The Time Has Come

When I was little, my grandfather used to recite these lines from the Walrus and the Carpenter:

"The time has come," the Walrus said,"To talk of many things:Of shoes--and
ships--and sealing-wax--Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling
hot--And whether pigs have wings."

I was thinking about them a lot today. About how perhaps they could be a mission statement for our new farm, or at the very least, be used in our once a year whole pig roast accompanied with all the sauerkraut varieties we'll be making.

Since I typed out my current wild dream yesterday, I've thought about it more. I am concerned that I have now worked myself up into such a frenzy I'll be terribly crushed when I come crashing down from this dream. Another friend suggested that since the cabbages in Alaska really are giant we could also make kimchi (another favorite of my boy). I think it sounds brilliantly fun (though smelly).

You can go here to find recipes and learn about the history of kimchi (you know what else there is even a kimchi museum). This summer we went to a Korean first birthday at KumGangSan and my boy was sorely tempted by these huge plastic tubs they had of kimchi in various states, we briefly considered buying one just because it was such a great size (and they did make a particularly good kimchi), but with our new plan, we could have our own giant tubs and make other people jealous! It looks like we could even go here and try out the techniques before committing to a whole big processing system: http://store.therawdiet.com/pisaandkimch.html

Pork and sauerkraut apparently brings good luck for the new year among the PA Dutch, at least that's what my boy's family (and the post I linked to yesterday) say. I think that we could start an annual New Year's whole pig roast and sauerkraut buffet. Someone suggested that New Year's in Alaska might be cold for a whole pig roast and perhaps we should do it in the summer. I said, it doesn't bring good luck in the summer, besides, the summer will be reserved for giant homemade bratwurst and sauerkraut barbecues!

With my new plan though, we not only have to set aside the issue of money, jobs (though I remembered I vaguely know two architects, perhaps my boy could work for one of them?!), and my dislike of winter, but also set aside my fear of canning. . . besides that, this plan is brilliant. I mean really, don't you think that having 5 acres of peonies and five acres of giant cabbages would make a beautiful mix?

Don't think you've heard the end of this. Oh, no, the floodgates are open people, I'll be chattering about my calling to garden, for a lot longer.