Simple Lives Thursday: Producing More, Consuming Less

I am happy to participate in Annette's "Simple Lives" Blog Hop, on the topic of "producing more, consuming less." Annette, author of the blog "Sustainable Eats," was generous enough to invite me to her garden last month (well, I invited myself really...), to see how she managed to feed her family from an average sized city lot. From the looks of it, time is her most precious commodity, so I was very appreciative that she so willingly shared it with a stranger. How does she get so much done with two active boys running circles around her and the chickens?

Besides being awed by Annette's garden, I just finished reading Shannon Hayes' book "Radical Homemakers," so I am surrounding myself with people who are doing what I strive to do, they are just doing it better. The inspiration is helpful, even if I don't aspire to try to "do it all." In the process of simplifying one's life, it shouldn't be made miserable. I, for one, believe that every little change towards "producing more, consuming less" is helpful.

I still own a TV (and refuse to be ashamed about it), and don't own a clothes drying-rack (I do feel slightly guilty about all of the electricity I use to dry the clothes, but I barely keep up with the laundry as it is). However, I have managed to replace a significant portion of my grocery shopping with food from the garden, and have learned the wisdom in the saying, "not wanting something is as good as having it."

I just returned from a blissful vacation on the banks of Redwood Creek, in Humboldt County, California. I introduced my baby boy to the joys of river swimming, black bear spotting, and getting sand in your lunch. I also began the process of teaching my son that true fun and adventure doesn't need to include "package deals" or Disney characters. 

I had an Iron-Chef moment in the morning, before heading out the river, which resulted in the pasta salad seen below. The pesto disappeared with the men, who left at six in the morning, to fish all day. I sifted through the contents of the cooler and came up with rainbow chard and garlic, from the Arcata famers market, and a block of feta cheese.

I warmed the garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil over the stove, and added dried herbs and chili flakes that I found in the cupboard. I tossed the flavored oil with the cooked pasta, feta cheese, and 4 cups of chopped raw chard. It held up very well in the cooler, and was good enough to make me glad that the pesto went AWOL.

 great-grandma and baby enjoying a river picnic