Back in the World War II era, the United States government encouraged citizens to do many things at home to contribute to the war. People donated used pots and pans to be melted down and made into military hardware, stockings and cigarettes were rationed, and citizens were encouraged to grow gardens and raise backyard chickens. Yes, the government actually did that. They even had a propaganda movie to show you the basics of how to do it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-8OeLPDwrA
One of the great joys in my life is growing food and raising back yard animals. While I confess the goat obsession yields me nothing but joy, the chickens, a.k.a. “The Girls” give me lots of fresh eggs. What I don’t plan to eat, I sell to friends at the yoga studio or give as gifts to friends who like to cook or bake. As for the produce I grow, what I don’t eat goes into little gift bags for neighbors and friends.
Somewhere along the way, we lost that drive. We are no longer encouraged to grow our own food. Rather, we are encouraged to be good consumers to help grow the economy. I see two problems with that:
- The food we are consuming is largely poisonous in terms of the sheer amount of pesticides they are laden with or that is literally genetically engineered into them.
- We have developed a barrier, a distance, between ourselves and our food sources.
The former is pretty easy to grasp. Using toxic chemicals to save large crops, while necessary for large crops, will likely result in the consumer ingesting that poison. Some crops, like strawberries, absorb far more poison than other crops with thicker skins. Additionally, we do not yet know the long term effects of GMO crops that have a sort of genetic pesticide built into the seeds themselves among other things. They are also genetically engineered to grow bigger, faster. I am dubious about that at best.
The latter is more subtle. When you grow your own food, you create an interesting and natural connection with your sustenance. Picking vegetables fresh out of the back yard and consuming them immediately is nigh on a spiritual experience. You appreciate it more because you directly experienced the effort necessary to raise the crops. The food is at it’s ultimate freshness and somehow tastes far more delicious than something grown elsewhere, transported over who knows how many miles, and picked up out of a grocery store bin. And you know what’s in and on it. You have the option to use natural methods of pest control that are not poisonous. You put your blood, sweat
and tears into cultivating it which yields a deep sense of satisfaction.
As for raising back yard chickens, I cannot emphasize enough the merits of doing so. It is incredibly simple to do and quite rewarding. I never really liked eggs until I harvested them out of my own back yard. Again, I control their diet, their living quarters, and I know that they truly are free range chickens with a natural, normal diet for them. They are not injected with antibiotics or chemicals to make them bigger than what is normal, nor are they locked in tiny cages day in and day out. They are normal, healthy animals and the yield ridiculously tasty eggs.
Now, one last thing. If you have a significant other, deciding to embark on this journey can be tricky, particularly if you encounter resistance. My two cents for what it’s worth: Don’t ask permission! Don’t hint at what you’re on about. Just show up one day with an armload of seeds or plants or chickens or whatever. Seriously. My husband always hates it at first, but then he quickly becomes attached to the plants and animals because he comes to appreciate the delicious food I serve from our back yard. He even worries about the goats!
Here are some places you may wish to investigate to get you started:
Ericka's 'Verse 
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