Nothing Worthwhile Comes Easy

There is nothing like digging up your dinner an hour before you sit down to eat.
The taste and satisfaction of it makes the work involved seem so small. And no worries FDA did not approve this food so there is no fear that the food we eat has been sprayed with toxic chemicals or that a meat was injected with antibiotics and/or steroids. We know for sure the animals we are eating have never been mistreated from farm to slaughter because it all happens right here.

P.S. I finally finished reading "In defense of food". Looking for another good foodie/agricultural book to read...suggestions?

Ha, enough preaching!! We are not all good I assure you. My kids love oodles and noodles and we eat plenty of food that does not follow the above statements. Change comes slow and over the last couple years we have progressed. I am confident that things will continue to evolve here on the farm. We estimate that we are raising approximately 75% the meat we consume and 100% of our own eggs. As far as fruit and vegetables are numbers are much lower. We are working on that by learning ways to extend our season, preserving, and connecting with local resources. We hope to get the greenhouse up soon in anticipation of growing greens this winter. I had big plans for salsa and spaghetti sauce this season but our tomato plants were devastated by blight as many other Maine farmers.

I am planning to make sauerkraut with the above cabbage even though I've never liked it in the past. Homemade is always better, right? A few weeks back I made some fermented dilly beans that Erica from One Busy Momma posted. They were SO easy to make and mighty tasty. All you need is garlic, peppercorns, dill, salt, and beans of course. The whole family enjoyed and it took all of 5 minutes too put together.