| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Bridge |
Posted - Jun 04 2007 : 12:17:16 PM
Sunday I finished reading "Animal,Vegtable,Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver
http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/
It is a very good book, great read especially if you raise some of your own food. Beware it will proably make you want to raise poultry  I did enjoy reading it and she has many great points in the book. Deffinately one of the best books I read this year.
It was a wonderful breezy day, great to sit in the swing and read. Plus the book needs to go back to the library this week!
~~Bridge's Blog~~
Simply Stitches
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| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Sep 25 2007 : 05:53:06 AM
I liked the bit about the cheesemaking, too. I tried making cheese for the first time about 5 years ago, with supplies ordered from Ricki Carrol's business.
I wonder what it would take to bring back real home ec programs? I never had it in school either, and I was disappointed even at the time. That was the stuff I was looking forward to learning. |
| TillieB |
Posted - Sep 24 2007 : 5:23:34 PM
This book is changing several people's lives. I was fortunate to take the cheese making class from Ricki Carrol last week. Barbara talks about her class with Ricki. I was signed up for the class before the "book". When I read it in May I thought, "Holy #)%_* this cheese place is going to be famous." Sure enough she has 200 people on the waiting list and her mail order business quadrupled. www.cheesemaking.com The class was awesome and Ricki really is the Cheese Queen. The thing that surprised me the most were the students. There were several young mothers and the reason they were there was they read "the book" (that's what Ricki is calling it) I realized when I read the book that is how I was raised and try to live. These girls never had home economics in school, probably no 4H and their mom's probably worked out of the house. They want to change how they are raising their children. It was a very inspirational day from all aspects. Cheese making is a blast and it was nice to have some confirmation on people being aware of what they eat. Barbara Kingsolver could help change a lot of things. Read the book and pass it on! |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Sep 12 2007 : 7:50:07 PM
I read it this summer and I liked it a lot. I've always felt that eating local was more important than eating "certified organic". Mainly because my dad works at the processing plant for the local dairy coop, and in recent years because of the outrageous sprawl that I've seen take over the farming country just outside town. Our county has negative population growth and yet we're building new houses on farmland like there's a population boom!? So I'm glad to see someone backing up my feeling with facts and figures. I've been getting all my summertime fruits and veggies at a local farm market for the past couple of years, and she really got me motivated to put more away for the winter even though I don't have a big garden, a big stove, or a big freezer.
One picky detail about the book: Do you remember a line about a friend quoting her a scripture verse during harvest season? She says that the friend says "The harvest is ready and the labors are few" (according to my memory). She finds it amusingly wrong and uses that as the jumpoff point to describe the many labors of harvest season. But the quote is wrong! I can't remember where it is exactly in the Bible, but the quote is actually "The harvest is ready and the LABORERS are few." It's Jesus talking, and he's using the example of the crazy busy need for help at the harvest season to make the point that he needs disciples to help him in his spiritual work. He knows exactly what Barbara Kingsolver is talking about! I don't know why this bugs me so much, but it does... probably because I do proofreading and copy editing at work. Do any of you Bible readers happen to know the chapter and verse? I'm sure I'm right about the essence of the quote. |
| katevc |
Posted - Sep 12 2007 : 1:40:46 PM
I am waiting to read AVM, my family buys one book and we mail it to each other to read it. But, to share an idea from a food co-op in Middlebury, VT along the lines of awareness of how far your food has traveled - on all the produce in the Co-Op they use laminated tags and grease pencils for the name of produce, price etc. But they also put where it comes from - often including the mileage. It was a great educational tool and I know I often changed my mind about what to purchase when that information was shared. So, if any of you farmgirls shop at a local food co-op share that idea and see what happens!
To plant a thing and watch it grow... that is to nurture a miracle. |
| Mommyswanson |
Posted - Sep 06 2007 : 12:51:59 PM
Am in the middle of this book & just LOVE it!!!!
It does make me want to raise some chickens though!!
My hubby is a little concerned.
