Homesteading: Why we have chosen to move to a home with land - Part 1

Since moving to a home where we have land, one of my goals has been to provide our family with all of our food right here at home. Why? I think first and foremost, my desire comes from the instinct to take care of my family, especially my children. For the past five years I have been learning about different food ideologies. There are many, including myself, who are very passionate about providing our bodies with the healthiest food we can. No matter where my research has lead me, one thing I could consistently take away is that our food today, whether organic or not, is void of much of its nutrients, caused primarily because of poor farming practices. So, what can I do? I could choose the route of adding supplements to our diet to help fill out was is missing in food. However, for me there is one problem with this approach. I don't believe we truly understand vitamins and minerals yet, especially how they work with one another within our body. It's why there is a steady flow of changing information on what to take for the best overall health. Instead I've decided I'd rather focus on growing the most nutrient rich food I can in a sustainable way and allow it to nourish our bodies.

Beyond the overall nutrition, I realize it's also not just enough to feed my children, I also feel it's important that they understand food; how it's grown, where it comes from and why it's so important for their bodies. I hope as they work in the garden, and this year start a garden of their own, they can begin to learn to appreciate nature and how God called us to be stewards of the land.

Check out the books we are currently reading to help us prepare for the spring growing season!

It's January. Thank heavens! I have been waiting for this blessed month since last spring. As winter has set in with the deep cold and snow and the holidays have passed, I finally feel like I can spend more time reading. As long as the weather has been nice I have felt obligated to be working outside on the many, many projects we have on our list, but with winter here there is not so much to do with the ground frozen solid and covered in a foot of snow. My husband and I are thinking through some changes in our lives as we consider how best to go about creating the homestead we desire for our family. We aren't sure exactly what this is going to look like yet, but we are trusting in the Lord for His guidance and relying on Him to show us the next steps we should take.

Since neither of us has a strong knowledge base in sustainable ways of growing our own food or raising our own animals for the table we are spending plenty of time researching. The spring season will be here before we know it and we have a lot of planning to still do to take the most advantage of the warmer days.

In the past, information such as what we are looking for would have been passed on from family and friends, generation to generation. But the last century has seen generational knowledge thrown to the wayside for modern convenience. It's sad how quickly we have lost much of our heritage. Not enough people have stopped to think about what it means to let go of the knowledge of forefathers. So, this leaves us looking for new sources to train ourselves and arm ourselves with the knowledge we need to find a little more self-reliance for the future.

While the internet is certainly loaded with plenty of information and a resource I use often, I prefer to have a solid core of books on the shelf for referencing as needed without running to the one computer our family shares. Frankly, I also far prefer to read a book than read on a screen... there's something about the feel of a good book in hand and a comfy chair that calls to me like a computer never will.

When in research mode, I rarely read just one book at a time. Perhaps a touch of ADD when it comes to learning! Instead my coffee table has a whole slew of books spread about on it. Right now, we are learning from the following books, all of which I am greatly enjoying and finding very useful. I am taking bits and pieces from each book and applying them to what we have in our mind and the land that we have. Some of the books do contradict one another just a bit, but overall they each fall in line and serve well in providing a wide range of ideas for creating the homestead we dream of.

Watch the documentary FRESH for free this week!

My husband and I just finished watching FRESH and we both thought it was great. Makes me almost want to go and buy land to start my own farm for raising cattle and pigs... well almost. Truly though, it does only encourage us more in our endeavor to live a more sustainable lifestyle. While we aren't going to be the next grass-fed cattle farmer, we certainly are working towards a place where we can grow/raise much of what we eat.

This documentary isn't long, only about 70 minutes. Take a little bit of your time and watch it and see how you feel about the food system that America has created.

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FRESH - New thinking about what we're eating

http://www.freshthemovie.com/watch-fresh-streaming-1-week-only/

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One of the first lines in the movie,  

"When I was in college my roommate was from Pakistan and he said 'George you know Americans fear only one thing, inconvenience." 

What a truthful statement this is and is so many different areas of life going far beyond food.

My thoughts on breastfeeding and solids.

As I've read through a variety of nutrition blogs and websites recently, especially ones about how to raise our children, I've read about women who are trying their best to raise their babies and children as healthy as possible. These wonderful women are taking active steps to keep processed and artificial ingredients out of their babies' and children's diets.

One of the best ways to start your little ones on a healthy road is by breastfeeding. I think a good majority of women know this and doctors are more regularly talking about the importance of breastfeeding over formula. I share in the belief that women should always try their best to nurse their babies from the get go. Nursing has it's responsibilities. It's not enough to just feed your child, you have to watch what goes into your body as well, taking active responsibility in making sure you are getting a well balanced, nutritious diet. For me that means local organic raw milk and other dairy products; lots of healthy, unprocessed, natural fats like butter, coconut oil, olive oil; high vitamin cod liver oil (and butter oil when I can get it); organic, grass fed beef and truly free-range chickens; cultured and fermented products and, of course, veggies and fruit. By me eating a healthy diet, I'm assured that my nursing daughter is also getting nutritious milk that will help her grow healthy and strong physically and mentally.

