Local Abundance, Already Provided

We live in amazing times. We can buy goods easily from anywhere in the world, travel anywhere in days instead of years, and communicate with anyone in real time. Previous generations would be astonished.

But we’ve become dependent in more ways than we want to be, and there’s a need to get back to the basics and reestablish what used to be taken for granted (while still enjoying these luxuries of our day).

A few years ago there were a bunch of supply chain issues that showed the fragility of this global economy. One ship stuck in one strategic canal got the world panicking about supplies. A strike among workers at major ports left goods stuck in containers in disorganized backlogs. Imbalances in the economics of shipping made it too expensive to move empty containers to be reloaded with cargo.

But the one that stuck with me was the baby formula shortage. Here we are, in this “civilized”, modern day, and somehow we don’t know how to get milk for our babies. A supply chain that used to be literally as long as the distance between a mother and her baby now wraps around the world and is disrupted when workers go on strike. The perfect food for that baby is provided by God, without needing bottles sterilized or milk warmed to the right temperature.

I understand not every mother is able to nurse her baby, for different reasons. But mothers all through history have known how to feed babies - it’s only now that we can’t seem to figure it out. It’s ludicrous!

So, what do we do? How do we reestablish the basic strength our communities used to have?

Look at the things you buy in a month, especially the regular necessities.

Let’s talk food - it’s a big one.

Look at the recipes you use and the ingredients in them. Some things might not grow in your area at all, some might when they’re in season. If you don’t know what grows near you, take a walk around the farmer’s market at different points in the year. Find local sources for the things you buy. It might be more expensive, but grocery store prices are skyrocketing anyway. The food is fresher, tastier, and more nutritious. Sometimes it’s actually cheaper, especially if you buy what’s plentiful.

Eventually, you may switch from trying to find sources for the ingredients in your recipes to building your meals around the food that’s available right around you. Local farm shares are great for this, or I find it sometimes easier to work with a big batch of one thing when I know I have the time. If you’re not into canning or dehydrating yet, some extra freezer space goes a long way, including just having room when there’s a great sale at the grocery store.

Food is a great place to start because it’s so necessary, and a consistent place we spend time and money that could benefit our local communities. When we redirect it, we give more of our food dollars to the farmers who grow it, so they can make a living and grow more, than to the shipping and fuel to get it to us from across the world. It reduces our dependence on foreign exchange rates, fuel prices, and government policies.

Where else can we look for better sources for the things we need? What businesses are close to you? Any local factories or small-scale industries, locally-owned shops that excel at what they do? Or small online businesses with values you appreciate? Why not buy from those ones when you have the choice? When you look at clothing, renovation supplies, vehicles, whatever you use in life, see if there are people near you who are great at those things. If not, and you find a real need, maybe it’s something you could offer someday in your community.

I believe God is our Provider, and very often it’s helpful to look around and ask how He has already provided what we need. From a mother’s milk to whatever local water sources are closest to us, from firewood to abundant harvests, what we need is right around us, just not always packaged and labeled for delivery the way we expect.

I’m not saying never to buy from far away. It’s great that we have those options, and not every community needs to have every business. There’s room for people to specialize, do one thing really well, and do it for a lot of people, and I’m excited when I find those ones. But let’s think about what we support with the purchases we make, and thank our Father for the ways He has provided what we need.