It’s middle of spring. Some of plants in my garden already started to give me some harvests. Capsicums, chillies, tomatoes, beans and herbs. It’s fun to watch them grow and even more fun to harvest. I waited and waited for the day to harvest. But then, when the time finally came, there was something stopping me from actually eating my own harvest.
It was a slight fear…
I felt the fear because I wasn’t sure about the food I grew.
Everything I buy from grocery stores, my brain had been programmed that they are OK to eat. Perfectly ripe or very close to for kitchen use. When it comes to my own home grown food, I don’t have experienced farmer or store staff who deliver the ‘good-to-eat-food’ right in front of me, so it all depends on my humble experience. I know tomatoes are ready to eat when red, but I still think of possibilities that I might have done something wrong growing them to eat them.
I think it’s a bit sad that my brain had been programmed like that. With my own produce, I know where it came from, how they were grown. I surely know there were no chemicals used, or no dangerous techniques like GM were applied. They are most likely safer to eat than shop-bought vegetables. Just because they don’t come from shops, I was a little scared.
One good example was when my hens laid the first egg. It was a very small egg. I knew the first egg could be small, and sometimes with no yolk!! I was very excited about the egg but I was also scared to crack it. I knew, in my head, that there won’t be a big monster coming out of it, but still, just because it’s not shop bought, some part of me wasn’t ready about it. I ended up asking my husband to crack it into a small bowl… It was a beautiful egg with a beautiful yolk. The egg was cooked and used for sandwich. When the sandwich was on the plate in front of me, oh, no… I was scared again, to actually eat it. I knew my little fear was nonsense but it was still in my head. After taking a big breath, I took my first bite. It was very delicious egg sandwich. I ate it all very quickly, and I was very satisfied with my own produce at the end.
It’s funny that I felt that fear. Because I had no reason to worry about. I guess it came from the change I introduced into my life, the source of my food. Not long ago, 100% of my food came from a grocery store, so, in my brain, food is recognized as something to buy, not grow in my backyard. But now, I’m producing fresh food straight from my garden. My brain gets a little confused to adjust. I think it’s ok to confuse at start. It’s a sign of my lifestyle change. I see it as a good indication of ‘better me’.
If you are like me, you might not be sure about food you grow in your backyard. The quick solution that works for me is to cook them. The heat from cooking should kill any possible nasties you might worry. If you cannot cook, here is a tip. Although it’s a time consuming method, it might become useful some day. (I would be using this method if I unfortunately get lost in the bush.)
Tip: When you are not sure what you have is edible - e.g. Let’s say, you are lost in a forest and have to find food to survive. Even if you know the look of a particular edible plant, you are encouraged to be very careful before putting in your mouth. In fact, you are probably better if you don’t eat anything in the bush until the rescue comes. But if you must eat, you can take the following tests to make sure the plant is OK to eat.
First: Take a small bit of the plant and rub on your skin. Just use small area of your skin. Wait for 24 hours and see if your skin reacts.
Second: If your skin is OK, take a very small bite of the plant. Again, wait for 24 hours to see if your body reaction.
Third: If your body is OK, the plant is probably OK to eat. Gradually increase the amount of the plant you eat at a time but wait for long enough to see your body reaction.
I got this tip from a scout boy. I think it’s a good method, although I have to stress that you have to be very careful when you apply this. A particular plant might be OK to eat for you, but might not be OK for somebody else to eat, or vise versa. You never know where hidden allergies are. Take your own test and make your own decision.
In the end, I came to this conclusion about my very own food.
I can buy food, but I cannot buy the experience to grow food in my garden. I’m learning lots about food production including what’s poisonous (i.e. rhubarb leaves are poisonous) and practical way to look after plants. It’s a hands-on adventure and so much fun. Hopefully, my stupid fear will go away as I learn.
... I appreciate your support.
