I am surviving in this world. I am experiencing a catastrophe. Its slow, subtle and elusive. It brings on diseases and death.
I am talking about the hyper domestication of humans and the under nourishment of our over fed society.
In order to survive this catastrophe I am moving my body and nourishing myself. This is the only way I will survive.
Part of nourishing myself includes learning to grow my own food as well as eating what mother nature provides. I am looking forward to this coming season because I am planting many types of plants that I have never grown before a few of which include:
- Oats
- Wheat
- Quinoa
- Flax
- Sesame
- Millet
- Cumin
I am branching out into more grains, seeds and starches because I want to see what it would take to grow more of the food I commonly eat in my diet, or food that can replace some of my common staples. For example I like to eat a lot of granola - If I can grow my own oats and seeds that would help me sustain more of my diet.
Celebrate Abundance!
In this meal I am celebrating abundance. Abundance in my pantry, abundance in my fridge, abundance in the supermarket, abundance in the farmer's market, abundance in the weeds growing all around me, abundance in nature
I am thinking about the coming season and the abundance that I hope my garden will provide. I am clearing out room in the freezer of dandelion greens, kale and nettle that I harvest and froze last fall because there are so many greens available wild in the garden now and soon there will be many in the garden.
I am slowly eating the frozen tomatoes that have been with me since last October... trying hard to pace them out because it will be a few months until this year's tomatoes arrive. But if I eat them all much earlier, no matter because now that spring is here there is abundance outside my door and all around me in many forms.
In this meal I included frozen dandelion greens, ground paprika, poppy seeds and beets. I didn't hold back with any of them because today I am celebrating abundance.
Celebrating the abundance of dandelion greens that carried me through the winter and that are now all around me. Celebrating the abundance of spices that I am able to purchase in the store so easily.
This year I am growing my own paprika peppers and is excited about all the poppies she is sowing. If all goes well we will have an abundance of home grown paprika peppers and poppy seeds to go along with all the abundance of dandelion greens that are already in the garden and that we can count on being there with us right into the fall.
If we don't get any paprika or poppy seeds from our efforts, no worries. We will still have the dandelion greens and many other veggies and wild foods in abundance around us.
In addition I couldn't help but include one of the last two beets from a box of beets that I purchased from a local farmer last fall. These beets are symbolic to me as they belong to the collection of locally grown nutritious food that sustained me through the winter. I am grateful that they lasted this long. I am grateful that I don't have to worry about having food on my plate today.
Spring is here and there is abundance all around me. I am not holding back in this meal... its a celebration!
The only way I can survive the catastrophe of hyper domestication and undernourishment of an over fed society is by moving my body and nourishing myself.
The byproduct of this action is appreciation for the abundance that is around me. I am no longer taking it for granted.
Every year the amount of food on my shelves that was purchased at a store and is a part of the industrial food chain decreases.
The amount of food on my shelves that I grew or wild harvested is growing in volume every year.
Don't get me wrong, I still appreciate the convenience of industrial food, but I do not appreciate it the way I appreciate home grown, locally grown or wild harvested food.
I do not have a goal to be 100% self sustaining by a certain date.
My goal is to keep learning about nourishing myself and growing food. I want to keep pushing my own personal limits of how much of my diet I can grow and the amount of diversity I can include in my diet.
There are so many unique and diverse types of plants in this world!
Working on my goal doesn't take much motivation because I am pretty excited about it already. That motivation comes from the joy I receive in the garden and in nature. It comes from knowing that my body feels better after it has been nourished with good food and time moving outdoors.
This is survival
Surviving is knowing that I have food through the winter and if I get snowed in for three months it doesn't matter. That is a by product of wanting to have food I personally grew or harvested right throughout the winter. That is a byproduct of wanting to minimize, within reason, the amount of industrial or imported food that I consume.
Survival is knowing that I am being nourished by every meal I eat, thereby reducing my chances for disease. That is a byproduct of growing and foraging a substantial part of my diet.
I am surviving the apocalypse that we are all witnessing which is hitting us and our family members from all angles. Diabetes, heart disease, lethargy, arthritis, autism to name just a few.
I was not prepared for this apocalypse but luckily I was awakened to the problem and I am learning to survive with my wits, my body and help from my friends. The apocalypse is happening all around me. It may come for me one day, but I will be strong, nourished and ready when it does.
So today I am celebrating because I am surviving. I am celebrating the abundance that has come into view before me. This abundance that was hidden from my perceptions for so long. Now I see it in plain view.
I am wishing you abundance in your life, in your heart and on your plate.
Who is
?
I am a ex-suburbanite turned permaculture homesteader. Follow my journey and I will share what I know and am learning along the way. You can learn more about me in my re-introducing @sagescrub post. Wishing you abundance in your life!
Know that I am likely NOT an expert on the subjects I present. Please do your own research and be your own expert!

