Why don't "poor people" buy ginger root?



Ginger root

In this economy (at least the one at my house) I visit a pantry once a month.  But due to health issues, I have to buy certain products they can't often provide - almond milk, certain flours, yeast, etc.  And ginger.  But the normal stores for me to shop at - discount box stores mostly - don't carry ginger.  The spice or the root.  Almond milk is making inroads - I can find it most places.  Cornstarch - yes.  Tapioca - no.  Sorghum - not on a bet. 

Masa harina and cornmeal - sure.  But of course at a premium price.  (We can't have those ethanol fueled vehicles sitting idle! And then we have to feed the livestock.  Of course, they'd rather eat grass.)

And in true Aspie fashion - my mind was off. 

I have a cousin who truly believes there is a "they" out there - government, big business, foreign investors - out to destroy the little people.  I'm not sure I go there, but it certainly seems that we are being left to fall by the roadside.  The old saying "only the strong survive" seems to have changed.  If visiting the grocery store is any indication, somehow the definition of "strong" has dollar signs on it these days.

So many of the very diseases we are struggling with are directly related to nutrition.  As magnificent a machine as our bodies are - they have to have basics to function well.  Autism, diabetes, & auto-immune diseases all have scientifically proven direct links to what we eat.  The quality, the quantity, the source, how long its been stored - all nutrition issues.  I know we believe that things need to change, but if we don't have the health - compounded with muddied access to health care - we can't make it.

• So, this morning I'm thinking - want to change the world (I'm aiming just for changing where I live)?  Grow something you eat... 
• Can't grow it yourself?  Form a group and share the work.
• Live in a city? There are incredible models of urban agriculture springing up all over the country. 
• Bad weather - check out Growing Power.  They have gardens in Milwaukee and Madison, WI and Chicago, IL.



Fingerling eggplant.

Start small - but at least start.  You'd me amazed at what can be grown in containers.  I grew cucumbers and eggplant in plastic milk jugs attached to a chain link fence last year.  At least grow a few of your favorite herbs to spice up your cooking.  Taste inspires!  And then expand the variety.  Or try a vertical garden, like this pallet garden - Creating a Pallet Garden.  A word of caution, be sure the pallet hasn't been fumigated.  Here's info on how to check - Is my pallet safe to re-use?




Pickling cucumbers

Cherry or grape tomatoes are essentially a weed.  They can tolerate all kinds of abuse and still produce fruit.  That's all they care about - making fruit.  Their whole existence in focused on those little red (or yellow) seed packets you can pop in your mouth, add to your salad, or spice up you pasta...
Of course they are really good fresh off the vine as a reward :-)

Maybe you don't have any place to grow plants but you window sill.  Or the green thumb you dream of skipped you completely. Try sprouting seeds & legumes.  Check out Nourished Kitchen — Reviving Traditional Foods, they have a great blog on the how to's of sprouting.  I get a lot of lentils - and there are a number of delightful recipes for them.  But they are also delightfully easy to sprout.  I use them in salads, stirred into my scrambled eggs, baked into my bread, and as an occasional treat for my hens!  I've also tried sesame seeds, mung beans, buckwheat, and quinoa (keen-wah).  Didn't have great success with the quinoa, but the others worked great!

Now, I'm going to try growing my own ginger.

Want a revolution! Grow something edible! 
And try honey ginger root tea instead of coffee sometime...