I have been thinking a lot lately about my relationship with the environment, the lands around me, my family, other women..... and food.
I am blessed to have women on both sides of my family, in both Alaska and the vast empty lands of Texas, who believe in the importance of growing and making their own food. They garden and cook for many reasons - a sense of satisfaction, the chance to make things exactly the way you like them (pesticide and chemical free), and to save money (one of my favorite cookbooks, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, shares that making a loaf of bread costs approximately 40 cents. I figure that my loaves are closer to 50 cents because I enjoy experimenting with different seeds, nuts, and other toppings and ingredients, but regardless, it's a far cry from the $3.00 that is the starting price at my local grocery store, and closer to $5.00 for the whole wheat and sprouted grain varieties we truly enjoy).
For the women on both sides of my family, winter means time to pull out the seed charts and order directly from the grower (Peters Seed Company has great vegetable and herb seeds at fair prices. I particularly enjoy their cold-tolerant hybrids. This year I am asking women from Fairbanks to Anchorage to test the Alaskan Fancy, a new tomato seed; I'll let you know how it goes! Even in warmer climes, I enjoy northern varieties because they provide early yields). Most of my garden remains in pots as I bounce from place to place across the country on military duty, so I take the time to stock up on space-saving items while they are on winter discount (this year's addition - potato and salad bins from Gardener's Supply Company, one of my favorite suppliers). Early spring is perfect for starting seeds indoors; late spring is the season to get your hands dirty and move those slender shoots into the ground. Summer is for watching, harvesting, and preserving. My Italian mother cans up to 40 large jars of completely garden grown, homemade spaghetti squash in a plentiful year, boils down pears for jellies, pulls lemons from trees for lemonade, and breaks out the sealer to preserve everything from whole pies with her own fruits (just pull out and bake) to squash dishes. My Alaskan mother-in-law produces potatoes the size of both hands, freezes enough spinach and carrots to feed at least three families that I know of throughout the winter, and hosts summer parties that feature margaritas made with her wild strawberries. Fall is for late crops if desired, frantically harvesting before the frost, and giving away anything you can't fit in your own freezers. Winter is for fostering gratitude for a bountiful harvest, and beginning the planning cycle again.
This cycle, based upon seasons, different every quarter, yet the same year after year, is deeply satisfying to me. I believe that while men and women are equal in capabilities, talents, and abilities, we remain fundamentally different. I believe it is right for women to connect to the earth, and to her loved ones around her, by cultivating one to share with the other. Perhaps this connection is part of what makes Alaska so appealing to me.... the growing season there is short, but bountiful beyond compare, and the harsh winters make delineation between points in the cycle finite and clear. Haven't experienced the satisfaction of growing your own food? Then whether you choose a single herb or an acre of vegetables, it's time to get out there and grow!
