I discovered a real gem this weekend - a blog called DigginFood.com with great companion videos under the name Grow.Cook.Eat. Willi Galloway and her husband Jon are urban gardeners in Seattle at their "little urban homestead" where they grow and cook a wide variety of foods fresh from their backyard garden.The blog dates back to April 2008, which is good news since I ran through all the videos already. They also have a book called Grow Cook Eat that I will put on my must read list.If you are looking for some fresh ideas for fresh food this is a great site!
What I Am Reading at NHG
I had a reader request for a recommended book list. Some of these books have been mentioned in other posts, but here is a list of what I've read so far in no particular order:Folks, this Ain't Normal by Joel SalatinAnimal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven Hopp and Camille KingsolverThe Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael PollanIn Defense of Food by Michael PollanSecond Nature by Michael PollanThe Botany of Desire by Michael PollanFast Food Nation by Eric SchlosserPandora's Seed by Spencer WellsTomatoland by Barry EstabrookOn my wish list:You Can Farm by Joel SalatinEverything I Want To Is Illegal by Joel SalatinSheer Ecstasy of Being a Lunatic Farmer by Joel SalatinSalad Bar Beef by Joel SalatinFamily Friendly Farming by Joel SalatinHoly Cows and Hog Heaven by Joel SalatinChew On This by Charles Wilson and Eric SchlosserSlow Food Nation by Carlos Petrini
Something Cooking At Nearly Home Grown
I have found myself thinking of the Ant and the Grasshopper over the past 2 months as I have busily worked to build up a full freezer's worth of frozen tomato paste, whole roasting chickens and chicken breasts, butternut squash, spinach and basil hoping that each will manage to retain a bit of the freshness and vitality of summer.Storing the bounty of this year and hoping it will tide me over until the first farmer's market of the spring has inevitably led to thoughts of what next year will bring to the table and freezer. After much thought, planning, reading four Michael Pollan books, one Barbara Kingsolver book and watching more videos from Patti Moreno than I can count, I have decided to start my own garden for 2012 to supplement the organics I purchase from the farmer's markets.I will be experimenting with the Square Foot Gardening method created by Mel Bartholomew with heirloom, open pollinated seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange. I have already learned that there are more different vegetables and varieties of each than our meager yard can contain so I have had to use the cold eye of an executioner to whittle down the roar of 'wants' to a manageable list of 'needs'. Maybe next year will herald some truly home grown goodness here at Nearly Home Grown...In the meantime, I will keep updating with recipes from this year, planning for next year and anything related to local food that sparks an interest!
Pandora's Seed
I have just finished a second reading of 'Pandora's Seed' by Spencer Wells. I read this book a year ago when it was first released and wanted to revisit it after watching a series of documentaries on the food industry (Food Fight, Food Inc., King Corn and Vanishing of the Bees).Spencer Wells is a geneticist, anthropologist and Exporer-in-Residence for National Geographic. His previous book 'The Journey of Man' was my introduction to him and his work. In 'Pandora's Seed' his focus is the dramatic changes in humans, both culturally and biologically, that are a result of the agricultural revolution around 10,000 years ago.This book is a great read that details the good, the bad and the ugly of the expected and sometimes unexpected consequences in the way we eat and live that came with agriculture.