“Coming Food Crisis”...

…Predicted in Financial Times Essay (UK)

From Hunger Notes, excerpt…

The contraction in exports from the Middle East is not just a short-term increase in price for agricutural inputs; it risks actual production shortfalls in upcoming harvests.  Rising energy prices always raise food prices.

…sulfur, urrea, and ammonia from the Middle East are key components of farm inputs in China, India, Brazil, Morocco, Indonesia, Australia, the United States and other countries.

…The essay argues that this is a slow-moving yet systemic crisis as farmers plant less now, with resulting smaller harvests months ahead, leading to further increases in food prices later this year.  FT recognizes that poor countries will be hit harvest [hardest? both words work].  While wealthier countries will experience inflation, low income countries may face famine.

Thought for the Day

“Oil is THE Master Resource.”

Chris Martenson, Phd

The Importance of California to Food Supply

From WisdomAnswer:

Is California the breadbasket of America?

California has often been referred to as the breadbasket of the world. Interestingly, California only possesses 4% of the total U.S. farms, but supplies the nation with the most agriculture products. California is the leading dairy state in the United States and is the leading producer of dairy products.

Where is the bread basket of California?

San Joaquin Valley. Additionally, the San Joaquin Valley in California has also been called the breadbasket of the world. The San Joaquin Valley produces the majority of the 12.8% of the United States’ agricultural production (as measured by dollar value) that comes from California.

Moral of the story: Bad for California = Bad for the United States

Last Middle East oil shipment reaches Southern California

From ABC 7 Los Angeles

Excerpt:

Gas prices are at a four-year high and experts are warning they could climb even higher.

The final oil tanker from the Middle East has docked in Long Beach, putting the region's supply chain under pressure. According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, it's the last shipment from the Strait of Hormuz to reach California.

After that tanker leaves, it could be weeks or potentially months before the next one arrives from the Middle East.

"The war in Iran and the closing of the Strait of Hormuz has actually been buffered by the fact that all of these tankers were at sea at the time that the Strait of Hormuz closed," said UCLA Professor Michael Ross. "So all of that supply has still been making its way to consumers. This is the last shipment of that supply that was keeping prices relatively stable."

May is the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God

I’ve been doing these monthly posts every month, for so long (9 or 10 years), that I am starting to feel the need to shake it up somehow…maybe literally?  What if I come up with a bunch of ideas regarding the monthly themes, and pick them out of a hat (or a plastic cup)?   Let me make a list of what these could be:

1) Refer to an old post on this blog.

2) What does the old Catholic Encyclopedia have to say?

3) What does Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary have to say?

4) What does the Catechism have to say?

5) What have the Church Fathers or saints had to say about this topic?

6) What about Holy Scripture?

7) Has the Church made official pronouncements related to the theme?

8) Can I recommend some books or other products?

9) Is there a traditional hymn?

10) Is there text from the Mass, a prayer or a devotion?

11)  What does EWTN have to say?

12)  What does the Vatican News have to say?

13)  What about history relating to this monthly dedication?

14)  How does the theme relate to the Liturgical Calendar (this could be challenging)?

15)  How does it relate to the Pro-Life cause?

16)  Is there an apostolate or religious order dedicated to this person or gift of our Faith?

17)  Is there a location we could focus on?

18)  Can we come up with new ideas on how to celebrate the theme in a family or seasonal way?  Can we work it into our homeschooling? 

Okay, I am liking this idea, so let’s put it into action RIGHT NOW!  I will have my husband Don pick it out of a cup (they will be eliminated as we go)….. 

He Picked Traditional Hymn! 

That is such a great (and easy) one for Our Lady.  It’s a great idea to learn prayers in Latin, and here is a wonderful one below.  The Latin language is lyrical by nature, and lends itself to song.  The words here are so beautiful, they speak to the glory of the Mother of God.  Simply articulating these words seems to open up the clouds… 

Franz Schubert’s “Ave Maria”

Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.

Benedicta tu in mulieribus, et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc, ​et in hora mortis nostrae.

