2012 Resolutions on the Food Front

A new year always means resolutions right?  Well this year I only have one.  It's big but I'm only going for one main goal this year because it's something I really want to make sure happens.  Travis and I have decided to give it our all and get our food supply to the point where the huge majority is both local and home grown.  We're aiming for growing all our own veg and getting most of our fruit from our own yard (raspberries, strawberries, grapes etc.) and foraging/"rescuing" the rest. (apples, chokecherries, etc.)  While we've always grown a decent amount of our own vegetables, our garden space is more than doubling this year and we're planting some more fruit bearing trees as well.

 one side of our biggest garden, last year

As far as meats go, we've always had a freezer full of wild meat, both from our own hunting endeavors as well as those of our parents (thanks guys!)  This year we're also switching over to locally raised and hormone free poultry and pork.  We don't have it all sourced yet but we're working on it.

early raspberries

We also have big plans of switching over all our grains to local and organic.  We're in the middle of sourcing grain now and it hasn't been easy.  Ideally we'd like to buy it direct from the farmer but so far we haven't had much luck with that.  I already make all our own breads, granola, baking, etc. so we do go through a large amount of flour and oats so in order for it be affordable we really do want to be able to buy direct.

 grape vines

Travis is well into keeping his cheese cupboard full enough that we could easily go without buying cheese at all anymore so that's a huge plus.  He's also been brewing all his own wine and beer for a while too. Trav has also been getting into Charcuterie which is just as well because I'm not gonna lie, if he doesn't do it, I won't!

Also on the list is canning.  I've always done all our veg and fruit preserving via the freezer or drying but this year I'm gonna learn how to can.  I have all the supplies bought already (at great prices after the canning season last year, and the rest sourced through freecycle) so it's just a matter of doing it!

All these choices to switch over have come from lots and lots of research.  I've done most of mine online and Trav's done a ton of book reading so between the both of us I think we can easily make this happen over the next year.

I'm totally excited about this.  It means a lot more work, especially in the garden and the kitchen, but it will be well worth it.

Here are some of the websites and books we've really found helpful.  Big thanks to the bloggers who I've poured the questions on, you've all been super helpful.

Books:
Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post Consumer World
Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman
Locavore by Sarah Elton
The Dirty Life: On Farming, Food, and Love by Kristin Kimball

Blogs:
Kevin Kossowan (gardening, charcuterie, food, hunting)
Cold Antler Farm (real deal homestead)
Root Simple (authors of Making It)

What's on your to-do list this year?