A year ago last month, the world shut down when stay-at-home orders were issued due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The deadly SARS CoV-2 virus forced us all to become more creative and find new ways to connect with work, school, family and friends.

Our lives turned inward.

Many learned how to cook, how to bake and how to teach children their classroom lessons at home.

Now, as daffodils peek through the ground, may be a good time to learn another skill or two - planting a garden and how to can vegetables for future use. There is enough information on the Internet for anyone to begin a garden project.

Make it a family project. Start slowly.

Pick out a small patch in your yard or purchase some big pots that will work just as well. I have a friend who is growing a tomato plant in her bedroom.

Buy seeds for your favorite veggies. Maybe peas and corn. Tomatoes, too.

Don’t have room for a garden in your yard? Roadside stands will soon be selling fresh produce from local farms,

Pressure cookers for canning are not very expensive, and they are relatively easy to use.

There were shortages of all types at the height of the pandemic. Shelves in stores were empty or nearly so. Lately, there has been a shortage of lids for the jars, so it may take a bit of looking around.

If canning is not something you want to try, freezing works well, too. Resealable freezer bags are ideal for preserving vegetables.

I do a combination of both.

The weather is warming. Get outside and lose those extra pounds gained from eating all the goodies from baking and cooking experiments over the winter.

When COVID-19 hit, I felt secure because of the store of foodstuffs I had on my shelves.

The vaccines may make life a little easier and safer, but no one knows what new emergency awaits just around the corner. Being prepared with food at hand adds to that layer of protection.

Deb Palmieri

editor

Parkland Press

Northwestern Press