5 Things You Can Start working On Now to Become a More Sustainable Paleo Farmer.

1. Start sprouting. Click here to find a wonderful site to buy all you will ever need to sprout. Sprouts are cheap, easy and provide fresh greens all year round. They are typically more nutrient dense than their full grown counter parts, per gram. They pack a lot of flavor punch into a little space.  [G]rowing even a little of your own food is, [...] actually beget other solutions[.] -Michael Pollen
2. Find local farmers markets, and visit them. This link will connect you to local farmers markets. Some of the outdoor markets close in the winter. In Columbus we have one indoor market, but I haven't been all year. Its a tragedy and I want to fix it. Even when I don't get food, meeting with and talking to the farmers is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. The ideas exchanged and the passion shared is second to none.
3. Start your spring sprouts for your garden. I know when its only 26 degrees out, -3 C, and a whole 22 days until spring its not easy to think about the fall crop. But it's time to start! On my list to get started are, sweet potatoes, broccoli, lots of salad greens, butternut squash again, and lots of flowers.
4. Buy a crock pot! If you have a crock pot, use it. If you already use it, use it more! There is one thing that kills me. It's when I get home from a long night of work and I am dog (wolf) tired. On top of all that the easiest thing to eat is a bag of chips. Given there are pretty good chips at my house that are still "mostly" paleo. However, if I plan for this when I am less tired and have time, I can come home to a huge pot of delicious roast meats. I have a crock pot that is almost never empty. It saves my life.
5. Learn to ferment. I know it sounds daunting at first. Its a whole series of skills that are all very involved. First try googling brewers shops. Then go there and talk to the people. The people who are working there love brewing enough to work in a brewers shop. This means they know their stuff and are willing to talk endlessly about it.  I have made some meads now. They are super easy and require three ingredient, honey, yeast and water. Worst comes to worst you end up with vinegar which is also very useful.

Sharing Food with Friends.

Last night, I served my first 1/2 hog-barbecue-meal to some friends. We had pulled pork, the most succulent thick cut bacon, collard greens and I served up some baked beans for my non-paleo crowd. I am so happy with how it all turned out. The pulled pork was tender and fatty. Moe searched the grocery store for me to find barbecue sauce that was both gluten free and had no corn syrup, Not an easy task, not only did she find it but it was delicious ta boot. The bacon was almost a 1/4 inch thick before I cooked it. The flavor after it was cooked was meaty and rich. With bacon I use to buy the sensation was more of bacon chips. the final product was either rubbery and chewy or crunch and crumbled in your mouth. This bacon was so meaty that it had crunch on the out side and still gave you some meat to chew on after that. I also have about one cup of bacon grease from it!
I think that after I have made more of this bacon I want to try and make bacon grease soap. A friend of mine once made soap that way. It was some of the best soap I have ever used. I have sensitive skin and its not easy to find a soap that won't irritate my skin or dry me out. In a few weeks in my organic chem class we are going to be making soap. I will be paying close attention.
Lastly, I have never tried to make collard greens. I just used the recipe on the back of the bag, minus the excessive sugar, and substituting most of the chicken broth for liquid from the pulled pork, the greens were fantastic. I still have 80+ pounds from my 1/2 hog in my freezer. It is going to be a great couple of months!

Bringing Home the Bacon!

We picked up my 1/2 hog yesterday before I went to work. It was a big one, my half was  95 lbs of deliciousness. I am so excited. My friends and I went out to North Market and got some lunch before we picked up the meat. Today I am gonna start my first roast. I have a whole box of bacon! I sadly didn't get any organs out of this hog, however they said with the next one they will try and hold out some extra organs from other animals for me. Over all this was an exultant experience. I am very excited to build this relationship with Bluescreek Farm.
I am very glad to have completed this challenge. It was back in august that I decided that I wanted to get a chest freezer and start buying bulk meats. In celebration the next two weeks of my life are gonna be a barbecue party!

Proud Men Back from the Hunt!

That box says 'Theodore Gorman 1/2 hog. But we all know he is about to be a whole pig. 

There is a body in my trunk!

I Bought the Farm.

There is no sense trying to keep it under wraps now. On Thursday of last week I renewed my community garden plot with the Westerville rec. I also renewed Moe's. In mid-April the we will begin the season down at the gardens! I was originally going to try and give Moe her plot for Valentine's Day.
In other news I transferred my Mead yesterday, from the open fermentation container to the jug. The next phase of the Mead is a couple more transfers from jug to jug until its ready to be bottled and racked. For the first stage of the fermentation I normally use my crock pot. In the next couple of weeks I will be getting my half-hog order (excited squeal, pun intended). When I get the hog I will be using my crock pot almost constantly for roasts. I want to try to make one more mead before the hog arrives and my crock pot is occupied. I have been having a lot of fun fermenting again. It's such an ancient human practice.

Ground Swell

On Tuesday as I was heading down town to class I turned in my registration fee to "Ground Swell" an urban homesteading mentor program. I could learn things like food storage and animal husbandry. Not to mention adding a good deal of knowledge to my gardening skill set. I won't know if I got into the program for another week, fingers crossed. We may even be able to get a "Model Homestead" Certification at the end of the process. 

I know there will be some stiff competition. I am not a shoe in by any means. I am hopeful. 

With or with out this program the coming year is going to be educational and I am very excited to get my projects back under way. Even with the bitter cold outside I am starting to think about my spring garden. I have seeds a plenty and I can't wait to get dirt on my hands again. 

Sprouts, Tubers and Honey Wine

Two days ago I received my new shipment of sprouts in the mail. I ordered through sproutpeople.org. I got four kinds of seeds, organic broccoli, red kale, mustard and clover. I was able to take advantage of the free shipping as well. I estimate that with the amount of sprouts I received I will be able to sprout consistently and eat a health amount of greens for about three months.

Also in the last week I started eating some of the sweet potatoes I grew this summer. After harvesting and curing the sweet potatoes they are supposed to be stored for a time. Weeks to months, this allows the sugars to break down and the sweet potato becomes more digestible. It also makes them more sweet, and let me tell you they are sweet. I have been making them into hash browns. I know now that I am going to be growing sweet potatoes for a long time. 

The other thing I started this week was a new batch of mead. After drinking some of the mead I made this summer I am really excited to make more. I have also had an opportunity to try brothers drake Wild Ohio mead. I love mead. I am interested in trying several mead experiments in the next several months. The one I just started I used a 100% cranberry juice with 2 lbs of honey and champagne yeast.

I will keep you all updated on my winter projects. 

That'll do pig! That'll do.

I am gonna buy a pig today! Well half of one! Well I am actually gonna pay for half of that half today. I found the farm I want to use, Bluecreek Farm. They have a store front in downtown Columbus. The pork is the right price for it to be a sustainable venture for me. I am very excited. The people at the store front/butcher shop are gonna walk me through the process. I don't really know what I want out of this deal, cause I don't really know what I am getting. I know I want all the organs I can get. I also want a bunch of bacon which does cost a bit more. I will keep you'all updated with he process.