First tomatoes of 2022
Hi, I’m Ann, a married 60-year-old school bus driver who loves warm weather, sunshine, and being barefoot in the gardens. I am married to my husband Jim and live on three quarters of an acre of not-so-great soil and rock in a small town in Central Massachusetts. I have an assortment of young people ranging in ages three to sixteen who call me Nonni or Grammy Ann. If memory serves, there were fifteen at last count.
In my fifties I attended community college and earned an A.S. degree in Complementary Health. That opened my eyes into a more holistic way of caring for my health. I am currently working toward a certification in Aromatherapy and have taken a much deeper dive into the world of herbs, many of which I grow myself. While I believe there is a time and place for medical treatment by highly trained experts, I also believe that much of our current health crisis could be lessened with lifestyle changes and natural remedies.
My husband and I have had a seasonal vegetable garden with the required tomato, peppers, and zucchini for most of the years we have been together. However, with local and world events being what they have been in the last few years, we chose to expand our growing space and preserve more of what we have grown.
I have learned to pressure can vegetables, spaghetti, pizza, and marinara sauce. I have meals like chili, beef or chicken stew, and chicken and gravy ready to heat and eat. I put up fruit preserves from the berries in our yard or ones that I hand pick locally.
In the last few years, I have learned how to ferment, dehydrate, and culture foods to retain as many of the nutrients as possible, and to provide delicious alternatives to the chemical laden products we were buying.
I have learned so many new skills that I want to share with everyone. People close to me are tired of me asking if they want to learn so I decided to start writing about it instead. If I can help a few people become more food and health independent, I will be happy.
Over The Hill Homesteading 