The economy may appear to be stabilizing but it is going to be a long slow road back to where most of us were just a few years ago.
Many people think that their kids won't be able to do better than their parent but that may just be a warped perspective.
It's time to build on our roots and say good bye to the "Jones".
One way to do this is to take advantage of the many benefits of recycling such as the great rewards of organic gardening compost.
Creating organic gardening compost just takes a little bit of effort and then pretty much takes care of itself.
After the last harvest of the year has been picked or if an early frost came and the plants have started to die, gather them all up and put the in a pile or bin.
Add some of those left over fishing worms your Dad was going to use a month ago that have been in the refrigerator in the garage or get some at Wal-mart.
Throw some table scraps on the pile from time to time.
Take a pitch fork and turn it over every so often.
"Turning it over" is the same thing as mixing it up by bringing the stuff from the bottom and putting it on top of the pile.
If you have the room it is easier to just make a big pile with a fence around it.
If you don't have much, you can put it in a barrel and just roll the barrel on the ground once a week or when you remember.
Timing isn't really critical as long as it does get turned so that more even decomposition occurs.
The secrets of organic gardening compost are the great yields that this soil will produce.
Not only do you save money by not having to buy so much fertilizer, but also the extra produce can be preserved for winter by either freezing or canning.
You can also get extra money by selling extra at the local Farmer's Market and while there trading out with other producers that have things you want.
Plus there will be lots and lots of worms now for fishing bait!