It all starts with food...

Dear friends,

Back in the 1980’s, there were a slew of books published on How to Save the Earth.  I wrote one myself, called The Frugal Gardener.   

All of those ideas were good, but it just wasn't enough.  And we’ve gone past that now---WAY past it. 

Our summer harvest is small, but tasty.  It's organic and we know where it came from.

 I take a personal, down-to-earth approach.  I ask myself, what can we do in our own gardens and homes to make a positive impact on our world?  One of the most important things we can do is to protect our food supply.

A home food garden can be easy and fit into the landscape

Members of the Austin Permaculture Guild discuss this issue frequently.  Like many others, we’re all concerned with the future of our planet and the living organisms on it (that includes US, folks)!

One of our members, Bob Waldrop, came up with a great list of Ten Easy Things You Can Do.  Seriously, they really are easy—especially when done one by one.

I know most of my readers already do a lot of these things.  I’d urge you to check the list, see if there isn’t more you can do. 

And if you’re already doing these?  Keep on doing them! 

Food first! 

Dry or preserve things grown in your own garden


One -- Prepare food from basic ingredients.  

Two -- Eat with the season.

Three -- Eat meats from free ranging, humanely-managed flocks and herds or go vegetarian.



Four -- Keep some of your household savings in the form of food.



Five -- Buy as much food as possible from local farmers.

Six -- Grow as much of your own food

 as possible.

Seven -- Preserve and process some food at home for eating later (jams, jellies, 
pickles, etc.)



Eight -- Shop wisely at a cooperative supermarket or at a local or regionally-owned 
supermarket. Never shop at a nationally owned supermarket.


Nine -- Never eat at a national chain or franchised restaurant or fast food 
location. 

Always choose locally-owned when eating out.



Ten -- Support public and private causes that promote organic gardening and 
farming, free-range and pastured flocks and herds, urban agriculture, and local 
food systems.


Grow your own fruit!

 Please  share this list with your friends, neighbors, print it out and give it out on street corners.  :-)

 Because that’s what it’s going to take to save our hides, folks. The earth is in serious trouble.  Have you noticed?

Tweet and Retweet, post it on Facebook, post it on  your blogs.  Help us get the word out.

Happy gardening!

bobbi c.