Friday, February 27, 2009

Locavorishness

I have recently been commuting with the company of some audio books that have made me examine my food choices more closely. I started with Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. Her family lived old school style for an entire year, eating only locally produced food, much grown or raised on their own property, with their own labor.

I then listened to the Omnivore’s Dilemma, by Michael Pollan, which brought home the absolute bisgustingness of our industrial food chain. The corn! The fact that they can trace the type of carbon that corn uses through the animals we eat and in to our own bodies is mind boggling to me.

So, while I was already moving slowly along the path of a more locavore lifestyle, I have been pushing myself harder to make some changes for myself and my family. I found a local CSA through www.localharvest.org and the entire fam made a visit to their farm yesterday. For a mere $225 a year, I can get a half share of organic, locally produced veg for the entire growing season. But, that is only the start, my friends. Our hosts are Italian, which is also my most prevalent ancestry. So, a lot of their vegetative offerings cater to the Italian epicure in me; rapini, eggplant and specialty tomatoes, to only name a few. They grow hops that my husband is itching to get his hands on for beer brewing. They have berry bushes and fruit trees. We can get our yearly pumpkins and Christmas trees there. They have prolific flower beds. I can visualize the bounty even under the cover of slush and mud.

Now, this place does come with what some might consider a downside. We are expected to work. Both of the caretakers of this little slice of locavore heaven also have full-time jobs away from the farm, so members are expected to spend around 6 hours a month planting, weeding and picking. Even remembering the sore backs from weeding my parents’ ample vegetable garden, I, myself, can’t wait. I want my kids to have a little of what I had growing up on my parents’ hobby farm. I am hoping that this experience will bring to my children knowledge of where food actually comes from, an appreciation of the work that goes in to producing food, a stronger sense of community, and thankfulness for the gift that food actually is. And, since I have been a horrible failure as a gardener in my own backyard plot, the knowledge that will naturally come with the work will be an extra boon.

While visiting, my kids were going on their own little adventures. My 3 year old daughter bonded with a friendly barn cat that followed her around and my 6 year old son harvested an egg from the hen house. By the time we left, they were wandering the farm by themselves, finding their own way. They were absolutely enthralled. So, in addition to all of the other benefits, my kids get the benefit of just being kids, unencumbered by their normally structured everyday lives. I think most kids don’t get enough in the way of independent adventure and I am looking forward to my kids discovering new things about themselves.

We are all looking forward to it. It is going to be a very good summer.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Why Blog?

I am admittedly too busy. I work too much, have a long commute, have two kids, a husband, a house, and no support staff. I am drowning. I have the same story as so many other American mothers. So, since I have so little time, why would I add yet something else, blogging, to the mix? I, like so many mothers, am challenged with competing priorities. I am constantly striving to gain focus in my life and to better my life and the life of my family.

I have heard complaints about blogs being used as a sort of therapy. I cannot claim I will never do that. I think a blog, like journaling, both captures life's moments and helps to provide focus and direction. I am kind of aiming to do both. Focus. Direction. Betterment. Noting life's little moments. Enjoying myself.

This blog is bound to be a rambly mess. Inconsistent. Incoherent. Welcome.