One of the best parts of working toward a self-sustaining lifestyle is harvest! I grew spinach for the first time this year. I'm not sure what took me so long because I buy much fresh spinach over the course of the year. How many gas miles have I contributed to when I could just walk out my back door and collect some for now and freeze some for later (if any is left :).
The saying is true too - it is better fresh from the source! We are finding that with everything we produce - vegetables, honey, eggs, etc. That first fresh-from-the-garden spinach salad was the best I've ever had! There is some work involved, but really planning is the key - if you think ahead and do a little preparation a salad from the garden is as convenient as pulling up to the drive thru - and such an improvement!
Both of my dads are outdoorsman, so I need to put in a plug for fishing. Although probably over-regulated like most everything these days, fishing is an excellent self-sustaining practice. There are certain considerations to mercury levels in some fish but on the whole you can still create a tasty meal of freshly-caught fish. Here is a link to a recipe for Walleye -
Walleye recipe
Oh look, it calls for spinach - guess I'd better get cooking!
