Growing my own Food Supply

Several years ago I was feeling overwhelmed by the amount of food recalls that were occurring and I felt called to start growing my own food sources for my family.  I got my then teenage son outside to help prepare a patch of land, my husband built a frame and we ordered some garden dirt.  I planted, I fed, I watered, I safeguarded and we starved.  Or, we would have if that was our sole food source!

Even when I buy a tomato plant labeled "Big Boy" and with a good healthy start to it already, I only get a few tomatoes the size of cherry tomatoes. My carrots were baby carrots and my broccoli stalks were florets.  What we did cultivate we enjoyed but after three or four seasons of growing, including rotating locations as recommended, I've determined I am not a gardener.

Since we live in the country and don't subscribe to garbage pick up, I throw food scraps out in a corner of the yard.  When I started that several years ago I thought maybe something would spontaneously grow there.  Not just from a Murphy's Law standpoint but it seemed likely since animals walk over it and push seed down into the ground and probably graze there and maybe poop there for natural fertilization.  It gets some sun but not all day sun and of course it gets rain.  But even with all those natural things going on - nothing grows.

So glad we have access to a local market that provides high quality meat and produce at an affordable price!  A gardener I am not.  My new thing is replacing some convenience foods like yogurt and pop-tarts with homemade versions.  I'm much better with a spatula than a shovel.   The Donvier Yogurt Maker makes it SO easy.  I've got a great recipe for rolls from scratch.  I par-bake them and freeze several servings in one Saturday so I've got a few months worth.  With patience I'm finding several brands for staples like cheese and pasta that I can buy with the confidence of knowing there are no junk ingredients in them and their processes agree with my priorities.

If I live past 7/12/17 maybe it will be because I took enough processed crap out of my diet to tip the scales in my favor.  Even though I failed at gardening I listened to the call - and that right there is a success.  It led me down a different path that branched off a couple of times, but I am more educated and aware than if I had stuck my head in the garden dirt and not changed anything.