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 Nameko

Buying seasonal, unpackaged or minimally packaged food is an important part of my practice. 14 or so years ago I stepped on a path of eating a plant-based diet for ecological reasons. It was not a challenge or a sacrifice because I always genuinely preferred vegetarian and vegan foods. Over the years, I began to contemplate other aspects of my relationship with food. It was no longer enough to consume food that was labelled as, say, vegan. It became important to me to contemplate how seasonal that food was, what kind of packaging it came with, how it was grown and processed, and where that food came from. 

These days, one can buy cucumbers and tomatoes grown in Denmark. Growing these vegetable in Denmark in winter is incredibly energy intensive. It feels better to buy seasonal vegetables. At the moment, those are for example Jerusalem artichokes, celery, potatoes, pumpkins, leek, kale, apples. 

I don't plan my meals exactly. Instead, I go to a food market or a supermarket to see what is available that is seasonal and minimally packaged. Then some simple dish comes to mind. Recently I made a soup with leek, onion and potatoes. 

This is not to say that I don't buy vegetables and fruits that are not in season, but most of the vegetables and fruits that I consume are seasonal. These days there are no fresh berries in the Nordics, so I have jam and honey instead. 

All of these practices allow me to connect better with nature and honour her rhythms. 

In the picture above are some beautiful nameko mushrooms. 

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Being with a magpie (skata)

In the past few weeks, a magpie (skata in Swedish) has been visiting my balcony. She would come there several times every day. I started offering her some organic oats which she seems to love. She came back often to check if there was another portion available. Recently I forgot to offer her a new portion, and she came to my door and walked right in front of it. The door is made from glass, so I can observe the magpie often. Both her and I live in a city, and perhaps for her there is not much healthy food available, especially in winter. I see so many birds picking up rubbish and processed food in the streets. I feel deeply connected with this magpie. These days, since I resigned from the Finnish university as an act of activism, I try to be careful with my budget. But somehow offering organic food to a fellow being feels infinitely more important than buying something for myself.