Blessings of Bounty (In the midst of tough times)

I was excited when I heard that there was a food co-op in my area. Bountiful Baskets is a great food co-op that is available in many other states as well. http://bountifulbaskets.org/ It is available in 11 states to anyone. Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. All you have to do is go to their web site and join. Each state has multiple pickup sites. If you live in one of these states go to the website and click on the link that says locations. It will then let you select your state and then show you the pickup locations in your state. My pickup location is just 15 minutes away.

There is a one time fee of $3.oo and each basket you get is $15.oo or if you want organic it is $25.00. You may buy as many baskets as you want and you may get them each week. The produce you get is a little different each week. If you can't use one a week you can just get one every other week. There are other things available each week as well, things like bread, nuts, granola, tortillas , it varies each week.
As you can see you get quite a bit of stuff.

Here is the list of produce that was in my basket last Saturday:

1 Romain lettuce
2 - 6oz. pkg radishes
7 small apples
1 - 1lb. pkg. carrots
1 large bundle of celery
4 med yellow onions
2 bundles of broccoli
4 mangoes
5 tangelos
1 large bunch of green bananas
1 small Honeydew Mellon
1lb strawberries
9 small cucumbers

This has been a tremendous blessing to us this winter. Being in the housing construction business we are really feeling the effects of the housing slump this country is in. Also the nature of the work we do (concrete flatwork) is seasonal so typically we are out of work every winter for several months.

I have been able to get a good start on a food storage this year in spite of being out of work. We also have a freezer full of hand raised pork and grass fed beef. We really have all we need and are even able to help out family members that are in need.

I found a dairy near by that sells raw whole organic milk for $5.00 a gallon. The milk is a bit pricey but I'm able to make our own butter, buttermilk, cream and Ice cream with it. I will be trying my hand at cheese making very soon. I buy 3 gallons a week @ $15.00 add that to $15.oo a week for the Bountiful Baskets = $30.00 a week I have to spend on feeding a family of 5 with plenty to share. We did trade work for the meat in our freezer and I do a Costco run about once a month.

What a blessing! What bounty in the midst of tough times! God IS so good and He alone is faithful!!!

How has God blessed you this year? Have you been able to help someone else with what God has blessed you with? Even with your time? If there is one thing I have learned (my beautiful mother has taught) it is that God will be a debtor to no man and you can't out give God. Its like the law of gravity.

Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -pressed down- shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

God, show me today who I can help, not so you will bless me but because this is your heart.

Blessings to you all