Before the last world war our food was organic and most households had vegetable gardens. Most families worked to put their excess vegetables and fruit into jars to eat in the winter. I work towards growing all my own food on the property. So my diet is not vegetarian, or paleo, or vegan or atkins, or mayo, or mediterranean – I have always thought that many of these diets have too many rules so I just call my diet PreWar with Frills. Lots of room to maneuver in my diet. 
Though my animals and their wild behaviour is not exactly old fashioned! The vegetables are – with dinner tonight I am going to make cucumber salsa. 
The soy-beans are definitely not pre war. Though the first genetically modified crops entered the American food chain in 1994. (Tomatoes) The post war sprays are still being used. Just modified.
We are getting the odd red tomato but not enough to start the sauce yet. Too cold. Though this cold weather is fantastic for many of the vegetables plus the vegetable picker. 
The corn is ready. I will begin the corn relish tomorrow. No-one here likes frozen corn so I put as much as I can into relish.
Four roosters are in the fattening chicken tractor now. Not this hen, though I have told her if she keeps hiding her eggs there will be trouble! 
No skunks in traps but also no skunks in the barn or around the house the last few nights. Lots of baths for dogs though. 
Timatanga Moana is getting wider. (Even though she is on a strict vegetative diet.) She has had to make new holes in the fences so she and Poppy can behave badly. Poppy still bites Tima’s bottom, as they run along, just for fun, but generally they get on. All three pigs are walking twice a day now (separately) and I do think that Sheila is happier. Or maybe it is just the cool weather and the absence of the plonkers. She never much cared for them. 
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
39 responses to “My Pre War Diet”
Great photos, as always. The white hens and the hydrangea made a lovely capture. Tima coming toward you, and poking her snout through the fence is adorable.
I arrived into this world post second world war and although Ireland was neutral, we had ration cards. Food was simple and all meals were made from scratch. Having a granny in the country meant we often had gifts of chickens, eggs & some home grown pork. Turf for the fire came from the family bog too. We never went hungry, we were all healthy and none of us were ever over weight. I live much the same way today, my only restriction is an intolerance of dairy products.
The pre-war diet is the bane of global food conglomerates… and anyone else on the prescriptive for profit nutritional bandwagon. No money to be made there. For me there is a wonderful subversivemess in belonging to this food movement.
What a lovely postcard is the chickens and flowers, and a great capture of Ton… I’ve dodged the spray after saying ‘shake’ many times.
he waits for the command too dear wee fella, Boo – not so much.. his wash is a wet affair for everyone.. c
I like the idea of the pre-war diet. We grew up on healthy organic veges grown by my dad who was a leading member of the compost club. The word organic was unheard of back then. Glad the weather is not too hot just yet.
As a nutritionist I hate the word ‘diet’, Atkins being the most dangerous of them all! With plain vegetarianism it is very hard to get all the correct nutrients – a lot of balancing work!! Of course I was also brought up on the ‘pre-war’ way of eating, lost my way during the business lunch/dinner decades of my life and am now back trying my utmost to eat the way you try with delicious ‘tweaks’ here and there. Without question the Mediterranean [especially Middle-Eastern] and many Asian countries are not only to be emulated for health but the taste sensations of their dishes: I would say I eat about 70% fusion Asian and 30 % Lebanese, Egyptian, Sicilian etc: fun, easy, tasty, cheap! Rant over 😀 !! Was going to have ‘just’ a cucumber salad with my lunch: thank you very much for making it salsa!!!!
Yes, pre-war with frills is a good idea. Most diets just do not allow for individual lifestyles, food sensitivities etc. Eating basic good, simple food, is my approach, with a few lovely extras like nuts and lots of herbs.
oh yes, and lemons and avocados, i just cannot resist either! even though they are NOT even grown in this state.
Add bananas for me to your list C. Other than those items, we try to eat locally and in season. And buy from the farmer directly whenever possible.
Our own beans are petering out, the heat here has gotten to them. Still have plenty of tomatoes ripening. Including my favorite, the Cherokee Purple.
Back to lurking. 🙂
Whatever you call your diet, Celi, it’s working. You’re healthy and have the energy and stamina of 5 people.
We, as a people, need to take back control of our food supply. Accurate labeling is the first step — and “they” know it. Who will buy something labeled “GMO”?
Sharing on Hot Cheap & Easy’s FB page (in a series of living vicariously through other people’s successful vegetable production…)