Let them eat...veggies?!?!?!?

Here's something I have been pondering lately. Why are fresh, organic vegetables and fruit a rich man's indulgence? Why are they linked with gourmet cooking and fancy unattainable recipes in our heads? Why is canning/freezing/drying food grown by our own hands something that everyone leaves to the farm-wives and weirdo homemakers? It used to be that almost EVERY woman knew how to grow and put food up for the winter months. Why do people who are struggling financially eat more processed "cheap" food, instead of growing and learning to put up their own nearly FREE produce that will bring health and wellness to their bodies???? Why are we so afraid of the WORK??? That's right...it's work. Quite a bit of it if you look at it the wrong way. But what's really wrong with working for your food more than pushing a grocery cart around for an hour a week. Perhaps we are too willing to settle. The average american parents work often un-enjoyable and stressful jobs, then come home to deal with laundry, housework, yardwork, honey-do lists, homework, calls to answer from the answering machine...oh yeah then there is dinner. Who wants to do more than throw together something almost edible so they can finally send the kids off to bed and crash in front of some mind-numbing television before heading to bed for a few hours before starting the whole thing all over again at sunrise. WHEW! It's no wonder growing your own food seems like an impossibility! Here's a question though...imagine this if you will. Imagine changing your mindset...your perspective. Imagine summer being about working hard in the sunshine and peaceful beauty of growing things in your garden to grow fruit and vegetables, or packing up the gang in the family car and heading off to an orchard or produce farm to get U-Pick produce at a steal by the bushel. Imagine days with your offspring (hopefully spouse too) or even friends and their children, working together in the kitchen to put up glistening jars of tomatoes and peaches or bulging bags full of corn or green beans. Also, imagine someone giving you an extra $25-$100 every month from November to June in grocery money! Who wouldn't take THAT! We CAN do that for ourselves! All it takes is not wasting away the growing months sitting on our butts in the air conditioning watching re-runs of Dancing With The Stars. EVERYBODY has free time on their hands in the growing months. What will you do with yours? Open to thoughts and discussion on this post. :o)

Welcome!

We are the Atwood family from upstate New York in the Finger Lakes Region. We are myself (Leah)-30, Mike-33, Andrew (Andy)-4 and Alexandra (Alex) who is 2 years old. We have a goal of building ourselves a homestead of sorts on my parents farmland that we can put a modest and simple house, a small barn and do all the food production possible. I keep hearing people say that this lifestyle is so appealing and as a born and raised farm-kid with my own family now, I couldn't agree more! It took me a little while to win my "townie" husband Mike over to the idea, but after watching Food Inc. and other like-minded documentaries on Netflix a couple times, he was completely on board. Much to my delight!

I decided to start this blog as a place where I can post our journey, what we learn, what we can teach, the resources we find helpful, as well as the joys and amazing new perspective that this kind of endeavor is sure to bring. Also, this is an open place for like-minded or even just curious people to gather, share information, encourage one another and ask questions. I am not a GREAT blogger, but I am trying to learn how to do things better. I also have a blog called "Living Today" http://my2littleatwoods.wordpress.com/ which mostly focuses on my journey in eating healthy, whole, REAL food, cooking from scratch for my family, recipes and method training when I find something great, and a new feature where I share products that I will put my name behind because it follows a more "Ma Ingalls" way of looking at the food we present to our family and the care we give them.  We hope to join us on this adventure and that you feel encouraged to start taking steps towards growing YOUR own eats too! You might not have a desire for animals and cheese making and the whole bit, but maybe you want to grow your own tomatoes, or carrots, or basil... or a while garden large or small! The possibilities for you are endless and it is one of the most rewarding things you will do in your life! God has provided land, a field, a small plot or a small pot, and an intricate growing cycle from seed to fruit for you, so take advantage of this wonderful gift!