Living Green with Homegrown Meals

Written by Corinne Garcia Wednesday, May 05 2010

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“Pass the peas” takes on a whole new meaning in the Sabo household, located on 500 acres southwest of Bozeman, Mont. Not only because it’s surprising to hear a 7 year old eagerly ask for vegetables, but because each family member had a part in growing them.

The Sabos -- Jenny, Mark, and their two boys, Riley, 9, and, Kiril, 7 -- take the term “locavore” to the next level, buying only 5 percent of their food commercially. The typical spread on their table consists of locally raised meats, fresh produce grown year-round in their unheated greenhouse, milk from their cows, and fresh baked breads from local grains. Each boy has his own garden plot he maintains (with a little parental guidance), and each actively takes part in processing food in the harvest season, feeding cattle, and gathering eggs, among other ranch chores. What the family doesn’t grow or produce, they trade or buy from neighboring farmers.

“It means consciously paying attention to the season, and then purchasing or raising it,” Jenny says. “It’s a lifestyle shift, saying ‘I’m going to embrace the plentitude of the season and enjoy the activity that comes with preserving it.’”

Kiril works his garden

When Jenny is not out milking cows or feeding chickens, she’s home schooling the two boys. And somehow she also makes time to teach others how to eat more locally to promote healthy bodies and a healthy community through supporting local farmers.

“It’s all about setting aside the time,” Jenny says. “Most people won’t make this lifestyle happen; it’s purely a matter of choice. People choose to sit in front of the TV or shop on eBay. That’s where their life energy goes.”

And although this lifestyle seems to come easily to her, Jenny was raised quite differently. Originally from suburban Ohio, she is the daughter of an English professor father and a homemaker mother. She’s also happens to be a Harvard University graduate with a degree in English literature. After a divorce 13 years ago, Jenny took a class on permanent sustainable agriculture (permaculture) in California.

The work pays off

“I came back and set a goal for myself: Five years from now I’m going to raise as much food as I can,” Jenny says. “I had never raised a carrot or planted a vegetable in my entire life.” She bought 500 acres in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, married Mark soon after, and the rest is history.

The Sabos are living a lifestyle that may be difficult for most modern families to conceive of. However, they serve as an inspiration to those who think about where food comes from and strive to eat more locally. No matter where you live, local eating is attainable and important.

Here are some simple ways to get involved in the locavore lifestyle:

Buy a Share
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms are a convenient way to support local farmers while getting your hands on the freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables around. In the beginning of the season, customers pay for a weekly share of the farm’s harvest throughout the growing season. CSAs may deliver a box of food directly to your door or have a pickup spot at their farm or somewhere in town. And many offer CSA discounts to farm volunteers.

To find a CSA near you, check out http://www.localharvest.org/csa/.