Tom Kuehne: The Good Old Days

Even though it is hard to imagine, Spring is coming. The snow will turn from it's fluffy white blanket to a brown and bluish mess. Brown spots will begin to appear in protected areas and some of the sunny slopes. There will be a really big change as we look over the landscape. Finally a few green sprouts will appear and then you know Spring is here.

There is than a recurring dream in rural Minnesotans. They get the desire to plant something. During our younger years, planting a garden was simply something you did each spring. The family depended on it for a large part of their dietary needs. If you raised beef, poultry and hogs and added the preserves from the garden, your diet was satisfied.

You still needed to buy some groceries, such as flour, sugar, salt, pepper, oatmeal, coffee and some cooking oil. The rest of the food needs were already in the freezer or stored in the basement.

There were some garden products that would last in their original state using different storage methods. Beans could be preserved in salt water crocks or dried to make leather britches beans. Squash and pumpkins were stored in the oats bin until later in the fall, after which they were either canned or dried. Cabbage was turned into sauerkraut. Carrots were stored in pails of sand. Potatoes were stored in a cool corner of the basement. Corn was ground into cornmeal for breads, cakes and dog food. Peas and beans were dried and used in soups, etc. Wild fruits and berries were made into jellies and sauce. Some individuals harvested acorns and hazel nuts to be used as additions to breads and candies. Basswood flowers and strawberry foliage were used as a tasty warm drink. Some wild plants such as dandelion and plantain were used as salads. Sumac seeds were used as a spice on pork roasts to add a pleasant lemony flavor. Asparagus could either be eaten raw, cooked, frozen or canned. It has been said that nettles make an excellent cooked vegetable, but I have never tried it. Wild mushrooms were either sauteed in butter or canned, both offer more flavor than store-bought mushrooms.

In today's world, we are noticing a reduction in value of the “almighty dollar.” Inflation in excess of 7%. Gas is at least ½ more than we paid a year ago. Grocery store prices are definitely going up, as are other retail items, especially lumber. How can we adjust our lives to avoid these extra expenses?

Enjoying the vegetables from our own garden is an obvious help. By harvesting the garden, you reduce the grocery expense. It offers the pleasant outdoor experience that makes us appreciate our home. If one can reduce the trips to the grocery store from 4 trips to 3 trips every two weeks and the trip uses a gallon of gas, you now reduced gasoline expenditures by $7.00 per month. That's $84.00 per year. These are after tax dollars, so we must remember that you need to earn about $120.00 to net the $84.00.

We haven't yet considered the dollar value of the garden's produce in after tax dollars. It will probably be like getting a $200.00 per month raise.

It's time to pick up some seeds and for those who start plants indoors, it won't be long before that needs to be started. It is also the time to check the sun-block or hats to be ready for the long awaited warm sunshine. Being able to brag about your large tomatoes or how many beans you picked yesterday, is just an added benefit.

For feedback or story ideas, email Tom at tom@swanvilleinsurance.com.

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