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It’s time to start looking into CSA, or Community Supported Agriculture for next year.  What is CSA?  According to Local Harvest, “[A] farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Typically the share consists of a box of vegetables, but other farm products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a “membership” or a “subscription”) and in return receive a box (bag, basket) of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.”

Local Harvest has a great guide on advantages for all involved and ways to deal with risk.  Check it out!

Image: Scott D. Moose

Because of the economy and current political climate, we are stocking up on food and water.  Our short-term food storage plan includes MRE’s, or Meals-Ready-To-Eat, which are bundled hot meals that will last 5-10 years in storage.

I picked up a case of Ameriqual civilian MRE’s.  The menu includes things like potato soup and chicken and dumplings.  This one in particular is Maple-flavored sausage patty.

Here you see the contents.  Counter-clockwise from the bottom is the entree, the self-contained heater, cracker packs, the accessory pack, and cookies for dessert.

The Ameriqual entrees got high ratings as far as taste.  They have a unique menu and don’t overload you on a single entree in a case.  I bought these for the taste and variation.

The Ameriqual MRE’s have a heater included.  It is high quality and the iron shavings don’t cover your meal like cheaper heaters.  A portable hot meal is great.

The accessory pack contains peanut butter for the crackers, salt, pepper, a wetnap, spoon, coffee, creamer, sugar, and a book of matches.  My only suggestion would be a napkin to help pull a piping hot entree out of the bag and a tiny bottle of Tabasco like the military MRE’s.

Overall, I am pretty happy with my purchase of this case of MRE’s.

For an example of a good preparedness plan, check out Jimmy Cracked Corn’s plan.  For a comparison of civilian MRE’s, check out MREinfo.com

We were in the mood for some “football food”, so we whipped up an improvised appetizer that definitely did not disappoint us, “Sausage Parmesean Stuffed Shrooms”.

De-stem 8 oz. of medium sized portabellas.  Finely chop the stems.  Brown 1/4 lb spicy sausage with a couple cloves of smushed garlic, stems, and a few slices of finely chopped green pepper and onion.  Mix together 1/4 cup Bisquick and 1/4 cup Andy’s “Hot” breading.  Regular breadcrumbs and red pepper to taste will substitute in a pinch.  Add breading mixture to sausage, veggies, and drippings until it sticks together.  Stuff mushroom caps until out of stuffing. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese.

Put on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until the caps start to soften.  Delicious!

We finally took the time to make a nice homemade dinner. I made some “No-Knead Bread“.

We fried up some Macedonian sausage with leeks and collard greens.  Topped with some La Preferida, it was the perfect amount of spice.

And although somebody never gets people food, she whined all night from the delicious smell.

I am going to be reviewing a few of my favorite websites regarding seeds.  I have had the pleasure of corresponding with Alex from the English Chili Pepper Company.  They have a great blog and review site catering towards “Chili heads”.

They review Chili seeds, books, various growing methods, and offer some really unique products through their store.  I definitely recommend checking them out.