Getting Dirty

Photo courtesy of www.rusticgardenbistro.com - Thank you!

A few months ago I was flipping through the pages of Marie Claire and I read a review for a book called "The Dirty Life" by Kristin Kimball. I'm not sure why, or what it was, but the review caught my attention, and I added it to my Nook wishlist. And there it sat for a few months until last week when I had some bizarre urge to buy yet another book to start, and decided on this one (more on my crazy book buying frenzy another time).  Lately when I pick up a book, I read for a few pages, fall asleep, and then I'm done. I haven't opened up anything that's been particularly captivating. Until this one. 

When I turned 21 we took a family trip to Sonoma County and wine country. The open fields, the smell of dirt and cork and wine, the fresh air. It all started to make me think - I could live here. OK, I know you're reading this Mom, don't worry, I am not going to move onto a farm and starting drinking raw cow's milk!  I won't be running off to forge fields and butcher cows, but I am thinking a lot about locally grown foods, and eating a "whole" food diet. OK, I admit it, I also started looking up info on raising backyard chickens. Shh!

Reading this book makes you want to start a garden and cook amazing food and taste food in a whole different way. It makes you want to get back to the basics of food and living. There's so much that goes in to the processing of our food today, that it's hard to know if what you get at the store is really, truly, organic. I definitely want to be more aware, and make an effort to shop at the farmer's market after the wedding (note to self, must find farmer's market's near new city). 

I'm still reading, and still thinking about the country. There's definitely a part of me that wouldn't mind that country life (as long as I could move my whole family there, and still be close enough to a book store, coffee shop, movie theater and Target!). Wouldn't it be fab to own a vineyard and make wine and have a tasting room and serve cheese and salami - or some Armenian cuisine (bet wine country doesn't have that yet!). Maybe we could open a coffee shop/book store in a small farm/wine town. The possibilities are there. Maybe one day. But for now, I'm gonna keep reading, keep thinking, and keep it local. 

I'm curious, do any of you have experience with growing your own food, raising chickens, or being a part of a food co-op here in So.Cal or anywhere else? Any advice on living a little more "locally" and eating a "whole" diet?