Thanks for this great post. It does indeed sound like you have been eating quite healthy!
I am stoked it is harvest time. I also eat raw veggies right from the garden (after washing them in the garden’s rain barrel). This is something I was taught by my grandparents and something I am passing along to my daughter.
Take care and I look forward to your next post :)
Mareike September 8th, 2011 @ 9:46 am
I’m peculiarly puzzled as to why you tear the pages from your notebook. Peculiar because I don’t save anything yet thought you’d want to keep your original document intact.
There ya have it. (I’m guessing you didn’t expect this response to your post.)
Pat D. September 8th, 2011 @ 10:16 am
Very interesting. I enjoyed your method of holding the pages down with rocks at the corners so you could photograph them!
Mareike– she can still keep the pages together with a paperclip and a file folder, I would think.
Amy September 8th, 2011 @ 10:18 am
Raw corn is the tops! I feel like Charlie in the corn pile when I see it. I don’t know why people even bother boiling it. Okay, I know raw corn gives some people GI tract issues, but I just can’t wait when I’ve got an ear of sweet corn in front of me.
i really need to attempt that cheese you made. sounds amazing, especially with fresh sprouts.
you make me want to try raw corn. but i am feeling compelled to stand in a corn field when i do it. oh how i love fall!
Heidi September 8th, 2011 @ 10:34 am
Yummy, how come everything you write about sounds soooo delicious!!! :) I want to come stay with you! Just one day, a day in the life of Shreve. That would rock.
Mareike– why does it matter if she tears the pages??? I loved the rocks holding it down.
IMO, dietary variety is pushed to excess in most of ‘modern’ culture. There are people around the world who eat the same thing nearly every day and do well enough or outright excellent. Yes, a full-compliment of nutrients is important, but if one is eating GOOD, efficient food, one can get all they need without the crazy world-spanning variety that seems to be fashionable.
MCJ September 8th, 2011 @ 10:57 am
my tomatoes are still green too. I live at elevation and the nights are cool. I blame that. It has been suggested to me to cut the tomatoes with a little bit of vine still attached and hang them indoors. It supposed to make them ripen faster.
Ava September 8th, 2011 @ 11:22 am
Wait. People *cook* fresh sweet corn? It’s soooo good, just straight from the cob, crunchy and sweet. Try “cowboy caviar” sometime, w/ fresh corn, your legume of choice (blackeyed peas are great), minced green onion, garlic, cilantro and jalepeno; a dash of cumin, lashings of good olive oil and fresh lime juice. Divine!
Your shepherd’s “racoon” comment is so cute though.
Nathalie September 8th, 2011 @ 11:59 am
I noticed the rock weights as well. It adds a little je ne sais quoi :-) As long as you’re not going hungry, food is relative.
MJ September 8th, 2011 @ 12:02 pm
When I had my own backyard garden, I loved eating the fresh picked sweet corn right there in the garden! The same went for the snap peas, the cherry tomatoes, grean beans and occasionally the green beans:) The garden was small, and the bottom was covered in black plastic to cut down on weeding, and it kept the dirt off the plants as well. Great memories…thanks for reminding me.
M. V. September 8th, 2011 @ 12:06 pm
green tomatoes? yummmy. not good raw, but great in a quicky stir fry.
LJ September 8th, 2011 @ 12:59 pm
Ok, so I have never eaten a sprout in my life — thanks to you Shreve this may have to change! I did a quick search for a sprout maker via Google and an entire new world has opened up to me.
Thank you once again for broadening my horizons!
Eat and be merry!
-LJ
Patr September 8th, 2011 @ 1:07 pm
Thanks for the post. I have been wondering. I just got a fresh cantaloupe from a neighbor. Sure wish I could share it with you since I can’t eat a whole one and hubby isn’t a fan. I guess the freezer will benefit.
Mareike September 8th, 2011 @ 1:12 pm
I’m surprised yet flattered that people noticed my comment. Of course it doesn’t matter if she tears them out, saves them, shares them or uses them as fire starter. Shreve’s writings belong to her to do with as she wishes. It was a thought that came to mind (maybe because I was married to an archivist for many years.)
