We donate to our local animal shelter all the time — I used to be on the board for it until the blog took over my life — and we have a new stray as well. How do the puppies always know where the soft-hearted people live?

Growing up I was accustomed to being blessed with an abundance of food from my parent’s garden. Believe me I didn’t appreciate it when I was a child being forced to pick the butter beans, shuck the corn, and snap the beans. What did I know?

My parents thought they had to preserve everything that they grew either in the freezer or in canned goods. They did, and I did, even if I protested at the time. What I know now is that I didn’t appreciate now what I had then.

We grew tomatoes, corn, green beans, october beans (hubby doesn’t like them, I do. Can’t be found now), peas, strawberries, cantelope, watermellon, potatoes, sweet potatoes, greens (turnip, kale, mustard) and oh the turnips when ripe from the turnip greens, cucumbers, peanuts, apples, damsons, cherries, and on and on. Canned goods, frozen goods, jellies, preserves, were the norm. They grew up during the depression. They appreciated everything that the earth produced and preserved it.

Even when all their children were gone (me), they provided food from the garden for the entire extended family and all the neighbors.

When my parents became unable to tend to the garden, the neighbors planted in their space, giving them all the fresh vegetables they needed, and keeping the rest for themselves and their extended families.

When I look around me, with the abundance of fertile land available, I can’t help but think that we can grow what we need. Where there is a will there is a way to supply the need.

Hard work for sure, but there is a way to feed those who are hungry.

Sorry for the late post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeSQmYK8uE4

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P.S. How come there’s no “New Thread” thingy anymore? Screws up the server?

Nuevo Threado

I’m never sure if … everyone else finds it inspirational as well

I do. Thanks