Independence Days

Quince jelly - Cape Gooseberry Jam - Feijoa jelly

I love the idea of the Independence Days movement - it seems it has grown sufficiently to be called a movement. It's the reality that I'm struggling with! I certainly could do it daily, and indeed, I'm struggling to do even half of it weekly. But I guess the important thing is being aware, and striving towards the goal. So the following is what I have achieved over the past week.

* Plant Something - failed there!

* Harvest Something - the last of the chestnuts, apples, feijoas, parsley, lemons, cape gooseberries, potatoes, New Zealand spinach, a few tomatoes - this section looks a bit better, thank goodness.

* Preserve Something - fruit chutney, bottled apple, cape gooseberry jam, froze chestnuts

* Reduce Waste - I made a determined effort to remember my reuseable shopping bags, going back to the car for them, rather than ask for a plastic bag (It's not so long ago that I was told at The Warehouse that I had to have a pink plastic bag for 'security reasons', and now you have to ask for a bag and, I think, pay for it.) I also took as much of my shopping from the bulk bins at Frankton Organics, using their plastic bags (which are later composted) rather than buy the prepackaged food.

* Preparation and storage - Spent a bit extra when shopping, to start building reserves for the first time. Toilet paper was first on the list (I remember childhood days, living in the country without a car and having to use torn up newspaper - yuk!), rice, beans, lentils, and a few extra cans.

* Build community food systems - not much here - have made a feijoa cake to take to a friend's place tonight, along with a jar of cape gooseberry jam (if it has set.) I'm a fairly private person and find it hard to get involved, as well as living out in the country.

* Eat the food - well, I have done that! But nothing new or adventurous.

Oh well, maybe better next week, though as winter has arrived it will be harder I suspect. But I'm feeling that the really important thing is to become aware - without constant awareness, it is all so easy to slip into a lazy I'll-do-it-tomorrow way of living.