At least I'm not the only one here who is past his prime!

You do what you can do. If all you and do is grow asparagus, grow as much of it as you can, and work trades with other gardeners. Learn what wild foods are in your area, and spice up your stews and salads a little. It may seems like these little things are more trouble than their worth, but stick with it. Once they become habit, they'll simply become part of your daily routine. The hardest part of surviving hard times is getting into the mindset to survive hard times. Start on it now, and you'll be ahead of the game when the hard times really hit.

Onward and upward,
airforce