Hannah, I can't remember the last time I resonated so strongly with something someone wrote!! My situation is a bit different from yours, but my feelings are the same. I am a military wife, which means that for the bulk of my career I had to move every couple of years and start over. I was never able to move up in any company, and thus never made more than $13 an hour. After this last move, we decided (more like I decided and my husband agreed) it would make more sense for me to stay home and create a more "from scratch" life. My paycheck was only ever enough to buy groceries and pay a small bill or two. We cut cable and most streaming services, and our grocery bill has gone way down because I grow, cook, can, etc most things myself. So the lack of my paycheck has evened out, and we have, as you said, a much better quality of food on our shelves. The bread I make from scratch may not cost less than the average bread for sale at the grocery store, but it is made from whole, fresh-milled grains and therefore contains all its nutrients... which is something that is simply not sold at any grocery store. Thank you so much for this post. So many people in this homesteading space are woefully misinformed on politics, and it is incredibly refreshing to hear your words of reason. I don't prep and homestead out of fear. I do it because it makes sense to be prepared, and because I am sick of working my ass off all day to pay a grocery store to give me sub-par food that is lacking nutrients and loaded with preservatives. I still work my ass off all day, but have something much better than store bought crap to show for it. And now, with the next four years looming before us, I'm so glad I made this choice.
Thank you, Mary! I completely agree. The cost vs. quality topic is always a hot one, and I’m glad you can relate. It’s going to be an interesting four years, to say the least, and I’m incredibly grateful to have connected with people like you who understand the value of the work as well as what’s at stake. ❤️
Amen to everything! 👏🏼 You hit on so many things I connect with. I grew up poor, but we always had a roof over our heads and we never went hungry. My mom worked hard to make that happen. Back when I homeschooled and did a lot more saving than I do now, it was encouraging when my husband reminded me that if we added up the value of everything I did at home it would be more valuable economically than his job as a computer engineer. Thank you for an inspiring post and it's really helped me to focus my intention here on Substack. There is so much valuable knowledge locked away in old cookbooks, especially wartime recipes. I need to share more of the amazing advice that I find!
Thank you, Sarah! I'm glad it resonated, I always get a bit nervous talking about this stuff. I look forward to reading all you share, I'm sure there are so many useful lessons in those old wartime cookbooks people will be grateful for going forward!
Keeping the home fires burning - with you on that Hannah. I feel really sorry for folk who voted for that guy under the guise that things will be better. Better for the rich but not those struggling. We’ve seen it all with the crazy Brexit vote. Johnson promised ‘sunny uplands’ and some folk were deluded enough to swallow that lie. Keeping you in my prayers that little one will soon put in appearance xxx
Thank you Sandra! ❤️ Hopefully it’s helpful to people. I think sometimes the hardest part about prepping and cultivating resiliency is knowing where to start, most people are great at it once they’re pointed in the right direction.
I love how you break down the real trade-offs of staying home and pinching pennies. It’s so smart how you focus on quality over just saving cash, like with your bread and jam. I was thinking about trying some of your tips, but I’m not brave enough yet to shake things up—I like keeping it all in order. Thanks for sharing such an honest look at your life, especially with those thin margins. It’s inspiring!
Substack just surfaced your work on my feed and I’m here for all of it! I’m semi-retired—kids are grown, and I have time to cultivate a garden, can, and other projects. My husband and I moved about 5 years ago—right before the pandemic—to 1.5 acres in a rural area and we created a big area for a vegetable garden and we planted some fruit trees. The ones we planted in 2020 are giving us tons of fruit—but we learned that most stone fruits are an every-other year thing—at least the older varieties we chose. So even more reason to can in the heavy years! I grew up with parents who gardened, sewed, canned, did their own household and simple car repairs and I look forward to re-activating and using those skills.
