2/25/2019

Dear Farm Journal,

As I chop vegetables this evening in preparation for dinner, I find myself wondering why more people do not take the time to prepare meals from scratch (but they will spend countless hours consuming media). I understand most people opt for convenience because of their “busy lives”, but I just don’t think it is worth the trade off. In the past, I bought a lot of pre-packaged, ready-made foods and didn’t think anything of it. However, now that I have been living and cooking on the farm, I just can’t see the sense in it. In general, I believe we spend less money for higher quality foods and put the time in together to turn basic ingredients into delectable dishes. Most of the foods we eat come from the farm or the produce section of the co-op. We strive to eat real organic foods, ones that people can recognize and pronounce. Sure, we spend more time in the kitchen than most families and we find ourselves cleaning the kitchen three times a day, but I am confident that our time there is well spent. It carries a portion of the life of our relationship. We enjoy putting the time in, chopping, boiling, sauteing, baking, mixing, and frying. Savory smells and Tom Petty tunes fill the house as we each do our part. We have our own little expertise and tasks that we like to do. One of my favorites is slicing mushrooms. I love the feel of the texture as I make quick downward motions with one of our not-so-sharp knives. Breakfast and dinner are pretty big productions around here. Lunch is often skipped or filled with a quick wrap as we run out the door to our next farming task, but we take our time twice a day to slow down and enjoy. The thought of trading that for the convenience of a frozen pizza seems pitiful. We get so much more out of mealtime than a full belly. We fill our lives and home with genuine loving connection and care.    

~Joy

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