Producing food and meals for the heavenly banquet

Educating people about Catholicism is a vocation for John Cuddeback, professor of philosophy at Christendom College, but another important part of his life is farming. He oversees a mini-farm on his home property that unites his focus on food, family, and faith.

Raised in an ardent Catholic family in Columbia, MD, Cuddeback learned about raising crops from his father, a passionate gardener. “He passed on this love of farming to me,” said Cuddeback. “Being a philosopher, I reflect a lot on the natural order and how God has designed human nature. It struck me that God intends that eating be a profound and beautiful part of human life, so my wife Sofia and I reflect often on how to make eating in our home a richer experience and how to root it in our faith.”

The ancient philosopher Aristotle wrote that the natural plan is that man works to receive food from the earth. So, as a philosopher himself, Cuddeback decided that he and his family would work to produce their own food. 

“We have tried to make this part of our household,” he said. “We divide the work, so I take the lead in the garden, and Sophia takes the lead in the kitchen. She helps me in the garden, and I help her in the kitchen, each learning from the other.”

Cuddeback said what they grow is largely determined by what fits into their eating plans, but they also adapt their eating to what grows well. “This has challenged us,” he said, “but in general, it has been a real gift.” He said home-grown vegetables are a staple at lunch and dinner in the warm months.

“What we call ‘summer stir-fries’ are standard, using whatever is in season, such as squash, onions, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, and various greens,” he said. “Fresh salads are the great gift of spring and fall. Berries and fruit enhance breakfasts or make great desserts or snacks.”

He varies crops from year to year, and the family also raises pigs for meat and chickens for eggs. 

“At the Last Supper, the Lord says to the apostles that He intends that they ‘might eat and drink at my table, in my kingdom.’ How we eat together has great significance; it should be a preparation for the heavenly kingdom by helping us to understand and to feel deeply the Lord’s invitation to us,” Cuddeback said. 

“Today especially we have to be intentional about our meal times. My wife and I try to prioritize these times, making them a unique opportunity to be together as a family — decorating the table, using nice dishes, and to the extent possible, provisioning the table from our homestead are all ways of deepening the experience.”

Simple vegetable stir-fry • serves 4-6

This is ideal for summer vegetables, but delicious any time of year. Serve alone or with whatever else is for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients
2 zucchinis, 
    cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 yellow squashes, 
    cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, cubed
1 yellow pepper, cubed
1 green pepper, cubed
3 cups chopped kale, rinsed
3 tbsp olive oil
Dry roasted garlic powder 
    or chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground 
    black pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat frying pan to medium-high heat and then put in some oil (bacon fat, olive oil, or butter).
2. Add the larger, more dense vegetables, especially squash and peppers, keeping vegetables moving on the pan by stirring. After a minute or two, add onions, continuing to stir. 
3. At some point add dried roasted garlic powder and any other favorite dried spices, as well as some salt and pepper, to taste. 
4. When the vegetables are almost completely cooked to taste, throw in the greens, turn off the heat, stir, and then cover and leave a few minutes before serving. (In this way the greens are only lightly cooked and retain flavor, texture, and nutrition.)