in the last few weeks i have felt like there isn’t a lot to post about. that’s pretty odd, considering the news is overflowing with stories on GMO foods and regulations and monsanto being up to no-good. laws have been debated, and (sadly) passed. petition drives have been mounted and re-mounted, and still i just haven’t felt like i could say anything intelligent or articulate about any of it.
i wanted to keep you up-to-date, and i wanted to be a good source of information for you- also, i wanted to stay motivated to be on top of all of it myself. but i just couldn’t muster the mental energy to read all of the articles and listen to all of the interviews.
so, i did a lot of housework and had a lot of guests and posted pics of chickens wearing shawls.
and here i am now with something weird to say.
it’s weird because i feel like people who blog about the issues i do should be encouraging and inspiring. i feel like a lot of what *we* do should lead the way to show people what can be possible for them.
but i have come to a new conclusion.
it seems to me more and more that yesterday’s conspiracy theorists are today’s prophets.
it seems more and more that the world is well and truly going crazy.
there are so many inexplicable things that are happening- actually happening- that i never would have believed had i read them in a futuristic novel, and it just takes my breath away. from freakish engineered foods to huge companies being allowed to dominate and control our government in ever-more overt ways, this world is getting more and more frightening.
for a time i was very convinced that if i could just plan well enough i could keep my family afloat through a crisis. we could grow and store food and basic necessities. i have medical supplies on hand and some rudimentary skills to use them. we would be able to defend our home and our children. i have lots of books and articles and resources about how to take care of things should things fall apart.
but now i feel like it would just buy us a bit more time until we had to face the same end as everyone else.
so, regardless of what that end would be- regardless of what your doomsday scenario looks like- i don’t think we would be avoiding it by preparing.
so, really, why bother?
not to be a big huge downer, but why would i store up food and ammo and supplies and protect my stash from maurauding hoards only to delay the inevitable?
i’ll still plant a garden, because i enjoy it and i think it’s the right way to feed my family in the here and now.
i’ll still keep medical supplies on hand because i think it’s a prudent thing to do.
i still want to be able to protect us today and tomorrow, but i’m not really under any illusion that if the government decided to come and round us all up that we could be victorious in some giant valiant stand against them.
and that’s an awful place to be.
it’s calm, but it’s also resigned and somewhat defeated.
i want to feel hopeful and strong, but right now i feel more realistic and glum.
when the craziest of the conspiracy folks are the most right on target in predicting the news, we are in some trouble for real.
what do you do to counteract this?
oakparkhatesveggies 
Mar 29, 2013 @ 14:34:10
Here’s what you do to counteract it: stop thinking about it. Grow a garden because it’s a smart thing to do. You’re in control of the garden. Keep medical supplies on hand because that’s a pretty smart thing to do. The U.S. military is not planning on invading your house. Let that stuff go.
Mar 29, 2013 @ 14:35:12
I don’t counteract it. I am there with you. THe reality is that it’s smart to have a garden. Good business, good health both require it. But when we look over the course of history there really aren’t very many times where storing food would have saved us. The black plague, Hiroshima, WW2…nothing immediately comes to mind where anything we can possibly do will save us. If we are looking at a different scenario for possible end of the world and it pertains to storing food, then maybe there is a point. I really believe it’s a FAR better goal to “try to hold out longer” because sometimes that’s all it takes is waiting it out…so enough to stay under the radar and keep eating with the hope of better days. At the end of the day the practical application might look the same, but it’s far less a bummer and less stressful not to do them from a place of fear but from a place of peace.
Mar 29, 2013 @ 15:12:04
I hear you……
Mar 29, 2013 @ 15:12:39
I hear you…
Mar 29, 2013 @ 15:20:00
i think naomi has a really good point ….. it is far better to do things not out of fear but from a place of peace ……. it is far better to ‘hold out a little longer’ in the hope that it WILL get better …. and to do so with a sense of peace in your heart …. knowing that you are doing al that you can FOR your family out of love for your family.
have missed you! glad to see you posting today. spring is finally ‘sprung’ here in southeast washington state …….. i’ve finally been able to plant a few things …. well, quite a few – but i’ve focused on establishing flower beds for future years of colourful enjoyment!
