Well it has been awhile again since I have had time to sit down and update everyone on all that has been going on. It has been a busy time here on the farm and trying to lend a hand where I can.

The strawberries are doing wonderfully this year, my daughter and I just got done working up 2 5 gallon buckets into jam this evening. We now have enough for both homes and extras for Christmas gifts this year. Any more strawberries we get will be frozen or eaten fresh as we have PLENTY of strawberry perseveres.

The garden is producing plenty of fresh vegetables now, and I am thankful for that as the prices for anything in the markets are way too high right now, and I don’t think the prices are going to get any better anytime soon. We have lettuce, spinach, onions, radishes, broccoli, cauliflower an few cucumbers and even a zucchini  so far, before long it will be time to dig up the potatoes and for that I am ready. We still have a few in the root cellar from last year that is a good thing because the price at the markets in town this weekend was $2.99 for 5 # of potatoes???? That is just lunacy! I really worry about what folks are going to do, the utilities are going up, gas is higher that it has ever been and grocery prices are rising just as fast as the gas costs. If you’re not seriously prepping and storing away food stuffs for your family’s security, now is the time to start that is for sure.

The flooding in the surrounding states and especially Iowa is going to impact this country in a big way. Most of the crops in Iowa have been lost and a lot of livestock have been lost too. I had a friend of mine ask if I could come over to Iowa yesterday with my truck and livestock trailer and help move one of her friend’s hogs as he has a large hog confinement and the levy near him was in danger of breaking. I finally got there after many detours and with the help of some other folks we were able to move the all of the hogs about 2 hours before the levy broke through. I am glad we got them out and glad I got back home last night as there has been many more levy’s break through today and the bridges are now all shut down in our area between Illinois and Iowa.

Our internet service and TV all runs through a satellite dish and the flooding in Iowa has affected the service out here at times over the past few days as one of the main switching offices is located in the Coralville Iowa area and is has been flooded too, so all things considered the thunderstorms we have had and the tress that have been downed here in the past few weeks are a drop in the bucket compared to what some are having to endure now. I hope and pray for everyone’s safety.

It may be a day to two before I post again as we are waiting for the grounds to dry up a bit more before we make the first cutting of hay this week. We need the hay to feed our animals through the winter so I hope all goes well with the bailng.

Have a good week ahead!

Preparedness, when properly pursued, is a way of life, not a sudden, spectacular program. -- Spencer W. Kimball, 1976