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So here's the low-down: Me and my family choose to purchase raw milk and raw milk products from REPUTABLE dairies/companies with a long track record of safe milk and/or products. My son is allergic to pasteurized milk and milk products, once this allergy was identified...we started doing our homework.
We have done IN DEPTH research into the pros and cons of raw milk. There are MANY health benefits to raw milk and it's products. True, there are nasty dairies out there selling nasty milk. BE SMART people!! Would you purchase your prescription drugs from the thug on the street?? I would hope not. Happy and healthy milk cows are grazing on grass in an open range, not standing knee deep in their own feces.
When I lived in OK (a state in which it is unlawful to TRANSPORT raw milk, it's okay to sell it, it's okay to buy it, you just can't TAKE it anywhere...hmmmmm) we purchased our raw milk from a dairy who came to the local farmers market. They had a cooler in their truck and they took us back there, all secretive like, in order to sell us their milk. I felt like I was a crack head trying to score some drugs! REALLY?!?!
Should the government be allowed to tell us what kind of food we can and cannot buy? Is there no personal responsibility anymore? Do we have to be handed our list of "options" and choose? I say no. The government already has it's hands in far too many cookie jars in my opinion. Please leave my food ALONE!
Our government's agencies have already deemed it perfectly acceptable to spray our food with toxic chemicals which are making farmers ill and the consumers as well. Do they really know what they are doing when it comes to food safety? Bagged spinach and lettuce is making people ill (and in some cases killing them) all over the country, should we not allow raw produce to be sold as well? Where does it stop?
We are far too removed from our food sources. We don't see where this stuff is being made, we don't know the people who make it. We can't even PRONOUNCE what it is made OF and we seem to be okay with that!!!
If you are dumb enough to run out into the middle of a busy street, you will be hit by a car. If you are dumb enough to purchase bad and or processed food, you are going to get sick. This is common sense people...a topic in which our government is completely discombobulated. Wise up.
If it comes in cellophane...it's probably not good for you. If it comes in a box...it's probably not good for you. If it comes from a dirty dairy...it's probably not good for you. I am not sure I can make it much more simple than that. (stepping down off my soap box)
*disclaimer: Yes, yes I realize this is a VERY heavy topic now-a-days and I could expound much, much more. We could debate this all day given the opportunity. This is just a simplified version of my belief on the matter. I will not un-friend you or even be upset with you if your opinion differs. I only ask you do your research and decide for yourself. Don't take someone else's word for it...PLEASE!
You may find yourself asking..."Why would one want to make their own Calendula Ointment?". Well, I'm glad you asked. There are a couple of different reasons. I would be happy to expound:
1. Calendula Ointment has long been used as a salve for treating skin wounds. The essential oil of calendula is an anti-inflammatory and has wound healing properties as well. It contains carotenoids, which can help rebuild skin cells.
2. Purchasing Calendula Ointment can cost you anywhere from $5.50 to $15.00 per ounce, depending on the manufacturer. To make it at home cost me less than $2.00 for 6 oz.
3. It's great for children and adults alike. It can be used on diaper rashes, eczema rashes, scrapes, burns, nail infections, minor skin cuts and tears.
4. It's EASY PEASY to make!! Take 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil (organic if possible), 1/2 cup of dried calendula flowers (which can be purchased at most health food stores). Soak the dried flowers in the oil out of direct sunlight and away from heat for 2 weeks. After the 2 weeks, strain the oil mixture into a bowl or double boiler. Add 1 oz. of beeswax and melt gently. Once completely melted and incorporated put in a glass jar for storage. Can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 year! Done!!
It's simple to make, affordable, and you know what's in it. No ingredients are unintelligible or difficult to pronounce. If your small child or pet decides to take a taste test, they will be no worse for the wear. It is not toxic. It's as good as it gets.
Give it a try!!
My younger sister, Tammy was informed on June 1st that her landlord was going to move back in to the house she is renting and she has 60 days to move. Tammy and Jeremy have been living in this house for 5 years. Jeremy has been in Alaska (for work) for the last couple of months and was not scheduled to be done until November. COMPLICATED!!
So Jeremy flew home for a week to help look for a house and pack. They currently live in Sonoma. Jeremy (when he is not working in Alaska) works in Rio Vista which is about 1/2 way to Lodi from Sonoma. Tammy works for Jeremy's dad in Sonoma. Anywhere between Sonoma and Lodi was the search radius.
