Immersive Experiences Today

Well, as of lately it's all about immersive experiences today , the perception of being a part of a different environment than our normal daily one, or is it? Lets face reality, it's a great time to STOP and sit and evaluate our way of life when it comes to our acquisition of our food and what we eat. Sometimes we just get into a habit and don't consider or are even aware of other resources near us. First thing I recommend is checking out the Feeding America Organization website. You can enter your zip code to find all food resources in your area. For seniors, visit your local senior center. You may qualify for Meals on Wheels (free meal delivery Monday thru Friday) and the monthly commodity box.

Let's be honest... Great Depression Era food is not what we can get today...food and livestock are grown/raised differently, even packaged food is processed differently. And... a lot of food during those hard times were not exactly healthy, it was good to survive on, not necessarily thriving with health benefits.

So many people are running here and there to this store or that and getting whatever is cheap, on sale, nearly expired, etc. It reminds me of the game 'Whack a Mole'...you never knew where or when the mole would appear or if you could get him.

I would like to encourage everyone, if even only one person reads this post and changes their food habits and benefits, it was worth the time to write this.

There are others who have grown or raised their food and can/freeze/dehydrate...there are many who 'wish and hope' to do it, but seem stuck, or don't have the confidence or information.

I'm here to say...YOU CAN DO IT!

Indoor Garden Vegetables In Winter Season

I grew up a suburbanite, food was whatever the store had, their price, raised/grown under Lord knows what conditions. At risk of recall from serious illness like salmonella, etc.

I was raised on my Grandparents farm, so there was raising livestock, butchering, growing produce, and packaging and storage during my childhood years, but I did not begin gardening again until my 40's. It's never too late, you can learn too!

There's more resources out their then you can imagine! First, your county extension office! Even if you live in the city, there's an office in your county, there's always rural area somewhere in every County even Las Vegas. Or another county near you. This office can connect you with farmers, 4H, FFA (future farmers of america), master gardeners, farmers markets...were you can connect with experts and visit people who grow and raise edible gardening plants and animals. These folks are also great resources for free fertilizer! Many farmers will be glad to have you show up with shovel and buckets and clean up! Old hay and manure for free is cheaper then $25 bags of compost at the big box stores. There are mentors out there! Facebook is full of pages how to grow in small area, containers, raised bed, balconies, and.... COMMUNITY GARDENS! No community gardens in your area? START ONE!

These options for acquiring food are expanding vastly due to people wanting healthier, safer and cheaper food then then what the stores put out.

Many farmers will let you help plant and harvest and go home with bags of extras and fresh produce! Spend a day in the fresh air! It's a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon then watching the same movie for the 10th time. 

Just think about taking more control of your food sources, then being controlled by whatever the stores decide to sell.

Even a small start..is a start! Make sure to check out pork loin on sale this week at Kroger's!

There's a huge movement in the USA that is sweeping the country, NO YARDS. People are turning to no grass mowing and using their yard/land for gardens! Whole towns in Europe are setup this way, the town has a website and folks swap and trade Their crops and extras for things others grow that they may not have.

I'm just saying...look into other options for acquiring food than the store. Try to avoid precision fermentation food products, especially meat and dairy. The options are endless! Even for elderly and disabled..there are very creative ways to set up indoor garden vegetables for easy access.

30 plus years ago I had a few houseplants, today I have an indoor garden, small fruit tree orchard, greenhouse, garden, berry bushes and raise my own meat source.

It is way cheaper and healthier then the stores, and there's something about being involved with the raising of your own food that brings a mental health benefit, and physical benefit of more time outdoors.

Take more control of your food sources. God Bless, you can do it! You really can!

I came up with this pork chops crock pot recipe because it's five days until I get paid and these ingredients are all I have in the house other than rice and beans. It turned out really good, like a riff on Green Bean casserole but it adds protein to make it a complete meal.

In a crock pot set to high, pour in two cans of cream of mushroom soup, fill half a can up with milk and pour it in along with 2 tbsp butter.

Add a generous sprinkle of garlic powder,

onion powder, black pepper, Cajun seasoning, a little chicken bouillon powder if you have it, and a generous dash of Worcestershire.

Drain two cans of green beans and toss them in. Stir until well combined.

Season 4-6 pork chops with the same seasonings as above and sear them on high heat in a lightly oiled, ripping hot pan, 1.5 minutes on each side.You want some color on them but not cooked all the way through. Then put them in the crock-pot, making sure they are covered by the soup mix.

Cook in the crockpot on high for three hours, giving it an occasional quick stir each hour.

Spoon out a chop onto a plate along with some of the beans, top generously with French fried onions.