LAura
"That which does not kill us makes us strong!" "I cast all my cares upon you Lord." |
| sweetproserpina |
Posted - Sep 01 2007 : 6:35:52 PM
Since all you ladies have been chatting about it, I picked up the book at our little bookstore (I was about #50 on the library waiting list, and I was too impatient!)It was a great read and really made me want to grow more of my own veg, eat veg only in season- now when I go to the grocery I say to myself, "Asparagus? This must be from the other side of the world cause it's fall now, no thank you!" And of course, it made me want to get my own chickens even more. Hopefully next spring...
"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world."
http://theprimroseway.blogspot.com/ |
| Trace |
Posted - Aug 31 2007 : 2:58:29 PM
Jennifer, that tea is great hot BUT it is soooo good clod too, lol. I was running late one morning and didn't finish my tea, hating to waste it, I put the mug in the fridge and drink it cold later in the day. I have my peppermint and spearmint planted right next to eachother and have used both in this tea.
I dried Roma tomatoes, like in the book to use as both her antipasto tomatoe and tomatoe pesto.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Woodswoman |
Posted - Aug 29 2007 : 5:41:11 PM
I love that tea! It seemed too simple to be true, but I tried it and thought it was great. For anyone who hasn't read "Plenty" yet:
1 leaf sage
1 leaf mint
Put in a mug. Fill mug with boiling water. Let steep for 5-10 minutes or to taste. Yum.
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| Trace |
Posted - Aug 26 2007 : 6:57:22 PM
Jennifer, I'm reading "Plenty" right now. Have started every morning with the first recipe in the book.. sage/mint tea.
Loved AVM!!!!!!!!! My layers are going to be partrige rocks, along with welsummers. We get our first meat chicks Sept. 6th and will butcher them 7 weeks later(last week of Oct)love the recipes that are included. Waiting for my roma's to come in to dry them.
I'm on our libraries waiting list for "Omnivore's Dilemma" and hoping to read "Coming home to eat" soon. Our library system doesn't have access to that one.
pics from my world.. http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y144/tra-dun/ |
| Woodswoman |
Posted - Aug 22 2007 : 3:26:20 PM
I mentioned earlier that I had read AVM. I also read "Omnivore's Dilemma"-I liked it. Again, similar in philosophy to Barbara Kingsolver, but different style. It got me looking at the ingredients in the products in my fridge and cupboard!!
Another book along a similar line-"Plenty", by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon. I enjoyed reading it-a couple's journey in eating locally. Again, different style than AVM, but good.
Jennifer |
| Phils Ann |
Posted - Aug 21 2007 : 05:55:59 AM
I'm reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle right now. Boy is it good! Her writing style is so readable, even when she's sarcastic the gentleness keeps it from being offensive. It resonates here, and I'd like to offer it to a bunch of folks to read. What a great MJF book for us all.
Ann
Sairy Hill Thicket
There is a Redeemer. |
| Cindy Lee |
Posted - Aug 20 2007 : 9:01:04 PM
I had a hard time getting through "Omnivore's Dilemma" but LOVED AVM!!! I hope you all take the time to read it! Cindy |
| Lovin Life |
Posted - Aug 19 2007 : 4:46:00 PM
Hi all,
Me again. I finished Animal, Vegetable Miracle and now am reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma" as well as "Food Fight"; My librarian recommended The Omnivore's Dilemma because it's similar to Barbara's book in Philosophy, if not in homey, story like style. Food Fight is a book we all should read if we have time. It explains the US Farm Bill which gets voted on every 7 years. Basically it goes into detail about where all the money (our tax dollars)goes in feeding this country, and how poorly thought out and counterproductive the system is. Boy, after reading Barbara's book and now this, I feel like starting a food revolution and getting a March going down in Washington DC!!
I'd rather live my life with a "full plate" than an empty one. Life is not a rehearsal... eat up! |
| babysmama |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 11:43:54 AM
I read this book several months ago and absolutely loved it!! I know everyone on this board would love it!!
About the turkeys, if I remember correctly there are only a few heirloom turkeys that can actually mate and produce offspring. The white commercial turkeys can't "do it" on their own! lol
-Elizabeth |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Aug 18 2007 : 11:29:51 AM
I'm reading it now. It's excellent.....and I already have chickens...and pigs....and cows....oh my! I do love these chickens though.
