I admit it: I spend far too much time thinking about zombies. Here’s what happened: I was working on building a row of garden boxes near the property line fence, when I was stopped by a sudden mental image, one that I confess was a little bit unsettling in its clarity and detail. I imagined a horde of the ravening dead who, having dispatched my neighbors, were busily dismantling my fence so they could come over and eat my brain and trample my lettuce.

I promise you that that I know zombies are not real; but I imagine there are myriad other things that could bring about a full or partial breakdown of our social and economic infrastructure. If this should happen, would we in rural Alaska fare better than others in, say, the major urban areas? I do love to rattle on about all the wild foods I collect and process. I have cases and cases of jarred fish (I have finally learned not to say canned fish, because these fish are in jars, not cans.) Yes, fish is an abundant wild food, but the fishermen who catch these creatures use fossil fuels and sophisticated technology, while I utilize a freezer, propane, glass jars, a pressure cooker that periodically needs new rubber gaskets. . .could I safely prepare my fish without any of these conveniences? I rather doubt it.

I am also quite proud of my annual berry harvest. I have cases and cases of jelly, jam, and even a batch of ketchup, made from salmonberries, thimbleberries, cranberries, and huckleberries, while other boxes are full of rhubarb sauce (it makes a great substitute for store-bought applesauce and is crazy easy to make). I have learned to freeze single-drupe berries on a cookie sheet, and then dump them into a freezer container. Done this way, the berries are loose, and I can easily grab a handful here and there to put on my yogurt. They thaw quickly and do not taste at all like they have been traumatized. Could I do something like this if I had no freezer? I might try drying some berries this year, but I bet they won’t be as good.

My zombie obsession notwithstanding, I plan to do some subsistence experiments this summer. I am going to grow some potatoes and see if I can store them long-term. If that works, who knows? I wonder what sun-dried rhubarb would taste like.