One Year of Digging In!

Ringing in 2018!

Let’s Celebrate One Year of Forks in the Dirt!

Looking back over the first year of sharing food stories and info with whoever would listen- I had to stop and say THANK YOU! Thanks for making me so happy I took that leap of faith!!

I’ve learned more than I could have imagined; about growing food, farmers, food systems and building websites- but I also had a chance to distill what is important to me. I got to hang out with dozens of farmers on lovingly cared for land. I got to eat my way through a delicious summer and ate mostly locally grown (home preserved) food all winter.

Karin Costa helping my boys get their weekly sweet corn fix!

Officially, my website had 4,469 reads and lots of engagement over the many different posts on the blog, Facebook and Instagram… again, thanks for showing up!

*Some* of the topics covered:
Composting, Community Gardens, Farmers,  CSA’s, Planting Tips, Farmers Market Shopping Tips, Farm + Food Events, Raising Backyard Chickens, Pollinators, Food Hubs, Foraging,  Healthy Eating Recipes + Canning Recipes, Food Shelves, Growing for Food Shelves, the first ever Winter WBL Farmers Market and our WBL Seed Library– wheee!

All Good Organics Farmers Butch and Kris

I hope you’ve been able to learn and grow with me along the way.  That’s exactly why I started Forks in the Dirt; I wanted to dig in and see what I could cultivate in myself to become a better steward of the many resources I have. I am thankful for being able to devote time and energy to figuring out paths to good food; from seed, soil, farmer, market, pantry to table- I love every step of the journey!

I’ve learned how to preserve a few more of the veggies, I’m growing more food at home this season and learning to compost better. I’m developing relationships with local farmers who care for their land and the food they grow there, which in turn means they care for the people that eat it.

I’m also more dedicated than ever to the two food shelves I get to spend time with, and the people who depend on these places in uncertain times.

Being the Veggie Pusher at the Merrick food shelf in Woodland Hills Church

I’m also more aware that I partake of the same food privileges most middle class and ‘above’ white folks in Minnesota enjoy. I get to be choosy.

“I can eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant” –Ohh I miss you, Prince

But today in Minnesota 1 in 10 people face hunger. I see moving towards a solution to this hunger tied to leveling out food systems. It’s just not right that in 2017, we have 40% food waste and at the same time 41.2 million food insecure Americans.

Coming face to face with the differences in food shelves in suburban vs. urban areas has opened my eyes to how food justice issues sit down to dinner near me on the daily.

Lotsa lemon balm

After one year of being more conscious of food in general I buy  better quality foods in hopes of supporting local farm families and decreasing food miles + food waste.  Don’t get me wrong, I still but plenty from regular grocery stores, I have two growing boys and a ‘meat and potatoes’ husband. But we grow a LOT of potatoes and nearly all of the red meat they eat is from venison my husband has hunted with his bow and processed himself. Small steps do add up!

My Littlest Garden Helper

And there is such JOY in working with Mother Nature, seeing my kids tend their garden spaces, knowing where my food came from. It all means more when you feel connected to the food you eat. I think it is this connection to our food that will motivate more people to find better solutions to sustainability issues we ALL face.

Without going into a full on rant…

These are a few of the reasons I plan to continue gathering info and sharing with you. On the heels of Earth Day 2018 and the cusp of another growing season I’m renewing my commitment to digging in to make our food more sustainable, more enjoyable, more meaningful.

I am so proud of what I’ve been able to share, and the small impacts I’ve made on neighbors and farmers. Lots of little changes add up to big changes, so I want to ask you:

 What food changes will you make this year? Will you share them with me?

Making changes in my gardens

Let’s keep digging in and finding ways to keep moving towards full food integrity.

CHEERS, and thanks for joining me on the path!

Michelle