I know it is the busy Christmas season, but in my down time I am really enjoying the podcasts that Greg Peterson at The Urban Farm in Arizona is putting out. I say downtime, but in reality downtime for me is listening to a podcast while I do the dishes. What can I say, dreaming, listening or thinking about gardening and urban farming keeps me sane. Well, sane is a stretch. Let’s say at least holds me at the mental state I currently have. I find all these stories of people ,who all seem to be holding about this same mental state, very inspiring and I think you will too.

I listened to an intriguing out-of-the-box podcast about raising insects, specifically meal worms, for protein. Yes, you heard right, maybe meal worms aren’t just for the chickens anymore? This topic certainly made lively conversation around the table that night.

Sadly my daughter had to completely leave the table. I think there might have been some tears involved. Maybe this is a little too far outside of the box for some of us? I am guessing, WAY outside of the box for my daughter. I have to say the concept really stretched my little American mind. Funny, that at a White Elephant Christmas party the very next night, someone gave dried insects as a gag gift. No pun intended. The “gift” consisted of dried crickets labeled as nacho cheese crickets, ranch flavored crickets, you get the idea. So,after just listening to this podcast, I was tempted to taste my first cricket. When I saw that I was embarrassing my teenage boys, well that clenched the deal. I just don’t get enough opportunities to see them squirm. HIGH FIVE to parents of teens everywhere. I know you feel me. Any hoo, the cricket was crunchy and tasty. There was, of course, quite a bit of salt and flavoring involved in the taste so hard to tell what a plain dried cricket would taste like?

I raise meal worms for my chickens. See how here. I have to admit, if a big disaster hit and we were really hungry, those worms might start looking real tasty indeed. At the present time I am just not there yet, but am thinking it over carefully. I know that I shouldn’t be thinking this way especially around Christmas(might make the naughty list), but I am a teeny bit tempted to bring a meal worm dish to Christmas dinner just to see the reaction. Would my Mother-in-law scream and drop the dish? Would anyone try to pick around the worms so as to be polite? My nephews and nieces can show up with ear and nose piercings, so why not throw a dash of something spicy and six legged in the mix? The whole family would talk about it for years to come!

I would love it if you found a minute(maybe while you are doing the dishes) to listen to this podcast and join in the discussion. Does this blow your mind? Are you open to the concept of getting your protein from an insect source? Like my daughter, does this topic leave you squirming in your seat. Leave your response in the comments so we can all see. Let’s have a little fun with this!