So in addition to stocking up on food staples, I’ve been canning and freezing as much as we can afford to buy each week. So far that includes green beans, yellow beans, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers (pickles), strawberries and blueberries.

We’ll be getting stuff from the CSA until Thanksgiving and the local farmers’ market will be open until the end of September(assuming the weather co-operates), so I’m hopeful that we’ll have more than enough put up to last us through the winter and into next spring.

I’ve also been experimenting with square foot gardens and growing food in containers. Some successes, some failures but I’m learning how to take my gardening experience from other places and translate it to the climate here in NW Georgia and to the small backyard of our rental.

One thing I would encourage people to do and that is get to know your local small farmers. As I mentioned, we are members of a CSA and shop the farmers’ market but we also buy our eggs from a local farm lady. Through those contacts, I’ve been able to purchase local honey for my General Store, as well as extra corn and strawberries.

Building local food networks is going to become more and more important as time goes by.