Branching Out

I've always loved the home- and base - building part of video games. Since the SNES I've followed the Harvest Moon games, one of the first things I played on my own PC was The Sims and the settlement construction feature of Fallout 4 has sucked up a huge amount of my playtime. And, now that I'm an adult, I've kinda become obsessed with the idea of doing some base building of my own - specifically some gardening.

I'm a little wary of some of the catchphrases of the 'organic' movement - it seems to often be associated with some stuff I disagree with, like the fear of 'toxins', praise of all things 'natural' and the distrust of medicine - but I don't deny there are some ideas that appeal to me too. I like the thought of reducing my impact on the world, providing for myself, creating things instead of just consuming them.

I've already begun to dabble a little. The property I'm renting has an apricot and a plum tree, and I made a couple jars of jam from each. I have the beginnings of a vegetable garden that brings me a lot of joy (and frustration) and I can't wait to harvest my first crops - I'm especially keen to set up some preserved. And inside the home I am already a keen crafter, spending hours especially on knitting - I love being able to make things from their unassuming components.

There's a lot of information available online on all of these topics. Not all of it is directly applicable to my hemisphere but there is definitely a grassroots movement here too if you look for it. The main problem is not just finding it but sifting through, finding what works and applies for me, and keeping track of it all. With that in mind I am giving this blog a shot. I figure if I can document my efforts I can not only share my victories but also serve as a scapegoat to make mistakes others can then avoid. Plus it will be a little easier to look back on my progress than it would if I had to scroll back through my photo gallery or Facebook feed!

Hopefully someone will find this useful - or at least entertaining. I welcome any and all advice, suggestions and corrections. I look forward to finding active online communities to join in with (and maybe seek advice from, from time to time). I don't expect the learning process to be nearly as simple as it seems on the surface but I'm looking forward to getting a little more down to earth, and branching out in my hobbies.

Ultimate dream: backyard food forest garden!
For now: growing more than weeds, pickles and preserves, keeping up with this year's Geek-A-Long, learning!