The Everyday Bean

I’ve finally come to a conclusion. We are somewhat prepared for a short-term emergency, but we are not prepared enough for a life beyond that. Most preppers will tell you that prepping is never ever done. It’s a lifetime process because there are always new things to grow, new things to get, and new things to learn.

When we began this challenge, we made up rules that allowed us to go to the store. For me, I feel like this is cheating me of the lessons that I could be learning about using food storage and garden produce. Having said that, I know we aren’t prepared to have milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, and meat. All of these are important. So, I’ve decided to change the challenge a little.

From our last frost to our first frost, I will be putting everything I can into storage. I’ve been inspired by the “Every bit counts” challenge from Three Rivers Homestead on YouTube. I will be doing this with the goal of not shopping throughout the winter. And I will be storing extra food for the hungry gap.

Here are my goals:

1. Build a cold room in the basement.
2. Build a canning kitchen in the basement.
3. Obtain more canning jars.
4. Plant an expanded garden with particular attention to calorie crops.
5. Can dried beans so that I no longer have to buy canned beans.
6. Obtain fruit that I’m not currently growing and can or preserve it.
7. Obtain egg-laying chickens.
8. Build a shed outside to store fuel and tools.

Those are just some of our goals. What are you working on this growing season?