Beet Greens for Lunch May 13, 2008

Kate and I just had the yummiest lunch! It’s fun now because we can eat together (she’s eating finger foods instead of purees — and she can eat pretty much everything — of course, we’re not eating any grains yet).

Anyway, I put some bacon grease in a pan, then threw in some of the leftover Chicken Cacciatore with the chicken stock and tomato sauce. I also tore up some beet greens from the garden. I thickened up the sauce with a little arrowroot, and we ate it. It was even better with the bacon grease and beet greens! Really delicious. I served it with the purple sauerkraut and goat yogurt cream cheese. We had cantaloupe for dessert.

I also just got the best call from my sister in Seattle.

Some background: She got her family on raw milk over the Christmas holidays. After she grilled me about it (”What’s this obsession you have with raw milk?”) and I gave her the summary of “The Untold Story of Milk” by Dr. Ron Schmid. (If you haven’t read that book, do so. It’s fantastic.) They now get raw milk delivered from a local farm. They also joined a local CSA for organic produce.

Then she read “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” a few weeks ago and decided that she wanted to buy half a cow. She told me she wanted to get her family off of all “CAFOs” (she pronounces it “kay-fos” — like “queso” with an F). CAFO stands for Confined Animal Feeding Operation.

Today she called and told me that she’s reading “Animal Vegetable Miracle”. She just got back from a trip to my mother’s in Dallas (related to our family emergency). She said she was so struck by how fake everything was — the tract homes and the fake food and the CAFO meat and milk everywhere. And Wal-Mart and McDonalds and malls full of clothes made by kids in sweatshops in third world countries. She said, “Everyone’s so alone and cut off.”

She said she got home from the trip and her husband had bought a new 42″ screen TV. They had discussed getting it before, and she had agreed to it. But when she stepped off the plane and saw that thing and the kids sitting in front of it eating their dinner (as they do every night), that was the last straw.

“That’s it,” she said. “No more TV with dinner. We’re doing family meals from now on.”

“Whoa,” I breathed. This from my sister who works 12-hour days and generally does not get home from work until 8 or 9 pm.

“Yep,” she said. “That’s it. We’re going to eat together every night. I can make some lentils and salmon and grow some vegetables in the garden. Actually before I left for this trip, the girls and I did all the planting — our spring vegetable garden is in.”

She then said something that really blew me away. She said that she’s decided that she wants to move her family to a farm and grow her own food. She wants to raise her kids in a way that is more aligned with nature. She doesn’t like the values her girls are growing up with. She wants a chance to give them a better “imprint” before they grow up and leave the nest.

She said (I’m paraphrasing), “I’m tired of all the fake shit. I want real food and a real life.”

This, from my sister. An executive at a major multinational corporation.

I almost squealed with delight. “Me too! Me too! Me too!” (Or as Seth, says, in a low Old Man River voice, “MEEEEEEEEEEEE TOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.”

I said, “Let’s do it together!”

She said, “Okay. I’ve been looking at properties. I just found two 10-acre parcels right next to each other.” She said her husband already told her he’d be willing to do it.

I said, “Now you know why I keep talking about wanting a farm with some chickens.”

She said, “I get it.”

Seth said he would be willing to do it, too. He doesn’t understand it — but he’s willing if it would make me happy. My sister said, “Make him read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle!”

She asked me what to do to help her kids eat healthier. I am going to order her a copy of “Nourishing Traditions” today.

She said her husband is going out of town for the weekend to go on a trip with friends. She said, “While he’s gone, I’m going through that kitchen and I’m going to get rid of all the CAFOs and processed fake food.”

It’s amazing how ideas from books and blogs and people can spread — isn’t it incredible how we impact each other so deeply? Funny thing is, it was my mom who first read “Animal Vegetable Miracle” last summer. Then I read it, now my sister.

How amazing would it be to live next to my sister and her family? How amazing would it be for the cousins to grow up as neighbors? Instead of having to fly a few times a year to see each other?

You know what I think? I think it is this family crisis that is bringing us closer together. It used to be that families — extended families — lived just down the road. You watched each other’s kids, looked out for each other when you were sick or going through a tough time. Now we are all so spread out and so cut off, like my sister said.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Why live far apart when we don’t have to?

I love my sister so much. She is truly one of the most amazing people I know. She’s intelligent and driven. But it’s more than that. She traveled all over Europe on her own, then got a PhD, built an award-winning modern home, had kids, became a successful executive, taught herself gourmet cooking. She can figure anything out — and when she decides to do something, she just does it. I love that in a person.

And I love and admire her.

I am so happy right now. And so excited for the future.

Gotta go do some things — need to wash dishes and shower and water my seedlings and figure out what I’m going to make for dinner — before Kate wakes up from her nap!