baby steps.

Well it has been a while since starting this blog and writing my first post. I think just before the Holidays was not the smartest time to start this endeavor considering the amount of Holiday parties, food, and time spent staying at my parents. But I am now back home and into my routine and it is a New Year and this is something I am dedicating myself to this year. But all journeys begin with just one step and while I am taking more than one step at a time right now, they are but mere baby steps. Small things I can do now without feeling too overwhelmed or changing too much at once. Later in this experience I will do a post about big steps and long term goals, but for now here is what I am trying....

--switching to grass fed beef and pork only (local if possible, but not a necessity at this point)
--buying cage-free vegetarian fed eggs. This is a little more expensive but finding local eggs is easy to find and they really do taste better
--buying organic when possible (most local food is from small markets is already organic)
--Trying to buy fruits and vegetables that are in season(since I am starting this in January, this will be easier as the year goes on.)
--Shopping Farmer's Markets (I am luck the Ann Arbor one is open year round :)
--Using this cold weather time to investigate my options and make a grow plan for the spring
--Learning to make my own cheese and bread.
--Creative meal planning that won't make me feel like my options are limited

the book that started it all.

This is the book that started this whole new journey for me, thus inspiring me to keep a sort of journal of my experiences through this new blog. I had read other fiction novels by Kingsolver and when I was reading over her book list I stumbled upon this one. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but knew it was about food (which I LOVE) and growing it yourself (something I am getting into) so I gave it a shot. For a non fiction book it was still a page turner for me. With each page I turned it felt like I was getting closer to home. After the first few chapters I knew this was a lifestyle I wanted to try. Pure good food the way nature intended it. Knowing what was going into my body on a meal by meal basis.

So what is this blog about exactly? It is about journeying into the world of locavores (please see definition on the left). What it takes to become one. The sacrifices. The payoffs. The new tastes and experiences. Now, I want to put out there right away that I am by no means jumping off the cliff all or nothing here. This is something I plan on easing into and eventually settling into on a more permanent basis. I also want to say that I pass no judgment on those who disagree or choose to continue eating Doritos and chicken nuggets :) I am not a preacher, just someone who wants to share their own experiences.

With all that said, I invite you to partake in my journey in any form you wish, reader, observer, dabbler, die hard, friend, foe, supporter, or skeptic.