Larder and Laying by

Larder. Not a word used in common parlance these days, but one that has come to mind as the masses empty shelves around us. As a society we became reliant on grocery stores to be our storehouses. Can by can we gave responsibility for our sustenance to the franchise down the road. We got out of the habit of setting aside future provisions...and we've recently learned how precarious a situation that is! Maybe we should revive the concept of a larder? Or at least redefine the pantry as something more than a simple cabinet or closet in the kitchen?

A century ago "laying by" was habitual. An average 1800s and early 1900s home could last months without new provisions. Larder and smokehouse full of meat. Pantry with dry goods. Root cellar preserving storage crops. Our great-grandparents knew how to store, preserve, and stretch food far better than we do today. They didn't necessarily raise everything for themselves, but they knew what to do with 75 pounds of bacon in October to make it last all year long. From the grocery receipt below, you see how infrequent folk went to the grocery store in Greenville, SC in 1891:

One of the things that attracts me to modern homesteading is bringing back the skills and knowledge of my heritage. Sure, we can't turn back the clock and rejoin agrarian society. And we all don't have to become farmers to start laying things by or learning how to cook from scratch with basic pantry staples. Flour, yeast, and oil all last on the shelf way longer than the supermarket loaf bread. Dried beans go farther and cost way less than their canned equivalent. Wouldn't it have been nice to not have to anxiously rush the stores and know you're set for a month with your own pantry?

Consider using this extra time at home as an opportunity to learn a new skill for future self-sufficiency. Start where you are and attempt to cook, bake, ferment, can something you haven't tried before. Start a small garden even if it is just a few pots on the window sill. Find some educational ebooks or youtube channels. Ask your homesteading friends to skype and walk you through first steps. And when this pandemic subsides, don't get lulled into complacency by convenience.