I want to be a farmer. Just 4 or 5 acres, enough to grow all my own produce and keep chickens and maybe a few goats or something. I can't stop thinking about it. My inner domestic goddess is itching to get out. On the weekend I made plum jam, went to a U-pick blueberry farm with some girlfriends and picked over 6 lbs of berries, made a blueberry pie with honey instead of sugar, picked blackberries.... and I completely LOVED every second of it. I love knowing exactly what I am eating and taking the time to make yummy stuff.
Recent books I have read that I really like and are influencing me deeply: In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan; Fast Food Nation; 100 mile diet (called Plenty in the US - so good); Food Inc. I've also made the decision to not eat any meat or dairy products unless they come from a local farm where they had a happy life (Read all these books and you'll understand why). Obviously it is more expensive to eat meat, eggs etc. this way and seeing my financial status above... well I'm eating lots of veggies and beans. But wow is the produce ever delicious this time of year!
Oh yeah, I also really want to be a beekeeper on my farm!
Link Pack
2 weeks ago
5 comments:
I keep yammering at Sverre about a vegetable garden. Most of our produce comes from overseas (another reason why it's so expensive!) and it's all so...blah. I can't wait until we live somewhere where we can have our own veggie garden!
A few of my friends in the States buy cows. They'll buy a yearling at auction, and if they're lucky they have somewhere (either their own land or a friend's) to raise it. Then they have someone do the slaughtering and store it at a meat locker. I guess pound for pound, for them they save money. Plus the steer has a happier life. Sverre says we're not able to do that here. But it is a thought! (Coincidence--typing about slaughtering animals and the kaptcha is "messes".)
If you haven't been to check out lehmansDOTcom, try it and see... it's the small independent farmer's dream store and it has a lovely selection of books!
You could get some ideas and then see if your local library could order them for you. Or there are some nice used book web sites out there too.
Curtis is on your same wave length. Every week he talks about having land. He wants to have a cow, a big garden, fruit trees, wood shop, and chickens. Ahh...dreams they keep you going. I would like a nice flower garden along with what Curtis wants, with a quaint farm house to live in with an old tree to put a tire swing on to push the kiddies and a nice grassy area for picnics.
I've never heard of buying one cow like that. That sounds so cool. I'm definately looking into that.
Lynne, thanks for the link. Awesome.
Noam, love it. love it. love it. Maybe we should both get a place together: you know two houses on one farm, we can share the work and food and then there is someone to look after things while the other goes on vacation. Maybe we can pitch it to Grandma??
We live on a few acres, my parents raise the vegetables, and my daughter has laying hens and broilers. Broilers are cheap and only take about 6- 8 weeks to grow to the right size.
Take a look at my blog to see.
Post a Comment