[Qiviut]

I have close relatives who have started a regenerative farm and I am purchasing pastured chicken and pork from them (beef will happen in the future) to not only help them out, but to keep well-supplied with nutritionally dense food as a means of 'food security'. When the diesel runs out & trucks stop running, shelves are going to empty ... when the food shelves are empty, all h*ll is going to break loose, especially in cities where there are few if any options for 'growing your own'.

The reason I'm saying the above, is because one of my new "favorite" people, Jon Forti of The Heirloom Gardener, posted what is below on FB this morning - I had a few things to say to my family about it ... figured I'd share what he had to say, although I know on the Garden Thread, it's "preaching to the choir"! :-)

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The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti
Small Business Saturday.
Have you noticed that farmers market, downtown shops, re-purposed mills and craft shows have created vibrant new economies. Younger people working the land, or simply trying to make ends meet are finding new outlets for products of the farm or a handcrafted life. This weekend, take a fresh look at your downtown, drop in at an artisan fair or farm market to see just how much more your gifts mean when they were crafted by hand from your own local economy. 75 cents of every dollar spent at home stays in your local economy...and I promise you that's not happening when you buy on line or in a box store!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Bears repeating! *BUMP*

The Heirloom Gardener - John Forti

Small Business Saturday.

Have you noticed that farmers market, downtown shops, re-purposed mills and craft shows have created vibrant new economies. Younger people working the land, or simply trying to make ends meet are finding new outlets for products of the farm or a handcrafted life. This weekend, take a fresh look at your downtown, drop in at an artisan fair or farm market to see just how much more your gifts mean when they were crafted by hand from your own local economy. 75 cents of every dollar spent at home stays in your local economy...and I promise you that’s not happening when you buy on line or in a box store!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

In that same vein, (supporting Small Businesses) we have good friends that have been doing amazingly well with their (local, small, family-owned) fur business! Since raccoon pelts aren't worth spit these days, Beau has been giving them to this couple and they're making amazing things from them. I got my Raccoon Fur Ear Band from them last year, and I want some more of their hats and such. He tans all kinds of furs and she can sew like a dream and does an excellent job.

You CAN wear fur around here, with no one batting an eye or calling you a murderer, LOL!

They also provide all the 'stuff' you need for hunting hounds - leashes, collars, training collars, headlamps (you hunt raccoon at night in the dark), GPS systems and such.

Wishbone's Hound Supply and Furs

These pix are from a show they did ("Cowboy Christmas") in Dubuque, IA a few weekends ago:

Check out the upper right corner of the second pix. A local lady crochets raccoon and opossum scarves for her - they are so cute! She also crochets these awesome hats with a fur Pom-Pom that my friend makes and adds to the top of the hat. I'm lusting after one of those!