Amen. 

In this month of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we celebrate Our Lady of Fatima on the 13th, which is the date of her first apparition.  This year, this is also the Vigil of the Ascension and a Lesser Rogations Day.  Are we to be joyful or penitential?  You decide.  We have one more Marian feast in the post-conciliar calendar, Mary Mother of the Church, on the 25th (which is also +Memorial Day+ and within the Octave of Pentecost in the trad).  It is fitting that Mothers Day is in Our Lady’s month and don’t forget Saint Monica on the 4th, known for being the great mother of Saint Augustine. 

As touched upon above, the Ascension of Our Lord, Ascension Thursday, is the 14th, with some dioceses transferring it to Sunday, the 17th.  Pentecost Sunday is the 24th (with a vigil) and the Most Holy Trinity, the 31st.   

This is an interesting month, in that we have both the Lesser Rogation Days and the Ember Days (being more specific to the seasons).  Double prayer and penance, 3 days each (do a search on this blog for more info).  

The US Armed Forces Day is the 16th.  Please remember our young men and women in prayer. 

We can take all these opportunities this month to pray and sacrifice for world peace and an abatement of the looming energy, supply and food crisis, what we might call polycrises or multi-front attack vectors (some entity is pulling the strings to create a perfect storm, if you are paying attention, this is very obvious…and that entity is ultimately Satan).  Our Lady of Fatima, to whom this ministry is dedicated and who we honor this month, gave us the antidote to these times in her requests!

Some other notable feasts this month:  

5th-Pope Saint Pius V

11th-Saints Philip & James, Apostles

11th to 13th-Lesser Rogations

15th-Saint Isidore the Farmer (we like him, post-con)  Saint Isidore, pray for those who are now vulnerable to hunger, due to the lack of, or the expense of fertilizer or other needed supplies in food production and transport.

18th-Pope Leo XIV, Inauguration Anniversary

27th, 29th, 30th-Ember Days of the Coming Summer

*** Prepper Challenge for Spring *** 

With current events in mind, it’s the same as it was for March & April...Make a plan! 

“15 Points Preparedness Worksheet” 

“Biblical Support for Preparedness” 

~ Noah was the original prepper ~

Well Said by Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis...

This is a very comprehensive explanation of what’s going on, what’s on the horizon and what the US should do…

US/Israel v Iran War Has Already Become a “World” War

Thought for the Day

“Wars do two things: They grow, and they grow out of control.”

Michael Yon

Thought for the Day

Prepping is no longer a dress rehearsal.

70 Percent Of U.S. Farmers Say...

…That They Will Not Be Able To Purchase All The Fertilizer They Need In 2026

Excerpt:

“We might want to listen to what the farmers are telling us, because if they don’t grow our food we do not eat. Coming into this year, we were already facing the worst farming crisis in America in at least 50 years. Farmers all over the nation are drowning in debt, and farm bankruptcies have been soaring. In all my years, I have never seen America’s farmers so angry, and now the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz has made things much worse. Spring planting season is here and there is a global scramble for whatever supplies of nitrogen fertilizer that happen to be available. As a result, prices have skyrocketed and farmers all over the planet are facing some incredibly tough choices.

That is even true here in the United States.

According to a brand new survey that was just conducted by the American Farm Bureau Federation, 70 percent of U.S. farmers say that they will not be able to purchase all of the fertilizer that they need in 2026 because it has become so expensive.”

Buy fresh seeds! Start a garden! Build community!

Please note, when we put up links, it is not necessarily an endorsement of the website.

Is God Telling Us Something? Fireballs From the Sky....

To continue from the previous post, where I ask the question, “Is a great chastisement upon us?”…here are some links regarding the recent flurry of bright meteors across the world….

NASA explains what the fireball seen over parts of the northeast was

Long-duration fireball streaks across western Turkey skies, possibly an Earth-grazing meteor

Fireball sightings are surging across the US — here's what's really going on

Daylight fireballs: What’s behind the surge of brilliant meteors visible across the globe?