Volume and Variety

I've signed up for an online course dealing with food preservation and sustainability. I'm really excited about it because these are topics I've been wanting to dive right into for a while now but I didn't have a lot of prior guidance or resources.

Today is the first day and it's just after 9 am. It was suggested by the instructor that we keep track of what our family eats during the week by writing it all down. Everything. This way we can get an idea of the quanities it would take to store for 1 week or 1 month or 1 year. Like I said, it's still morning; and already I'm astounded by the variety of what we consume. Goodness! Bananas, plums, graham crackers, cheese, peanut butter, butter, frozen waffles, homemade bread... none of these are things I grow in my garden! I make the bread fresh each week, but I don't grind my own grain or keep my own colony of yeast! (is it really called a colony?!) I plan on getting plum trees soon but... Oh my...

Here's the thing. We've been trying to simplify, give away, not buy new, buy used when necessary, consume less. We've given away boxes and bags of things as we're preparing to move into our new home. I didn't realize that 'consume less' and 'simplify' hadn't been applied to our dietary habits.

I think this class will be eye-opening in ways I didn't expect. I can't wait.

p.s. - I expect to add thoughts/comments/lessons on the blog here as the course procedes.

myself

I'm a Wife. Mother. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Book lover. Baby Wearer. Christ-centered. Evironmentally aware. Recycling fanatic. List maker. Bread baker. Organic gardener. Lover of history and archaeology. Maker of things from yarn. I love Bruce, my husband of 6 years. And my life revovles around my children -Carlie (4) and Jack (1).

I like things made by hand. Whether it's soap, lip balm, sweaters, scarves, bread, shelves, music, or salsa. I like when you get a sense of the people and history behind something. I like when my hands are dirty and my feet are tired. I don't like plastic, gas lawn mowers, bottled water, expensive things, cleaners that make my hands sting.