A Christian-Agrarian Community Cookbook?

I've been blogging about community and my previous blog entry was about a community cookbook. The thought occurred to me that someone should put together a Christian-Agrarian Community Cookbook.

I don't cook much and Marlene doesn't have time to put together such a cookbook, so I'm tossing the ball up in the air hoping someone else will catch it and run with it.

I think it would be neat if agrarian bloggers and interested agrarian readers out there all contributed some of their favorite recipes. A little bio of each contributor could be included in the book. There are all sorts of other interesting and useful things that could be included in such a cookbook.

It would be a community project.

Well, how about it?

7 comments:

Rick Saenz said...

A simple and inexpensive (free, really) way to get started would be to build the cookbook online using a wiki, which is "a website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change available content, and typically without the need for registration; this ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for mass collaborative authoring." The most famous example of a wiki is Wikipedia.

Using a wiki would allow people to contribute without the need for a coordinator. It's a cheap way of testing the waters; if people are inspired to contribute then it was a good idea, and if the wiki languishes, well .... There are many websites out there that allow people to create a wiki for free. If they aren't suitable, I'd be glad to add one to my own website using the same software that runs Wikipedia.

TnFullQuiver said...

Herick,

I LOVE to cook, and I love sharing my recipes. It is like sharing a part of myself with others. I also LOVE receiving other people's recipes. I think your idea of an agrarian cookbook is a great one. I do not have the time to put something like that together, but I would love to contribute some of our favorite recipes. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. You are a true inspiration to our family.
grace and peace,
julie

Rick Saenz said...

Here's one example of a wiki-based cookbook.

Herrick Kimball said...

Hi Rick,

I like your idea and think it would be great if you set it up as you describe. That would be a real community project!

Then, if it proves to be popular, I nominate you to publish the "official" Christian-Agrarian Community Cookbook.

The web is nice but, when it comes to a cookbook, I think most people would eventually like to own an actual copy that they can pull off the shelf.

Thanks for your suggestion!

Herrick Kimball said...

Hi julie,

Thanks for the kind words. I look forward to reading and trying some of your recipes when Rick sets up his Christian-agrarian-wiki cookbook-thing.

Hi Patti,

Such a simple question and such a big answer. You will get different definitions in different dictionarys. I don't think the dictionary can do the word justice.

I've written of my struggle to adequately define the word in a long-ago blog. I suggest you take a few moments to read this article on the subject by Michael Bunker. I am pretty much in agreement with his definitions in this matter.

Rick Saenz said...

The cookbook wiki is now online. Email comments or questions to saenz@cumberlandbooks.com.

Herrick Kimball said...

Hi Patti,

I appreciate your response. Now I'm going to have to re-read the article. If Mr. Bunker asserts that you have to be a farmer to be an agrarian, then I think he is wrong.

First, I think shepherding is a type of farming but that is beside the point. Don't get hung up on agrarian meaning farming. That is a common mistake. There are agrarian doctors, agrarian engineers, agrarian policemen, agrarian barbers, agrarian carpenters and there might even be an agrarian lawyer out there somewhere.

The culture of the bible is predominantly agrarian. Modern culture is predominantly industrial. It is not just about what you do for a living. Agrarianism embodies a whole worldview that is completely contrary to the industrial worldview.

There is a clear pattern for life in the bible. It is Christian and, as such, it is inherently agrarian.

Jesus talked alot about heart and life issues, yes, but heart and life issues are closely tied to the kind of life we live. So many Christians have significant heart and life issues because they live within the industrial paradigm. It is an antichrist system.

Where we live is somewhat, but not completely incidental. Could you be a good Christian and raise a family for the glory of God if your family lived in a hotel room on the Las Vegas strip? Well, I suppose it's possible, but it's not likely. Sure, that's an extreme example, but taking something to an extreme often points out flaws.

Should Christians be heavily dependent on and influenced by a culture that is in rebellion against God? Not if they can help it. What is the antithesis of this ungodly culture? Christian agrarianism.

I have just posted a blog titled What is Agrarianism? and What is Christian Agrarianism?. Maybe that will clarify this subject.

Best wishes.