I recently read an article from a woman who was solely nursing her babies until 8-12 months without introducing any solid foods to them. She went on to say why she believed it was best to try and nurse as long as possible without introducing solids. Her little ones did not show interest in solids and were content on breast milk alone. While I agree that ideally we should try to nurse as long as possible, that doesn't work for every mother or child. Both of my kids showed very early signs of wanting solids. Isabella (my 5 month old) started grabbing at food on our plates around 3 1/2 months. By 4 1/2 - 5 months she was/is grabbing at my water glass too. She loves to drink water out of mom's glass, I don't let her have a ton, because I don't want her belly filling up on water instead of milk, but she gets a little.

I believe it's very important to stay attuned to your child's need and not simply follow what authors and doctors tell you to do. They do not know your child and every child's needs are different.  Because Isabella was showing such early signs of interest in solids, I began to consider starting her on some solids around 4 months old. She simply didn't seem satisfied on milk alone, whether because I wasn't producing enough milk for her or because it didn't contain enough fat to keep up with the calorie demand her little body needed, I'm not sure. Isabella is very healthy and extremely strong. At 4 months her strength level was more similar to a 6-8 month old. She almost always wants to stand up (with me holding her hands) and loves to jump, which isn't typical (from what I understand) for a 4-5 month old. Because she is becoming so active, she needs more calories than what my milk can supply alone. So what did I do? I let me gut instinct kick in and that told me that it was time to see how she would do with eating something other than breast milk.

Once I had decided that I wanted to go  down the solids road, I had to decide what to introduce first. Most of us know that rice cereal is the common first food for infants in the US, however as I've been following some of the eating/nutrition practices that the Weston A. Price Foundation has laid out, they spoke of introducing protein instead of carbohydrates first.

"An unfortunate practice in industrial societies is the feeding of cereal grains to infants. Babies produce only small amounts of amylase, needed for the digestion of grains, and are not fully equipped to handle cereals, especially wheat, before the age of one year. (Some experts prohibit all grains before the age of two.) Baby's small intestine mostly produces one enzyme for carbohydrates—lactase, for the digestion of lactose. (Raw milk also contains lactase.) Many doctors have warned that feeding cereal grains too early can lead to grain allergies later on. Baby's earliest solid foods should be animal foods as his digestive system, although immature, is better equipped to supply enzymes for digestion of fats and proteins rather than carbohydrates"  ~ Article, Feeding Babies by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig


The Weston A. Price Foundation believes in introducing an egg yolk instead of cereals because it's easier on the babies digestive system.

A wise supplement for all babies—whether breast fed or bottle fed—is an egg yolk per day, beginning at four months. Egg yolk supplies cholesterol needed for mental development as well as important sulphur-containing amino acids. Egg yolks from pasture-fed hens or hens raised on flax meal, fish meal or insects are also rich in the omega-3 long-chain fatty acids found in mother's milk but which may be lacking in cow's milk. These fatty acids are essential for the development of the brain. Parents who institute the practice of feeding egg yolk to baby will be rewarded with children who speak and take directions at an early age. The white, which contains difficult-to-digest proteins, should not be given before the age of one year. ~ Article, Feeding Babies by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig

Since I knew I wanted to introduce some type of solid, I decided on trying the egg yolk*. I should mention that with Noah, my now 3 year old, I gave him rice cereal mixed with breast milk. He now shows signs of allergies to gluten and perhaps different grains (we're still trying to figure it out) and although I don't necessarily believe that the rice cereal contributed to this, I was more hesitant to give Isabella a grain as her first solid food, plus I felt that The Weston Price Foundation gave some excellent information about feeding babies.

Isabella had her first egg yolk at 4 months and she loved it, no joke. She opened her tiny little mouth for every bite and even grabbed the spoon with her hand and tried to put it in her mouth. It was awesome to see how happy the little bit of solids made her. Now, after about a month, Isabella wasn't quite as interested in the egg yolk, so I stepped back from giving it to her, again letting her tell me what she needs. I didn't want to force her to eat it. Last night (after about a week break) I tried giving it to her again and she was back to chowing it down and she got to have some mashed banana too! Oh what a happy girl she was. She ate every bite and on top of that SHE SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!! What a happy momma that makes me ! :-D

Since introducing egg yolk and banana, Isabella has never shown any sign that her body wasn't able to handle it. When you introduce any type of new food to your little one, it's important to watch for any signs that may say they are having a hard time digesting it. If they do, stop feeding them that food, wait a couple of weeks and once their digestive system has had some more time to mature, try again.

