Our Generation

I don't know if it's a sign of the times, or if maybe growing up as children of the eighties forced us to see waste and excess the way that we do, but it does seem that this generation - the tail-end of Gen X - seems to appreciate that although change can be good, sometimes the change we want is nostalgic in a way. And, maybe we just want to be left alone.

As I have gotten older, I've found that it really irritates me to buy certain things from the grocery store, and eggs are one of those things. So are garlic, green onions, basil, tomatoes, and many other "standard" kitchen items. Basically, if it's something I could grow or produce at my home, buying it just flat-out pisses me off (to the point that I don't mind quietly ignoring ordinances to put food on the table). Not to mention the fact that food really does taste better when all you have to do is wash the dirt off of it. This concept actually fascinates the children in my neighborhood, who can't understand why you'd grow something that you "could just buy at the store."

Well, you can't just buy a lot of what I grow (or try to grow) in a store. When I shop for seeds, I deliberately buy seeds that will grow white tomatoes, or purple brussels sprouts, or orange cauliflower. Not only is it fun to grow things in unexpected colors, but there are vitamin benefits in them, as well (which I'm not going to go into in this post). Another thing I'm known for in this neighborhood is my hot peppers. I've damn near killed a few people with those peppers, and they've all loved it. My garden is in my front yard, and I've had complete strangers stop to ask if they could look at it. Old ladies seem to find it particularly enjoyable.

Agriculture isn't taught in school any more, and it should be. Everyone needs to appreciate where their food comes from. Period. Not that long ago, knowing how to produce a tomato was a common knowledge that everyone shared. Some time ago, a friend of mine and I reconnected, and he criticized me for talking about my garden. He said it made me sound like an old lady. But, as I have continued to garden over the years, I have discovered that a really surprising proportion of my friends also garden. Not always in a big way, but maybe a couple of tomatoes and some herbs here and there. I have been surprised to find that this is fairly common. And, I love it. Our generation seems to want to get back to a place of self-sufficiency, even if it is only in some small way. There is a special pride people take in saying, "I grew this myself." And, they should.

Today, I bought four "bitties." They'll be here in April. The only color of egg that none of them will lay is white. One will lay dark brown (and probably speckled) eggs. The other three will lay either blue, green, or pink eggs. The breeds are specifically friendly and calm. My husband wants to name them "old lady names" like Mildred or Ethel. I want to name one Lula Belle. What has been the reaction of people to my want for chickens? Completely supportive, encouraging, and positive. It's this kind of thing that makes me believe that we are a generation that doesn't just say we want to make the world a better place, but we actually do try.