Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

[Cathe Frederic]

For those who have never heard the phrase in the title of this blog, it means the same as, "Practice What You Preach". Sustainable Living means moving more and more towards independence and self reliance. In an effort to implement cost saving measures here on Spirit Mountain Farm, we had decided to make only two trips in per week. 27 miles to the grocery store is quite a lot of fuel consumption. 

Therefor I said all groceries would be purchased in amounts to get us through till the next trip. However we ran out of GREENS! And vegetable stir fry was on todays main meal menu. This situation was going to require using my sustainability knowledge! Time to harvest some fresh wild greens for the meal.

But, knowing how to do something and actually getting around to doing it can be two different things. I grabbed a bucket and headed out to the woods. I would be looking for plantain, dandelion  dock and fiddle head fern tops. 

It was not hard, took only 20 mins, and I had enough for the main meal and tomorrows morning juice! I washed them and handed them over to Melody to throw in the stir fry along with the garlic, fresh baby garden onions, chopped nuts, bell peppers and fresh oregano from the garden with lemon balm from the garden as well. She cooked it all together and we ate it.

What was it like? Have you ever eaten a steady diet of store bought meat and someone suddenly introduced you to fresh venison? Some people love it, (like me) and some people think the flavor is too strong. Wild greens are much the same way. The flavor is rich and intense. I loved it and best of all it was free! Couldn't get momma to touch them! She made herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich  And I don't quite understand that because she grew up eating wild and cultivated foods on my grandaddys farm in Georgia.  We can become such creatures of habit especially bad ones. Since the only habit I ever really formed was coffee, perhaps I am more flexible in this than most. But mostly I am motivated by the cheapness and the ability to thumb my nose at corporate america. Hee hee ! Happy green hunting!

 

[Victoria Pich]

And what's better than cheap! That's why we make our own blackberry wine.

[Victoria Pich]

Sounds delicious! I too love strong earthy salads. I like garden sorrel, dandelion, wild arugula, chives and garlic chives, ginger (have to buy that one), surely many others. My philosophy with weeds - if you can't beat them, eat them! Actually, many of them are delicious and very nutritious.

[Joseph Bronson]

Great work Cathe.