Prepping the soil and planting the seeds

As I've been plotting for the last little while, the blog is finally being seeded- a month before I actually seed anything in real soil, but I think that words may grow differently in the ether than bits of DNA grow in moist soil. The big difference between this seed and the ones that grow on my porch and garden is that we generally have a pretty good idea of what is going to pop up when we take good care of the tender seedlings. I'm pretty darn curious as to what can grow from this seed!

What's crystallized it? A pretty firm realization that, after nearly a year of fun/under/self-employment, volunteering, studying and writing, and exploring the local and international food system; I have come to a point that I have a pretty good idea of where it is I can fit in in building a sustainable path from field to fork. I've found a niche for my passion, and since I've been wanting to learn what that was for years, I'm listening to Joseph Campbell's advice to follow it! Oh yeah, and my Employment Insurance is running out, and working as a part time prep cook at the Red Apron (which I adore) just ain't going to pay the bills. Even with the occasional honourarium from the Dharma Center or a Community Health Center.

So, either I get a job that I go to every day, or I build myself something where I cook, order food, teach people how to cook, and get up on my flipped over planter box to preach the virtues and practicalities of local, seasonal, organic eating and growing. I'm not the only one doing this- you may have heard of Jamie Oliver, for example, but it's really what I want to do, so I'm beginning the journey of starting my own self-employed business of food instruction and construction. Unless I get that totally amazing job at USC that I'm interviewing for next week- in which case, I'll do that and rock it and make a big difference there. I believe in them, and want to do that work, so there you go. But I'm not applying to anything else until I give this a good crack- and I have just six weeks until the EI dries up, so I'd better get on with it.

This blog will be about my journeys and experiences in the kitchen, the garden, the classroom and the conference halls as I work to make some scrumptious soup with my friends and neighbours.   Lovely to have you along for the ride...