1. Learn to utilize all of the new freezer space we added last year by preserving more local and homemade food during the next growing season.  I will also throw in the hope that I can learn more about drying fruits, vegetables, and herbs and, a big leap here, actually can something like peaches from Illinois’ Calhoun County.  I loved the canned peaches and pears that my grandmother would give us when I was growing up.

2. Fertilize, compost, and otherwise improve the soil in the three gardens that our family started last year.  Our big compost bins have been collecting our household leftovers and yard waste for over a year now and spring will be the time to take more advantage of all that good compost.  Last year our gardens benefited from lots of help from friends.  Thank you to Bob for the seeds and rototiller, Michael for another round of rototiller work, John for the tomato cages, Bradley and Erin for the strawberry plants, and Ann and Anna for some of the other plants that succeeded in growing vegetables.  The garden has been a great way to connect with friends and neighbors.

3.  It is all about the SYSTEM here.  I hope that as a community we can work to establish a more assessable venue, maybe a food co-op, to purchase and sell local food.  At least one community garden is within our reach as well.  Macomb’s local food system is growing!

I recommend the New Year’s resolution list at Craig Goodwin’s Year of Plenty blog. Year of Plenty is a local food and gardening blog based in the Spokane, Washington, region.  Craig Goodwin describes himself as a Master Food Preserver and Minister at Millwood Presbyterian Church.