Good Friday – the day that taters ought to be planted …. and i’ll have my swee taters under soil yet today. soaking up the bits of sun between the clouds … and realizing how i’ve yearned for sun on my head! three weeks to put my garden in and get it summer-ready. eeeeeeeeeek! then i’ll just have to content myself with watching and directing others to do the tending. {that is so hard for me! cuz i wanna do it all! and i don’t handle imposed-limitations well!}
looking forward to hearing of your garden progress this spring – you’ll feel the motivation hit you …. spring fever will strike! and you’ll be anxious to get your hands into the soil and breathe the fresh scents ….. it’ll come.
Mar 29, 2013 @ 15:38:17
I deliberatly look for the positive news, such as can be found in YES! Magazine or other blogs or in random places such as this month’s Sunset Magazine that features a huge section on Urban Gardeners…people who are not just growing
their own veggie gardens but landscape designers who have taken it upon themselves to plant green strips in inner-city and or downtown areas.
You know if this type of action is making it into Sunset, a main stream magazine, the the good is seeping through.
There areso many positive things happening: Seattle’s Solarize Seattle Project that is going on right now, electric cars (who would have dreamt of those in Highschool?)’ more and more cities embracing recycling, the fact that in most places in the US one can walk down the street and most likely not be killed…
depsite what news says…and recent news has been aweful…it was MUCH more dangerous to walk around at night two hundred years ago…you could be set upon and stabbed. And women were even more vulnerable.
For every negative issue there is with anitbiotics, there are positive outcomes…people who get healed. A good friend of mine came down with raging strep throat last week. Had this been in 1813 instead of 2013 he would me dead of what they used to call back then “the morbid sore throat”- meaning lights out for you.
We have cars in general! My great- great grandparents who treked across the plains on foot and by wagon wouldnt have beleived it! And while I strongly believe we need a better way to fuel them, look at how far we can drive in one hour, or one day! Unheard of in 1813.
Our mass produced food system may be messed up badly, BUT we have the freedom in most places to grow our own…even in Oak Park…while their city laws and that of other places is FUBAR on the FRONT yard and needs to be changes, at least there still is the back yard…AND courageous people like you, Julie, who took the bit in the teeth and fought and won.
Whenever you feel overwhelmed by the negatives, remember that GOOD news does NOT sell papers. Remember that for every article of bad, that 6 million people *did*get and go to work today and made it home OK. Most people are NOT in a hospital bed right now. Most people have at least something to eat.
The sun is always shing somewhere in the planet.
Last but not least, no: it is NOT stockpiles of food and meds that will save you (althoughit is always prudent to have some emergency supplies on hand…take it from my mother who was a career Red Cross supervisor)
IT IS YOUR NEIGHBORS and your COMMUNITY thatare and will always be the first line of support in a disaster. Know your neighbors. Build your community.
Which is what you do with this wodpnderful blog that keeps ME inspired!
(I do hope one day, since we are both in Seattle, thatbwe might meet for coffee or tea someday…)
-Deb Seymour
P.S. You know you dont have to always post about Big Political Stuff, don’t you? I enjoy your personal posts about family, dogs, chickens, recipies…it is ALL GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mar 29, 2013 @ 15:42:12
P.S. For a little bit of reggae-ish pop ubeat music, check out this song: “Say Yes! (To A Positive Future)”. Play loudly and dance!
