Photo by Becky Nelson
The war in Ukraine may not have U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partner troops deployed in the fight, but in many ways, it is already a world war. As the “breadbasket of Europe,” Ukraine exports a quarter of vegetables, a third of vegetable and sunflower oil, and almost half of the wheat consumed in European Union member countries. At present all exports are being blocked by Russian forces in the Black Sea, and the effects are being felt across the globe. Commodity markets are skyrocketing, food shortages loom, and price hikes are being felt everywhere. The proverbial sky is filling with clouds.
We get weekly updates from our supplier of sugar, flour, and all other baking goods used in making our pies. Every bakery around is feeling the pinch, with supply shortages and crazy high prices affecting every home kitchen and bakery. We are reeling from the price hikes and with fuel surcharges tacked onto every order, are wondering when we are going to be priced out of the market for our kitchen-produced goodies. It is going to be an interesting ride and the storm clouds are just starting to be felt.
We at the farm are also looking at the increased prices of all of the supplies used to produce our vegetables, berries, apples, maple, and even our hay for animal feed. We are wondering just where this year is going to take us.
It is an uncertain world, for sure, and farmers across the nation, and I imagine across the globe, are wondering how these prices are going to affect production and if it will just be too expensive to carry on in the fields. These major disruptions in the global economy are felt in every corner of the globe, and the already disadvantaged people of the world are at the most risk. Some African nations are already struggling for food having endured years of persistent drought, and famine looms large on their horizons with much of their food coming from Ukraine as well. Most of us are not old enough to remember problems during prior world wars and trade disruptions, but my parents talked of their parents having ration coupons for staples like butter and sugar as commodities were limited and rationed. It may be a dark ride for everyone.
We plan to plant a lot at the farm, and I would encourage anyone who has a backyard or a porch to plant some veggies in their containers or personal gardens. Like “Victory Gardens” of the past, these little gardens may make your food supply just a little bit more secure and less expensive. Freeze your excess, can your extra fruit and veggies and prepare a little bit toward darker times.
As we head into spring tomorrow, think a little bit of time to research where your food comes from and how world events are going to affect your trip to the grocery store. As we have heard about the pandemic, “we are in this together,” and we need to watch out for one another as things become even more uncertain with virus variants cropping up and conflicts for some time to come a reality. But instead of curling up and looking at the gloom and doom, let’s turn to our attention to being prepared, helping one another if we have the means, becoming innovative and forward thinking in our solutions and looking toward a bright, even if different, future.
My mother used to speak of her father’s optimism, even after losing everything in the Great Depression and turning his education and executive position aside to work on a farm outside their home city in order to put food on the table. He would look at a rainy day as a blessing, and called every storm, both in reality and as a metaphor, a “clearing up shower.” Spring is a time of renewal and hope. Let’s focus on the the bright spots but be cognizant of reality and put our efforts toward renewal in our own back yards and yes, even across the globe. Don’t forget to plant some seeds — physical seeds and seeds of aspiration and hope, and look at the storms of today as a clearing-up shower.
Becky Nelson is co-owner of Beaver Pond Farm in Newport. You may reach her at [email protected].
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