Renae September 8th, 2011 @ 1:16 pm
You are inspiring!
Deanna September 8th, 2011 @ 1:55 pm
“Sprouting magnifies the nutritional value of the seed. It boosts the B-vitamin content, triples the amount of vitamin A and increases vitamin C by a factor of 5 to 6 times.” Plus, combo of rice & beans makes whole protein.
Shreve, yours is a terrific diet. If we would all allow our beans to sprout just a teeny bit, our soups, chili, hummus, everything would be way more nutritious. You have just reminded me AGAIN that I need to do some sprouts.
But I will probably never have access to raw milk/cheese. {sigh}
shreve September 8th, 2011 @ 2:05 pm
Ah, Mareike, welcome to the world of blogging! :)
I tend to not keep anything but photos and negatives (those I CANNOT weed). I’ve been saving all the mountain writings in a box; though part of me thinks I *should* keep them (but WHY??), I really want to mail them all to some random reader.
How’s T? He pops into my mind randomly.
Renee September 8th, 2011 @ 4:00 pm
Thanks, Shreve. I can’t describe the feeling (excited) I have when I discover you’ve posted something new! It’s like getting mail! And Mareike, you made me wonder too!
Kathleen September 8th, 2011 @ 4:08 pm
Ah, see, I envisioned a breezy warm day needing rocks to hold the papers down. Also as a way to show off more pretty rocks :)
I’ve been really fiddling with my diet in the last year, and all that sounds wonderfully creative. I’m working on doing a lot of “weeding” lately, I have finally realized that stuff takes up time and if I have less stuff I will have more time. I’d like to use the extra time for my wellness and feeding. Thanks for the inspiration!
Scotty September 8th, 2011 @ 4:15 pm
what no onions? no bacon flavored hot sauce?
mostly i’m writing to say thanks again for turning me on to quinoa. btw raw sweet corn in fresh salsa works for me.
raccoons rock! i had a whole family in my attic once. they were banging around up there for weeks until i live trapped them with sardines for bait to usher them out.
karen September 8th, 2011 @ 4:47 pm
That corn was your amuse bouche! (and it amused me!) I love your stories and adventures.
Rhea September 8th, 2011 @ 6:03 pm
Just wondering – how do you know about all this stuff you do? You’re a city girl who is quite at home living a country life, downright native really. Do you just come up with these things naturally, do you surf the web for ideas, does Mike provide the basis — what??? You are truly inspiring and there should be a movie made of your life!
pam September 8th, 2011 @ 6:08 pm
love the “paperweights”!
Alice September 8th, 2011 @ 6:11 pm
I LOVE raw sweet corn! Honestly, I prefer most of my veggies raw. Never tried sprouts. I’ll try almost anything once!
Claire September 8th, 2011 @ 6:46 pm
So glad you told us what you were eating there. Actually it sounds wonderful. A couple of things I would miss; meat and chocolate. We all know chocolate IS it’s own food group. You’ve got me wanting to try growing sprouts. I haven’t had goo luck or a green thumb with a garden but I can grow artichokes and they are delicious.
carmel September 8th, 2011 @ 7:15 pm
love the paper weights too…love my garden veggies and fresh herbs…wondering, with all that open space, why you grow veggies in jars ?
Sheila September 8th, 2011 @ 7:34 pm
Your writing just centers me after a long day in the world of mental health counseling. Thank you!!
Karen September 8th, 2011 @ 7:59 pm
Alfalfa sprouts: hate ’em. Taste like grass. Have to get my favorite sandwich shop to substitute lettuce for them. Bean sprouts: love ’em. Grocery store sells them in 8 oz. packages, and I use them in stir-frys and in veggie-rich Hot and Sour soup. If I tried to sprout anything on my windowsills, I’d have sprouty cat puke all over the place.
What I admire about your situation, Shreve, is that you’ve managed a limited but healthy diet for months in a situation with NO refrigeration. Applause!!! I know several people in my extended family who live on limited diets, but they tend to pizza and fast food. Sigh.
