Disconnecting - Whole Life Redesign

This post opens a series about finding simple and effective ways to disconnect from habits that keep us on the path of continuing destruction of the environment. There is more to this undertaking than actually has to do with connecting to the natural world and restoring skills known to our predecessors. The decision to disconnect leads us on the path of whole life redesign - a protracted careful look at how we can do things differently to create a more sustainable and fulfilling life.

Goat Cheese - Winter Harvest!

 

Mozarella (pictured above) is a good summer cheese - easy to make, fast and highly enjoyable with all the stretchy cheese strings and braided designs. It tastes great with tomatoes, and basil - and I have already written on this blog about my profound realization that many of our beloved classic dishes are actually made not just with components that go well together, but these ingredients actually occur in nature at the same time! 

Mozarella-basil-tomato salad is one of those dishes that speaks about a particular moment in the season, ripe tomatoes, juicy basil leaves, and of course lots and lots of fresh sweet milk. 

In the winter, a much more appropriate cheese is a hard wheel of Gouda, Monterrey Jack, or Cheddar - cheeses that take months to ripen. 

Sauer Kraut Recipe

Classic recipe for small batch fermenting -

Christmas as Archetype

Here I wish to share something that has inspired me for several years; in fact it made me want to understand and experience this holiday as such  - holy, special day of the year. Enjoy.
Christmas as archetype by Matthew Fox

Calm and Quiet Work – Inner Life and Living Green in December

How do we meet the cold and the dark of the year in a permaculture way; what goes on with ourselves and our gardens, houses, kitchens and landscapes?

This dark time of year commands slowing down, nesting and conserving energy. The soils are resting under the thick blanket of mulch, leaves and twigs that were brought to the garden earlier. Orchards silently receive weak sunshine and strong night frosts. There are hardly any eggs in the chicken house, and goats are giving less milk.

Small Batch Sauerkraut

I am clear now that "small batch" is the way to go when making fermented foods. Typically kraut is made in large crocks (10 gallons or so), I guess because during harvest all the cabbage comes in at once; or maybe this tradition was invented by people with large families - either way it seems to be done in large amounts.