Monday 1 April 2013

Uncomfortable

I'm stretching myself just a little bit further this year into the realm of Uncomfortable.  As I age, I find myself (in general) far less inclined to try new things which certainly wasn't the case when I was younger.  In my 20's and 30's I was forever learning new things and changing up my everyday existence. I quite literally craved change and challenge then, but now, in my mid 40's, I crave peace, stability and predictability.  Welcome to middle age!   Is that just my experience or are any of my middle age readers prone to the same?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with peaceful stability (in fact, I'm grateful for such an existence), but I'm just a wee bit tired of putting off learning new skills.  To shake things up a little, I've signed up for a few workshops through Shovel and Fork to learn from local people just precisely how to keep bees and harvest honey, forage for wild mushrooms and cook with them, crush and ferment apple cider and berry wine as well as (wait for it).... butcher and process a chicken for the table.  Those are tasks that I've had on the back burner for far too long and it's time to learn them!

I'm also immersing myself in the teachings of Sally Fallon by re-reading the book Nourishing Traditions.  Another goal for this year is to perfect the art of sourdough.  I recently started a rye culture using fresh ground flour from our neighbour, John at Gold Forest Grains.



I've failed at culturing wild sourdough many times, but I'm not going to give up!  All those failures are simply teaching me how NOT to do it :)  If you have any recommendations/suggestions for me about culturing sourdough using wild yeast, please let me know :)


Once upon a time, in the not so distant past, everyday folk like me would have learned these skills from their elders, but sadly, that isn't the case today.  My parents (although wonderful people) don't know the slightest thing about such topics.  They buy their wine bottled, their chicken ready to cook and their bread baked and sliced.  Somewhere along the way, the industrial food system has swallowed up the art and skill of creating one's food. 

I have no desire to fight the conventional, industrial food system for it's far bigger than I. Not only that, but I refuse to marinate in negativity while fighting a life-long battle with a corrupt system.  Instead, I prefer a positive, pro-active approach so these precious hours of mine are slowly being funnelled into learning about and reviving the lost skills that we once all grew up to possess.  My permaculture design course is the framework for that plan and the upcoming workshops will help to fill in the knowledge gaps and round out the skill set.  This year, I'm fighting harder than ever to take back our food!

What are you doing these days to take back your food?













16 comments:

  1. I've got a ways to go before being middle-aged and I crave peaceful stability, too ;) Although that always gets shaken up because there is always something new to try, or as the saying goes, the more you learn the more you realize you don't know! It can be overwhelming, but I try to remind myself of all the small things I do know now that I had no clue about just a few years ago. I'm always saddened by the apparent generational skip that happened in relation to living skills. My mom also has no knowledge of these things, and I feel like I'm reinventing the wheel trying to figure it out on my own. It's more educational this way, I guess, but also much more painful!

    All of the new skills you're learning this year sound wonderful! The chicken butchering thing was scary for us, too, but honestly not as bad as we thought it would be. The sourdough starter scares me more now, lol!

    -Jaime

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    1. Jaime, YES, the more you learn the more you don't know! I TOTALLY agree with that :) And yes, it's also important to recognize how far we've come. Each year brings new skills and new knowledge.

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  2. Sherri, I have found I crave just plain old peace & simplicity now as I'm older!

    I have been feeding a sourdough starter now for nearly a year...it is the same one I've had since the beginning! Mine is white & for a long time I had a white & a rye starter. I found I preferred the white one and I just bake wholemeal, rye or white loaves or a combination of whatever I feel like. Sourdough starters are very forgiving!

    I actually made the carrot & ginger pickle from Nourishing Traditions but found it way too salty for my tastes...very, very salty in fact!

    But what I have learned is to soak my freshly ground oatmeal overnight in water & kefir is wonderful!

    Look forward to hearing about your results!

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    1. Sandra, that's encouraging that you've had good success with sourdough for a whole year! I know I"ll get the hang of it. It took me a YEAR to master baking bread for goodness sake but I never did give up. It was worth all that work as I make all our daily bread now. I also soak our cracked oats and boy does that make a nourishing and filling breakfast!

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  3. I like your approach to food, and agree it is such a shame that we have to re-learn all these skills that would once have been passed on from generation to generation. I am trying to limit myself to mastering one skill at a time, otherwise I become overwhelmed by it all. Last year was bread (not sourdough, but at least bread made at home with only flour water and yeast) and this year its soap using tallow from our own home-butchered cattle. I hadn't heard of Shovel and Fork (not that they are much use to me here in Australia), what a wonderful idea, you are so lucky to have these courses available! Although you can learn much of it through youtube and trial and error, it is so much better to shown what to do in person, by someone who know what they are doing.

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    1. Hey Liz. Yes - for certain youtube is amazing, but there is nothing like the personal "touch and feel" of learning something hands on with a knowledgeable and experienced person. I figure it will be good to meet some new people, too :)

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  4. Sherri I have the same cravings re peace and stability! However I am getting into Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions and am currently doing an onlne course re that at nourishedkitchen.com

    I'll be doing a couple of posts about sourdough in the next week or so, please come over and join me.

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    1. Thanks, Rose - I've heard of nourished kitchen - that sounds like a good idea for me, too. I am really overwhelmed by the book and have decided to tackle ONE thing at a time, LOL. I will MOST certainly take you up on your offer to get help with sourdough - can't wait.

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  5. I seem to alternate between wanting change and then craving the peace and stability. Yesterday as we worked on the soil in our vegie patch I began to feel connected to my goals again and wanting to move forward rather than giving up!
    I love hearing about all the new things you are learning and the journey you are on at the moment...thanks for sharing with us Sherri x

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    1. Jodie - that's the great thing about learning new skills. It motivates me, too!

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  6. I am fast approaching 50, and I have (in my mind's eye) reached peace and a simple way of life. If you were to ask the hubby he may laugh.

    I have been wanting to try a sourdough starter for a few years. But I am scared it may not work out. I know. Chicken. There are few skills I would like to learn--like making my own sausage and smoking my own meat.

    This year I will be trying something different with the garden. I have discovered as I age, my body tells me very politely, that I am not young anymore. I am going to try my hand at a few raised beds. Composting. I even want a greenhouse!

    Looking forward to hearing about what you learn through Shovel and Fork.

    Cheryl

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    1. LOL, Cheryl! I just planted my greenhouse and BOY am I stiff! I was hauling water from the spouts in 5 gallon buckets (melting snow) as my rain barrels are still frozen in the ground (long story). Between that and all the bending and reaching my old/winter stagnant bones and muscles are SORE!

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  7. I am eagerly waiting for my turn to borrow Nourishing Traditions from the local library too.
    I have a feeling that I'll be rather impatient and go and buy it very soon though

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    1. Becci - it's a great book. I was lucky enough to have received a free copy from a generous freecycler. I bet you'll want your own copy once you read it :)

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  8. I too am waiting in line at the library for Nourishing Traditions, but I have a feeling that I will be buying it if it is as good as everyone says.
    One of the things that I do is make cheese. When I read Barbra Kingsolvers book,Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I knew I had to try it. Making fresh Mozzarella and ricotta is so easy!
    It is so much fun doing things the way our Grandmothers did.
    I simple life so a much more satisfying one.
    Susan from Michigan

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    1. You really hit the nail on the head there, Susan. It DOES feel more satisfying (to me) to live a simpler life. :)

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