The much awaited warm weather is here, and we are busy in the fields. If the experts are right, April could be kind of a scary month with Coronavirus projected to peak about mid-month. Probably the worst danger is that sick workers aren’t allowed to pick, wash or pack vegetables according to food safety protocols. Should a large number of workers become ill, this could hinder U.S. food supply. We are doing our part to practice social distancing and are using our online ordering system now for our members. Pick-up sites are currently open at the OKC Farmers Public Market and at our farm. We are working on finding an Edmond location for a quick opening of a site there. When the local harvest is abundant this year you might think about canning or freezing to have extra food supply on hand should there be another outbreak or power outage. It will be your own emergency supply, and you won’t have to feel bad about it. Our forefathers that lived in rural areas did this every year. I remember helping my grandparents put up corn cut from the cob. They had lived through the Great Depression and never forgot about it; they spoke of it often. Nanette and I have made this a practice for most of our married life. You can put up green beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers of all kinds, sweet corn, okra, etc.. It’s a little work, and you might say it’s cheaper to buy it, but you will know what you have. The next time you see empty store shelves, you won’t get a sinking feeling inside because you will be prepared. One more thing… if you’re worried about electric outages, you could can food in canning jars. If done properly, they will last a long while, and you wouldn’t have to worry about losing a freezer full of food. That is the way it was done before electricity came around. A little extra work to be a little more self-sufficient could be well worth it.