I knew about the water deal.
The convenience store I work at has their own entire filtering system - with 5 different filterings - from reverse osmosis to what I call the Xray phase. There is nothing in that water ........
I can (and freeze) an entire years veggies, and try to keep the meat in our freezer right from the ranch (after aging, of course). But, there are certain things that you just can't grow yourself - and mushrooms is another one. (though a have kept a little "ranch" of mushrooms growing for 2 years, its not easy).
Citrus, bananas, mushrooms - just cannot get them fresh, and often don't have much of a choice - there will be one brand available. So, we drive 76-80 miles, one way, once a month, to go into the city where there is much more choice.
But, every year, there are home-grown potatoes, corn, peas, 3 or 4 different kinds of green/wax/romano beans, tomatoes,(and sauce) broccoli, beets, cauliflower, jelly from blackberries, apples, peaches and elderberries, cabbage, pumpkins, melons (a couple of different kinds), green peppers, and 2 kinds of squash. (and whatever suits my fancy for the year - last year it was Japanese eggplant), this year, we are growing sweet potato slips already. We haven't tried peanuts here, yet. Of course, we also grow grab and eat veggies - my salad fixins, radishes, spinach and we have an asparagus patch that loves where we live - its the best patch I have ever grown. We also have a patch of strawberries every year, we use those frozen, fresh and in jam, plus we have grapevines, raspberries and cherries (the semi-sweet), and we finished it off with peach trees, apple trees, pear trees, plum trees, onions, garlic. We also have walnuts and filberts.
It sounds like alot, but, many of these things don't need anything but a mulching and weeding and spraying once in awhile. (and a little trimming).
Plus, we have a 25 year old BCS tiller that I would not trade for the world. Its the professional model, and it takes care of 90% of the work, while you walk behind it holding one of its handles.
We really do not do it because of the poor quality of Chinese products, but because we love food that was growing 10 minutes before it was canned or frozen - it tastes different, we know what is on it, how well it was cleaned, and we personally know the grower and quality control folks.
(its also great for trading for things like free-range brown eggs, yum), but, we've also done it all our lives. My family, Roy's family, all did the garden/canning/freezing thing, so...... I guess we were destined.
If our importing situation keeps going down the tubes, everybody is going to have to find a spot to have a little garden - even if its on your patio.
China doesn't care if their products kill us - all they care about is $$$$$$$. The only one that is going to look out for Americans - is Americans.
B
Warden got mad but i threw um out. 8)
