Do you sometimes feel like everything is swirling?

• Climate disruption has most likely come to where you live, and is not an abstract reality being lived somewhere else on Earth.
• The psychic currents of humanity are dizzying. War, betrayal, abnegation of social responsiveness and humanitarian responsibility all leave millions, possibly billions, of people bereft and dying. Food promised rots in warehouses, water or water infrastructure bombed or cut off from power or purposefully polluted deprive every type of being alive of this necessity for life. Due to world-wide sources of pollution of soil, air, rivers, groundwater, and oceans, human beings are suffering more types of illness than ever before, babies born with physical and cognitive abnormalities, and animals displaced or made extinct. All are greed-driven born of confused ideas about power. All have created great suffering, hopelessness and sense of powerlessness; and all are carried on the collective psychic currents effecting everyone.
• There are also the swirls of collaboration, embracing and support. These swirls reach out, reach in, lift up, and stand together for sanity, helpfulness, creative and commonly available actions to foster environment, relatedness, relationships, and cooperation. My son uses the phrase “creating safe spaces.” He means inner, outer, and in all dimensions.

This post is a reaching out born from reaching in and is offered as possible support to my human brothers and sisters and the animal beings who share environment with us. I would not consider myself a “prepper”, but do see the wisdom of knowing facts about  world food supplies to decide if I should put up a little extra.

Climate change is real and affects how food is grown and if it can be grown. This post is about a few staple food items which will cost more this year. If you or your family use these items, purchase some extra now and store the food items properly (glass containers, in a cool, dry location). I am not suggesting or condoning knee-jerk hording. NO. Leave food on the shelves for others. We all need to eat. But, if purchasing an extra 5 lb. bag of rice is possible for you, it is wise to do so. I have found Etsy to be a good source for high quality dry goods and bulk spices.

With these thoughts from my heart, here’s a short list to foods that have already been effected by climate change.

• Rice: Climate change has brought stronger rains and inconsistencies in seasonal dry or wet periods to most of the world. Southeast Asia (Thailand and Vietnam for example) are major rice producers. The exportable yield of rice for both these countries is down significantly. Last season, which is this year’s rice on the grocery shelves, was decreased due to both too much water (monsoons) and not enough (drought in these rain forest countries). World supply predictors have been reporting, since last December, that by June of this year the cost of rice will be much higher due to limited supply. This translates to higher prices to everyone and limited availability. Purchase some extra rice now and properly store it in glass containers with closed lids in a cool, dry location.  If you have bay leaves handy, put one or two in the jar to enhance long-term storage.
• Olive oil: Europe has been beset with very hot summers. Last year, fires raged in Mediterranean countries. These countries are major sources of olive oil. Purchase it now. Store an extra bottle in a cool, dry place. (glass bottles are always preferred to plastic). Right now, the olive oil on the shelves is from two season’s ago. The price will go up significantly by summer.
• Dry beans and legumes or canned beans: These excellent sources of protein and fiber, vitamins and minerals will rise in price as meat and sea food becomes less affordable and available. The latter is due to many reasons, some climate driven, some human-driven. Dried beans and lentils will store for months or years when properly stored. Canned beans as well. Stock up now and properly store (cool, dry location).
• Nut butters: Nut butters will store better than nuts but not as long as dried beans,  lentils, or canned beans. The oils in nut butters will go rancid within a year or so. But, an extra jar of your favorite nut butter, stored in the fridge is wise. Californian fires, droughts, and unpredictable weather has affected almond production. Monocrop almond farms also are subject to decreased pollinator populations due to monocropping and to herbicide spraying. The southern states that produce peanuts have also experienced climate disruption of crop yields. Increased severity of hurricanes and amounr of rain being the factors.

For rice, I went to Etsy; and am very pleased with the organic rice from Thailand that I purchased. Organic white rice was also purchased. Organic olive oil in glass bottle was had from Walmart and one from Trader Joe’s. Organic canned and dried beans as well as organic lentils were obtained from Natural Grocers on sale in January. I also used my SNAP to purchase frozen ground bison and ground wild boar for freezer storage. A one pound package mixed with a couple of eggs (local neighbor’s eggs), spices and sauteed onions will make ten patties. Cook the patties and refreeze for single uses!

Lastly, if possible, grow veggies: on a balcony or stoop in pots, or in the ground. Any size patch or pot. More than one veggie in the pot or patch of earth. Plus a flower for pollinators. Enjoy the beauty, the delight, and the food.

Bush beans produce a lot of food for months in very little space. A tomato plant, cucumber plant, basil, and mini marigold all can go in one pot, the size of a contractor’s bucket. Yes, there is initial purchase costs such as soil, but Habitat for Humanity or Goodwill will have the pot or bucket, the Farmer’s Market will have starter plants, or if seeds are purchased – put  the extras in the fridge for next season. You will get three season’s of growing from one package of seeds if stored properly. Plus, keep seeds from your tomatoes, basil, and marigold. Start being a seed-saver and gardener in whatever space you have.

Other plants that grow well in pots or old buckets are potatoes, garlic, and chard. Cilantro will grow anywhere, even a roadside, if it gets water. It self-seeds, plus produces abundant seed bounty to lightly roast and grind for coriander powder. Oh, and, it’s pollinator heaven!

So, yes, times are tough. And, politics/insanity aside, climate disruption is effecting all beings. It is loving-kindness and being thoughtful to put up some extra food now that stores well and will be in the pantry when the family or yourself needs it.

Remember your neighbors. Reach out and say, “how you doing today? Do you need any help?” Experience the delight of planting seeds or baby plants and watching them grow into food that then is picked, in most cases, for months and provides seeds for next season. Yeah and yum! Growing food, helping one another, and being thoughtful all are grounding in the swirling energies of our times.

Let me leave you with this photo of greens growing on my kitchen window sill. They are Hon Tsai Tai and Yukina, Japanese leaf greens. I love them raw but they can be sauteed, thrown in soup, or in a smoothie. I’ve been eating these for 3 weeks. The seeds were harvested from last season’s garden bounty.

Anyone can grow food! Growing food is food security; and as the world goes ever more deeply into the untrodden ground of climate disruption, supply yourself and family, neighbors and friends with what you grow and with the extra beans that you purchase today.