http://www.reverbnation.com/debseymour/song/10186467-say-yes
Mar 29, 2013 @ 16:09:31
Boy, you and I need to have a glass of wine or a coffee or tea together! I always appreciate your wise and well written blog and I kind of feel the same way you do. I think for good reason too. Maybe we are just in the ebb and flow of emotions and maybe not. I garden like you and do what you do as well but the other night, I just thought to myslef, what if I just stopped? We never vacaction, don;t have house, always rented until our rent kept increasing we got a 30 day and have been homeless and moved to a different state with no ocean and now we have no jobs ( no, we are not and have not been on any assistance) and despite that, I have remained in pretty good spirits ( We have a 14 yr old son) and I started taking care of myself like never before which leaves me in a good place. But then I think, I have always wanted to see Italy, it’s in my heart so what happens now? We have never been hoarders because we lived in an apt other than prepping but we have been trying to sell some bigger furniture items since this move was brutal moving stuff and trying to scale back.I don’t know what’s going to happen. Hug your hubby and kids and enjoy the chickens , breathe and just turn it off. Water the garden. For whatever it’s worth, keep writing because I love your thoughts and it feels like someone I know and can relate to. I look forward to your next blog and where you are at.
Mar 29, 2013 @ 16:39:32
To counter this feeling, which is very prudent, observant, etc., I think we can do only one thing. We can turn back to the prophets, and follow their advice. We know that the One who sent us Scripture is also able to protect us and His Word. That Word is full of IFs and THENs. We take care of the IFs, and let HIM take care of the THENs. It is clear. We don’t have to turn anyone around. We don’t have to convert anyone to our theology. All we must do, is all we can do. We can repent (rethink) on our own behalf, and, in a way, on behalf of our fathers. (Our repenting for them has nothing to do with changing their status, but with changing the way we think about them and their thoughts and actions.) We can just DO the right thing whenever we have a choice of what to do. Do we think that the Almighty who brought all the children of Israel up from the nation of slaves is not able to do what He promised? Hasn’t he promised an even greater miracle than the miracle of the first Exodus? Hasn’t he promised an even greater Exodus for the (possibly NEAR) future? Hasn’t he worked wonders and miracles on our behalf and on behalf of our Fathers? So we trust in the Most High, and keep our powder dry. We listen for guidance. We work for justice and righteousness, as you have been doing. We get together to encourage and strengthen each other. We exercise as well as we can. We learn as much as we can. We lay by the food that we can. But we must not think that any of our preparations will save us. It is only our Creator who sustains and protect us.
Mar 29, 2013 @ 17:09:51
I came to the conclusion about a year ago that the world and the people who live here are remarkably resilient.
Yes, I agree that power worldwide is increasingly in the hands of some 20 multinational corporations. They own the US govt, more or less, and they quite possibly own parts of the Canadian govt (I’m pinning my hopes to tougher lobbying laws here).
But, I don’t think there’s going to be a doomsday. I think that any damage we do to the environment (GMO foods, greenhouse gases, etc.) will keep things in a slow decline to which we will adapt. Resources will possibly be scarcer for our kids and their standard of living will likely not be better than ours and may, in fact be worse. But I just can’t worry about it. I have to keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing my part to drive a little less, eat a little more organic, avoid GMO crops when possible, and teach my kids to be stewards of the environment and to be skeptical of Big Business and government alike.
Really, things aren’t that bad here. The pendulum swings one way and then it swings back.
Mar 29, 2013 @ 17:40:22
“The words of the Prophets are written on the subway wall.”
(A beautiful performance of)
Simon & Garfunkel – Sounds Of Silence
I have some encouragement for you.
Have not Americans been discussing the Constitution and Individual Rights more in the last 10 years than we have since the 1800s? That’s a good sign; people are waking up.
You’ve read that Americans have been keeping the shelves of gun stores cleaned, thanks to The Presidency being the best gun salesman ever? That is good news. FedGov can NOT round us up. Because (a) “they” don’t have the manpower and (b) “they” would lose one troop every half mile, which is an unacceptable casualty rate. Therefore they will not do it.
People are becoming more aware of poison GMO foods. Trader Joes and Whole Foods are now into calling for, demanding, that GMO foods be labeled as such. That is huge good news.
