One of many hot topics last week was the announcement of the proposed changes coming to many of those getting assistance from the government for food. Politics is a touchy subject, and I try to stay out of that talk as much as humanly possible because, well, my point of views are never really popular with those on either side of the aisle. So, this won’t be a political post for or against the idea, but more of what we as a society can do no matter what happens.
I hear many complaints about this new move by our government. The main two have been:
- What quality of food will people get and how will we handle the logistics of shipping and costs?
- The government can’t dictate what kind of food people consume – what if people have allergies to what’s in the box?
I will say, point one is a legit concern as far as how would all of this be handled. But number two doesn’t really hold much weight in my opinion, and here’s why – as long as you are dependent on anyone or thing, you give up your right to dictate how you are helped. It’s just that simple. My mom used to say to me as a kid, “beggars can’t be choosy”. And I know, some people aren’t “begging”. But the fact of the matter remains, they are dependent on someone other than themselves for their survival. Which leads me to the point of this post.
“If you have a seed, you will never be hungry.”
I think we have become too dependent on others for our very survival. Many of us don’t know how to make money on our own. Many of us can’t fix simple things. And yes, many of us don’t know how to feed ourselves. Our ancestors – no matter who they were – even in the darkest times found ways to eat and survive. They didn’t wait for someone to dictate how they ate or what quality food they had. No! They grew stuff. They foraged. If they were blessed to be able to, they raised animals.
So with all the panic, what can we do? Follow those same footsteps. Go to you local stores – grocery or big box – and get a few packs of seeds. You can also find a nice variety of seeds in various online stores. You can even grow food from seeds that come out of your food that you already have (provided it’s organically grown or the seed is not stunted).
Our daughter has grown a whole entire almond tree by throwing one of the almonds she was eating into one of our pots outside. And depending on what seed bearing plant she’s eating, I’m sure to find seeds being prepped by her for one of the empty pots. She’s seen success and she’s like a run away freight train now. With that in mind, grow food from food scraps! Green onions, as long as the roots are still attached, are easy and quick to regrow.
Honestly though, seeds don’t cost a whole lot. For what you may spend on one fast food order, you can have a pack of seeds that can last you a very long time – or at least longer than that food you ordered. You can spend anywhere from less than a dollar to maybe eight bucks? More if you go all out. Your costs can be as low or high as you want them. If you don’t have to bring in dirt to plant your seed, you have extra savings! What if you don’t have a yard to plant in? No sweat! You will find that many veggies can be grown in a regular plant pot and dirt. Just be sure to check the packaging the seeds come in and it should tell you if it can be grown in one.
Look, the point is, don’t wait to see what the government is going to do.
Tell the world – “you can feed your family…..if you have a seed”.