My reason for writing this is to encourage mothers to trust their natural God given instinct. What works for one mother and child might not work for another. It's very easy to fall into the habit of simply doing what everyone else is doing, even when in reality it's not what is best for your family and you. Of course instinct isn't everything, it's also important to research.  Nothing is ever cut and dry. I've spent a ton of time researching how to feed my family. It's a commitment, but that's a part of parenting. 

Here are a couple of great articles about feeding babies from The Weston A. Price Foundation:

Feeding Babies
Nourishing a Growing Baby
A Breastfeeding Saga
Questions and Answers on Kids and Traditional Foods
Recipes for Homemade Baby Formula
Including Baby at the Family Table

*If you think you'd like to try giving your little one egg yolk, make sure you are getting the best eggs possible. To cook it, bring some water to a hard boil and then put your egg in it. Boil for 3 minutes for a medium egg and 4 minutes (or a little less) for large and extra large eggs and then immediately submerge in cold water to stop the cooking process. Split egg in half with a sharp knife and remove yolk. The yolk should be very runny. Make sure baby doesn't get any of the white, at least until after they're one year old. If you can, put a couple grains of sea salt (I like Celtic Sea Salt) on the yolk to add extra minerals. 

A newsletter about Raw Milk from Dr. Al Sears.

This is a newsletter that my Mom passes on to me on occasion. It's from Dr. Al Sears.
Check out his website: http://www.alsearsmd.com/contact-us/




June 24, 2010


What if someone told you, “There is no absolute right to consume or feed children any particular food.”1
Or that you have “… no generalized right to bodily and physical health.”2

What would you say? What would you do?

I didn’t get this out of a George Orwell science fiction novel.


These are quotes from our government.


This was the FDA’s response when consumers and farmers from six different states filed a lawsuit to reverse the ban on selling raw milk between states.


Raw milk is milk that isn’t pasteurized. It builds your immunity. It contains enzymes, vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids that get destroyed through pasteurization.


Federal bureaucrats say you don’t have the right to drink raw milk. And that they have the right to tell you what you can and cannot eat and drink.


Plenty of people have joined the fight against it. But the government is fighting back and terrorizing families.


Imagine being one of the farmers: It’s 5:00 a.m. You walk out your front door and federal agents blind you with flashlights. They slap a warrant into your hands.


Men draw guns and root like pigs through your coolers and freezers. It wakes your family.


Your children cry out, “Is Daddy going to jail?”3


All because you’re selling milk?


It’s not a story. It happened recently to an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania. And it’s happening to many small, independent farmers just like him.


I’ve studied history and cultures all over the world. And I believe what John Stuart Mills said back in the 1800s: “Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”4


Man has had the right to choose what he eats and drinks as far back as caveman times. It includes raw milk. And any other food you choose to eat or drink for your health and well-being.


Today, you ought to be able to buy food directly from a farmer. Or from the mega-corporations that pasteurize, process, and package the life out of food.


My advice to you is choose wisely and support small, local farmers. If you’ve been a subscriber for a while, you’re already aware of the benefits. Independent farming practices are humane, and the quality of food is superior.


Below you’ll find sources to find raw milk and other products from independent farmers:


* Raw milk builds your immunity so you don’t come down with bugs. It contains important enzymes. Inflammation fighters. You get essential fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and probiotics, the good bacteria. Some states allow you to buy raw milk products. Others do not. Click here to find out where you can buy raw milk in your area.

* Grass-fed beef gives you more protein, omega-3’s, vitamins, minerals, CoQ10, and less fat. You won’t absorb the antibiotics or hormones you find in commercial beef. Check with local farmers in your area or ask your local grocer. Click here if you’d like to try Primal Force Grass-Fed Beef.


* Pesticide-free, local organics contain higher amounts of antioxidants. They taste better and you can be sure of their quality. You’re not exposed to hormone-disrupting, cancer-causing chemicals sprayed on commercial produce. You can find organic produce at your local market or through local growers or co-ops. You can find local co-ops in your area by clicking here.


To Your Good Health,


Al Sears, MD

The Perennial Plate - Wild Edibles by Daniel Klein

 There are those blogs and websites that you run across that you just love and then must share with those you know and for me The Perennial Plate is one of those. This is one of my favorite sites. Daniel Klein does an awesome job. Take a couple of minutes and check out this video about some of the great edible foods we have growing right in our own backyard or at a near by park!

http://vimeo.com/12329690


The Perennial Plate Episode 12: Wild Edibles from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

A great write up on why we should avoid agave nectar.

I found this article Agave Nectar: Good or Bad? by Kristen Michaelis from Food Renegade. She goes into great detail about why we should avoid agave nectar, a rather popular sweetener alternative. It turns out it's not a natural sweetener and isn't so different then high-fructose corn syrup. She also delves a little into why we should avoid fructose. Take a minute or two to read it and check out the website. There are a lot of great articles to read.