Hannah, I can't remember the last time I resonated so strongly with something someone wrote!! My situation is a bit different from yours, but my feelings are the same. I am a military wife, which means that for the bulk of my career I had to move every couple of years and start over. I was never able to move up in any company, and thus never made more than $13 an hour. After this last move, we decided (more like I decided and my husband agreed) it would make more sense for me to stay home and create a more "from scratch" life. My paycheck was only ever enough to buy groceries and pay a small bill or two. We cut cable and most streaming services, and our grocery bill has gone way down because I grow, cook, can, etc most things myself. So the lack of my paycheck has evened out, and we have, as you said, a much better quality of food on our shelves. The bread I make from scratch may not cost less than the average bread for sale at the grocery store, but it is made from whole, fresh-milled grains and therefore contains all its nutrients... which is something that is simply not sold at any grocery store. Thank you so much for this post. So many people in this homesteading space are woefully misinformed on politics, and it is incredibly refreshing to hear your words of reason. I don't prep and homestead out of fear. I do it because it makes sense to be prepared, and because I am sick of working my ass off all day to pay a grocery store to give me sub-par food that is lacking nutrients and loaded with preservatives. I still work my ass off all day, but have something much better than store bought crap to show for it. And now, with the next four years looming before us, I'm so glad I made this choice.
Thank you, Mary! I completely agree. The cost vs. quality topic is always a hot one, and I’m glad you can relate. It’s going to be an interesting four years, to say the least, and I’m incredibly grateful to have connected with people like you who understand the value of the work as well as what’s at stake. ❤️
Likewise!
Amen to everything! 👏🏼 You hit on so many things I connect with. I grew up poor, but we always had a roof over our heads and we never went hungry. My mom worked hard to make that happen. Back when I homeschooled and did a lot more saving than I do now, it was encouraging when my husband reminded me that if we added up the value of everything I did at home it would be more valuable economically than his job as a computer engineer. Thank you for an inspiring post and it's really helped me to focus my intention here on Substack. There is so much valuable knowledge locked away in old cookbooks, especially wartime recipes. I need to share more of the amazing advice that I find!
*did a lot more canning! Lol
Thank you, Sarah! I'm glad it resonated, I always get a bit nervous talking about this stuff. I look forward to reading all you share, I'm sure there are so many useful lessons in those old wartime cookbooks people will be grateful for going forward!
Keeping the home fires burning - with you on that Hannah. I feel really sorry for folk who voted for that guy under the guise that things will be better. Better for the rich but not those struggling. We’ve seen it all with the crazy Brexit vote. Johnson promised ‘sunny uplands’ and some folk were deluded enough to swallow that lie. Keeping you in my prayers that little one will soon put in appearance xxx
I’m just reading your newest addition and it is both brilliant and helpful and without a doubt a whole heap of work on your part. Thank you Hannah xx
Thank you Sandra! ❤️ Hopefully it’s helpful to people. I think sometimes the hardest part about prepping and cultivating resiliency is knowing where to start, most people are great at it once they’re pointed in the right direction.
Thanks Sandra, I feel the same way. Appreciate you always! ❤️
I love how you break down the real trade-offs of staying home and pinching pennies. It’s so smart how you focus on quality over just saving cash, like with your bread and jam. I was thinking about trying some of your tips, but I’m not brave enough yet to shake things up—I like keeping it all in order. Thanks for sharing such an honest look at your life, especially with those thin margins. It’s inspiring!
Thank you so much, Rada! And I totally get it, how I’m living now took nearly a decade of baby steps to get to. ❤️
What a great way to offer what you know and provide support and solidarity how you can.
Thanks, Emily!
Substack just surfaced your work on my feed and I’m here for all of it! I’m semi-retired—kids are grown, and I have time to cultivate a garden, can, and other projects. My husband and I moved about 5 years ago—right before the pandemic—to 1.5 acres in a rural area and we created a big area for a vegetable garden and we planted some fruit trees. The ones we planted in 2020 are giving us tons of fruit—but we learned that most stone fruits are an every-other year thing—at least the older varieties we chose. So even more reason to can in the heavy years! I grew up with parents who gardened, sewed, canned, did their own household and simple car repairs and I look forward to re-activating and using those skills.