Canned Goods

I've been foraging for winter provisions. The freezer is piled with colorful Ziploc packages of blueberries, peaches, and corn sliced from the cob. Jars of dilly beans, pickles, and beets are stacked on a basement shelf. In conjunction with this weekend’s TC house-hunting excursion, Sarah and I made a sidetrip to Old Mission Peninsula and each picked a bagful of Ida Red and Golden Delicious apples. So I just made my first-ever jars of canned applesauce. And as I write, a big vat of fragrant tomato sauce is simmering on the stove, thanks to a half-bushel of tomato seconds from Bill’s Farm Market.

I read recently that Michigan ranks second in the U.S. in agricultural diversity (after California). At first I suspected that lofty claim might be local lore, but reputable sources repeat it. During my sojourn in the #1 state, my housemates and I concluded that California was probably one of the easier places to live a “low-impact” lifestyle, given the year-round availability of local foods and the sunny, mild-winter climate. So it’s interesting to think that my northern preference might not be such a disadvantage in the environmental-lifestyles game after all – provided I take full advantage of the seasonal abundance of produce. Meanwhile, winter weather here will certainly add to my energy-use footprint, but the lake-moderated summer temperatures eliminate the need for air conditioning (a way of life in the part of California where I lived, and even more so in D.C.). And the abundance of fresh water is another big plus in the habitability column. My heart led me back here, but good hard facts justify the choice!