Prepared is My Middle Name

There are many folks,like Gavin and my older sister,who are definitely getting prepared for the big "What If". I am 63, as of last week, and I have heard these stories most of my grown up life. Get Prepared.Be Ready.Stockpile.Well,we don't have everything packed in a cave, as they did years ago, expecting a nuclear bomb any day, but I feel I am prepared for most disasters. I have enough food and supplies accumulated in my home to sustain us for at least 6 months.Not because I have planned for the unknown, but partly because I live so far out,and it takes so much of that expensive gas to get to town and replenish things.Overall,I guess the majority of the world are not likely to have enough on hand, and it would be wise for them to consider having some type of stash to fall back on, in case of any emergency.
One thing I have been doing lately is taking some of my frozen items from the freezer and putting them in jars.I had lots of frozen strawberries and blackberries this past year , and they do take up lots of space. I figure if the power goes out for very long, I will not loose these types of things.We have been eating our corn on the cob a bit more than usual, trying to move it along. Most years, we have a lot of that left when new corn comes in.Hopefully this year, we won't have any left.
At the end of the winter season, this year, I plan to reevaluate the things that remain, and next season, cut back on what I save.If we don't eat it, it's useless to freeze it.I will try to be more selective in what I do freeze. It has been a life long habit with me, to save every morsel, thinking we may fall onto hard times.A good philosophy, but how much can 2 older folks eat during one winter?If we were working in the fields,maybe,but we're not that active nor hungry nowadays.
And,too,it's senseless to keep 2 freezers and 2 refrigerators running at all times in times like these,when it's not necessary.Preserving foods in jars is the greener way to go,too.So see, we are reducing our carbon footprint even more,as we go.I only wish there was a gauge for us to see what our individual footprint was. I know mine would be very low. I strive to live in a responsible manner every day of my life,by respecting the environment,and trying to encourage others to do the same.But we are not a drop in the bucket,when it comes to making a difference in the world.