Want to know a secret? For a year or so when I was younger I swore off beef. I had spent a week on a dairy farm and got rather attached to the calves that were born. But I knew that all the male calves were going to be sold for meat. So I refused to eat beef, not wanting to eat my little friend.
I eventually ate beef again, but that same little girl who refused to eat her friend still pops up from time to time. Like when I would buy eggs. Given the option, I'm much happier buying eggs from cage free chickens than ones that live in cramped quarters. Call me silly, but I think that an egg from a happy chicken is better than one from a depressed chicken.
In December, I picked up a copy of a book by a favorite author, Barbara Kingsolver, about her year of living off her own farm. It's called Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and it tells how she, her husband and two daughters raised their own food for a year. They grew a garden, raised chickens and turkeys, made their own cheese even! What they couldn't raise (flour and milk were big ones for them, as they didn't keep cows) they bought from other local farmers.
Now, I don't live on a farm, but I took some big lessons away from this book. Food tastes better in season. I know, that makes sense, but how many of us pay it heed? We are so used to having tomatoes available all year, even if they taste like water and aren't any shade of red. It's crazy. The cost of transporting food, along with the time it takes, means that most of our food isn't really fresh. We are quickly driving hundreds of varieties of produce to extinction. When this country was first settled, there were so many varieties of tomatoes and lettuce and potatoes and squash--but now, with huge farms and the desire to make the perfect plant, we grow only three or four varieties.
Since I don't live on a farm, I can't exactly grow everything I eat. Let's face it, the foxes would kill any chickens I tried to raise, and I don't have a good record with gardens. But that doesn't mean that I can't make changes to how I eat.
So for the new year, I'm resolving to eat local whenever possible and eat in season. I'm going to support the farmer's market--putting more money back into our local economy, into the hands of families that are keeping some of those endangered varieties alive (it's funny, to help keep them from going extinct you have to eat them!). I'm going to support restaurants that use local produce and meat. And I'm going to eat in season as much as possible so I can really appreciate the food I'm eating. I'm going to find meat that is raised locally on cage-free/free range farms.
Is it going to be easy? Not likely. Will I have to pay a little more for my food? Probably. Am I willing to do that to make sure that I'm eating local, eating meat raised in humane and healthy conditions, and that my food isn't causing pollution and waste from being transported halfway around the country or world? Yes, I am.
Want to join me?
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resolutions. Show all posts
January 6, 2011
January 1, 2011
2010--The Tour
It’s that time—the moment when we take down the old calendar and put up a new one (well, I would, but I have yet to buy a calendar for this year). And with such a time often comes reflection and anticipation. A few of my friends have complied this list and I thought I might do the same…though there are some things I’m leaving off for reasons which will be explained shortly.
10 Things I Set Out To Do in 2010:
I did not set out to DO anything specific in 2010…I gave myself the year off from resolutions and goals and just let myself live.
10 Best Or Most Significant Events of 2010: (these are events that stand out in my mind, not necessarily as significant TO me, but significant events I was present for)
1. Deciding to become an Arbonne consultant/Quitting my job at the mall
2. Finishing my novel, Muddy Gap
3. The CP Moot
4. My birthday get-away
5. Seeing my mall boss go from boss to customer
6. Giving baskets to friends who needed some TLC
7. A midnight talk with Kale at the Moot
8. Chats with Dara at VI
9. Watching the Lunar Eclipse
10. Working on the new Sketch novel with Dara and David
10 Random Specific Moments:
1. Stargazing with CleanPlacers, praying out loud for a bright meteor and having that prayer answered within moments.
2. Kayla hiding her face against my shoulder when the sea serpent came on screen in Dawn Treader, and before it was over she was watching.
3. Will’s excitement at FINALLY getting his blanket.
4. Getting to visit my friend Tawni and her daughter while they were in the hospital—holding Kaylen, a true miracle.
5. Seeing Annie glowing as she did contact juggling at Moot
6. Having Allison at Panera ask me how my novel was going when I hadn’t even been in Panera for several months.
7. Painting a mural of “non-Kosher” animals with Dara, listening to the most random music mix, and laughing.
8. Watching the BBC version of Northanger Abbey with Kendra and Twinkie, and being rather horrified at what was done with the story.
9. Driving to Mirch Masala in freezing and snowy conditions with Twinkie so she and Dara and I could have dinner (at least I think it was 2010…)
10. Getting two roses my first month as an Arbonne consultant.
10 Favorite Albums of 2010: All my favorite albums are years old—and I couldn’t really name them anyway. I realized in 2010 that I’m not driven nearly as much by music as I thought I was, and that I can go days without it. But silence and I, now that’s a relationship to explore.
The 10 Best Places I Visited in 2010: I’m not sure I can come up with 10 as the only real trips I took were to Arizona and Denver…not very exciting on the travel front. But I might be able to come up with 10 restaurant…
1. Mirch Masala
2. El Tosoro
3. the crepes place in Denver on the 16th street mall
Okay, no…can’t do that either :P
10 Good Books I Read in 2010: Here’s one I can do with no trouble…
1. The Study Series (Poison, Magic, Fire) by Maria V Snyder
2. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
3. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
4. Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
5. Changes by Jim Butcher
6. Theater of the Stars: A Novel of Physics and Memory by N.M. Kelby
7. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenburg (reread)
8. East by Edith Pattou (reread)
9. Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
10 Miscellaneous Things I Learned in 2010:
1. Fear is something to be taken hold of and dealt with, and when you do, amazing things can happen.
2. The people you think will be around the longest might not be, so you should see them at every chance you can.
3. When you ask God for something big, have your running shoes on. You will need them to keep up!
4. When you make something a priority you will do it, even when you don’t have the time or energy.
5. Investing yourself in another person is always worth it.
6. I don’t deserve all the blessings in my life, but I am so thankful they are here.
7. Sometimes a hug or a smile can make it all better. (I’ve known this for a while, but it kept popping up this year).
8. God has a hysterical sense of humor, and he keeps me around just to entertain him.
9. When my toes are cold, the entire world is harder to deal with.
10. There are writers I will never be, but no other writer can write like I do—so I must write (another thing I know but need constant reminders of.)
