One time for 2022 - FOOD

No, literally, I'm going to blog once this whole year. It has been a year of personal and professional growth, but as you can tell, it's been offline. Frankly, the lines between personal and professional have been hazy these last couple years and this year I got a better grip on that.

What knowledge could I possibly impart on this last day of 2022 that would matter at all? I guess I'll just say the following things about something deeply personal and important to me: food.

First, I've tried new food things, especially plant based things. I made tofu tacos and they were great. Tofu gets a bad rap. I want to explore more and more this coming year - new spices and lots and lots of new soups. My dziadek would be proud. 

• If I can make a recommendation for a blog AND a book, I would say Love & Lemons. Jeanine and Jack make a plant-based diet so accessible and delicious with all of their wonderful recipes. Gonna' buy this book for myself, not gonna' lie. Got that spiral-bound for heavy use. 

Next, I love growing stuff I eat. To be clear, I'm only talking plants here. I'm not a great gardener. In fact, I have a little plot of dead seedlings I was experimenting with downstairs right now. However, I won't give up. There's something really great about having my own little patch of land where I can grow things that I can harvest and enjoy throughout the year. There are tons of resources out there, but here's a few of my favorites:

• Book: The Garden Primer by Barbara Damrosch
• The joe gardener Show podcast

My absolute favorite purchase in the last year or two has been my compost machine. Yes, I have a compost pile way in the back, but it takes a long time and frankly, I kept adding to it, never really having a complete pile. Now, I use Vitamix's FoodCycler FC-50. It's worth every, single penny. It's also made me much more in tune with how much food waste we're producing. Hopefully it will help my sketchy garden journey, too!

Lastly, I've really taken a liking to tracking my food and drink by simply making quick pages with a bunch of days and happily track along as I see fit. I journal if I'm feeling the spirit, but sometimes, I just want to mark what I consumed and get on with it. It's flexible and perfect. Hopefully I can incorporate more meal planning, but that's an ongoing struggle. 

Have a safe and happy new year!

Dividing Lilies

Plants are great. They are so chill that they are like, hey, if you divvy us up, we'll propagate more, free plants and flowers. I am very new to the gardening game, but I'm going to take advantage of these last few relatively warm fall days and divide some lilies. Here's a page from my garden journal (that is a sticker, I am not that skilled). Also, I enjoyed both of these helpful videos on the matter. 

Victory Gardens in 2020

I've been waffling on creating a garden in the backyard for just about 3 seasons (maybe 4, whatever). The coronavirus outbreak got my butt in gear. I started listening to podcasts, started a garden journal, bought supplies and seeds and plants. And hopefully my first season as a vegetable gardener isn't a total bust. Yesterday I was surprised by a soil delivery that I wasn't expecting for another week!

I subscribed to a couple newsletters to help with my second gardening season (first vegetable) and have REALLY enjoyed them both so far. They are both providing me with great beginner info AND engaging me with cool history.

• Journey with Jill - Beginner's Garden🌱
  Honestly, until I looked up the link, I had no idea that Jill was like super Bible study lady. I'm a secular gal, myself, but her gardening newsletter is awesome. It doesn't have any religious undertones. Plus, the faith of others doesn't bug me one bit. Her knowledge and willingness to share it will definitely bless my garden! Check it out.
• Old Farmer's Almanac 🌱
  This an oldie, but goodie. As a librarian, I always wondered if the Almanac was full of nonsense, but after subscribing to their newsletter, I'm hooked. They had a fantastic post about Victory Gardens. My head was already there and then this post came through. I was fascinated to learn this nugget (emphasis added by moi):
  
  "Eleanor Roosevelt began a new Victory Garden campaign after Pearl Harbor was bombed and Americans dug in once again for Uncle Sam. By the end of WWII, 40% of the country’s produce came from backyard gardens."

Let's Goooooooooo (garden)!

Urban farming in Michigan

One of the things I'm most looking forward to when I get a house will be tending to my own garden. As in previous recessions and depressions, urban gardening has become quite popular. There's been a lot of talk here in Michigan about using Detroit's vast wastelands as urban agriculture spaces. People are starting their own gardens. My favorite one is the Georgia Street Gardens, which have been featured on the cool Detroit blog Sweet Juniper, Time and the Detroit News. It's a great story and when I get a minute, I want to go visit and see how they're doing. But there are also other gardening opportunities sprouting elsewhere, too. Check out these resources that can help you get involved or get started:

Earthworks Urban Farm
1264 Meldrum, Detroit, has many volunteer opportunities. Call (313) 579-2100, Ext. 204, or contact them via e-mail at earthworks@cskdetroit.org.

Detroit Garden Resource Program
They provide classes, and individuals can become members to receive plants, seeds and compost. For more information, call The Greening of Detroit at (313) 237-8736 or visit www.detroitagriculture.org.

The Greening of Detroit
While focusing on planting trees and creating green space in Detroit, the group also needs volunteers and provides other resources to gardeners. For more information, call (313) 237-8736 or e-mail the group at info@greeningofdetroit.com.

Michigan State University Extension
MSU can help with everything from analyzing your soil to hosting classes on how to preserve produce. They can be reached at (517) 355-2308 or at (888) 678-3464.

How to start a city garden:

• Find a parcel of land. If privately owned, find the owner and get permission. If city- or county-owned, contact Detroit or Wayne County about purchasing the land. Although some people start gardens without permission, the strongest community gardens are those established through legal means.
  
• Get a water source. Ask a neighbor; have the city install a water source and meter -- a cost is involved; haul water yourself; or set up a rain barrel.
  
• Get good soil. The MSU extension can help with soil testing. Or because of contamination fears, bring in new dirt and create a raised bed for planting.
  
• Start planting. Seeds are cheap and readily available. Plants, though more expensive, can also be purchased at local farmers' markets.
  

Source: Detroit Agriculture Network