Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Day 1: The Challenge

I've never been one for new year's resolutions. Yet I've realized that this garden journal is a very useful tool for helping me accomplish something. I've used it for record keeping and organizing information, but this year I'd like to try something new. It's still my garden journal, but my goal is to do something everyday, something toward independent eating 365 days per year.

This idea comes from Carla Emery, in her The Encyclopedia of Country Living. She made it a point to do at least something every day, planting in spring and early summer, putting food away in late summer and fall, and then getting the most out of it all winter long.

The foundation to our independent eating is my garden. Not only for us, but for our animals as well. They provide milk, eggs, and meat, all important parts of independent eating. Feeding them is then an extension of the idea.

I decided to start on January 1st, and try to daily record at least something: planning, planting, harvesting, preserving, eating, every day of the year. I suspect this will evolve somewhat over the next weeks and months, but my goal is to get at least something posted every day.

Today, is chilly and drizzly, an indoor day. It's a day for good homecooked meals from last summer's harvest. Lunch today (cooked on the wood cookstove):

Black Turtle Bean Soup
(items in red are not homegrown)
  • 1 quart leftover black turtle beans, cooked with leftover Christmas ham
  • 1 quart canned tomatoes & okra

Dinner will include fire grilled burgers from homegrown chevon.

Today's low: 44° F. High 51° F
Rain: 0.65"





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6 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 3, 2013 at 6:09 PM

    Awesome! So excited to read your adventure with growing/raising everything you eat! Have you ever read Barbara kingsolvers book "animal, vegetable, miracle". Loved it! It's there adventure or journey of trying to produce all there food for a year! Sounds like what you are doing! Have you ever thought about writing a book?! I know I would buy it if you did! :) you are a fabulous writer and a very smart and interesting person! Amber

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    1. LeighJanuary 3, 2013 at 7:14 PM

      Amber thank you! You are so kind. Barbara Kingsolver's book was instrumental in getting me started on local, seasonal eating. She really helped me look at things from a different angle. And yes, I am writing a book about our homesteading adventures. :) Rough draft is finished and I'm into formatting at present. It will be self-published, which means a lot of work. Should be out later this year. :)

      Delete
  2. JuleneJanuary 5, 2013 at 8:40 PM

    I would like to place an order!! Do let me know when the book is ready to be sold!

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    1. LeighJanuary 6, 2013 at 8:33 AM

      Julene, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops! ;)

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  3. AnonymousJanuary 8, 2013 at 9:27 AM

    You are amazing! So excited to read your book!!! Amber

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    Replies
    1. LeighJanuary 9, 2013 at 4:02 PM

      Amber, I appreciate that! It's slow going though, because homestead comes first. :)

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