RetroRevolution

I have some questions for you today.

• How many butchers are in your hometown?
• How many cheese makers?
• How many mills to grind grain into flour?

While self sufficiency is great.  Can we realistically expect everyone to butcher their own chickens?  Grind their own grains?  Make their own candles?  I just don’t think we can be a great nation with a few million self sufficient islands that never talk to each other and need no help from each other to make it through the week.  Local farmers and gardeners are the first thought that comes to mind when people think “Eat Local”.  The reality is that the farmer is but one link in a local chain that needs to be reestablished if the local food movement is to gain any significant ground.  Small local bakeries, mills, deli’s and creameries need to be established and utilized if the movement if to gain ground.

As a community we need to find a balance between buying bread baked in Kansas City and shipped throughout the US, and everyone having their own little patch of wheat, grinding it into flour, and baking it into bread in their back yard.  Maybe if farming isn’t your cup of tea you need to consider becoming a butcher, baker, or candlestick maker.

The survivalblog.com had some brief commentary and a link to an encouraging story out of Wisconsin.

The intrusion of governmental regulation into our lives has been steadily growing for years.  The number of regulations is increasing at an exponential rate.  The ability of the small farmer to sell dairy products is prosecuted worse than theives and drug dealers in some states.  The backyard chicken farmer that wants to offer up some eggs for a small amount of money at a roadside stand needs to jump through 1000 hoops and maintain all kinds of records.

These laws and regulations were passed because our elected and appointed officials have decided that you are not smart enough to know what is the right thing to do to take care of yourself.  Forty years ago people knew to cook eggs at a high enough temperature to kill off anything that might be dangerous.

People everywhere are starting to become frustrated with this oversight and micromanagement.  A small victory was achieved in Wisconsin where the legislature took the first steps in rolling back the intrusive legislation for small independent farmers and gardeners.

Basically after this law is enacted as expected, it will be legal for small producers to can up to $5000.00 worth of acidic canned goods for sale to the public annually.  Foods covered include pickled vegetables, most canned fruits, and canned tomatoes or tomato-based food like salsa.  This is a wonderful opportunity for small homestead type stands and farmers markets!