Posted on April 1, 2012 by bob in OffTheBeatenPath
Long before ?going green? was a buzz word in home improvement and grocery stores, hunters and fishermen were ?living green.? Harvesting our own wild game gives those of us who hunt and fish not only the pride in having provided for ourselves and our families, but also the exceedingly rare (these days) knowledge about the origin of our food; where it came from, what it ate, how it was processed, etc.
The truth is, many people these days don?t regularly dine on anything that doesn?t come canned, wrapped in cellophane or stamped with an expiration date. ?This was not the norm just one or maybe two generations back. We?ve lost part of our identity in distancing ourselves from an intimate knowledge of the origins of the foods we eat. I personally want to know as much as possible about the origins of the foods my family and I consume to keep us healthy.
Restaurants and specialty food stores charge a premium for ?free range? or ?wild caught? meats, fish and shellfish and ?organic? and locally grown fruits and vegetables. I recently read an article about a restaurant in one of the nation?s largest cities that has made quite a splash with its menu that relied heavily on wild game (including raccoon). ?Apparently, city slickers cannot get enough of the ultra-organic, free range game served there, fare we hunters and anglers have enjoyed for ages.
The fact that people are going crazy over a menu filled with wild fish or game seems odd, and claims regarding the healthy aspects of eating these free range and organic foods has only increased their popularity with consumers. The ?general public seems to have only recently accepted what we hunters and fishermen have known for some time.
My personal preference (if you haven?t guessed it by now) is to harvest my own dinner. ?Here recently, in consultation with fellow Prime columnist Ethel Dozier Boykin, I have expanded upon that concept to also include growing my own fresh produce. With the farm-to-table sensation sweeping the nation, I thought it?d be fun to have a version of this right here in my own backyard. Plus, I have the added benefit of a shared hobby with my wife, Sally. We both have fond memories of eating fruits and vegetables grown in our grandparents or our own backyard gardens as children, and this year we have our very first shared garden in our backyard. We have a variety of vegetables and fruits, and she has her own herb garden with an array of aromatics to complement the fine dishes that come out of her kitchen.
By no means are either of us as experienced in horticulture as Ethel, but we have shared many laughs and joyful moments planning our garden, sowing our seeds and watching them sprout and grow ?This is a new tradition for us, and one that I hope to continue for many years to come. ?Maybe even add to our farm-to-table concept with the addition of some chickens to give us fresh eggs! For now, I?m content to have found a satisfying hobby we can enjoy all year long.
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Niko Corley spends his free time hunting, fishing and enjoying other outdoor activities. Contact him at cootfootoutfitters@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @cootfootoutfitters.
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