abby
the space between growing enough food to impact your grocery budget and growing enough food to survive off of is the the size of the Grand Canyon
Apr 2 at 9:46pmWeb
Show threadabby20h ago

I think most people with access to a growing space and water can accomplish the former. I think extremely few people, and definitely not people who don't already have experience doing the former, can do the latter without years of practice.

I wish people concerned about food access wouldn't be met with pushes to do the latter. Helping them access food programs would be a significantly more helpful action.

Show threadabby20h ago

this doesn't mean I am not advocating for every single person to get involved with their food chain process and grow things with their own hands, I absolutely think everyone should attempt to grow what they are reasonably and comfortably able to grow

I just think we need to be realistic, and help folks new to growing their own to be realistic too. sustainable progress!

Show threadDan20h ago

@vapaad i've been intimidated by gardening for a long time, but for the first time this year i'm gonna try growing something i both really like and is impossible to get fresh in the u.s. - sorrel

it's only been a few days but my little friends are sprouting!

Show threadabby20h ago

@dank I love growing herbs, you get so much for your efforts!

I don't use much sorrel but I should learn to because it's one that'll be ready to harvest before anything else is even ready to go outside (much like chives and oregano! my mature ones have been ready to be harvested for a couple weeks now)

Show threadDan19h ago

@vapaad soup, soup, soup! it's really popular all over Europe, but especially in the east. there are Ukrainian, russian, Armenian, and even French versions (with a smoother texture). it's also great cold, especially if you make it without meat.

https://momsdish.com/recipe/474/sorrel-soup-recipe

Quick Sorrel Soup (Shchavel Borscht)

Sorrel Soup is a classic Russian/Ukrainian soup that’s loaded with potatoes, greens and veggies. Serve it hot with a big dollop of sour cream.

Momsdish
Show threadabby19h ago
@dank I'm not sure if I'm brave enough to try eggs in soup (I don't like hard boiled eggs to start) but the rest of this sounds fun and I grow all the veg listed!!
Show threadDan19h ago

@vapaad you can definitely leave them out! i actually prefer to add the hard-boiled chopped eggs right before serving because i can't stand overcooked eggs, so i sympathize.

they add a bit of substance and unctuousness, but the soup has plenty going on already.

Show threadDan19h ago

@vapaad actually, if you're feeling even more adventurous, check out Окрошка. it's basically a no-cook soup with garden veggies + herbs covered with either kvass or kefir & sparkling water (Borjomi if you can find it, but anything works). it doesn't suffer from leaving out the egg, either.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmTDoWAdDpw

Okroshka (Russian Cold Soup): 50% Salad, 50% Soup, 100% Weird

YouTube
Show threadM.Paola19h ago
@dank @vapaad how interesting, I'll have to try making this, I was just wondering yesterday how to use all the red veined sorrel that finally established on my plot and grows everywhere!
Show threadDavidM_yeg13h ago

@vapaad

We grow modestly on a suburban lot: enough tomato, cucumber, peas, greens, and basil, cilantro, and other herbs to enjoy fresh and delicious for 3 months; enough green beans and carrots to freeze to get us almost through the winter. A small strawberry patch bc yum! and raspberries and haskaps.

Show threadDavidM_yeg13h ago

@vapaad

It’s good and rewarding and delicious, but I’m under no illusion that we could feed ourselves unless we quit our jobs and went full time, and even then it would take years to get there.

I remember summers at my grandparents farm, with a 1 acre garden for the family… it was huge and *so *much *work!

Show threadKatherine W20h ago

@vapaad

Yes, I recall thinking, after a week or so of making pickles and making & freezing quart bags of tomato sauce that we had enough for a jar of pickles every 2 weeks and a quart of tomato sauce a week for the next 10 months...

Show threadabby20h ago
@FiddleSix my tomatoes lasted me until Christmas and I thought that was an incredible success lol
Show threadKatherine W19h ago

@vapaad

Late winter is going to be rough! Lol!