Hi Everyone,
It’s March!! That means spring is near! Our last official frost date is March 15, so “nearly” time to plant outside!
NOTES:
Did you know about 211?
In the state of California, you can call 211 when you need help with community services. Call 211 if…..
* You’re experiencing a personal crisis
* You’re new to the community
* You need help finding food or paying bills
* You’re having trouble paying a utility bill
* You need help with housing or homelessness
* You need help with mental health
211 can help with….
* Health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and more
* Rent assistance, shelters, and more
* Food banks and more
* Job training, transportation assistance and more
* Mental health counseling, support groups and more
* Utility assistance and lower cost options
* Disaster preparedness including response and recovery declared during an emergency.
You can call 211, text 211, or use the 211 website
Dial 211 for Essential Community Services | Federal Communications Commission
Check in your area to see if this service is available.
GARDEN HAPPENINGS:
I repotted all my tomatoes, and here’s how I knew it was time.
The tomatoes on the left are obviously taller than those on the right. But do you notice the yellow leaves? This is the plant saying “I’m hungry!”
When I popped them out to repot them, the tomatoes on the left looked like this:
Roots all the way to the bottom.
The tomatoes on the right looked like this:
Also roots to the bottom and starting to wrap around. It was time.
When you repot:
1. add fertilizer to the new pot
2. water right away
3. shade for 3 days
I’ve repotted the tomatoes and celery. The peppers are about 1 1/2 inches tall, the chamomile is growing and the alyssum. I planted cucumbers but they are not up yet.
THIS WEEK’S PURCHASE: Rice
1 #10 can is about 10 c. rice. When you cook rice, you need 2 parts water and 1 part rice = 3 c. rice. So, 1 #10 can will make 30 c. of rice!!!
Rice is considered a grain. Minimum 1 year requirements for 1 person = 300 lb. grains. This will include wheat, flour, oats, pasta, and cornmeal.
If you are gluten free, then rice should be a large portion of your grains. One hundred pounds of rice is 20 cans.
IF you are starting your journey, start with three months – which would be 4 cans or so. Rice has a 30 year shelf life.
SHORT TERM PURCHASE: Canned meat or tuna.
This month, just resolve to get 2-3 cans of tuna EVERY time you go into the grocery store. At the end of the month, you’ll have a good start. Date the cans, plan to use tuna every other week or so, then buy more later, and put the new ones in the back, or on the bottom, and rotate!!!
72 HOUR KIT – Small sewing kit. All you really need is a couple of small spools of thread, and 1-2 needles. You can thread the needles through a small scrap of fabric. Don’t have any fabric? You can cut up one of your dish towels that has holes in it, or a mismatched pair of socks, or some rag or other that’s laying around. As a side note: dental floss makes great thread for heavy duty things like buttons on jeans or coats.
FOOD STORAGE RECIPES:
Swedish Beef over Rice
1 can Golden Mushroom soup
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 TB melted butter
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
Stir until smooth in a small saucepan.
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. flour
Mix water and flour in a cup. (I like to shake it up in a small jar). Add it to the soup mix and heat until bubbly. Add 1 pint jar of ground beef, or 1 lb. hamburger, browned and drained. OR 1 12-oz can roast beef.
Serve over rice.
Honey Chicken Over Rice
2 lb. chicken boneless skinless chicken in a crockpot. You can cut the chicken into good size chunks, or cook whole and shred.
Mix in a small saucepan:
3/4 c. honey
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. diced onion (or 1 TB dehydrated onion)
1/4 c. ketchup
2 TB olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
Pour the honey mix over the chicken and cook 4 hours on high. Remove the chicken and shred OR just leave as chunks to serve.
In a very small bowl, mix 6 TB water and 4 tsp cornstarch.
Add the cornstarch to the crockot, and cook the honey mix 10 min more to thicken. Serve the chicken over rice, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
Porcupine Meatballs
To make meatballs:
1/2 c. rice
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. chopped onion
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
Mix together and form in small balls. Brown in 2 TB cooking oil and remove.
In the same pan make the sauce:
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 c. water
2 TB brown sugar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Mix and add the meatballs back into the sauce. Cover and simmer 40-60 minutes.
Marti Shelley
