I often watch a local TV program on Sunday at lunchtime. Landline is an ABC program about all things rural and it gives a good insight into important issues facing our farmers and people in country towns in Australia.
Last Sunday their lead story was about the effect equine flu has had on the people who own horses but aren't part of the horse racing industry. For those of you who aren't local, in the past few months horse flu has devastated the Australia horse industries - there are two of them, the racing industry and the pleasure and performance industry. The latter being all those horses used for trail, pleasure and equine show riding as well as all the horses in pony clubs and horse studs. The government rushed to help the racing industry but has done very little for the pleasure and performance industry. The end result being that thousands of people who live from pay packet to pay packet are left with no income or any means to live. Those who applied for government benefits, had to wait seven or eight weeks to the first payment to come through.
Imagine living for those seven or eight weeks with no money to buy food or pay the rent or mortgage.
Watching that program and seeing the hardship many of these people are suffering made me realise, yet again, that a disaster that can effect our lives can happen at any time, even if we think it can't. I'm sure all those people who worked in those very well established horse businesses, and especially those who owned them, would have thought that the future looks bright and that nothing would threaten their livelihood. How wrong they were. And it could happen to any of us.
Although it won't fix any great problem that may impact on your life, a stockpile will help you live until you can get government help or work out a way around what has happened, whatever that is. Knowing that you have enough food in your cupboard to tide you over for a couple of months puts a comfortable buffer between your family and those unexpected and devastating things that might happen.
Both men and women have a role to play here. If you're a man who is the sole bread winner for your family, it is your responsibility to help provide food, even when there is no money coming in. If you're a homemaker, the organiser of your family finances and food buyer, you should be prepared for good times and bad. If you're a single parent who fills both roles, it is vital to think about how you will feed your children and yourself if you have no income.
Having a healthy stockpile that is used well and replenished frequently is the best way I know of to protect against the unexpected. That could be the loss of income or a national or local disaster. The side effects of saving you money and time are the icing on the cake. If you haven't got a stockpile, why not look into it and find out how you go about starting one. It will be one of your family's assets. And even if no disaster strikes or you never lose your income, you'll have a cupboard full of food that will make your life easier because you won't have to run to the shop every week. How good is that!
Last Sunday their lead story was about the effect equine flu has had on the people who own horses but aren't part of the horse racing industry. For those of you who aren't local, in the past few months horse flu has devastated the Australia horse industries - there are two of them, the racing industry and the pleasure and performance industry. The latter being all those horses used for trail, pleasure and equine show riding as well as all the horses in pony clubs and horse studs. The government rushed to help the racing industry but has done very little for the pleasure and performance industry. The end result being that thousands of people who live from pay packet to pay packet are left with no income or any means to live. Those who applied for government benefits, had to wait seven or eight weeks to the first payment to come through.
Imagine living for those seven or eight weeks with no money to buy food or pay the rent or mortgage.
Watching that program and seeing the hardship many of these people are suffering made me realise, yet again, that a disaster that can effect our lives can happen at any time, even if we think it can't. I'm sure all those people who worked in those very well established horse businesses, and especially those who owned them, would have thought that the future looks bright and that nothing would threaten their livelihood. How wrong they were. And it could happen to any of us.
Although it won't fix any great problem that may impact on your life, a stockpile will help you live until you can get government help or work out a way around what has happened, whatever that is. Knowing that you have enough food in your cupboard to tide you over for a couple of months puts a comfortable buffer between your family and those unexpected and devastating things that might happen.
Both men and women have a role to play here. If you're a man who is the sole bread winner for your family, it is your responsibility to help provide food, even when there is no money coming in. If you're a homemaker, the organiser of your family finances and food buyer, you should be prepared for good times and bad. If you're a single parent who fills both roles, it is vital to think about how you will feed your children and yourself if you have no income.
Having a healthy stockpile that is used well and replenished frequently is the best way I know of to protect against the unexpected. That could be the loss of income or a national or local disaster. The side effects of saving you money and time are the icing on the cake. If you haven't got a stockpile, why not look into it and find out how you go about starting one. It will be one of your family's assets. And even if no disaster strikes or you never lose your income, you'll have a cupboard full of food that will make your life easier because you won't have to run to the shop every week. How good is that!