They found a double wide modular home for rent in Thornton. The rent is only $800.00 per month. I have not seen said modular but from what I have been told, it is in good condition, it just hasn't been lived in for quite a while and needs to be cleaned. Well doesn't THAT sound fun!?!?!
So my mother, Luke and I went to Sonoma on Friday and stayed until Saturday afternoon to help pack. Jeremy and his friends had already moved all the big stuff out into a container (looks like a train car) that Tammy and Jeremy have. We were successful in packing up most everything that she is not going to need (as she will be living there for another 5 weeks).
This has been a whirlwind for Tammy and Jeremy as you can imagine and I am so glad that the majority of the work has been done. Jeremy flies back to Alaska on Wednesday morning and all Tammy has to do now is juggle; work, finishing packing; cleaning the new house, finding a new job and moving all 3 of her dogs eventually!
**sigh** I do NOT envy her!!
In the Spring and Summer (and for as long as I can in the Fall) I like to line dry my clothes. I do this for a couple of different reasons:
1. It's saves money in electricity both by not running the dryer much (or at all) and by not heating up the house whilst running my dryer so I don't have to run the air conditioner as often.
2. I like to do things "old school".
3. It is surprisingly efficient.
4. For those of you like me who iron some clothes still...an article of clothing which has been line dried has a texture to it much like it has been starched. This makes for a crisp, clean, just ironed look.
5. Line dried towels are much more absorbent!
6. I just LIKE IT!
I know, I know. You are already laughing at me and rolling your eyes. Well, be that as it may...I have a few tips for those of you who may be woman enough to give it a try one day.
Tips:
1. Don't hang your shirts by the shoulders. It leaves a bump and looks funny. Always hang shirts by the shirt tails, one clothespin on each side.
2. Be sure to wipe down the line before you hang your clothes. Dust piles up on the line and will transfer to your newly cleaned clothes. NOT fun!
3. If you want to "cheat" a little and cut down on the ironing, you can put the clothes from the washer into the dryer for about 3 minutes THEN hang them to finish drying. This will help smooth them out and limit or even eliminate the wrinkles.
4. If you have more than one line (which I do not), hang your unmentionables in the middle surrounded by your shirts, pants, towels or sheets. That way no one has to gawk at your tidy (or not so) whites! LOL!
5. You can use white vinegar (or nothing at all) instead of costly fabric softener because line dried clothes create little to no static!!
6. If you hang your clothes in an area where it gets lots of direct sunlight, you may want to hang your dark clothes inside-out to prevent fading.
Ok, well now that you have read my blog about the lost art of line drying clothes perhaps you will give it a try. If not, feel free to laugh at me, shake your head and wonder what in the world is wrong with me. I don't mind!! : )
Darren, Luke and I moved back from OK to CA in February of 2009. While living in OK, Darren and I noticed the very small quantity of good produce in our area. Now granted, "good produce" is a relative term. 'Good produce' to a Northern Californian means PERFECT. No flaws, bright, colorful and at the peak of ripeness. This is mostly because Northern Californians are surrounded by farms producing food at alarming rates and our soil supports a HUGE variety of produce. 'Good produce' to an Oklahoman means not rotten nor insect infested. I would imagine the not PERFECT produce in OK is mostly due to the poor soil and weather conditions. The weather can go from hot to cold in a flash and is VERY difficult to predict. Seasons are a fable Oklahomans have only heard of, never witnessed first hand (in their home state anyway). Much of the produce eaten in OK has been shipped in from very far away and is not ripe, or has been ripened by chemicals en route to the store. The only notable exception is produce purchased at a farmers market. The produce sold there is in direct contrast to what I have listed above, however is typically very costly.
Therefore, in moving back to sunny CA Darren decided we would plant a garden and grow our own herbs, veggies and fruit organically. Nothing too big, just a starter garden to figure out how to do it and what all it's going to take to be successful.
I was not at all excited about the prospect of spending the hot, dry days milling about the garden pulling weeds and sweating. I had foreboding visions of Darren starting this monstrosity of a garden and then leaving me to the watering and the weeding. NOT my cup of tea!
Surprisingly we BOTH obtained a hankering for it and have enjoyed it immensely! Neither of us are really into the whole weeding thing...but we share the work and have been quite successful. It is a great stress reducer for both of us and has proved quite rewarding at harvest time. Not to mention at dinner time when eating from our bounty, just knowing there are no hazardous chemicals lurking on our produce is satisfying in and of itself. We can enjoy it and be proud we helped to bring it into being. Luke has deemed himself our quality inspector and can be found wandering the garden ensuring all produce is at the highest quality (in the taste department that is). He is not above grabbing tomatoes, strawberries or the like right off the vine and eating them right then and there. The freshest produce known to man.
