a while . This has all coincided with a familial situation I can help with and once in the equation made it easy to travel again. But I hope to be back and forth unless my status is threatened.
We are planting a lot more veg varieties this year than we did last year, our starter year. The seeds are coming up gangbusters and the ones that aren’t, I have popped in another seed in the small segment for another try at it. I too am nervous about foodstuffs in the future so will try to grow as much as possible. If we have too much, I will donate it to the local community food kitchen. Keeping our heads down and growing our food is my plan for the foreseeable future. We do have a small worm farm and my husband has several compost bins going with his veg leavings, so that’s good. My neighbor across the street expressed a desire to grow some vegetables. I will help her if I can. Three years and eleven months of madness to go. I’m sure your son will be pleased with his birthday present!
I love that you can connect with your neighbour in the garden. I bet she is enchanted by all your seedlings and knowledge. I know for sure you will find a way to work together on her garden and get that good fresh food into your kitchens. You are doing good stuff.
A grant is not a handout, it's a nod to an area of society we believe in.
Yes it is. It is not solely for the recipient it injects capital all the way along the supply chain. We are all linked.