11 Goals for 2011:
1. Be local. Eat local whenever possible (food grown in Colorado, in humane conditions, in season), be more aware of what is local, support local farmers.
2. Learn to play my guitar.
3. Lean to make pasta.
4. Become and Area Manager with Arbonne.
5. Get out of the state at least once this year.
6. Read at least one book every month that was recommended by a friend.
7. Crochet a blanket for Jake (it’s his year!).
8. Get out and stay out of my comfort zone.
9. Get and agent (I guess this was my one goal for 2010 and I failed, so it has to happen in 2011!)
10. Practice smiling at strangers.
11. Blog on a regular basis.
10 Things I Set Out To Do in 2010:
I did not set out to DO anything specific in 2010…I gave myself the year off from resolutions and goals and just let myself live.
10 Best Or Most Significant Events of 2010: (these are events that stand out in my mind, not necessarily as significant TO me, but significant events I was present for)
1. Deciding to become an Arbonne consultant/Quitting my job at the mall
2. Finishing my novel, Muddy Gap
3. The CP Moot
4. My birthday get-away
5. Seeing my mall boss go from boss to customer
6. Giving baskets to friends who needed some TLC
7. A midnight talk with Kale at the Moot
8. Chats with Dara at VI
9. Watching the Lunar Eclipse
10. Working on the new Sketch novel with Dara and David
10 Random Specific Moments:
1. Stargazing with CleanPlacers, praying out loud for a bright meteor and having that prayer answered within moments.
2. Kayla hiding her face against my shoulder when the sea serpent came on screen in Dawn Treader, and before it was over she was watching.
3. Will’s excitement at FINALLY getting his blanket.
4. Getting to visit my friend Tawni and her daughter while they were in the hospital—holding Kaylen, a true miracle.
5. Seeing Annie glowing as she did contact juggling at Moot
6. Having Allison at Panera ask me how my novel was going when I hadn’t even been in Panera for several months.
7. Painting a mural of “non-Kosher” animals with Dara, listening to the most random music mix, and laughing.
8. Watching the BBC version of Northanger Abbey with Kendra and Twinkie, and being rather horrified at what was done with the story.
9. Driving to Mirch Masala in freezing and snowy conditions with Twinkie so she and Dara and I could have dinner (at least I think it was 2010…)
10. Getting two roses my first month as an Arbonne consultant.
10 Favorite Albums of 2010: All my favorite albums are years old—and I couldn’t really name them anyway. I realized in 2010 that I’m not driven nearly as much by music as I thought I was, and that I can go days without it. But silence and I, now that’s a relationship to explore.
The 10 Best Places I Visited in 2010: I’m not sure I can come up with 10 as the only real trips I took were to Arizona and Denver…not very exciting on the travel front. But I might be able to come up with 10 restaurant…
1. Mirch Masala
2. El Tosoro
3. the crepes place in Denver on the 16th street mall
Okay, no…can’t do that either :P
10 Good Books I Read in 2010: Here’s one I can do with no trouble…
1. The Study Series (Poison, Magic, Fire) by Maria V Snyder
2. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
3. The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
4. Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
5. Changes by Jim Butcher
6. Theater of the Stars: A Novel of Physics and Memory by N.M. Kelby
7. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Joanne Greenburg (reread)
8. East by Edith Pattou (reread)
9. Children of God by Mary Doria Russell
10. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
10 Miscellaneous Things I Learned in 2010:
1. Fear is something to be taken hold of and dealt with, and when you do, amazing things can happen.
2. The people you think will be around the longest might not be, so you should see them at every chance you can.
3. When you ask God for something big, have your running shoes on. You will need them to keep up!
4. When you make something a priority you will do it, even when you don’t have the time or energy.
5. Investing yourself in another person is always worth it.
6. I don’t deserve all the blessings in my life, but I am so thankful they are here.
7. Sometimes a hug or a smile can make it all better. (I’ve known this for a while, but it kept popping up this year).
8. God has a hysterical sense of humor, and he keeps me around just to entertain him.
9. When my toes are cold, the entire world is harder to deal with.
10. There are writers I will never be, but no other writer can write like I do—so I must write (another thing I know but need constant reminders of.)
11 Goals for 2011:
1. Be local. Eat local whenever possible (food grown in Colorado, in humane conditions, in season), be more aware of what is local, support local farmers.
2. Learn to play my guitar.
3. Lean to make pasta.
4. Become and Area Manager with Arbonne.
5. Get out of the state at least once this year.
6. Read at least one book every month that was recommended by a friend.
7. Crochet a blanket for Jake (it’s his year!).
8. Get out and stay out of my comfort zone.
9. Get and agent (I guess this was my one goal for 2010 and I failed, so it has to happen in 2011!)
10. Practice smiling at strangers.
11. Blog on a regular basis.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)