This year, we have expanded our garden. We are growing: corn, beets, cilantro, sweet peppers, 3 or 4 kinds of hot peppers, leek, garlic, onions (white, yellow and red), butternut squash, pumpkin, watermelon, musk melon, eggplant, artichokes, strawberries, grapes, plums, figs, boysenberries, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cherokee purple tomatoes, roma tomatoes, tamatillos, zucchini, rosemary, lemon balm, chives, thyme, lemons, lettuce, swiss chard, pickling cucumbers and soon we will be planting some okra. WHEW! I know it sounds like a lot, but TRULY, having a larger garden is not exponentially more work than having a smaller one. Honest.
Our family refers to us as Farmer Debbie, Farmer Darren and Farmer Luke. I have become quite accustomed to working outside with my hands and rather enjoy it now. I know, I know...CRAZY right?!?! Well, from my mouth to God's ears it is far more rewarding that I would have ever deemed possible. We even get the chance to share our goodies with friends, family and neighbors. To me that is the best part. It's fun to share what you have grown. Bragging rights??? Perhaps...I enjoy it none the less.
It has also saved us a bunch of money. Money? You might ask how growing your own garden can save money. Well, when we compare the cost of the seeds and the time it takes us to weed and water to that of the cost of organically grown produce one can purchase in the store...YES we save money. Organically grown produce is still unfortunately expensive in this great country. You can buy toxic chemical laden produce for a fraction of the cost (and a fraction of the taste too I might add). Never the less, growing produce for oneself is rewarding and does have a cost incentive.
I understand gardening is not for all people. I am not implying that all should grab a shovel and a hoe and head out to the backyard with reckless abandon. Perhaps gardening is not for you. That's ok. Boating is not for me, nor is cross country skiing. We all seem to get by with what works. I AM proposing that perhaps every great once in a while, we should break out of our cozy little comfort zones and try something new. We might just be surprised by what we discover of ourselves.
Happy hunting...
I am not much of a blogger, but I strive to become so. In my earnest to be the best wife and mother possible, I stumble upon many surprises and pitfalls. I would like to record them here in order to remember, share and hopefully learn from my past so as to not make the same mistakes more than necessary.
My primary struggle as of late has been to balance; God, friends, family, health and the art of being a wife and mother. This is a delicate balance I am learning. A balance which I have yet to master. I easily find myself focusing too much on the wrong thing, even if it may be at the right time.
Currently I am studying the science of homeopathy. My husband Darren and I are ardent in our pursuit of finding alternative medical treatment for acute issues. We have much faith in our standard medical establishment when the need for immediate attention to an emergency arises. However, we believe...the daily bumps, bruises, colds, flus, headaches and fevers are better left to fend for themselves or are only to have minimal intervention. This is where homeopathy comes in.
Homeopathy is the law of similars; Like cures like. A substance given to a "well person" will produce "x" symptoms. When an ill person displays these same symptoms, they are to be given this substance to cure their ailment. This substance is drastically diluted but is effective due to the the law of the minimum dose. I will not go into all this entails, suffice it to say the dilution is great and works quite well in spite of it.
I believe MOST chronic illnesses can be handled with diet and we work hard to eat as healthy and "back to basics" as possible. We eat a "traditional diet". This would be somewhat similar to what our great grandparents ate as children, before the rise of mass produced food and before so many of the chronic illnesses we see today had taken hold of our society.
Darren and I also strongly believe that our walk with God needs to look different than much of what we see today in most churches. We believe that community is very important. It is just as important to help our friends and neighbors in need as it is to help people in another country. I am not opposed to helping people in another country...I think this too is a very important endeavor. However, we should not forget those around us on a day to day basis. Your friend, family member or next-door neighbor could be in great need for food, friendship, money or spiritual uplifting and should not be forgotten.
I am a stay-at-home Mom and am going to home school my son. I am learning, slowly but surely how to be a stay-at-home Mom as this is a fairly new thing for me. I worked full time up until my son was almost 2 years old. I had a strong sense that God wanted me home with my son and so when I was laid off in August of 2009, I decided to stay home and raise my son. This journey has been fraught with all sorts of good and bad experiences...and I keep plugging along.
I invite you to take a small peek at my life. You may laugh at me, you may cry with me and you may shake your head. All I ask is that you remember I am a work in progress and would appreciate any constructive criticism you may have and would welcome any praise where it is due.
So here we go...
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