Keitha September 8th, 2011 @ 8:11 pm
Fresh raw corn is delicious. I had it in MA in someones garden. Not sure if I would try it from the grocery store. Can’t imagine that would be as good.
Jonathan September 8th, 2011 @ 10:45 pm
Oh great, I just bought the aluminum screen last week, thinking it would hold up better. What’s the concern there?
Lesley September 9th, 2011 @ 3:00 am
Shreve, you are such an inspiring person. I really enjoy your posts. I love the sprout idea and it’s been a long time since I sprouted anything. I sure would love to try that Daisylicious cheese.
Karla September 9th, 2011 @ 7:51 am
I look forward to your new posts. When do you plan to bring the farmily back down to lower ground and home? It must be getting pretty cold up there at night.
J~ I’ve had my little fiberglass screen circles for years and they’re still in perfect shape, easy to wash, etc, so don’t worry about durability! Aluminum is not inert – it reacts with certain acids and organic matter (and it will be in contact with the spouts each time you drain), and some worry about the link btw aluminum & alzheimers (sp?) though I don’t know if this is proven or not. After using fiberglass screen for years, I’d never trade it!
spenlo September 9th, 2011 @ 10:18 am
Recently discovered Ezekiel bread made with sprouted grains. It is wonderful!
Jonathan September 9th, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
You know, I have heard of the connection between aluminum and alzheimers. Must have slipped my mind when I was making that decision.
Lynn L. September 9th, 2011 @ 1:39 pm
I live waayyy out in the mountains and enjoy your posts and experiences. Trading goodies seems to be more of the country way. I’m sure the old sheepherder would love some of that fresh milk. I like the extra thick stuff that
is on the very top. We used to milk a jersey named Buttercup. I can taste it now!
Could you share how you prefer your quinoa? I’ve yet to try it, partially because I have no idea how to prepare or cook it. I mean, do you just cook it straight from the package or what?
Glorious indeed! Very inspirational, that we can garden in small scale, just for daily diet. What an organic, cottage lifestyle people can achieve. Happy racooning! xo
Myra September 10th, 2011 @ 5:19 pm
Fresh veggies, especially straight from the garden are the best! On another note, tomatoes are finicky. I bought a plant at about 6″ in late March to grow on my balcony. By late June, it’d grown to all of 14″, so I gave up and left it at my mom’s place. I went to my mom’s place over Labor Day weekend and guess what? It hadn’t grown an inch, much less any tomatoes. Don’t worry that they’re still green, at least they exist, so there’s still hope!
carmel September 10th, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Myra, fried green tomatoes are delicious…
Rhea September 10th, 2011 @ 7:49 pm
Heatherface – if you go back to the beginning of the Off The Grid posts you’ll find where Shreve described how she cooks the quinoa, very similar to rice. I can imagine it must taste so much better when prepared outdoors on a campfire!
Hi Shreve! I use an old washed (of course) nylon sock on my sprouting jar, it also makes the rinsing way easier and save a trip to the departement store (if you have nylon socks, that is, I’m not sure considering your kind of life if nylon is a thing you have around :) )!
Cheers!
P.S. I DO have to try your cheese recipe, sounds so easy and delish!
I just got caught up with your summer adventures and am completely entranced. How wonderful to spend the summer months in wilderness in the company of our furry family! I do think the heartache of leaving the significant other behind would be too difficult for me but other than that, you’re living a dream it seems. I’d love to see photos of this garden you describe. Although I’m typically within a few blocks of a grocery store I’ve always wanted my own little vegetable garden. Nothing extravagant, but enough produce to include it in my cooking. :) That said even herbs likely wouldn’t fare well with me. I can incubate duck eggs with a desk lamp with success but cannot garden yet!
September 8th, 2011 @ 9:35 am
Thanks for this great post. It does indeed sound like you have been eating quite healthy!
