Throwing some granola bars and string cheese in our bag as we head off farm with the boys is not an option during OWYG, which really brings to light our historical reliance on convenience foods. When the boys were little, I quickly adopted the habit of always having snacks at the ready. It gave me an important sense of security, knowing I wouldn’t be caught in a situation where we would fall apart because we stayed out longer than planned or at the mercy of what might be available. We just went to the park yesterday, we ate lunch before we left, and then I managed to fit more mason jars in a lunch box than I think the poor thing was intended for. We had T’s homemade pickles, hard-boiled eggs, blueberries gathered that morning, sliced salted cucumber, and some dried plums.
It’s one thing to be on the farm and eliminate outside foodstuffs, but it’s a different kind of challenge to be eating only what you grow when you go off farm for extended periods of time. Last year, E did Only What You Grow for 22 days solo, and during that time we went back country camping near Estacada. He packed hand-harvested and hand-ground oat flour tortillas, hard-boiled eggs, meat balls, carrots, and dried fruit. He said that experience was a challenge because of the need to balance the huge energy output (bush whacking steep ravines) and rationing the finite amount of food he had available. I think watching me and the boys eat couscous that night didn’t help.
During that time, he also took a two-day blacksmith class in Portland where he stayed overnight. On that outing, he took hand-ground wheat flour and lard to make flat bread, carrots and other veggies, garlic powder, a dozen eggs, and some incarnation of pork. He said it wasn’t too challenging because he was prepared and had access to his family’s kitchen to prepare food.
I work off farm full time now, and I have felt the need to be very strategic in planning my meals ahead of time. Leftovers are key. Protein is key. I know I will face some pretty random lunches when we have no leftovers, but office pastries and candy bowls will be declined and bypassed – we are on a mission.
So, this first week of Only What You Grow is definitely increased the need for forethought and preparation, and much bigger lunch boxes.
Gone Farming 