You’ve probably heard Michael Pollan’s name popping up in the media again lately. The author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma (and many other books) has just released another must-read manifesto called Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation.
This is great news in itself, but I’m equally thrilled that this publication has swung the spotlight back in Michael’s direction.
This man has things to say worth hearing.
Michael Pollan has emerged as one of the world’s most eloquent and persuasive voices for food preservation.
Not “preservation” as in canning and dehydration … we’re talking the protection and long-term security of food as we know it—or, rather, as our ancestors knew it.
Lest we forget and begin believing that our daily bread originates in a factory where genetically finagled wheat is impregnated with pesticides, Michael Pollan is intent on buzzing in our ears and bringing our consciousness back down to the soil.
He’s sort of like a neatly shaven Lorax who speaks for our food.
Ace, our resident foodie photographer, let us know that our glamping trip to Lindsborg, Kansas, would be extra special for her. Her family members are Swedish-speaking Finns and, well, why don’t I just let her tell it?
Take it away, Ace!
Uff da! Where to begin? Lutefisk and köttbullar (Swedish meatballs) have been a Christmas tradition in my farmour’s (grandmother’s) house my whole life.
My farmour, Ingegerd, was born in Jakobstad, Finland, a Swedish-speaking border town in Finland. And my farfar (grandfather), Edwin, was raised by his Finnish immigrant parents in logging camps in northwest Washington.
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Becky Brillon!
Becky Brillon (bbrillon, #3374) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Nellie Will-do Merit Badge!
“A co-worker/friend of mine’s husband died suddenly on December 4th, 2012 from a brain aneurysm. As she made the decision to pack up her home and move, she asked me in passing one day what to do with all of his clothes. One of the suggestions I gave her was to make his wool sweaters into mittens for her kids. She thanked me for the idea, and handed over the most beautiful wool sweaters I have ever seen. I cut out the mitten patterns and sewed them together. The lining of the mittens are made from recycled fleece blankets I buy cheap at rummage sales over the summer. I was able to make 5 pairs, for a total of 26 hours.
Of course, she cried when I brought the mittens back to her. She gave a pair to each of her kids, her son’s fiance, her mother, and a dear friend who met her at the hospital just after her husband died during an attempted CT Scan.”
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
