You Grow What You Eat

So now we are trend setters. It seems everywhere we look or read we see a call out for returning back to our farming roots. The specific start of civilization is marked by evidence that people started farming. This meant they stopped wandering, built more long-lasting living shelters, prepared the earth and put down roots.
We are eeking ever-closer to closing on the sale of our city home and can already feel our roots deepening here on the island. We are eagerly planning on remodeling the farm so we can all fit there at once, and we have so many ideas swirling around about what to grow, manage, harvest and process.
The bottom line is that we want to culture the farm to grow food, serve as a daily refuge from the commercialized buzzing world, and feed ourselves with it's good food, fabulous views, and even have left overs to share with others. We know farmers who are doing it just for a "hobby"; they like caring for a small number of livestock, some apples in the fall are great, and just living in a growing place inspires them. We also know farmers who are attempting to be self sufficient; they want to produce everything they need to survive and not take anything from anybody, including power, gas, or water from utilities. If you know us at all you know we fall somewhere in the middle of these two limits. And right now we are plowing through one day at a time looking for a more clear picture of where we fit. As I stare at the hundreds of bulbs I have to plant in the orchard, and the six boxes of apples that need to be sorted in the garage, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Then, I remember my dinner plans for tonight: Pork Tenderloin, with braised red cabbage, apples and onion saute, green salad, and mashed potatoes. The only thing not coming from our garden or a neighbor's is the pork. To have such a close connection to our food is intoxicating. I swear that a bite of an apple from your own tree tastes better than any other. Bon Appetit!