To my favorite gardener

This is my daddy eating a pepper that he grew last year in his garden.  I didn’t want to try it because I was afraid they were hot so he ate one first and said “See, they aren’t even a little hot.”

I ate one- it was hot.

If I remember correctly, this was taken the day before Thanksgiving last year in Daddy’s garden.  Yep- peppers at the end of November.  Alabama, people.

We actually picked all of these because I think there was a frost warning (I’m obviously chilly since I’m wearing a hat and vest) and ended up with a few grocery bags full.  These were VERY prolific pepper plants, but I can’t remember what kind they were.

Anyway, I’m rambling here when I’m trying to write a father’s day post to my Dad, who I’m sure is the reason I love to garden.  I can remember rolling my eyes and whining about the gardens that he had when I was little, but it looks like something rubbed off!  Thanks for the genes and the know-how, Daddy!  Love you bunches!

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Beginning

I recoginize the oddity of beginning this blog in September. It’s rapidly becoming fall here, which means things are going to be winding down soon. Now don’t get me wrong, we still have summer squash and tomatoes and strawberries but we also now have apples and Blue Hubbard squash and the first few Brussels sprouts. Everything is going to be stopping right when I’m beginning.

Well, here’s why:

First of all, I’m nothing if not impatient and impulsive. I’ve only recently started reading two wonderful blogs, Eating Alabama and Garlic Breath, that have inspired me to no end. I’m overwhelmed with awe at what they are doing and it made me want to finally do something. Pete and I have been trying to live a life of sustainability and local-eating, but boy howdy those two are really doing it. I feel like an amateur but I also feel like I want to do it too. I figured that I shouldn’t waste this excitement.

Secondly, I’m doing this now because it’s going to take planning. I had a small garden this year, but it was haphazard. We put a few things away for the winter, but nowhere near as much as I would have liked. I thought it would be useful for me to gather my plans and thoughts and really make a go of it next spring.

And last, of course, because I just about lose my mind here in the winter. If nothing else, I should be entertaining as I slide into delusion and frustration. There is a reason that the title of this blog is Surviving (on) Massachusetts. It’s as much about me lasting as it is about me eating.

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A bit about me…

(this is my “about me” page.  I thought it’d be a good way to start off my blog)

Hi. I’m Taylor. I’m (almost) 26 years old.

I grew up in Alabama. Now I live in Massachusetts. I’ve only been here for a year and I came all because of a boy named Pete(naturally) (the boy part, not the Pete part). I’m still getting used to it. (Did you know that this stuff falls from the sky here? It’s white and fluffy and cold. I’m still confused by it. Also there is ice. ON THE ROAD. WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO DRIVE MY CAR. Who’s idea was all this? I think we need to have a little discussion…)

I desperately want to grow my own food, all of it, but I’m only a weensy bit successful at it. And I figure, if I can’t grow my own, I’m damn sure going to get whatever I can from local farms. I believe in good, local, fresh food. I believe in organic, but if I have to choose from an organic watermelon grown 3,000 miles away in Mexico and a watermelon grown with pesticides by the farmer who lives 3 miles from me, I’m going to pick the local. I believe in pasture-raised meat. I don’t believe that cows should be eating cows and chickens should be eating cows and I don’t believe any of those should be eating corn. I don’t believe in antibiotics being crammed into our food. I am alarmed by tomatoes in January and Brussels Sprouts in July and oranges all-year-round.

And y’all, I’m new at this- a recent convert, if you will. So please bear with me.

Stay tuned, ok…

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