A short tour...

I was sitting here and just realized that I haven't posted any pictures of our new place. So I decided to share a few images from around the place. We haven't been here long so there is still lots to do, but we are going to get there. Come mid-May things will be looking very different here! Yet, even in its raw state, the place is beautiful and tranquil.

In the new home

So we have finally made it to our new home. Of course, just as we are wrapping up the move-in process, the real work starts. Garlic and green onions have to go in this week! I need to get the rest of my seeds, clear my plot, perhaps construct a hoop house; there is a lot of stuff to think about when you get right down to it. And doing this all while completing my dissertation!

Yet, I felt this was something that must be done. If we are realistic about what it means to live sustainably, (which I equate to self-sufficiency) then we will begin to equip ourselves with the know-how to live closer to the land and closer to our neighbors. I have spent so much time studying agriculture from an academic perspective. I wanted to actually live it; to experience what it takes for a food-lovin city slicker to take on the title of farmer/chef.

Fortunately, I have had some experience in the past few years working on an organic farm at Washington State University. So it is not all new to me, but before, it was a team. Now, it is just me and my family. Second, I have no formal cooking experience, just a whole bunch of people telling me to cook more! I have no food preservation experience, but we are going to make an attempt to store food, make salsas, jams, kraut, whatever.

It will definitely be work, and most certainly, a learning experience for us all.