Food close to home

Here’s a new video of my friend who runs a veggie coop.  I’m not a vegan or vegatarian, but I still love this coop.  The food is fabulous and the cause is worthy.  She is trying to increase the demand for local farmers to grow food close to home.  It tastes different.   A bell pepper tastes like the one my grandpa used to grow.

The food in the supermarket is just not the same as what used to come out of my grandparent’s garden.  I grew up in a small town in deep East Texas.  Back then, many people gardened, canned, hunted and fished for their food.  I could have cared less and couldn’t wait to get out of the “back woods.”  I hated picking green beans or pulling weeds in the hot Texas sun.  Now I would love to be back in that life.  I can remember running purple-hull peas through the sheller and the kitchen smelling like fresh peas and ham.  Yum. Yum.

Then I moved to the city and started a new life chasing the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  Married a wonderful man and have great kids.  When I went back home, my grandpa called the girls the concrete kids.  It is so true.  Most kids in Houston are concrete kids.  They have no idea how food is grown and how much work / skill it takes.

We’re in trouble because we’ve lost this good growing knowledge close to home and our country is a net importer of food.  Can you believe the United States of America does not grow enough food to feed its people?  That is a travesty.

Urban Homestead – food revolution

When I think about how much grass we take care of in the city, we could really be producing a ton of food.  There’s a family in California who transformed their tiny yard into a garden of food.  And they live close to a freeway.

Here’s their video

Peak Oil Problem – What are you doing?

A friend of mine forwarded this article on peak oil. Pretty timely with my Urban Homestead “phase. ” Check out the article here: Peak Oil

The peak oil theory makes sense to me. What we cannot predict is when it will happen or the scientific progress at the time of this “peak” and decline. I’ve recently heard that half the population of the world now lives in the city. If we lose electricity in the city for a long period of time, I cannot see how you survive. I got a taste of no power during Ike. No power equals no water pressure. No pressure means no sewer. Even if you have food, the disease from lack of sanitation will kill many. And garbage will be huge. People will have to burn it, so we’ll have a lot more house and apt fires.

I’ve read about people who are moving to remote locations and developing a self staining lifestyle because they believe today’s lifestyle will be over and they want to be ready. But that would not be fun either. Most in your country could be dying and you’d be in your pocket holding down until a vast number of people perish. And you’d need lots of ammo to protect your pocket. Will you shoot a mom who comes to your property begging for food for her baby? What will life be like after that? And what if the next pandemic hits during all this……WOW. We’re up for a serious strain of flu. Cheered you up yet?

For us, they answer is not buying a farm, a goat and a gun. I’m trying to do all I can to be as self sufficient in our little plot of land near downtown Houston. We’re going to even plant a garden this Spring. We’re trying to cut back on processed stuff and live more frugally than we have in the past. Even so, we still rely on the system for our livelihood. The city provides water, elect, nat gas and garbage pickup. Our groc store provides food and a corporation provides a job.

I don’t think we stick our head in the sand, rather we must be aware of the real threats in our world so we can prepare as much as possible within our current circumstance.

What are you doing???

2009 Trends: comfort foods, simple living, religion and urban homesteading

In the Houston Chronicle this morning, there is an article about cooking trends in the FLAVOR section.  I must be a trend setter, b/c I started doing this stuff about 2 years ago.  I think it will be big in 2009.   It states that “comfort foods, simple meals, home cooking and recession-proof dining will be the buzzwords in the food world for 2009.”  “Say farewell to molecular gastronomy, with its dehydrators and foams…” – I missed that trend and have no idea what they are talking about.

Pantry planning will be big in 2009, according to the “houstonmom” research academy.  Just from starting this little blog last September, I have seen the interest in home cooking.  I have a page on setting up a pantry.  Every day I get people searching for this topic and coming into this blog to read about pantry.  One of my biggest volume of hits was how to buy inexpensive ground beef.  It amazes me that they are finding my site b/c I should be last on the list of finds!

