My writings are all directed towards supporting all of those people wishing to make small incremental adjustments in their current lives to provide more security for themselves and their families. It is not judgemental but hopefully a series of signposts, ideas, advice. It is general, intended to guide you to make changes more confidentally'.
This is never do or die, each adjustment can be assimilated into everyday life before moving on to another adjustment. Once one is comfortably embedded and understood then the next will be that little bit easier and much more likely to stick.
It is easy for me, I was born and brought up ‘before’. I know and remember what life was like ‘then’. It is hard for you to aspire to something that you may never have experienced. I hope to show you that you can go forward hopefully and have the sheer wonder of learning just how easy it is to live without supermarkets, ultra-processed food, all of the mass produced ‘occasions’ and their planet-damaging plastic decorations. The festivals can still be celebrated but there is joy and fun to be had in creating your own decorations from natural elements which can return to the Earth afterwards - just as our ancestors did.
It is no different with our greatest Festival - Christmas. The toxic wrapping paper which cannot be composted or recycled, the endless plastic injection-moulded glitter encrusted hanging decorations, artificial trees, every house vying for the Premiership League of Christmas Lights - why? Is electricity still not eye wateringly expensive? Is that at the heart of it? Just as the rich had lawns to show that they did not need to use every inch of their land to grow cabbages and turnips, are the lights a demonstration that there is no care for the cost of the energy?
Baubles - plastic injection-moulded glitter encrusted hanging gaudy decorations from half way around the World. Environmentally friendly?
The big difference in my life - and perhaps a growing number of modern families - is that I think and plan ahead. I collect pine cones, seed heads, prunings from honeysuckle or clematis - all manner of natural elements ready to make a door wreath, or to decorate windowsills and mantlepieces. My tree is a bare twiggy branch in the hallway, cable tied securely to the stairs and decorated with colourful pom poms of all sizes, little paper and glass birds that I have collected over many years, little colourful silk be-tasselled ‘Alibaba’ slippers that I made over forty years ago which bring renewed joy every time I take them from their tissue paper storage to join some ancient glass balls. I never buy new modern decorations with their tiny ‘made in China’ labels securely pasted underneath. What part does that culture play in our pagan heritage?
Where I live is surrounded by many routes to my home, each one controlled by a country level crossing. I often have to wait while yet another long haul freight train snakes across the field with its burdensome cargo of shipping containers destined for some hub or other. There are often more than forty of these metal boxes - on an almost daily cycle - and while I wait for them to pass I often wonder what can possible be in this one or that one. Unfortunately I do think that we could actually receive none of them and be no poorer.
Ploughing your own furrow and resisting the peer pressures of friends and families to conform to the ‘traditions’ that have grown up in the last twenty or so years takes some strength of character. If you persevere however, you will find that people not only come to love your self-expression but also start to emulate it. Be that change maker and if you truly want what is best for the planet while you are here it applies all of the time, not just when convenient.
So, what does The 150 mean? This is some homework for this week. It is said that however many Christmas cards you send/receive, how many party invitations are accepted, how many entries in your phone Contacts, when the proverbial hits the fan we each have a close network of just 150 people. These are those that you rely on - this will not have many family members, it is those people around you that really contribute essential elements to your life. Your Doctor, Dentist, Employer, Teachers, local garage, friends, and so on. The list will be different for everyone and no comparison is necessary. Contacts like the local farm shop count as one, the fresh milk that you are now having delivered - one contact, I would have my Buy Wholefoods Online log-in as one contact. If a local shop to me starts a comparable business I will switch to off-line.
The point is to really examine what your People Tree is like, where there are gaps, where you can work on substitutions. We went to our local supermarket today, first time this year I think. It is a Coop and they are only taking cash at the moment, nationally, as there has been a cyber hack and they have switched off card payments. There was no fresh food except for a few baked-in-store bakery products. I actually only needed a bulk purchase of sparkling mineral water as I currently have to drink prodigious amounts of water and I find this type easier to cope with. I could have snapped up a bargain of a small size box of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies - there were three left - for £4.15!!!!
So, had I been doing a shop for a family and expecting to find the typical items in that type of trolley I would have been disappointed. Are all the supermarkets sold out currently? I don’t know because I almost never shop there. I shop at our local farm shop and buy one week’s worth of produce at a time, they know me and I am sure, in difficult times, they would look after their loyal customers. I could buy most items there but choose to have my milk, butter and eggs delivered by the local farm as in troubled times it is easier to have multiple routes to goal. I do understand that I live in a rural area and not everyone has access to country cows or farm shops. However, there are City equivalents and the greatest bonus is not being able to browse aisles and aisles of things you had no intention of buying before you entered the store but now seem to have in your trolley. You won’t arrive home from buying your potatoes and eggs locally with a reduced-price sweater, a cute mug and a new milk saucepan in your shopping.
I can’t guarantee that you won’t call into a local cafe on the way home for a coffee and slice of cake but it will be better quality, decidedly non-ultra-processed, and will probably be provided by one of your 150 who enquires after your Mum - is she out of hospital yet? - and asks if you could collect her daughter from school on Monday as she has to go to the cash & carry. These are the authentic webs we weave, who we will rely on in times such as this and who rely on us. The money we spend with them locally, stays in the Community and is spent in turn by them within their 150. Some of the 150 maybe be long-distance a relative or friend but you will still integrate more effectively and supportively overall. Its not all about money but it is all about better. Whichever way you look at it, it will be better. Don’t get hung up on 150 - some will have a few more, some a few less. Update the list from time to time, as you make the switch from supermarket to local shops you can erase one and replace with the other. Who supports your life and who do you support? It will highlight quality over quantity and may even cut down on your Christmas card list!
Resources - you are the resource this week - make your list!
Look out for Elderflowers - they are coming along nicely
I love your posts Rosie. Today I’ve spent quite a bit of the day at the allotment. I’ve covered the strawberries so that I get the first pick. There are plenty outside the netting for the birds or other creatures in need of a nibble. I’ve weeded a little and watered a little. I usually try to avoid the later but spring has been so dry, even in north west England. Last year at this time my plants were all dripping with slugs. Later in the afternoon I returned with my granddaughter to collect some plug plants we had started from seed and she chose some for her little garden. She’s five. I’d love it if she developed a life long interest in plants. We picked some basil leaves, rocket, oregano and mizuna flowers to add to her pasta from our raised beds in the front garden, which is tiny. She’s not smitten with them all but at least she’s having a go. I feel so fortunate to be the age I am, to produce the food that I do and preserve as much as possible for the year ahead. I’ve just eaten toast with rhubarb and redcurrant preserve. It includes nutmeg, or something I’d typically rave about but it’s delicious. I must make more this year and yes I will be watching the elderflowers! Thank you.