If you haven’t done so already, you might want to seriously consider creating a garden albeit in pots on your patio or a full acre plot depending on where you live. Either way it is going to be your sustenance (possibly your only sustenance) in the very near future. 

Why? Well with our weather ever changing (I hear people saying more and more they haven’t seen weather like they are having in years), crops getting damages by the weather and the cost of gas making it costly to ship, we may not be able to afford to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.  So ladies the sooner the better.

I know, I know, you’re a city girl and you don’t get your hands dirty.  Guess what sister?  Those days are over. We all are going to have to get our hands dirty if we want to eat.  And we do like to eat don’t we??? Hmmmm???

So go get a little garden book at your local book store that is tailored (yes as in designer) to your needs.  Even urbanites can start growing out on their patio or roof top even in the midst of all that concrete, asphalt and glass.  You can plant herbs in a window box, or plant a garden and some trees in your backyard or even join with others and grow vegetables with a group of like-minds in your community.

As you are learning about what grows best in your community or location you also need to learn who will be there to partake after all the work is done.  Remember the story of the Little Red Hen and how she did all the work as the cat, the dog and the duck waited on the sidelines for her to finish so they could partake? No?  Well get the book and read it and you’ll see where I’m going with this. 

Typically your garden will also have a cat, dog and duck, figuratively speaking.  Gardens have natural pests much like the cat, dog and duck in the story who wait until the work is done and then jump in and start eating.  And I mean chowing down.

There are three categories of these garden pests; domestic, wild and insect each unique to the specific regions of your garden.

Along with gardening you will need to learn about pests and how to combat them too (I hear the groans).

For me, my garden’s number one menace is deer, then comes rabbits and of course insects. Now granted, an insect can do some damage, but compared to a deer, Katie-bar-the-door, hands down the deer win.

So the research began. How the heck to stop these beautiful creatures from engaging in my garden?

In my quest, someone asked if I have tried a liquid fence (that of course was after the cost of putting up a 6 foot wire fence that only served to allow the deer to engage in aero actrobatics over it.) 

A liquid fence?  Hmmmm.  Sounded intriguing - more research.

What I found is the stuff you purchase at stores or online is well … frankly put, out of my price range.  But there was another key factor.  In a situation where we aren’t able to go “buy” any longer there had to be an alternative.  

And she shoots, she scores!  Yes! There is a homemade alternative to the store bought stuff!  

So I made some.  WARNING: This stuff stinks to high-heavens!

The recipe I used is as follows: 1 egg, 5 garlic cloves (or five tablespoons of minced garlic) and 5 gallons of water.

Luckily I had everything with the exception of the 5 gallon containers (which I just had to wait until I finished with my milk cartons and used them.)

To make this stuff, you crack open an egg and put it into one of the gallon containers.  Then fill the container with water. Divide the egg/water mixture equally into all the containers.  Once this is done, fill the containers full of fresh water and place one crushed clove of garlic (or tablespoon full each of minced garlic) in each container.  Let the containers set out for several days – in the sun light preferably. 

Once it has fermented (baked in the sun) its ready.  Pour in on and around your plants you don’t want deer or rabbits to eat. 

Good news – the smell will dissipate as it dries and then YOU won’t be able to smell it, but the deer and rabbits will! (If it rains, you will need to reapply – so I keep a couple gallons in waiting at all times)

The result?  No one is eating from my garden except me (The Little Red Hen)!

Oh, and this recipe gives a whole new twist to rotten eggs!

- Survivor Jane

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