I am stoked it is harvest time. I also eat raw veggies right from the garden (after washing them in the garden’s rain barrel). This is something I was taught by my grandparents and something I am passing along to my daughter.
Take care and I look forward to your next post :)
September 8th, 2011 @ 9:46 am
I’m peculiarly puzzled as to why you tear the pages from your notebook. Peculiar because I don’t save anything yet thought you’d want to keep your original document intact.
There ya have it. (I’m guessing you didn’t expect this response to your post.)
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:16 am
Very interesting. I enjoyed your method of holding the pages down with rocks at the corners so you could photograph them!
Mareike– she can still keep the pages together with a paperclip and a file folder, I would think.
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:18 am
Raw corn is the tops! I feel like Charlie in the corn pile when I see it. I don’t know why people even bother boiling it. Okay, I know raw corn gives some people GI tract issues, but I just can’t wait when I’ve got an ear of sweet corn in front of me.
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:31 am
i really need to attempt that cheese you made. sounds amazing, especially with fresh sprouts.
you make me want to try raw corn. but i am feeling compelled to stand in a corn field when i do it. oh how i love fall!
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:34 am
Yummy, how come everything you write about sounds soooo delicious!!! :) I want to come stay with you! Just one day, a day in the life of Shreve. That would rock.
Mareike– why does it matter if she tears the pages??? I loved the rocks holding it down.
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:37 am
IMO, dietary variety is pushed to excess in most of ‘modern’ culture. There are people around the world who eat the same thing nearly every day and do well enough or outright excellent. Yes, a full-compliment of nutrients is important, but if one is eating GOOD, efficient food, one can get all they need without the crazy world-spanning variety that seems to be fashionable.
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:57 am
my tomatoes are still green too. I live at elevation and the nights are cool. I blame that. It has been suggested to me to cut the tomatoes with a little bit of vine still attached and hang them indoors. It supposed to make them ripen faster.
September 8th, 2011 @ 11:22 am
Wait. People *cook* fresh sweet corn? It’s soooo good, just straight from the cob, crunchy and sweet. Try “cowboy caviar” sometime, w/ fresh corn, your legume of choice (blackeyed peas are great), minced green onion, garlic, cilantro and jalepeno; a dash of cumin, lashings of good olive oil and fresh lime juice. Divine!
Your shepherd’s “racoon” comment is so cute though.
September 8th, 2011 @ 11:59 am
I noticed the rock weights as well. It adds a little je ne sais quoi :-) As long as you’re not going hungry, food is relative.
September 8th, 2011 @ 12:02 pm
When I had my own backyard garden, I loved eating the fresh picked sweet corn right there in the garden! The same went for the snap peas, the cherry tomatoes, grean beans and occasionally the green beans:) The garden was small, and the bottom was covered in black plastic to cut down on weeding, and it kept the dirt off the plants as well. Great memories…thanks for reminding me.
September 8th, 2011 @ 12:06 pm
green tomatoes? yummmy. not good raw, but great in a quicky stir fry.
September 8th, 2011 @ 12:59 pm
Ok, so I have never eaten a sprout in my life — thanks to you Shreve this may have to change! I did a quick search for a sprout maker via Google and an entire new world has opened up to me.
Thank you once again for broadening my horizons!
Eat and be merry!
-LJ
September 8th, 2011 @ 1:07 pm
Thanks for the post. I have been wondering. I just got a fresh cantaloupe from a neighbor. Sure wish I could share it with you since I can’t eat a whole one and hubby isn’t a fan. I guess the freezer will benefit.
September 8th, 2011 @ 1:12 pm
I’m surprised yet flattered that people noticed my comment. Of course it doesn’t matter if she tears them out, saves them, shares them or uses them as fire starter. Shreve’s writings belong to her to do with as she wishes. It was a thought that came to mind (maybe because I was married to an archivist for many years.)
September 8th, 2011 @ 1:16 pm
You are inspiring!
September 8th, 2011 @ 1:55 pm
“Sprouting magnifies the nutritional value of the seed. It boosts the B-vitamin content, triples the amount of vitamin A and increases vitamin C by a factor of 5 to 6 times.” Plus, combo of rice & beans makes whole protein.
