Blog

Sustainable Food

Today I’m expanding my sustainable food horizons.  I’ve been on a path to better health for my family and the environment by choosing to purchase organic and locally grown food whenever possible.  So far my food search has led me to Whole Foods, local farmer’s markets, Kroger’s organic section and West Wind Farms .  I purchase my raw, organic milk, cheese, butter, eggs and grass-fed/pastured meats from West Wind, a Tennessee Farm, and my farmer delivers them to my doorstep.  Now I’m ready to start purchasing larger bulk items like grains, beans, fruits, nuts and legumes from another local farm that offers bulk natural foods.  I just ordered 10 lbs of raw, unpasteurized almonds.  I’ll let you know how they taste.

Last year I purchased a worm composter with 1000 red worms and they have been working very hard for me.  By spring I hope to have plenty of compost for my backyard garden. This year I’m really hoping to put in a rainwater harvesting system so I’ll have plenty of water for my garden in the event of another drought like last summer.  In the spring we will be building a chicken coop.  I’ve been wanting to raise chickens for their eggs and to help with our fly and mosquito problem for some time now.  I know my girls will enjoy petting the hens and collecting their eggs.

Helpful links:  (You can also click on them in the text above)

West Wind Farms

Bulk Natural Foods

Abundant Earth Can-O-Worms

Why ‘Transition Now’?

You are probably wondering why I named my blog, ‘Transition Now’.  What is the transition that I’m referring to? According to the Transition Network Site,

A Transition Initiative (which could be a town, village, university or island etc) is a community-led response to the pressures of climate change, fossil fuel depletion and increasingly, economic contraction. There are thousands of initiatives around the world starting their journey to answer this crucial question:

“for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly rebuild resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil and economic contraction) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change)?”

I have started this process with my family here but I’m hoping that this effort will grow into a movement in our community.   There are many great resources that are available for anyone who is interested in building resilience.

Definition of Resilience: The capacity of a system to absorb disturbance and re-organise while undergoing change, so as to retain essentially the same function, structure, identity and feedbacks.

 

Here are a few of my favorite resources:

Transition USA – Providing inspiration, encouragement, support, networking, and training for Transition Initiatives across the United States

Resilient City

Transition Culture – An evolving exploration into the head and hands of energy descent

Post Peak Living – Everything you need to know about Peak Oil and how to prepare for post peak life.

Resilience Thinking

Beyond Peak – A Guide to Self-Sufficiency and Sustainable Living

Recommended Reading List for Transitioning to Post Peak Living – This list is put together by Transition USA

Films – Comprehensive list of documentaries also put together by Transition USA

Why Community Matters

Resilience Science

 

More on Peak Oil and why we need to build resilience:

Peak Oil News – The latest on peak oil news, information resources and articles

If Oil Runs Out – BBC video on Peak Oil

The Oil Drum – For news and insights and peak fossil fuel production

Why Peak Oil is Serious (Video)

Peak Oil For Dummies

Wolf at the Door – A beginners guide to peak oil

Dry Dipstick – A Peak Oil Metadirectory

TED  TALKS – Rob Hopkins: Transition to a world without oil

“Pondering our Post-Petroleum Future” with Michael Ruppert (Video)

Addicted to Oil ( Video)

 

New Beginnings

It all started for me when I watched, ‘A Crude Awakening, the Oil Crash’ and ‘The End of Suburbia’ back in June of last year.  That was my first exposure to peak oil and the depletion of fossil fuel that’s coming.   Since then I’ve been thinking, reading and learning everything I can about becoming resilient and living sustainably.   A few months ago I put together a five-year plan for my family that I hope will prepare us for any disaster or emergency, including skyrocketing oil and food prices.  So here’s my long-term plan:

Five Year Plan for Becoming Resilient

My Goals:

1. Be 80% Energy independent (housing and transportation) by 2017
2. Have 6 months of food and seed storage in place by 2012
3. Have water collection and water storage in place by the summer of 2012
4. Have a complete long term emergency supply kit in place by the summer of 2012
5. Have 60% of our land in use for food production by the spring of 2013
6. Become educated about permaculture, food preservation, food storage and basic survival skills (ongoing).

7. Join or build a community of like minded individuals to work together toward a brighter, more sustainable future.

Steps for becoming energy-efficient:

1)    New roof with radiant heat barrier.
2)    New heater or heat pump (energy star) more attic insulation, all devices on power strips including garage doors and kitchen appliances. Put fridge and freezer on timers.
3)    Purchase clothes dryer spinner
4)    Research and purchase solar panels or solar windows by 2015.
5)    Research and purchase electric car and battery-powered bike or scooter by 2015.

Steps for food storage:

1)    Decide on location (clean and organize)
2)    Learn what food stores best
3)    Find a bulk provider
4)    Begin purchasing storable food
5)    Order seeds from the seed vault

Steps for water collection and storage:

1)    Put in a rainwater collection device and purchase water barrels.
2)    Put in an irrigation system from water storage to the garden.
3)    Purchase water purification tablets or water purifier/distiller
4)    Purchase reverse osmosis for drinking water
5)    Put in a well (if necessary – do the research)

Steps for creating an emergency supply kit:

For the car:

1) 2 gallons of water, survival manual, first aid kit, spare clothes, water filter, flashlight, rope, blanket/sleeping bag, granola bars, batteries, crank radio, knife.

72-hour “Grab and Run” Emergency Kit:

1)    Purchase LED or crank flashlights, batteries, crank radio, water filter, iodine tablets, waterproof matches, long butane lighter, sleeping bags and wood/pile blankets, headlamp with LED light, candles, basic toiletries, cooking device, first aid kit, duct tape, survival manual, 25 gallons of water, waterproof/fireproof container with important documents,  (and ask my survivalist friend Joe what else I need)

2)   Purchase firearms for self defense.

3)  Purchase a generator and 5 gallon can of gasoline

Steps to convert land for food production:

1)    Till all farm-able land and mix with compost and yard waste
2)    Build more raised beds
3)    Build better composting system
4)    Use 100% of kitchen scraps for compost
5)    Plant fruit trees in the front yard.
6)    Raise chickens and rabbits for food.  Use manure for garden.
7)    Build fence to enclose the entire back yard.

Steps to furthering education:

1)     Participate in local classes on gardening and sustainable living. Visit organic farms and learn what they are doing. Purchase resource materials at garage sales. Start resource supply list (books, DVDs, blogs, newsletters, etc…)
2)    Spread the word.  Build community around sustainable living and the gospel.
3)   Start a blog to use as a resource center and journal of my progress in this endeavor.