Here are the rules - at least the rules I intend to follow.
All foods eaten for the time period mentioned must have been taken directly from their natural source. Food should be cultivated through hunting, fishing, farming, or foraging. You may start collecting at any time (now) and can preserve these foods in any way, using any equipment so long as you do not add any non-cultivated ingredients. Freezing, drying, dehydrating, etc are fine - you cannot salt goods unless you go and collect the salt yourself. You may travel any distance you like to collect. You may have domestic (farm) animals for eggs, milk, meat, etc. so long as you have them at least 90 days prior to Market Day.
Please make sure you are POSITIVE of the identification of the plants you are foraging for. There are numerous guide books available that will help with identification, go to the library and check them out. Don't poison yourself or your family!
Share this idea with whoever you'd like! If you think there is someone else who would be interested in joining up with us, share it with them. If you know someone interested in doing it remotely, share it with them too.
We will begin Thursday, July 22nd, with 'Market Day.' Everyone bring their cultivated goods to family dinner and we can barter with one another for a better variety of goods.
Friday, July 23rd morning will begin the actual eating of our harvest. This will extend to the following Thursday night, July 29th, where we will conclude with a family feast. Everyone is to bring a contribution to the feast made solely from their remaining stockpiles.
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Three families challenge themselves to survive on only what they hunt, forage and farm.
About
We hope you enjoy our blog about 3 challenges we embarked upon to experience eating from the past. We grew our own food, hunted, gathered and preserved while trying to avoid modern day conveniences and temptation. It was challenging and rewarding! Stay tuned for updates!
Posts
Do we have to collect our own water too?
ReplyDeleteNo, city water is the preferred source of water for this challenge.
ReplyDeleteDo pets count as part of the family unit for the challenge or will they dine on their usual fare?
ReplyDeleteMy pets will bet eating thei usual fare... with three cats, two dogs, a rabbit, and some chickens on the way, making them part of the food family unit would take more effort than feeding the rest of us! :o) Todd has been researching natural recipes though, maybe for next year/in the future.
ReplyDeleteCity water shouldn't be the prefered source of water for any challenge! Atleast not our city water.
ReplyDeleteI have translated these rules into Latvian. I will publish an article about your challenge into the Transition Town Ikskile blog www.parmainupilseta.wordpress.lv , so I hope people will get inspired and join this action!
ReplyDeleteThere are some uncertainties - can we use sugar to preserve fruits and berries? Can we use jams that are made in previous year? Can we use oil for cooking during the challenge?
:o) Thanks, Arturs!
ReplyDeleteHello Arturs,
ReplyDeleteSugar can be grown from cane or beets, or derived from fruit or honey. Sugar bought in the store is not allowed. You could use foods saved from previous years if the only ingredients in your can are those you cultivated yourself. Oil must also be taken from natural sources, such as pressed nuts or fat rendered from livestock or game.
Oh, but Mark, you said that salt used for preserving in advance is "legal"-- so why not sugar? If the fruits used for preserving are gained within the rules of the challenge, I think the preservation in advance using sugar/honey should be allowed based on that!
ReplyDeleteThe reason is because there is no salt tree. Pure sugar can be grown from cane or beets, or you can raise bees for honey or tap trees for syrup. Salt is a mineral, and small-scale mining is not available. Of course you can buy and use sugar or honey, but then you are a cheater cheater cheater!!
ReplyDelete:o) Fair enough!
ReplyDelete