At one of the three conferences I attended in the last three weeks, I was chatting with someone. I admitted that what I do - growing, maintaining, harvesting, preserving, cooking, serving, and writing about food - takes a lot of time and isn't for everyone. He muttered under his breath, "No kidding. I have a real job!" Like a plump green inchworm nestled deeply in a backyard broccoli floret, his words have been stuck in my thoughts ever since.

My work, like the work of every Radical Homemaker, is every bit as real as anyone else's. Today, for instance, I:

counseled a client (Lil) about wardrobe selection and hygiene
educated my client in math, history, and reading
provided food services for three meals
inspected short-term investments (seedlings)
collected interest (eggs) from long-term investments (chickens)
procured materials for a weekend event
followed a monthly budget and forecast for future expenses
communicated with cohorts (other parents including my husband) about challenges and successes in our industry
consulted with a specialist regarding my client's health
created and marketed content for this website

I wish I could go back in time and rebutt the person I met at that conference. The only difference between what homemakers do and a 'real job' is that our hours are longer and our income is not measured in dollars.