Monday 24 March 2008

Freegan....thoughts...

Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed.

Okay so I have been thinking about this a lot, I couldn't sleep, was up until 2am. Thinking how how how can I get myself out of my current environment and able to travel, invest in some training and kit up a proper chefs kitchen.

I figured I could save a lot of money by cutting food and travel costs to a minimal. Then this got me thinking about cutting them to ZERO

Recently there was a show aired here Wife Swap showing a freegan family vs a Wealthy family in suburban UK. The latter lot made a real fuss about this food, throwing up in sinks and having tantrums about eating BOXED in date crackers/breads....or indeed just finishing their left overs!

It certainly was food for thought, coming out of these bins was fruit, vegetables, milk, bread, tonnes of packaged food and fruits on their "use by" dates. But all good, everything looked good and viable-- not at all in the state where it should be chucked in a dumpster, usually things I buy at this point are still in my fruit bowl waiting for me to consider them "ripe" enough to eat/juice!

This also got me thinking about volunteering time for food-- an option for sure. Working some time for the organic market or farmers in return for some fruits.

Also speaking with produce managers, taking "over-ripe" ie perfectly ripe things off their hands.

Wild foraging/growing your own
Other options, get foraging or indeed using someones garden or a plot to grow your own cheaply!

Foods to forage during March

Cleavers
Garlic Mustard
Wild Sorrel
Hawthorn Leaves

Wild greens, superb!

So it doesn't have to be full on dumpster diving!..It can be other trades/ways to source cheaper or indeed free foods.

Food for thought.......

3 comments:

Queen B said...

Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog and adding me to your blogroll! After viewing your lovely blog I'll most definitely do the same! Keep up the juicy love and blessings to you!

HiHoRosie said...

I do understand the interest in foraging. It's probably good to know about these days!

Definitely, "food for thought."

Anonymous said...

My two older children and I used to work for a farmer a few miles from my house. We worked for food and ate like kings and queens! I learned to can and spent almost nothing on food.

Happy Thoughts!
Connie