My passion for preparing food started at a young age. I spent countless hours of my childhood with my grandmother. She was a rancher’s wife as well as a pillar of our small community involving herself in many local organizations. There was always potlucks, picnics, dinners and other functions that required her to bring a dish. Most of my memories of childhood are creating these dishes to be shared. She was well known for her talent in the kitchen, and everything we ate at her house was homemade (which is probably to blame for my “prejudice” against anything not made from scratch).
We also spent many hours in the garden, and all the vegetables we grew would later be canned or preserved in other ways to be enjoyed later.
I can NOT even begin to describe the magical world that was her pantry. I can still close my eyes and see the walls lined with shelves of Mason jars containing beautifully preserved fruits and vegetables. She was passionate about ensuring that her family would always be fed a wholesome and healthy meal. I am so thankful that I inherited her passions. She taught me lessons that I took for granted as a child, but now cherish the memories.
My true loves are gardening, raising animals, hunting, fishing, foraging, cooking, and food preservation. If I am not raising the ingredients myself, I still aim to find the freshest and local ingredients possible. Being able to create a meal from “farm to table” (or wilderness to table) for my loved ones fills my heart.
I am a hunter. I am a strong believer that it is a sacred part of life, but it is not to be taken lightly. I was raised to have a respect for the animal you harvest. There is a spiritual connection in the hunt, and I strive to utilize every part of the animal as possible. I perform all my own butchering (with Mr. Savage) and meat processing to limit the amount of waste. It is nothing I take lightly.
Thank you for taking the time to be here. This blog is not only a resource for others to gain ideas and inspiration, but it is also a source of “therapy” by allowing me to share.
Please follow me on Instagram as well as Pinterest!
Much Love,
Ashley (A Savage Wife)
