Food as Concept

I feel like what surprises people is the extent to which I am into gardening. 

Especially when it's compounded with my usual concerns about summer, and then all of those concerns about food. 

But what gardening has been successful in doing is getting be to be interested more in food as a concept. 

I don't keep it a secret that yes, I do do food. But for me, the conflict comes in that I need to actually be interested in the food. 

And if I don't buy in to something, or I'm not inspired by it, or it's not part of my normal-as-safe routine? Well, that's when part of the challenge comes in. Compounded by the fact that there are all of those complicated rules on top. 

Including that whole "I don't like to eat out of season food" thing. 

Like, it turns out that prosciutto and honeydew? It really is as fantastic a combination as Pinterest would have you believe. Which I probably wouldn't have discovered if I hadn't grown honeydew this year. 

I've only eaten it before in my adult-on-my-own-food-buying-life as a fruit cup, and never would have thought to just buy a whole one in a store. 

But picking it from the garden? That makes it harmless. I grew it from seed, and I know what it's been through, and I know that nothing's been added to it or sprayed on it beyond my usual maintenance. 

The blackberries have been a fun experiment this year that actually provided me with breakfast throughout the year. 

Because you've got to do something with 2.5 pounds of blackberries, so scones it is! Especially when I like baked goods. I know what's in these, and I know how many calories. They're safe.

Ditto with the peaches. I rarely bought them before when I lived in New York, since it's hard to get locally grown peaches up there. And when I did, I'd can and preserve them. 

Now that I have a peach tree? Peach Day -- that day in the middle of August when the peaches are ready to go -- is one of the best times of the year. And then there's jam, and ice cream, and cobbler, and peaches to actually eat. 

Gardening not only helps with the fruit consumption. It also means that throughout the year, I know there's stuff in my freezer that I can trust. 

The eggplants and peppers are doing their things, and so are the tomatoes. Soon, it'll be at the point where I can prep stewed tomatoes and eggplant parm. 

Food to keep me good through the winter, and until the season starts again next spring. 

And thus I've upped the odds that if nothing else, there is at least something in my freezer that my garden has made brave and safe enough to eat.