Be a Producer and not a Consumer

The majority of our society has come to a place where they are consumers and they never even consider the idea of how can they produce something. Whether it be growing a garden, making a garment (if you don't know how to sew take a sewing class) I'm taking a knitting class and loving it, make a gift for someone or read a book where you are learning something. We have tons of resources at the tips of our fingers, two hands and an amazing mind that we only use a fraction of.

I would like to challenge you in this new year to start thinking of ways to be a producer. And from the way groceries are rising in price you might want to consider a garden. Don't start with something massive, start with one raised bed and grow a salsa garden. Tomatoes and jalapenos and you have to throw in a couple of basil plants. Who doesn't like salsa? You can make fresh salsa, you could have canned tomatoes instead of buying them at the store. I have also canned tomatoes with onions and okra and it is a great addition for beef stews. I also have a recipe for canned salsa that I will share with you later. With your basil plant, you can make pesto and freeze it. If it's in a good container it will keep in the freezer for 8-12 months. I put pesto in lasagna, on warm pasta, pizza there are a millions ways you can use pesto.

When you start thinking of producing things and doing it, (the key is doing it) you will feel really good about yourself. You will feel creative, it will help you become organized and you will feel like your making your little corner of the world a better place.

Tackle those projects that you have been putting off. I know, if you are like me, I look at a big project and think I need to finish it all at once and I become over whelmed and I never start. But if you will look at the project and say to yourself, I am working on this for 2 hours every day until I get it complete. You will be amazed at how fast you can accomplish something. Again, it can be a sewing project, pulling weeds out of the garden, cleaning the garage etc. We live in the country and we have LOTS of BIG projects. Off and on for about two weeks, my husband and I have been cleaning out our shop (a 25x50 metal building) full of everything. We have thrown away old containers of dried up paint, stuff we have been saving thinking someday we will use it(nope, if we haven't used it in the last year it's out of here). Tools everywhere and probably 5 of everything. We are making up tool boxes for each one of our children, keeping what we need and putting the rest toward a huge garage sale in the spring. You can actually walk through the shop now with lots of room to spare. I stood and looked at how great it looked and wondered why we hadn't done this before now. I'll tell you why, because we looked at what all needed to be done and it was over whelming.

I hope I have inspired you a little to tackle those projects you have been putting off. Remember.....a little at a time, not all at once. And become a Producer this year!!! :)