Hands of Home is about claiming and reclaiming “home,” through hands-on actions, small and not-so-small, sweet or even downright grubby. We will be sharing stories, poetry, imagery and how-to articles about what makes home feel like home.

Some of this will be straightforward. When I cleaned my oven with a less toxic alternative that I made myself, I felt at home. I buy whole bean coffee because when I grind fresh beans every morning, that first wave of aroma is a few seconds of “home.”

The intangibles of “home” are important. I’m interested in the meaningfulness of doing things by hand – the sense of self sufficiency and appreciation that can come with knowing how to make things from scratch – not that things must be done the long, hard way, but that having experience with the process will create change. Knowledge is power.

I will be exploring how doing things with and for each other is different than doing the same without sharing. I want to know what gives our earliest memories meaning. If you have striking early memories of food, I’d love to hear about them.

Watch for progress on Hands of Home’s Facebook Page.