Shreve, yours is a terrific diet. If we would all allow our beans to sprout just a teeny bit, our soups, chili, hummus, everything would be way more nutritious. You have just reminded me AGAIN that I need to do some sprouts.
But I will probably never have access to raw milk/cheese. {sigh}
September 8th, 2011 @ 2:05 pm
Ah, Mareike, welcome to the world of blogging! :)
I tend to not keep anything but photos and negatives (those I CANNOT weed). I’ve been saving all the mountain writings in a box; though part of me thinks I *should* keep them (but WHY??), I really want to mail them all to some random reader.
How’s T? He pops into my mind randomly.
September 8th, 2011 @ 4:00 pm
Thanks, Shreve. I can’t describe the feeling (excited) I have when I discover you’ve posted something new! It’s like getting mail! And Mareike, you made me wonder too!
September 8th, 2011 @ 4:08 pm
Ah, see, I envisioned a breezy warm day needing rocks to hold the papers down. Also as a way to show off more pretty rocks :)
I’ve been really fiddling with my diet in the last year, and all that sounds wonderfully creative. I’m working on doing a lot of “weeding” lately, I have finally realized that stuff takes up time and if I have less stuff I will have more time. I’d like to use the extra time for my wellness and feeding. Thanks for the inspiration!
September 8th, 2011 @ 4:15 pm
what no onions? no bacon flavored hot sauce?
mostly i’m writing to say thanks again for turning me on to quinoa. btw raw sweet corn in fresh salsa works for me.
raccoons rock! i had a whole family in my attic once. they were banging around up there for weeks until i live trapped them with sardines for bait to usher them out.
September 8th, 2011 @ 4:47 pm
That corn was your amuse bouche! (and it amused me!) I love your stories and adventures.
September 8th, 2011 @ 6:03 pm
Just wondering – how do you know about all this stuff you do? You’re a city girl who is quite at home living a country life, downright native really. Do you just come up with these things naturally, do you surf the web for ideas, does Mike provide the basis — what??? You are truly inspiring and there should be a movie made of your life!
September 8th, 2011 @ 6:08 pm
love the “paperweights”!
September 8th, 2011 @ 6:11 pm
I LOVE raw sweet corn! Honestly, I prefer most of my veggies raw. Never tried sprouts. I’ll try almost anything once!
September 8th, 2011 @ 6:46 pm
So glad you told us what you were eating there. Actually it sounds wonderful. A couple of things I would miss; meat and chocolate. We all know chocolate IS it’s own food group. You’ve got me wanting to try growing sprouts. I haven’t had goo luck or a green thumb with a garden but I can grow artichokes and they are delicious.
September 8th, 2011 @ 7:15 pm
love the paper weights too…love my garden veggies and fresh herbs…wondering, with all that open space, why you grow veggies in jars ?
September 8th, 2011 @ 7:34 pm
Your writing just centers me after a long day in the world of mental health counseling. Thank you!!
September 8th, 2011 @ 7:59 pm
Alfalfa sprouts: hate ’em. Taste like grass. Have to get my favorite sandwich shop to substitute lettuce for them. Bean sprouts: love ’em. Grocery store sells them in 8 oz. packages, and I use them in stir-frys and in veggie-rich Hot and Sour soup. If I tried to sprout anything on my windowsills, I’d have sprouty cat puke all over the place.
What I admire about your situation, Shreve, is that you’ve managed a limited but healthy diet for months in a situation with NO refrigeration. Applause!!! I know several people in my extended family who live on limited diets, but they tend to pizza and fast food. Sigh.
September 8th, 2011 @ 8:11 pm
Fresh raw corn is delicious. I had it in MA in someones garden. Not sure if I would try it from the grocery store. Can’t imagine that would be as good.
September 8th, 2011 @ 10:45 pm
Oh great, I just bought the aluminum screen last week, thinking it would hold up better. What’s the concern there?
