Wow…this week flew by fast. I can’t believe it’s Thursday already.
When the Viking and I heard that this Coronavirus was heading to the US, we started paying attention to the news as many of you have. Once we realized it was coming we did a few things to try to get ahead of the demand of items and availability. Some things we did very well and other things we did poorly but I will focus on a few things we did that you can still do to if you have concerns about your preparedness. I really think there are a lot of small things we can all do to help make this easier for us and while it does not make the threat of the virus any less scary it does bring me comfort to be industrious. I am planning on sending out a blog post each week at least as long as I have pertinent information to share.
No. 1 – Start making bread from scratch again. Yes, this Keto Queen is on the bread for now but in very controlled portions. Bread is super cheap to make and it’s so comforting, however if you have blood sugar issues you have to stay on top of that. (See my disclaimer) I have learned to manage my bread intake and I usually have a slice or two with dinner. Here is the easiest bread recipe I have found from the NY Times and I literally can make it on the weekend and just make another loaf when I run out. It’s absolutely amazing! Also don’t panic if you can’t find yeast because you can make your own sourdough starter. Click here for directions.
No. 2 – Start a garden! In my opinion there is no more powerful way to regain a spirit of independence then turning your yard into a food factory. Gardening is not complicated but those of us that have been gardening for years will tell you that it is a lot of trial and error but you have to start somewhere. So start this weekend if you can….seeds are cheap, you don’t have to start with plants. Tonight I planted cilantro, sorrel, dill, hot peppers, sweet peppers, carrots, and I even planted some flowers to soothe my soul. Don’t minimize the happy heart factor and take a book out to the garden on the rough days and if you don’t have a garden, well pot a plant, plant a seed wherever you can and watch it grow. Click here to read one of my favorite gardening posts I wrote for Grit Magazine.
Start a garden! In my opinion there is no more powerful way to regain a spirit of independence then turning your yard into a food factory.
No. 3 – Put up a clothesline if you can! This was one of the first things the Viking did and we are drying just about everything on the clothesline now. We know we are going to be using more water and probably more electricity by both of us staying at home. I do go around and turn of all of the lights every day and let’s face it hanging clothes on the line doesn’t only save money but it makes your laundry smell amazing!
No. 4 – Eat less meat…trust me you will survive and I have already lost a couple of pounds in just a couple of weeks. I started some sprouts and made some fabulous mung bean sprout egg foo yung the other night, it was absolutely delicious! I also stumbled upon this site Sprout People and they have a bunch of recipes.
No. 5 – Make your own DIY cleaning products. If you have the know how, why not as many of us are also dealing with a financial pinch or worse during this time. I make my own laundry soap with this tried and true recipe for years and my friend at Imperfectly Happy.com has this fabulous recipe on her blog for DIY dish soap and I plan to make that soon!
No. 6 – Start sewing again! I just told the Viking it’s time to break our sewing machine out, so I can start mending clothes and work on projects. I am even thinking of sewing masks if I get to the point where I have spare time. Currently I don’t have a lot of free time between work and school, but I might at least start by making everyone in my family one. Why not?
No. 7 – Help other people! – It’s tough with Covid-19 as we don’t know where to help but we started doing porch drop offs of our elderberry syrup and kale from our garden to our good friends. One, to let them know we are thinking about them, but also to gift them some immune system building elderberry syrup as it’s so powerful. Powerful enough against Covid-19? I can’t say and I’m not sure if it helps but I feel like it could only make my immune system stronger. Remember your senior neighbors and family that might need extra assistance during this time. Of course if they can manage, then it is best that they hunker down too.
No. 8 – Work on a project for the betterment of your life or your homestead. The Viking is working on our DIY Aquaponics system and we are attempting to raise crawfish. I don’t know how this is going to go. We may have to start all over but at least we gave it a go and it’s something we have wanted to try our hand at for years.
No. 9 – Make soup – Make a ton of soup if you can. Soup can really stretch your budget, but you can also make immune building soup like we did. We added turmeric, garlic, and homemade bone broth. Your body needs good, healthy, robust food like this. If you are still eating fast food or take out right now…it’s time to ditch it. You need to be strong right now and so does your family. Oh and get the whole family involved. Let the kids chop veggies with you and throw them in the soup pot!
No. 10 – Order a bidet (This is not a sponsored link, but it is the actual bidet we ordered)- I know it sounds silly, but we did it. And I’m glad we did as they told us we did not have a toilet paper shortage but I have tried to order it twice to no avail. The bidet helps us cut back on the amount of toilet paper we use. Also, if you have old dish towels, cut them up and re-use them for paper towels in your kitchen. It is more laundry but I just store mine in a basket and then I keep another designated basket to put the soiled cloths in and it works like a charm. We haven’t run out of toilet paper yet and hopefully we won’t.
I didn’t mention it in my top 10 but another thing we can all do is try to stay positive during this situation and if we can stay home. If you can’t and your essential then please be safe. Pray if you pray…if you don’t then hold a positive space for the world and send good vibes…we all need it about now.
I know a lot of people are going to be financially devastated through all this. Currently I am still grateful to be able to work but my husband has already faced reduced hours and hopefully he will be able to continue working through all of this. For some really good information on how to navigate a financial disaster visit my good friend at Canadian Budget Binder and click here to read this great post that he just posted this February. We are thinking of all of you and I hope the practical tips I put together and links to resources will help you.
I wish you all a beautiful week (as best you can right now)….until next time…oh and please, please, wash your hands and often.
Much love to all,
Great recommendations! Keep them coming.
Thank you!
Great tips, Karen! Thanks for sharing your wisdom with the world. Although our pantry and freezer were well-stocked before all of this, I am learning where there are holes in our preparedness plans. I also order from food co-ops and we haven’t been to the grocery store in almost a month. But the co-ops are being strained by the volume of orders too.
In our area we are just starting to see some wild plants sprouting up that we’ll be able to gather soon, so that gives me hope. If anyone is interested in free greens, stop spraying your lawn and let the dandelions grow! Order a book on foraging if you don’t have one.
Stay safe, Karen and family!
Lisa, I am also seeing some holes in our plan…for example I was not expecting a meat shortage so we have pivoted and just stocked up on broth and beans just in case. It’s always good to keep your ear to the ground to see what is coming our way. I hope you and your family are staying safe as well. I so appreciate you sharing about the spraying of the lawns…it’s completely uneccessary and unsafe. Great points and my husband and I are mapping where the local elderberries are to be foraged! Thank you for sharing your insight!