Special Events

The Haughty Culturalist And All His Yields

Here's a little something we prepared earlier...

Here's a little something we prepared earlier: home-baked solutions to the global economic crisis.

Bracing ourselves in the fear of a global recession that threatens to push up the price of everything from crude oil to that obscure pasta crimper in the local department store that you have been eyeing for a solid year now, there’s no questioning the fact that the developed nations whose fingers are dipped deep into the once-baking pies of foreign investments, are feeling the pinch upon their private bundles of ravioli. There’s no surefire solution to the problem – neither working harder or working less will help in every possible way, and only certain aspects of our day-to-day life are affected in a noticable way (such as a fluctuation in the grocery bill).

For the majority of us, we do our weekly shop at green grocers and supermarkets to get our foodstuffs and luxuries – as we’ve discussed in an earlier post, it’s convenient and buying in this bulk convenience paradigm means extra savings on the shopping docket. However, a select few of those with a few extra shiny notes in their wallets frequently choose to dish out extra ‘dosh for a slice of specially selected and maintained organic produce on offer, for whatever reason they might choose – these folks are more health conscious, perhaps?

The ‘organic’ movement has its credibility is some ways – I would much rather have my berries and apricots without layers of pesticides, thank you kindly, but who in the wide world would profit in any way from organic foie gras? The last time I checked, all produce hails from nature, from the earth that it spawned from and suckled by the rays of the sun – all produce is thus, in fact, organic. A lovely bit of marketing has spun up tattle-tales about the health benefits and nutritional efficacy of standard produce. So who should we believe? Is organic really worthy of its title?

We could argue the semantics of the word ‘organic’ until Fresian cows churn butter themselves in green pastures. Personally, organic produce for the most part is a desirable choice if I could only afford it. But would it simply be wasted money, considering much of that cost is reflected in the assurance of an accredited certification body?
At a price that is usually a few dollars or so above the standard weight per unit price of ‘mainstream’ goods, organic produce definitely hovers in the top echelon of that niche market of ‘Firm Believers Backed By Finances’ or, to put it in a more catchy way, the FBBF.

Of course, the reality of produce is not really that black and white. In the cold war waged between those who swear by the merits of certified organic products and those who are either in absolute disbelief or simply cannot afford it (or both), there prospers another contestant.

We have simply glossed over those haughty horticulturalists who have the space and the capitol in their backyard to grow their own. But is this necessary better?

To answer this question, I decided it was time to speak to my grandmother and to consult her thriving tendrils and garden saplings for their opinion. Basil and parsley enjoy free reign over the small pockets of the garden, broccoli enjoys basking in the shade of biting winter cold, snake beans slither their way about solidly erected tee-pee shaped pylons in the soil. Without getting lost in the detail, in summary of our verbose but informative discussion, if you have the time and the physical and mental ability to make the output, then the rewards are worth their yield. Gardening for your own produce is nowhere near as rosy as it seems.

In the best possible way our discussion turns to consider soil analogically: it is a child who needs plenty of attention and love, it needs to be well-fed in order to produce a good output of energy and sustenance to its faculties, needs a good, drenching shower on a daily basis, it deserves lots of treats after being good (slow-release treats like Low-GI sweets for kids that give lots of yield by the end of the season) and disciplined treatment of rotation and spanking with a pickaxe and shovel (NB: for the garden only!).

Another problem to this token is that not all of us have access to a backyard at all, let alone one that we can dig up voraciously (I’m sure my landlord would be very angry if I tried anything of that nature). Somehow I don’t think my windowsill has enough space or sunlight to grow anything of reasonable stature that could one day be in a stir-fry or a casserole.

If you have the space and the time and the energy to do so, growing your own is a highly economical way to get fresh produce – also if you factor in fiscal variables such as manure, plant food and water costs into the equation. But there is definitely no shame in holding on to what we have now, because after all, we cope best with what we have.

In truth, regardless of having no access to organic goods and a backyard for massive yields to tide us over the seasons, a few simple tricks and tips can really go a long way:

  1. Get a loaf of this!: Wheat and wheat-products can freeze for extended periods of time, especially commerical products – which can freeze for up to a year.
  2. “These pretzels…”: Pickling is an effective way to preserve vegetables for garnish or to make a lovely fragrant and seasoned vinegar sauce, which can keep for just under a year.
  3. Brew up a storm: Cook in excess of what you expect. Soups and sauces freeze wonderfully in containers and keep for months on end.
  4. Wrap, trap and snack: Rice and pasta dishes can be kept refridgerated for several days on end until they are ready to be reheated.
  5. Fit for an astronaut: Base food on fresh ingredients – produce in vacuum packed seals served as meals are variable in their lifespan. When unopened, they will likely outlive us all, but once opened, can be used on a variety of ocassions once kept in the fridge.
2 November 2008   ·   Comments Off

Comments are closed.

The Wild Thyme and Sweet Pea project found its roots when it was plucked excitedly from the garden, washed briskly in a basin of water and lovingly left out to dry in a soothing marinade of vision and ambition ... More »

Subscribe to the feed