Hey, another Texan who thinks like you two! Almost neighbors as Texas goes too!
I just put in a couple acres of bluberries. I have been thinking about perhaps blackberries too but I do not know anyone who has done it around here and was wondering if it would be a good thing. The blueberries have had a tough time getting started for me. Rick, I would love to see how you have started. I am in Canton all the time for work even though I live close to Shrevport. The thornless VS Thorny issue really perplexes me. I need to know someone like you.
Howard, you are so right on every point. One of the things that amazes me is the fact that most people have forgotten how to garden! It is becoming a lost art in a way. It stuns me that just one or two generations ago EVERYBODY grew a large share of the family food. It seems so...natural that people would grow their own food, at least some of it. I am 45 years old, my Mom tells me that when she was a girl, my Grandfather, every night after work, tended his garden, as did ALL the men in the town. It is a bit rare that I meet a guy even my age who gardens.
Yes, it is a win some lose some situation but that is what makes it interesting. This has been the worst year ever in my whole life as far as food production, my bees have failed, deer have ravaged my garden, to much rain, to little rain, dogs have killed my chickens...you name it. Does it stop me? Never. I keep at it. Why? Because it makes me feel like I contribute. I produce. I could, if something awfull happened in the world, might be able to feed a small town, ha ha.
I also love the fact that no matter how much I think I know, it is never enough. I have a degree in horticulture but this spring, I marched over to my 80 year old neighbor and asked him how to grow sweet potatos! Of course he knew how, I did as he told me, and sure enough, I have dug some (well, the ones that the deer did not keep mowed down all summer).
In addition to growing, preserving is getting so darn rare. I had to teach myself how to can because I could not find anyone that knew how! That is something that also was common and well known just a few decades ago. What a great skill. Even with my rotten growing season this year, I STILL have rows and rows of jars that put up this year. To bad my wife can't get to interested in it...she trys though, lol.
Each year your efforts will pay off bigger and bigger...you will see! You are right, we should never ASSUME a cheap and constant food supply. I feel that we, as Americans, might be a bit spoiled these days in regards to food. We just take it for granted that we walk into Walmart and it will be there...and cheap. Kinda' like we felt about gas a few years ago, right? You and your wife are on the right path.