Monsanto has been losing court cases lately. A year or 2 ago Monsanto lost a court case in Idaho; the Judge ordered them to do (what amounts to) an environmental impact study about their GMO sugar beets. I think he gave them 2 years to accomplish that and meanwhile they can’t sell GMO (& roundup-ready) beets. Amazingly the farmers said “we can’t go back to the old ways”. Why? Because they sold off the equipment and will now have to hire more labor to weed the fields. Somehow they found heirloom seeds to grow the beets. How they did that on such a massive scale i do not know.
All the gloom and doom downer news has people waking up. That is very good news. Don’t let it get you down. Remember, …Oh wait! Suddenly I am channeling Bob Dylan!
The times they are a-changing! Now there’s a Prophet for our times.
Where was I?…. Change seems painful but most of the changes we are going through now are going to yield great results. Kind of like birth pangs. This is not the death spiral, this is the dawn of new beginnings.
Keep your chin up.
Grant
Mar 29, 2013 @ 19:05:18
*julie – (love you, really do… take this break, okay?)
LOVE IS THE ANSWER – Todd Rundgren
Name your price, a ticket to paradise
I can’t stay here anymore
And I’ve looked high and low
I’ve been from shore to shore to shore
If there’s a short cut, I’d have found it
But there’s no easy way around it
Light of the world, shine on me
Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
Who knows why
Someday we all must die
We’re all homeless boys and girls
And we are never heard
It’s such a lonely, lonely, lonely, lonely world
People turn their heads and walk on by
Tell me is it worth just another try?
Light of the world, shine on me Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free
Love is the answer
Tell me, are we alive or just a dying planet?
What are the chances?
Ask the man in your heart for the answers
When you feel afraid, love one another
When you’ve lost your way, love one another
When you’re all alone, love one another
When you’re far from home, love one another
When you’re down and out, love one another
All your hope’s run out, love one another
When you need a friend, love one another
When you’re near the end,
love, we got to love, we got to love one another now
Light of the world, shine on me Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free Love is the answer
Light of the world, shine on me Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free Love is the answer
Light of the world, shine on me Love is the answer
Shine on us all, set us free,
We got to love, we got to love, we got to love one another now
Mar 30, 2013 @ 06:32:10
You just repeated here the very same thoughts that have been flowing through my mind. There is a group that will soon be offering a one-day class in my area on politics, how to understand the system and presumably how to become an activist. I was partially interested in attending, but then I realized that everything I’m seeing points to activism becoming more and more ineffective, that even if I did become more active in politics, it would not only do no good, but I would be put on ‘their’ radar. Now my thoughts are leaning more towards how to go underground. I don’t currently grow a garden, but if I did, I would want to grow it indoors, and when buying the equipment, I would pay in cash and not get everything from one store. Sound silly? Not when I just read an article about a Kansas couple who bought hydroponic equipment to grow food indoors and then were raided out of suspicion of growing marijuana. I agree with a lot of the comments I’m seeing here. Don’t act on fear, act on peace, get to know your neighbors, and accept that doing something is better than doing nothing at all. It’s also quite possible that things will get better in the meantime.
Mar 30, 2013 @ 06:41:48
My husband and I have talked ad nauseam about this, discussing with friends as well, should we pack up and get the hell out of Dodge and move to Ecuador or Ireland or Timbuktu, or stay put. The latest consensus is to stay and fight, to join the revolution, as it were. And I PRAY there will be one! (Besides, I’m sure there’s nowhere in the world that is calm and safe and problem-free, as you said,Julie…the world’s gone crazy.) However, I believe there are enough strong minds and hearts who will gather the strength, intelligence, and momentum to create real change and, hopefully, bring Monsanto, and other giant corporations of greed, to their knees.
Until then, as for me and my family, we live our little life, planting gardens, restoring, remodeling, cooking organically, and getting the most joy we can from and with each other.