"Nature always has the last laugh." Mrs. Greenthumbs
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| ColdAntler |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 2:12:07 PM
i can't wait to read this sucker
http://coldantlerfarm.blogspot.com/
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5082124 |
| Carrie W |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 12:41:47 PM
I read Kingsolver's book and enjoyed it so much it inspired me to order meat chickens. I did most of the raising of them but we pitched in as a family and butchered with two other families. We now have 23 roasting chickens in the freezer! I have one thawing for this weekend since it is supposed to be a cooler weekend and it might be nice to have the oven in "roast" mode again.
I am more convicted to shop locally/organic and did a much bigger garden than last year. We are hoping to move south (Tenn) and do what Barbara's family did, too, except full time. I loved the points she brought up about farmers getting fair pay for their labors--I didn't think about so much of my grocery bill going to transportation costs. I'm not okay with that!!
I'll be giving a short session on self sufficiency at my church's ladies retreat in Sept. Kingsolver's book is my focus along with John Seymour (wonderful sufficiency resource!). I'm nervous about doing it (i'm not a "spotlight" person) but I hope to inspire more women to think local and self sufficient.
Ta-ta, ladies!
carrie
totallykadeshfarm.blogspot.com
Tis better to weep at joy than to joy at weeping--Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing |
| theknottysheep |
Posted - Aug 15 2007 : 05:49:55 AM
I am in the middle of this book. It is awesome. I have been recommending it left & right.
It tells an honest tale of what has happened to our eating habits, the *production* food industry, the environmental impact of our food choices, the dislocation of the small American farmer from the food chain, etc etc.
I love it - I have always bought as locally & as organically as I can ... and I will be purchasing a few copies of this book to give as gifts this Holiday!
hugs,
Kary
http://sheepatthebeachartstudio.blogspot.com |
| Phils Ann |
Posted - Aug 14 2007 : 10:16:43 AM
I just put it into my Amazon shopping cart... Thanks!
Ann
Sairy Hill Thicket
There is a Redeemer. |
| Cindy Lee |
Posted - Aug 13 2007 : 4:59:41 PM
I'm reading this now and it's all I can think about! Barbara makes it sound so interesting and fun to eat and live better! I hope you all try to get ahold of this book! Cindy
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| Love-in-a-Mist |
Posted - Aug 01 2007 : 1:22:27 PM
Darn it! I just went to Border's and would of got this book if I would have known about it. I read the website and it sounds so much like our farm, but I really don't know what I am doing. We are just going by trial and error. I love raising turkey's. Everyone always complains about how dumb they are, but we haven't found that at all. They are actually very social and love to be around us. Except the occasional Tom, the one we have this year, has not turned mean. I'm hoping he won't. We are going to keep a pair. Last year our hens set on unfertilized eggs and would not move for nothing. Everything I ever read on them said they won't lay a nest, sit on eggs and may need to be artificially inseminated. So this year we are going to see what happens.
http://diaryofafarmerswife.blogspot.com/ |
| Runbikegrrl |
Posted - Jul 31 2007 : 03:31:06 AM
I liked the book to and got a lot of practical stuff out of it. i know what you mean Lisa I was wishing that Barbara was my neighbor!
"So many interests so little time!"
http://lovelifelivegrrl.blogspot.com/ |
| Linda K. Miller |
Posted - Jul 31 2007 : 03:22:28 AM
Hey Girls,
I read about this author and her book in the Kentucky Farm Bureau News. Their June issue had an article on Barbara Kingsolver (pg. 10). After reading all your posts on this book I really want to read it now.
Justmama from Amish Kentucky |
| Lovin Life |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 11:45:07 AM
Hi girls,
It's been a long time since I've been to this site, my life has been crazy busy, as everyone's is, but I saw this book title and had to write. I'm in the middle of this book now and feel like I could be friends with Barbara Kingsolver!! She eloquently puts in words the thoughts and wishes and actions I have everyday! I agree with her philosophy of buying and eating only locally made foods, and try to do my best with my gardening during the summer, but she has inspired me now to try harder in finding local producers of some of the non-fruit and vegetable items. It is a wonderful book for summer reading.
I'd rather live my life with a "full plate" than an empty one. Life is not a rehearsal... eat up! |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 14 2007 : 9:07:49 PM
I am really looking forward to reading this book! It seems to be getting rave reviews from other farmgirls so I am sure I am going to love it!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
