Musings on Preservation

So I've been thinking a lot about preservation. Most concretely, I have discovered the process of water glassing eggs. This is the preservation process whereby you take eggs fresh out of the nesting box, with their bloom layer still on, and submerge them in a solution of pickling lime (calcium hydroxide) and water to be enjoyed months later without the need for refrigeration. [Thank you ancestors for your historical brilliance and big thanks to Simple Living Alaska and their November 25, 2021 YouTube episode sharing their experience water glassing eggs.] Before this spring, our only experience with pickling lime was to nixtamalize corn we've grown to turn it into masa for tortillas, and time will tell as we conduct our own egg water glassing experiment.

But as I head into another growing season, I have found myself drawn deeply into the work of increasing what we preserve. From repurposing areas of our small home to serve as a root cellar to anticipating a lot of learning about pressure canning, it's clear that preservation is on my mind! And so I started thinking about this notion of preservation in the current context of our nation and world.

I personally feel that we are in times where the circumstances of the future feel unclear. As a mother, I find this particularly discomforting, and I'm sure that every generation has experienced this to some degree. However, the momentum of our past ways of living, consuming, and connecting are wreaking havoc on the desires so many people are sharing around finding a new way to live -- a way that sustains all people, our individual and collective wellness, and our earth.

It's as if the covid pandemic along with the justice and equity reckoning we are experiencing have exponentially exacerbated tensions between our old ways of being and what's desired and possible for our future. I personally find this tug of war between the two to be a significant energy suck...and I hate wasting energy (ask my husband; he'll confirm this)

So I decided to think about what's important enough to preserve. Here's where I've landed so far this week:

• Anchoring into our inescapable connection with nature preserves my sanity.

• Redefining value and wealth around what's held in a root cellar or pantry is evidence that I'm caring for myself, my family, and nature. This is a value and wealth worth preserving because it's direct and requires no external exchange rate or 3rd party appraisal.

• Preserving joy for me, my family, and my community must be a priority. Bring on the days of digging in dirt, watching tiny blossoms turn to fruit, and harvesting a hard-earned abundance.

• Preserving dignity and growth opportunities for the historically impoverished and under-resourced among us can happen through increasingly localized economic systems and food supply chains.

I have much more to consider and learn when it comes to preservation. Most concretely, I'll be exploring the skill set of pressure canning this season. But abstractly, I'll be reflecting on the intentions above and pondering how little life adjustments and actions can move me day by day towards the simpler and more sustainable life I crave.