Mar 30, 2013 @ 07:58:05
When you feel afraid, love one another
When you’ve lost your way, love one another
When you’re all alone, love one another
When you’re far from home, love one another
When you’re down and out, love one another
All your hope’s run out, love one another
When you need a friend, love one another
When you’re near the end,
love, we got to love, we got to love one another now
(from: Love is the Answer – Todd Rundgren & Utopia)
Mar 30, 2013 @ 17:04:14
I am new to the Oak Park Hates veggies Blog. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve been reading so far and it’s interesting to see how others are dealing with gardening, feeding their families and going organic in other parts of the country. (I’m on the east end of Long Island). There are a bunch of knuckleheads running the zoo right now. So every day I wake up, enjoy my family and friends, go to work and try to take care of my little place in this world. That brings me peace. I’m hopeful that if all of us regular people are doing that everyday it may help down the road. Don’t get me wrong, I have felt as bad as you on any given day, but then I try to focus on what’s right in front of me and make a difference there.
Mar 31, 2013 @ 12:48:22
thanks for that. you are very right, and that is a much better head space to be in 🙂
Mar 31, 2013 @ 12:49:17
aw, dave- i have missed you so so much! but you have popped back up at just the right time 🙂 🙂 🙂
how are you feeling????
Mar 31, 2013 @ 12:49:58
yep- there is great strength and wisdom in what you say…
Mar 31, 2013 @ 12:53:57
yes, there is a lot to be said for remaining hopeful even in the face of what is happening around us. the trick is to balance being prepared with being in a state of peace… i guess we will all keep striving. i would suggest you read a great novel by the author of survivalblog (jim rawles) called patriots. it will scare you but give you more useful info than you will (hopefully) ever need…thanks for posting.
Mar 31, 2013 @ 12:55:10
🙂
((((((((((hugs to you))))))))))))))
Mar 31, 2013 @ 12:56:49
what a great perspective- i will try to make that my own… thanks for posting it here for others to read as well… 🙂
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:05:30
ah yes, one foot in front of the other…
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:07:59
what a great reminder. and very timely too…
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:13:14
thank you so much for this! i was debating about even posting it, because it was just so glum and blah, but i figured i would put it out there in the spirit of being genuine. so it makes me feel really good to know that it’s touched someone and that makes me very happy! i hope you get to italy and are able to unload any bulky furniture you still want to get rid of! 😉 thanks again for your sweet message- it really made my day 🙂
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:13:50
as soon as i get the speakers fixed on the computer, this is on the list!! 🙂
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:19:36
wow- your message is full of so many great things that i will have to read it again later. thanks for the encouragement and the perspective. you are very right about so many things- and i also hope we will get to meet one day! (maybe i can email you privately and we can set that up…) ok- off to do something marginally inspiring (hahahaha-actually to help my little one take knots out of her shoelaces…) have a great day, and thanks again- julie
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:21:45
yes- that’s what i’m waiting for. i think it will do me good to get my hands back in the dirt 😉 glad to hear you are well 🙂
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:23:11
wow- what a totally revolutionarily different spin on things… whoa… very cool…
Mar 31, 2013 @ 13:23:42
ok- so far so good then, huh?
Mar 31, 2013 @ 21:30:21
Julie, thank you for being strong on the outside when you felt weak and wobbly on the inside. Thank you for being our She-ro, and standing up to the bullies. Thank you for being honest and kind. Thank you for writing your thoughts out in public. One more request now . . . would you be able to tell us which messages you are replying to? All of your responses got bunched up at the end, and it is hard to tell which one answers whom! 😀 I hope you were talking to me about emailing and getting together (rofl)!
AnneLark
Apr 03, 2013 @ 14:48:42
oh, rats, anne- when i write the responses they post one at a time to each comment… but i will try to remember from now on to say to whom i am responding- thanks for the heads up!
Jun 12, 2013 @ 14:35:27
thanks for this great post!!!!!