The Sprout Problem

Usually about March or April I decide to grow some sprouts. I start half a cup or a cup of seeds, and within a few days I have a glass jar exploding with little green shoots. I can never eat them all before they go bad. So, I've revised my approach to growing sprouts:

1.) Collect 3 or 4 pint-ish sized glass jars with lids.

2.) Pick some beans-- I've had good luck with dried beans from the grocery store, and I've never used special sprouting beans. Google them to make sure they aren't toxic when eaten raw. You can also sprout smaller seeds, but beans are easier and make less of a mess.

3.) Rinse about two tablespoons of beans in a berry strainer or colander. If you don't have either of those, you can rinse them by filling a bowl with water and rubbing the beans underwater in your hands.

4.) Put the beans in the bottom of the jar. Fill the jar with water. Cover the jar, and let it sit for 12 hours.

5.) Drain the water (you can use cheesecloth or a sprouting lid for this, but you can also be careful and use your fingers), rinse the beans in just enough water to cover them, and then drain them so they are moist but not submerged. Put them in a warm, sunny place.

6.) Rinse them twice a day until they are long enough to eat, usually half an inch to two inches. Then put them in the refrigerator to keep them fresh until you eat them. Meanwhile, one to three days after you start the first batch (depending on their growth rate), start another 1-2 tablespoons in the second jar.

7.) Repeat with the third jar. Put the first jar back into the mix, and enjoy indefinite cheap sprouts.

8.) Nom.

Small Victories

So, I just started grad school, I'm alone in a new city, I don't seem to be able to do what I'm supposed to be doing, and it's all rather overwhelming.

But I cut up and froze two full two-gallon bags of local peaches, so I can eat them during winter and spring. It was easier than last year. It was such a small thing, and yet it snapped me out of the bad mood I'd been in.

And as I experienced this small victory, it reminded me to stop subconsciously considering myself incompetent. "Not perfect" and "incompetent" are two entirely different things. It's easy, for me, to let small setbacks convince me that I'm not good at anything, but that's not true and it's harmful.

So thanks, peaches.

Peppers

I dried another batch of peppers. If I dried them all properly and they don't go bad, that gives me four small jars, which should get me through winter. I used this guide from "Straight From The Farm"; it's got good advice, and I recommend taking a look.

Eating Local

As another addendum, though I've been really busy and not eating as I like to do, I have noticed that more and more of my meals are local-- this is because I've been buying more local staples, like dairy, eggs, bread, and fruits. I think I've seem to hit a plateau; if I wanted to do things like get local flour, local nuts, etc., I'd have to actively search them out, and that would be nearly impossible without a car. Alas, winter is upon us, which means my local produce options will dwindle significantly. I have dried one batch of local peppers and have more peppers sitting on my table (I do hope they're not rotting by now...) and I have a little fruit frozen. I will dry some more fruit later in the month.

Also, I've discovered the thing known as the "day-old bread bin," which is a wonderful thing for college students and anyone on a budget.

Peak Oil Hausfrau: Hell Colonizing Earth

If you have a spare moment, I recommend heading over to Peak Oil Hausfrau and reading her very funny and very disturbing Hell announces Pilot Colonization Program.

I've been very busy with school, and many of my local eating/eating principles have fallen by the wayside. I have food in my fridge that is going bad, even ethically raised meat (!) I considered sneaking that one out into the woods so the animals could get it, but then I considered what would happen if I was stopped by security while carrying a bag of blood and raw flesh...

No 'poo continues, though, and it's pretty successful. At some point I'll claw my way out from under the stack of books, notes, homework and lab protocols, and resume regular posting and eating my fruits and vegetables. (I did discover a restaurant that does a lot of local sourcing, and it's not far off and the food is delicious. I think I'll be going back.)

Anyway, if you read all this, go read the link!

Urban Hippiedom

In a shocking turn of events, school eats into blogging time! (I suspect it's the other way around, too.) I do have a couple posts in the pipes.

This morning, breakfast was homemade wheat bread, homemade yogurt (from local milk), and a local apple. It's good to be a hippie.