Bloggers talking about simple living will skyrocket in 2009 according to my latest study.  I’ve also gotten interest in recipes based on hits on my blog.  I know I’ve started using blog recipes over foodnetwork or other recipes b/c I can see that a real person is actually making this.  I think that will also be a trend in 2009.

In 2009 you will see the term “urban homesteading”.  I’ve never heard of it until this week.  My sister had the two older girls and I had time to research how to grow a garden in our back yard.  I didn’t know the term to use, but this is where I landed.  I was very disappointed not to find the Christian community not engaged in this discussion.  But I’m thinking about how much land, even in the city, we waste on grass and useless shrubs.  On a Christian level, I’m beginning to wonder if we’re mismanaging God’s creation.  We’re using our resources to have lawns and importing food from China.  Something about that sounds wrong.    My grandparents are looking smarter and smarter.  Urban Homesteading is more than a garden.  I’ll be writing on it more as I learn how to incorporate into our lives.

In 2009 buying clothes from thrift stores will be in style.  I started doing this a year ago – again a trend setter!  I take the girls clothes to the trift store to sell on consignment, then use my credit for purchases.  I rarely spend cash at this store.

In 2009, homeschooling will grow.  As people cannot continue to afford private schools, they will try homeschooling.  There was recently an article in the Houston Chronicle about private schools hurting b/c people are missing tuition payments.  In this change to homeschooling, some will last a month and others will be there for life.

In 2009, I’ll probably find more to like about Obama and the liberals will find more not to like.  I’ve already seen this happening.  Michelle Obama said she is going to be a mother and wife, when asked what will be her agenda as first lady.  Yea Michelle!  But the feminist were all over her for that statement b/c she was “wasting” her position and education.  The very group that calls for freedom to women does not allow freedom unless it is under their agenda.  I am very proud of Michelle’s position and I hope she continues this stance.  It will be a great example for women in the country.  See the Dec 02 post from Albert Mohler for a story on this…

I think we’ll also see a rise in cults.  I predict an increase in the number of people looking for ’something’ as they realize they can’t manage their problems without a higher power,….and the cults will be attractive.  I hope Christianity rises, but Christians will have to become different from the culture for this to happen.   We will have to live more like Christ, get back to family and put our faith in action.    Many of the cults have done a better job at keeping their congregation living according to their doctrines, although I’ve read some of them are also struggling with a culture invasion.

In 2009,  I am also concerned that Joe Biden may correct in that this administration will be tested by terrorists.  I hope I’m wrong on this one.   I also think we’ll see Israel attack Iran.

These are just a few trends and predictions.  I hope you have a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve and great 2010.

You can take the girl out of the country but….

You cannot take the country out of the girl.  After college, I could not wait to move to Dallas and work downtown.  I could hear the theme music to “Dallas” playing as I drove into town and gazed at the skyline.  I loved the people, excitement and nightlife. I even married a city boy man.

But now I’m 40ish and longing for the country life.  The life that once seemed so boring now seems like paradise.  I want chickens, a garden, and even a cow!  But Dave has a wonderful job in the city and our life is here.  I need to bloom where planted.

Instead of longing for the country, I’ve decided to “urban homestead.”  I’m making our laundry detergent, milling our wheat, and trying to simplify where I can.  Dave thinks this is just another one of my phases…..yes there have been many.

Yesterday I suggested we buy a compost machine.  I want to start making organic compost and build a vertical garden in our tiny back yard.   He really tries not to laugh at me when I suggest these things.  But I’m really fascinated by the concept of vertical growing.

Check out this site…http://www.gardengirltv.com/lawns_and_edible_landscapes_blueberries_planting_strawberries_city_orchands.html#.  She has several vertical gardens.  Instead of looking out my back window and seeing a brick wall, we could look at lovely vegetable growing.  My oldest, farmer Bethany, just loves the idea.  Last year Bethany convinced Dave to buy her an incubator so she could hatch chicken eggs.  He refused to get the eggs until I found a spot for our chicks…  I’ve yet to find a place!  I need to get back on that.

Dave has almost said yes to a small area of the fence becoming a vertical veggie garden.  I’ll keep you posted on how this progresses!