September 9th, 2011 @ 3:00 am
Shreve, you are such an inspiring person. I really enjoy your posts. I love the sprout idea and it’s been a long time since I sprouted anything. I sure would love to try that Daisylicious cheese.
September 9th, 2011 @ 7:51 am
I look forward to your new posts. When do you plan to bring the farmily back down to lower ground and home? It must be getting pretty cold up there at night.
September 9th, 2011 @ 8:32 am
J~ I’ve had my little fiberglass screen circles for years and they’re still in perfect shape, easy to wash, etc, so don’t worry about durability! Aluminum is not inert – it reacts with certain acids and organic matter (and it will be in contact with the spouts each time you drain), and some worry about the link btw aluminum & alzheimers (sp?) though I don’t know if this is proven or not. After using fiberglass screen for years, I’d never trade it!
September 9th, 2011 @ 10:18 am
Recently discovered Ezekiel bread made with sprouted grains. It is wonderful!
September 9th, 2011 @ 1:05 pm
You know, I have heard of the connection between aluminum and alzheimers. Must have slipped my mind when I was making that decision.
September 9th, 2011 @ 1:39 pm
I live waayyy out in the mountains and enjoy your posts and experiences. Trading goodies seems to be more of the country way. I’m sure the old sheepherder would love some of that fresh milk. I like the extra thick stuff that
is on the very top. We used to milk a jersey named Buttercup. I can taste it now!
September 10th, 2011 @ 4:43 am
Could you share how you prefer your quinoa? I’ve yet to try it, partially because I have no idea how to prepare or cook it. I mean, do you just cook it straight from the package or what?
September 10th, 2011 @ 7:57 am
Glorious indeed! Very inspirational, that we can garden in small scale, just for daily diet. What an organic, cottage lifestyle people can achieve. Happy racooning! xo
September 10th, 2011 @ 5:19 pm
Fresh veggies, especially straight from the garden are the best! On another note, tomatoes are finicky. I bought a plant at about 6″ in late March to grow on my balcony. By late June, it’d grown to all of 14″, so I gave up and left it at my mom’s place. I went to my mom’s place over Labor Day weekend and guess what? It hadn’t grown an inch, much less any tomatoes. Don’t worry that they’re still green, at least they exist, so there’s still hope!
September 10th, 2011 @ 6:31 pm
Myra, fried green tomatoes are delicious…
September 10th, 2011 @ 7:49 pm
Heatherface – if you go back to the beginning of the Off The Grid posts you’ll find where Shreve described how she cooks the quinoa, very similar to rice. I can imagine it must taste so much better when prepared outdoors on a campfire!
September 11th, 2011 @ 12:41 am
Thanks Rhea! I must’ve forgotten, I bet she mentioned it before I had much interest in it. I’ll be sure to take a look.
September 12th, 2011 @ 7:25 am
Hi Shreve! I use an old washed (of course) nylon sock on my sprouting jar, it also makes the rinsing way easier and save a trip to the departement store (if you have nylon socks, that is, I’m not sure considering your kind of life if nylon is a thing you have around :) )!
Cheers!
P.S. I DO have to try your cheese recipe, sounds so easy and delish!
September 12th, 2011 @ 7:50 am
Oh yeah, one last thing, aluminum mesh would give your sprouts an aluminumy taste and it’s an awful taste. So pass!
September 13th, 2011 @ 12:07 pm
I love raw corn but my mom always told me it would make me sick… was she lying about this too???
September 15th, 2011 @ 4:13 pm
I just got caught up with your summer adventures and am completely entranced. How wonderful to spend the summer months in wilderness in the company of our furry family! I do think the heartache of leaving the significant other behind would be too difficult for me but other than that, you’re living a dream it seems. I’d love to see photos of this garden you describe. Although I’m typically within a few blocks of a grocery store I’ve always wanted my own little vegetable garden. Nothing extravagant, but enough produce to include it in my cooking. :) That said even herbs likely wouldn’t fare well with me. I can incubate duck eggs with a desk lamp with success but cannot garden yet!