Deer Hunting for Beginners
Learn to hunt in your backyard.
One of the best locally grown and foraged foods is, without doubt, venison. It is a healthy, delicious protein source. And, in areas where the deer herds are dangerously overpopulated, hunting is a good way to help protect the environment (overpopulated herds damage the entire ecosystem by eating food that other woodland creatures need and by eating all new forest growth, thus disrupting the natural cycle).
Today I came across an article on Zester Daily about the blood trail of vegetarian and vegan foods, and I thought there is another reason to eat local meat! I had never considered what it takes to grow soybeans and other vegetarian staples, although I should have…deer and other animals eat crops. Farmers need to control the damage so they exterminate the animals. And none of that meat goes toward feeding people. It is simply a waste of life. I don’t feel good about that.
Jackson Landers wrote a book on hunting for beginners that looks great. I’m going to order it just to support Jackson, and to show to all my friends who have recently expressed an interest in learning to hunt. If nothing else, it is great food for thought.
Dark Days Meal 8: Venison Burger on Grilled Jalapeno-Cheddar Bread
Fresh venison, local veggies and cheese, and locally made bread...a perfect dinner.
For the record, I am having a blast with the Dark Days Challenge. (That’s why I am no longer counting weeks, but rather meals.) I am loving trying to figure out how to make a local meal, and what local really means to me. What I mean by that is that for me local isn’t just locally grown (or raised) food, but local is about supporting small, mom-and-pop businesses. I’m amazed by the number of people who have taken their passion for food and started businesses. They’re going up against big business. They deserve support.
Project Backyard Grocery: Summer garden plan
I started this blog because we got a garden plot and, for the first time in my life, had a lot of home grown veggies. I thought it would be fun to write about what I cooked with them. It’s only been a few short months, but the mission is becoming bigger and, frankly, funner.
Rick reclaimed brick from a friend's construction project and now we have nice brick pathways in the garden.
