The Original Grocery Store

In Contemporary Times in Modern Society, we supposedly sophisticated Humans think Grocery Stores and the Massive Transportation Pipelines that Support Them are the Primary Food Source. When we lived in Town, I remember we used to head on the spur of the moment to Hugo's about 5 minutes away. You decide you want something for a Meal and don't have all the ingredients. Then you just head to the Grocery Store or "out to eat".

As we have moved to the Farm and have made a conscious effort to produce as much as our own Food as possible, our Grocery Store has changed. It is either the Garden Patch, the Freezers, or the Pantry. It is what we produce in Partnership with these Plants, this Land, and other Local Growers. In some ways, I think it is the "Original Grocery Store".

For our Evening Meal, Melanie and I decided our Tummies and our Spirits wanted and needed something light. We thought about what we had in the Larder of that Original Grocery Store. "Easy" was essential. Scratching our heads, Veggie Soup seemed to fill the Bill.

So we headed downstairs to the Pantry to see what might like to be in the Soup. She grabbed a Box, just like you would at 1 of those Primo Self Service Stores. We filled the Box with 1 Cup Frozen Corn, 1 Pint Green Beans, 2 Frozen Containers of Tomato Juice, 1 Quart Tomatoes, 1 Cup Frozen Zucchini, Onions, and Garlic.

At which point, we grabbed the Colander, a sharp knife, and headed to the Garden. Fresh Celery, Carrots, Okra, Green Peppers, Paprika Peppers, and Lima Beans beckoned for Roles in the Soup too. I cleaned these Friends up in preparation for them to become Soup.

We put everything (except the Okra) in the Pot and simmered it for a couple of hours. We understand that when overcooked, Okra becomes slimey, which is not a texture we find appealing in Soup or anything else for that matter. To this point, everything in the Soup was something we had raised or in the case of the Onions and Garlic, something someone had raised locally.

I also added a bit of Olive Oil. Toward the end, Melanie added Barley to make it a little heartier. She fixed Grilled Cheese Sandwiches alongside. Yum.

That Original Grocery is one which has been going on since Time Immemorial. To survive, People in their Family and Community Systems throughout History have had to be very Self Sufficient. Self Sufficiency is somthing to muse on. We are excited about that.