HOMEGROWN Chicken Soup

Its getting dark earlier, a change of season cold is settling into my head and my boyfriend is late for dinner. I am completely happy. I have a cutting board that is loaded with rainbowtastic veggies and herbs that are resting for a moment. Chicken thighs are browning in the pan – making stuffy state even headier with its foodie perfume. I’ve got an old album (Mike Doughty “Haughty Melodic”), newly rediscovered, blasting a little too loud. My kitchen is a wonderful oxymoron of chaos and peace. It’s a good night for chicken soup.

In this space, I am turning my treasure trove of locally grown vegetables (and sustainably raised chicken) into soul warming fuel. My veggies were picked yesterday and took two rinses to get the sand out. Standing at the sink, I try to consider the life of my food and how many lives it affected. The person who collected the seeds, put it in the ground, watered the seedlings; the time this particular plant spent in the soil; the chicken; the person that fed and slaughtered the chicken and the truck driver that drove the meat to my local yuppie mart. I love this food and I haven’t even tasted it yet.

Taking care to appreciate the bounty makes it impossible to throw together a careless meal. In fact, I make a point to summon summon memories of cooking with my mother and the smell of freshly baked bread whenever I cook. With this feeling of deep respect, enjoyment and love, I can pack those feelings back into this meal. It’s the last step that I need to take to maximize the potential of this food –regardless of the end product.

This is what HOMEGROWN is to me. Being able to feel a deep sense of respect for my food, its history, my history and being able to share it all in a bowl of chicken soup.

Urban Homesteading - our HOMEGROWN heroes

We all have our heroes, who are yours?
Urban Homesteaders are a group that we've been paying reverential attention to lately - those who take what little patch of land they have and strive for an independent, sustainable, and self-sufficient dwelling. From growing their own food to sourcing solar and wind energy to making their own clothes - these folks are models of self-reliance and resourcefulness.

If you’re dreaming of becoming a modern-day Thoreau, or simply looking for tools for sustainable living, check out these links for more information:
Path to Freedom
Homegrown Evolution
Urban-Homesteading.com
Urban Homesteader blog
Mother Jones article about city-owned urban homesteadsBackwoods Home Magazine

Who are the people that you think of as HOMEGROWN heroes?

How cool are these pumpkins?!?!

There's a seriously talented group of folks who do the coolest thing with pumpkins and power tools. I'm in awe. You can participate in a contest, or just check out their work here.