Seasoning the Fruits of your Green Thumb

One element of food storage that cannot be overlooked is seasonings. Items in this category include iodized salt, dry yeast, baking soda, baking powder, vinegar, bouillon, herbs, spices and seasoning mixes. Using flavorings your family enjoys could potentially make all of the difference between bland and satisfying eating.

Some seasonings I like to stock up on are taco seasoning, cinnamon, soy sauce, Lawry's seasoning salt, oregano, basil, thyme, chicken and beef base, garlic powder, etc. Think of recipes you currently use and what spices you feel would add to your cooking. Don't forget to stalk up on iodized salt. The recommended amount is 8 pounds per person.

Another area of preparation I feel very strongly about is gardening. The benefits of growing your own food are many. Some of them include...

• the money you save by not having to buy fresh produce. Think about it, you are growing your own groceries!
• the nutritional value is considerably higher for home grown foods because fruits and vegetables are picked when they are fully ripe (unlike the grocery store).
• you gain valuable skills and supplies, so if you found yourself in a position where you HAD to garden, you would already have the skills and supplies needed.
• it is very satisfying!

Now some of you might be saying. "I don't have enough room for a garden." Here is the good news...there is no specific space requirement...you can use whatever space you have. Look for a space in your yard that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight. For some it might be a flower bed, for others a nice four by four grow box.

"Don't worry if you don't have a traditional garden plot, many foods can be grown in small places with some creativity. A variety of vegetables and herbs, and even strawberries can be grown in pots on a balcony, porch or sunny window. These can also be used as borders in a typical flower garden. The important thing is that you start now to try to grow a few things. " ~Emergency Food in a Nutshell

When we landscaped our yard it was very important for us to have a nice grow box built. I love that box. It is a great space, but there are still limitations. Because of that I have had to be creative. I have had to plant herbs in the front yard among other bushes, planted cucumbers in open beds, planted dwarf peach trees because my yard is not big enough for the full size. It is not my ideal, but it works and it has blessed my family. I can't wait to go through the seed catalog that just arrived today and start planning out this years harvest!