We’re down to only two refrigerators and three freezers now. My kids get nervous if I get down to just two gallons of milk in the house, coming from a deprived background they nervously fear the imminent return of empty cupboards so I over do. We have a walk-in pantry, lined with shelves and I keep it at least 90% full at all times, I try and stay ahead of five nights of dinners for 25 folks.

We live too far out from the grocery store and it seems like such a time sucker to me to wander its aisles, I try and go just once a week if possible.

I’ve lived nearly 15 years in our present house and we’ve steadily planted fruit trees, bushes and vines, and even in our hundred year drought I’m amazed at the amount of produce we’ve still been able to coax from the ground. Today my ten year old came screeching down from the first meadow where my son-in-law, Chuck, and my son, Daniel, had built a long arbor years ago for scuppernongs and muscadines.

“They’re ready, they’re ready!” he hysterically shouted as 14 other kids clambered after him to pick the Southern delicacies.

My youngest son, now almost six, takes his produce picking time seriously. He grins constantly and he’s happiest when he’s drug in a bucket or two of something to eat. He questions me constantly about saving seeds, growing fruits, and identifying vegetables.

Last year he must not have been as fond of the muscadines, he’d forgotten you need to eat them outside, we eat the skins and spit the seeds, and the insides are pure nectar. Little Nando ate until his belly distended. Good thing there’s no school tomorrow as his intestines are liable to be loud and active.

This second layer of security for the kids, knowing we can grow a ton of food, relishing it’s distinctly improved flavor over store bought, and helping me can and freeze some for winter just blows them away with the possibilities.

“We’ll never starve,” I’ve heard them remark to each other at times, and normal folks like me, growing up in a middle class home full of food and love, well I’m again staggered and reminded of where my children came from, and I’m happy I can provide for them from the dirt out back that yields so much food and thus security.

I’m glad that there’s something easy about raising a family like ours.