Eating fresh food from the garden

Fresh foods for me are something of a marvel. The idea of walking out to our garden and picking, pulling or clipping something fresh from the garden to prepare into a simple dish; is much like the perfect musical piece. Have you ever heard a musical piece where it took you on a journey of sounds, carefully choreographed, to excite your ears, and actually force you to close your eyes as you look for those glorious notes? Fresh food can do that for me. I cannot explain to you why I love to pick a beet, shake the excess soil off and smell the dirt and beet as they have been working together for months building an olfactory of delight. Nor can I explain why I feel something when I pull the carrot from deep into the soil, exposing it to its first shade of light and marvel at the color, smell and anticipation of what I am going to make with that carrot. When we plant our seeds, some of which are so tiny you can hardly believe it will grow into a thick and hearty leek, we watch the transformation of small fragile to hearty and bountiful in a matter of months. 

A recent harvest for dinner, swiss chard, carrots, parsnips, onions and leeks

The time of the year has arrived when we must decide to pick, pull and clip for the last time before the big frost comes and if we are not picking, pulling or clipping than we are building mulch piles ready to cover our plants for the cold harvest. The cold harvest is where we bury our leeks, parsnips and carrots in deep mulch and after the first or second severe frost we harvest the parsnips and carrots. The leeks on the other hand if properly covered will handle the cold and can be picked throughout the winter. What happens when we are patient and manage the winter garden? We are able to transform hot sun from the summer sun to sweet sugars from the winter cold. Parsnips take on magical sweet flavor and when cooked they produce sweet addicting flavor. 

Recent dinner with carrots, parsnips, leeks, swiss chard, tomatoes and  poached egg from our hens. The broth is a simple chicken broth.

Fresh food is not a wealthy choice of eating, although if we point out the cost of food in our supermarkets and look at the foods found in low income neighborhoods or compare those markets to the so called organic markets found in our cities across the country, we most certainly will find a price difference. The problem however, is not about the comparison between the two types of markets but instead about our food sources. IF you are foolish enough to think the more money you spend on your food, the better the quality of the food, than spend your money, you make the economy work with your spending habits. I am here to tell you that it is not necessary to purchase food at trendy, high end, hedonism market but if you open your eyes and look around you, the opportunities are all around. You only need to understand it is in the interest of food producers to spread the word that only the elite and wealthy can afford fresh food therefore you will need to purchase what I make. Sadly, it seems, we are losing a battle as some populations no longer understand how to become the great "hunter and gatherers" that their grandparents once relished in skill. No, I am not saying they all went out and shot or killed the dinner for the night, instead they were very good at sourcing their food from their own backyard. They grew gardens or had a working knowledge of what was edible in the yard or woods. When I hear of people stating they have no where to plant a garden? I have to wonder, what happened to the home supply stores and their great marketing campaigns?  Go to a home supply store, purchase some small, medium size and large planters. Fill with soil, either purchased or dug up and plant. The confusion in all of this is something of a conundrum for me; I bet the very same people have a lawn and I bet they are proud of how green and pretty their lawn looks? Growing food, I believe, is a much simpler process and you actually get something out of it! Networking with your neighbors can also double your harvest as you share in the produce grown and as your small network grows so does your harvest. You can also grow food in the middle of the winter and if you and your neighbors plan right you can be eating fresh greens and lettuces in to the depths of winter! 

End of the summer as the garden is about to transform from lush to protected beds

The conclusion for me; I love fresh foods. I especially love fresh foods grown by my own hands. Weaning ourselves off of boxed, processed foods and changing our eating habits can not only be satisfying but healthy.  When I get up in the morning one of my favorite things to do is to wander through the garden and look over the plants, looking to see what grew in the night, what might have gotten ravaged by a garden pest or just to admire. Fresh food to me is an easily obtainable way to go and despite our being told it is not possible, I urge you to reconsider.