This had been on my heart for a while now so I hope you don't mind.
First let me give you some background. I've worked retail for 7+ years. Officially I worked in a retail situation for 7, but if you count having my own business I've been working for the last 18 years in retail. That is enough hours to be considered an expert. An expert has had 10,000 hours of practice in any given field. I've put in 14,560 hours in just my official employment history. I've done everything from stock shelves to being a CO-Manager. I know retail. I also know that our economy depends on everyone.
Doctors and Lawyers couldn't be doctors and lawyers if there wasn't a cashier. Their couldn't be a cashier if there wasn't backroom associates. Stores couldn't run if there were no farmers, and factory workers.
We all need each other!
No ifs and or butts!
So whats my problem? Why am I in an uproar? The mines that fuel our economy are shutting down. The stock market has driven the price of coal into the ground, and there is no money to be made. What's the problem with that.
The economy of my area depends on the coal miners. Let me sketch it out for you.
Coal miners make about $18/hour. They are young men with young families. Young families need Doctors and Hospitals. Young families send their children to school. The wives of the coal miners buy cows and pigs ready to butcher and put into their freezers. Wives of coal miners also shop at the local stores, and boutiques.
If the coal miners go, then so will part of the hospital and other health care staff. They won't have families to take care of. It then gets worse. With the coal miners and health care staff gone, the schools will not need as many teachers. The children will be going with their families. The farmers now have fewer people to feed, and the boutiques now have fewer shoppers.
There we have it. Now my little county in Colorado is gone. Several ghost towns could be in the making.
How do we fix it? Can it be fixed? That is a question worth looking into. I do know I would like to keep this area alive.
Keep people like this face painter painting. Keep the farmers growing, and the boutiques open.
There are blogs dedicated to the economy and there has been plenty of professionals stating the we are in an economic recession. I don't know anything about the stock market, except that when the numbers go down fake money has been wiped out.
I just want to keep living in my beautiful area, with amazing hard working people.
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
What to do when you Garden Fails!
So what do you do when your garden fails? Do you curse God? Kill the herd of deer? Give up? All of the above? It has been a hard garden year. I've lost plants to the bugs, and now the deer have destroyed my garden.
Its hard to get over the loss of months of work. I thought I was going to be overloaded. So tired of Canning I wouldn't want to look at my pressure canner. Instead I had to buy veggies to can. At first I thought "Oh buck up!" but then the deer kept coming. I put up lights to keep them out. The Deer just laugh!
So what do you do? At some point I gave up. I can't put up a deer fence now.
The next step is to plan for next year. Whats the plan?
Put up a deer fence.
Raise Guinea keets. They eat bugs and don't dig up plants.
Build raised garden beds.
Realize that sometimes God needs you to learn a lesson, and try to learn the lesson in one gardening season.
Its hard to get over the loss of months of work. I thought I was going to be overloaded. So tired of Canning I wouldn't want to look at my pressure canner. Instead I had to buy veggies to can. At first I thought "Oh buck up!" but then the deer kept coming. I put up lights to keep them out. The Deer just laugh!
So what do you do? At some point I gave up. I can't put up a deer fence now.
The next step is to plan for next year. Whats the plan?
Put up a deer fence.
Raise Guinea keets. They eat bugs and don't dig up plants.
Build raised garden beds.
Realize that sometimes God needs you to learn a lesson, and try to learn the lesson in one gardening season.
Apple Fest!
The first weekend of October Cedaredge, Colorado holds their annual Apple Fest! This years Apple Fest was amazing. First we toured Pioneer Town, then we looked at the Car Show. Little guy was even lucky enough to sit in one of the cars! Then we walked Main Street and the Park looking at all of the vendors. Plus they had amazing food. If your up for some adventure check out Apple Fest next October! I can't wait for next year.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Cream of Tomato Soup Recipe
Did you make tomato powder? Looking for something to do with it? Look no farther!
Cream of Tomato Soup
1/4 cup Tomato Powder
1 Tab Bouillon Powder
3/4 tsp Basil
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1 cup Dried Milk
3/4 cup Corn Starch
Mix all ingredents.
To make soup
Add 1/3 cup mix to 1 1/4 cups water. Heat over Medium till thick. Enjoy!
Cream of Tomato Soup
1/4 cup Tomato Powder
1 Tab Bouillon Powder
3/4 tsp Basil
1/4 Tsp Oregano
1 cup Dried Milk
3/4 cup Corn Starch
Mix all ingredents.
To make soup
Add 1/3 cup mix to 1 1/4 cups water. Heat over Medium till thick. Enjoy!
Adding ingredients one layer at a time |
Layers of beauty! |
Mixed in a bowl, my jar's to small! |
Ready to be used. |
Ready to use with instructions! |
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Making Tomato Powder
Waste not want not right? So when we were peeling tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce I just had to save the skins. I put them in the dehydrator and let them dry till crispy. The plan is to make tomato powder. After they are crispy put them in a bag and smash and mash till its powder! Viola! Tomato powder. What can you do with it? Come back and I'll show you how to make Powdered Cream of Tomato Soup.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)