A story for mums who dream of raising their children on real food, from the ground up ~ by Aby Chalmers
Before we had children, we dreamt of moving to the country so we could be as self-sufficient as possible and raise our kids on real food that we had grown ourselves. We wanted them to understand where their meals really came from, to be grounded in the seasons, and to know the taste of something freshly picked and still warm from the sun.
I had visions of creating an enveloping kitchen space for my family, one that held scents of freshly baked bread and gently simmering soups, with garlic plaits and drying herbs hanging from the rafters, and overflowing harvest baskets filled with seasonal abundance resting on the benches. I wanted my kids to be connected to their food, and I yearned for certainty that the produce I was feeding them would be safe to eat and free from harmful toxins. We also had a desire to be as self-reliant and food secure as possible. It wasn’t about having a perfect garden, it was about putting nourishing, honest food on our table, and being prepared as a family.
So, my partner Brett and I bought an overgrown insect-invested bungalow in the tiny village of Karamea on New Zealand’s West Coast, and began turning it – and the surrounding land – into a thriving homestead. Thanks to our combined steadfast nature, and willingness to literally see beyond the weeds and hold on to our dreams, we created a beautiful home and established large organic gardens and orchards with an array of vegetables, fruits, nuts and berries.
In time we had two children – boys named River and Shea – and set about raising them on fresh homegrown food. The children would join me in the garden and the kitchen at every opportunity, digging in the soil, harvesting produce, chopping vegetables, and measuring out and mixing ingredients.
When River, our oldest, was 8, we began to yearn for the forest, so we sold up and bought a piece of rainforest overlooking the Tasman Sea. We built an off-grid home tucked deep into the trees, and established a thriving food forest – a lush, layered ecosystem where espaliered fruit trees, assorted vegetables, berries, herbs, flowers and natives all grow in harmony. We have created our very own garden of eden that doubles as our outdoor pantry.
Now that it is established and we have systems that work, we can go for weeks without needing to visit the supermarket. Our larder is lined with jars of bottled foods and ferments we’ve filled ourselves. We make kombucha, naturally fermented juices and wine from our fruit, and kimchi, sauerkraut and fermented pickles from our vegetables. All our chutneys, sauces and dressings are homemade, with no need to buy any preservative-filled condiments. Life is good!
