Protest in a vegie patch: from city-dweller to rural squatter Or, how I learned to stop worrying and love the agrarian kitchen

Firstly – welcome to the new year everyone!! Apologies for leaving it so long between blog posts (never again I promise!) Never fear – we have been working hard towards the good life and I have lots to tell you that I will hopefully blog about in the next few weeks! So don’t abandon me just yet! (Especially the three people who are members, don’t forget I know where you live) ;)

PP (my patient partner) and I recently went to Hobart for a break over New Years. I was desperate to go to the Taste Festival and attending this was my main reason for choosing to go to Hobart. Actually, I’ll be honest, it was my only reason. That, and I love Tasmania. Obsessed some might say. Others might say I’m just awesome. I’m not one to argue with that kind of logic.

What it did was absolutely and unequivocally reaffirm for both of us what we want to be doing. We tasted lots of amazing produce, listened to some great speakers and met lots of like-minded people.

I was listening to a speaker from the Agrarian Kitchen and realised something – hey, this guy has stolen my life! I was keen for a bit of an Oprah moment – I clearly envisaged myself jumping on stage, grabbing the microphone from the unwitting presenter and throwing his micro-herbs at passers by (or is that a Tom Cruise moment???). Luckily for all involved, PP wasn’t particularly keen on that idea, and my grand plan to storm the agrarian kitchen and set up camp in the vegie patch was scuppered.

But it got me thinking – of course, he hasn’t stolen my life. What he, and so many other people I heard talking – from cheesemakers to brewers – are doing, is living their best lives (Oprah reference No. 2). Sure, they are all doing it for different reasons. Mostly for these amazing producers, it’s a passion for food, for knowing where it comes from and bringing your children up to appreciate eating and food in a way most kids are pretty disconnected from (eggs come from chickens??)

Listening to them talk I realised how important it is that we get out there and start living our best lives. And whilst skulking around the cheese room of the Bruny Island Cheese Company, hoping to be given a job, might have to be for now, put on the backburner, there are so many things that we can start changing right now. We don’t need our own home, lots of money or even lots of time. Just some patience, dedication and passion for what we are doing!!

Stay tuned for my recent adventures in cookery (10 things that don’t blow up in my kitchen) in my efforts to make all our food from scratch, my views on stockpiling and the importance of community and support networks, and why I am obsessed with Tasmania (all your questions answered!). Plus a special guest blogger!

P.S. Nick Haddow – please give me a job.