I am a terrible hippie. I just need to get that out of the way before I say anything further. I'm not much for dirt or bugs. I really don't like being sweaty. I hate kale. There I said it. I hate kale. I like shopping and spa days. I read gossip websites. I can name all the Kardashians (though I am a little embarrassed about it). My preferred radio station plays Lady Gaga, not talk news (sorry KPFA). I eat McDonalds, and I like it (though I am really trying to change that).
I am the most unlikely candidate to become a farmer's wife.
But here I am, canning tomatoes and plums, tending to the chickens, making my own laundry soap, learning to sew, homeschooling my kids, giving kale one more chance. It has been a slow process getting here. I am naturally a little lazy. I am resistant to change. But I am also a mom and wife and I want what is best for my family.
So what it is best? For me it means feeding my family the least amount of processed food as possible. I really try to avoid serving food that comes in a box or can. I am not perfect. After all, I have four kids under five and, as I said, I am lazy. So I started small, mac n' cheese. It isn't hard to make from scratch, boiled pasta and a simple cheese sauce. It went over well. So added more items, mostly expensive items that I was tired of buying- soup, Bisquik, boxed rice/pasta, canned veggies, instant anything. It isn't as time consuming as you might think and I tend to make enough to freeze for future meals.
That said, I am no Gwynth Paltrow, sitting smugly and congratulating myself on my superior nutrition skills. As I said, I still like McDonalds. I am also a serious caffeine and sugar addict.
Baby steps. Baby steps.
I refuse to beat myself up over it. But I often wonder how women 100 years ago did it. No washer/dryer, no microwave, no Starbucks. Maybe that's why everyone looks so grim in old photos- it was a lack of lattes.
Our farm is an experiment in urban homesteading. We are taking steps to ensure that our family (and later our community) has access to fresh, locally grown food that is good and good for them. We are applying our love for each other to food we grow and to the world around us. Everyone deserves the best possible nourishment for their bodies.
-Jennifer
I am the most unlikely candidate to become a farmer's wife.
But here I am, canning tomatoes and plums, tending to the chickens, making my own laundry soap, learning to sew, homeschooling my kids, giving kale one more chance. It has been a slow process getting here. I am naturally a little lazy. I am resistant to change. But I am also a mom and wife and I want what is best for my family.
So what it is best? For me it means feeding my family the least amount of processed food as possible. I really try to avoid serving food that comes in a box or can. I am not perfect. After all, I have four kids under five and, as I said, I am lazy. So I started small, mac n' cheese. It isn't hard to make from scratch, boiled pasta and a simple cheese sauce. It went over well. So added more items, mostly expensive items that I was tired of buying- soup, Bisquik, boxed rice/pasta, canned veggies, instant anything. It isn't as time consuming as you might think and I tend to make enough to freeze for future meals.
That said, I am no Gwynth Paltrow, sitting smugly and congratulating myself on my superior nutrition skills. As I said, I still like McDonalds. I am also a serious caffeine and sugar addict.
Baby steps. Baby steps.
I refuse to beat myself up over it. But I often wonder how women 100 years ago did it. No washer/dryer, no microwave, no Starbucks. Maybe that's why everyone looks so grim in old photos- it was a lack of lattes.
Our farm is an experiment in urban homesteading. We are taking steps to ensure that our family (and later our community) has access to fresh, locally grown food that is good and good for them. We are applying our love for each other to food we grow and to the world around us. Everyone deserves the best possible nourishment for their bodies.
-Jennifer
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