From Pandemic Panic to Backyard Farming: How I Took Control of My Food Source
The pandemic, ah yes, the "unprecedented" time that affected us all in different ways. Some people learned how to make sourdough bread, while others learned how to avoid their family members for days on end. But for those of us in the business world, the pandemic forced us to adapt to working from home. Some people suffered from being trapped at home, while others like me, thrived. As an introverted person, I loved the solitude of working from home. But my worldview changed when I realised just how much we rely on supermarkets to get our food.
I mean, let's be real here. When the pandemic hit, everyone was panic-buying toilet paper like it was the new Bitcoin. It was like an episode of The Walking Dead, but instead of zombies, we had Karens hoarding all the paper products. But when food shortages started to happen, I felt a sense of not having control over my food source. And don't even get me started on the latest egg shortages. The media tried to blame it on changing to farm-free caged hens, but let's be honest, who really knows the truth? All I knew was that I needed a reliable source of eggs for my family.
So, I did what any rational person would do in a crisis - I got chickens. Not only do they provide us with eggs, but they also help us with our compost needs. They're like the ultimate garbage disposals. Plus, they're a general delight to have as part of the family. If you work in a stressful environment, I highly recommend getting chickens. They're like little therapists that keep your blood pressure down.
But why stop there? I also started to dabble in gardening. And by "dabble," I mean I went full-on Little House on the Prairie. I've started saving seeds so I can keep my crops going when prices start skyrocketing. Did you know that you could grow strawberries from spoiled ones? I didn't either, but I tried it, and now I have a plentiful strawberry patch. Who needs the grocery store when you have your own backyard farm?
Now, I don't want to come off as a doomsday prepper, but I do feel like we need to prepare to survive. Because let's face it, in another long crisis, no one else is going to help us. It's like going back in time to when our ancestors had to grow their own food and can their own goods. But instead of doing it out of necessity, we're doing it out of precaution. And who knows, maybe one day we'll be the ones teaching our grandkids how to make sourdough bread and grow their own strawberries.
Check out our beautiful wingham silver chickens here
