About Our Home Works
Welcome to our blog about our home works in Eugene, OR. Mostly it is about our quest to eat locally and live sustainably. Our journey of eating locally began about five years ago when we decided to join a CSA. From that point, converting more and more of our consumption to local products has been a bit of an obsession. We began reading about the impacts of the industrial food system on our environment, our health, and local businesses and opted out every chance we got.
In reality, we just returned to the way we both grew up. My husband grew up on a farm in North Dakota and grew a garden himself for several years. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania helping my mom and grandparents tend a large garden every summer and can the abundance. My grandparents also raised beef and pork that filled our freezer, along with the venison from my dad’s hunting expeditions.
We have gradually found local family farm sources for beef, pork, chicken, turkey, eggs, milk, and cheese. In addition, we started growing our own strawberries, raspberries, and herbs about 5 years ago. This year, we removed a hedge and some lawn for a vegetable garden.
We are certain that our journey has only begun and are excited to share our daily work with you. Welcome to our home and we hope that you enjoy our adventure.
About Us
Your blog authors are Matt and Amy. We are a one truck, four bike (two bikes each - one road, one commuter) family. We live on a 1/3 acre city lot in Eugene. We spend most of our free time cooking, canning, working in the garden, enjoying food with family and friends, and watching the Ducks.
You have a great plan. Congratulations!
And, I love that photo at the top of the page!
Thanks! I took the photo in France this fall at one of their many outdoor markets.
Amy I have some beautiful Kale that I blanched quickly after picking and froze immediately.. do you have any suggestions on what to do with it? I was so sweet and tender and it was of the curly variety…This is so neat of you to share..Im seriously considering underground watering system at my “fruit lot” along with some long raised beds..so exciting!
Abby- Thank you for the note. To answer your question about kale…. We often carmelize onion, add the kale, and optionally add some white beans (like cannelini) and serve it with a sprinkle of parmesan. I also made a kale/chard gratin this week by taking sauteed onion and kale/chard, adding a little milk/cream and topping it with feta and some breadcrumbs. That also turned out great. Can’t wait to see your fruit lot
Hello from eastern Iowa. Love the site and look forward to trying some of the recipes. Now I just have to find an excuse to come visit again! PDV
I love your 1/3 acre.
Thank you for the note, Sandy and PDV. We love our 1/3 acre too.
Amy, is this your blog… I was not sure… I wanted to get you some tomato products to put on the blog:)