The Next Gen House

My house is not your average house. Sure, the three bedrooms and front porch are average enough, and we live in an average city neighborhood and have an average house cat. My husband and I have average desk jobs from Monday through Friday.

But we have four chickens. And a few raised garden beds. And a big compost area. And a basement full of home canned goods, filling jars that were first filled 50 years ago. And a fridge with raw milk in it. And a freezer full of farm-raised meat.

We didn't always live like this. In fact, this all traces back to one evening spent on my apartment couch watching Food, Inc. I'd imagine many people who have found themselves caring about the industrial food system's impact on our world and our lives could trace that interest back to that seminal documentary. But it stirred something in me and in my husband that has refused to go away or diffuse or let go. 

Our house is the Next Gen House. Not only because it's filled with Star Trek kitsch (which it most certainly is). But because we try to remember that we're living our lives with an eye on the next generation - following principles of sustainability, health, good stewardship and conservation. 

It's with this idea that I wanted to create this space. Lately I find myself bursting with the desire to do more. To have a place to share about our lives and why we do what we do - because a lot of people do ask why. At Next Gen House, I'll write about us, but also share other things I find along the way - great works of food journalism, organizations that need support.

First up - the meat we eat.