Food goals

I do not believe in setting goals specifically upon the new year, but instead chose to make continual efforts to make my life, and that of my loved ones, better. That being said, I have a few things I have been thinking about in the past couple of months that I would like to keep in mind in the months and year to come. Inspired by many recent purchases, my sister-in-law, and my mother's gift of 3 jars of pickled beets upon our holiday departure, I would like to learn more about fermenting and preserving vegetables. Living in the northeast, there is a real lack of produce in the winter months, not to mention anything local. In the past, I have gotten better at purchasing large quantities of produce in the summer and storing these items to eat in the winter. However, this may not be the best way to preserve all items. In addition, I would like to work on incorporating more grains into my diet. I love them, but I don't think to make them as often as I should. I would also like to try making my own cheese, and find a great store to purchase free-range, organic, local meat products.