Eat Good Whole Foods

We try really hard to eat healthy whole foods. We often hear how people say that they can't afford to eat healthy. Organic food is more expensive, but you can pay up front or pay the doctor down the road. I love the quote by Joel Salatin, "You think my food is expensive, have you priced cancer?" I do realize though that it is hard to eat totally organic, plus, organic is not always what we think any more. I have found a way to buy a few of the things we like at really good prices and I want to share them with you.

Crackers (actually Saltines) are one of my biggest comfort foods. However, most of them have high fructose corn syrup and other yuck in them. We found some crackers at the bent and dent store that we really liked. They were organic and made with stone ground wheat. I priced them in the store and they were pretty pricey. However, I found them at Amazon.com. Then when we went to put them in our cart, I noticed the subscribe and save option that was given. This made them even cheaper and I got free shipping to boot.

You see the price above is $16.44 for the case, but if you do the subscribe and save it is only $13.97 and free shipping. You can put that you want them only every 6 months if you would like. You can also cancel at any time. I had also ordered a different flavor of these to try and they were so good, I figured I did not want them in the house (no self control with them) and I canceled that one.

I also was having trouble finding some teas I like. I not only found them at Amazon, but I can get them cheaper there. If you do decide to buy any of these items from Amazon, I would appreciate you using one of my links so I get credit.

Another way to find food at a better price is to buy in bulk through a co-op or bulk food store. Buy basic foods that you make things with. It is much cheaper per serving to buy a 25# or 50# bag of oats and make oatmeal than to buy the ready made you just add water, or even the Quaker oats in the canister. Plus, look at the labels on those... it is not just oats. You can buy 5# bags of dried beans or 25# bags of flour. Make your bread at home. It is not that hard and there are many no-knead artisan breads out there that are very easy to make.

It has become to easy to grab a frozen entree or just add meat or just add water mix to cook up. It does take a bit more time, but get your children to help. If you are just a small family, make a large portion of whatever you make and freeze the rest for another time.

Grow a garden and put up your produce. You can eat out of your garden all summer, but plant enough to put some up for the Winter and Spring. Research the best way to preserve each type of produce you grow. We carry a really neat book that I love. It is called The Practical Produce Cookbook. It tells you how to plant, pick, prepare and preserve the produce from your garden. It gives recipes to use what you grow and then at the end of each vegetable, it tells you how to put it up.

There are lists of the top 12 veggies you should buy organic because of what is sprayed on them. There is also a list of what is the top safest vegetables and fruit to buy. You can get the EWG Shoppers Guide to Pesticides here.

We are what we eat and we need to make wise choices. We can't trust what is sold anymore. I believe that ultimately our health is up to God, but we are to do our part as well.

New Movie Coming Out!!

This helps explain why we do what we do on this farm.

You Are What You Eat.... Eeeewwwww

I have had several people ask me about moving. We are trying to move to the Knoxville, TN area. We have talked about moving to NC, TN, or VA for years. Joshua and Brittany are going to be moving to the Knoxville area per her parents request. We would like to be near them. It will be easier for Joshua to move if we go. We are trying to get some things done on the house to get it ready to sell if God wills it. Everyone concerned agrees that we all want what God wants and are open to that. Joshua will have to re-establish himself down there. It would be hard to start out again in a new area without some help. Michael will also have to find a job down there. It is a lot to have happen, but we are leaving it in God's hands and doing what we can.

One of the things I wanted to do to the house was to turn part of what used to be the store into a mud room. Living on a farm with poor grading leaves a lot of mud coming into the house. Our friends from Florida were coming and we remember last year that there was a big people clog at the door when everyone comes in. They are all trying to stay by the door to take off their boots and coats. This left no room for those coming in behind them. We got a few of the ideas in place before they came from Florida this year. We hung up two 2 X 4's (one high and one low) and put hooks on them for coats. It was a life saver. There was already a long carpet runner right in front of this. We also put in a bench that used to be in the store for people to sit on and to put boots and shoes under. The coats below all belong to us. The little gray and red one was Joshua's when he was little. I had friends give me other small size snow pants and jackets for the smaller ones coming from Florida. I left them all hanging out there. I wish all the little people they fit were still here. =)I run a co-op. We buy from several different companies and then people come here to get their orders. I have a small fridge out in the store area for the cooler items that are ordered. I was looking at some of the items people ordered. Most everything would be on the healthy side. Somethings are not really anymore healthy than what is available in the grocery store, but it is handy to order it and pick it up with your other items. The two cheese logs you see in the picture below could be purchased just about anywhere that sells cheese in bulk. I think the price is a bit better than a grocery store as well. The box is a case of yogurt smoothies that someone ordered. A smoothie is a yogurt like drink. They are organic. The cans of drink on the bottom are organic ginger ale. We like to keep some of these on hand because they have real ginger in them. Most of the ginger ale sold in stores no longer have ginger in them. The ginger is so good for an upset stomach. This is organic sour cream from grass fed cows.
I like that I am able to purchase some of these items. Most of what is in this fridge is not mine. It is getting harder and harder to be able to know what is in what you are buying. In Pennsylvania they just passed a law. Monsanto makes a growth hormone that they give to cows to give more milk. Many people do not want that in their milk. Different companies picked up on that and were advertising that their product was growth hormone free. We have "free speech" in this country. They are not saying anything bad about Monsanto. They are just letting us know what is not in their milk. However, Monsanto did not think that we the people needed to know so they took it to court and the sad part is they won. Those companies are no longer allowed to let us know what is not in their milk. The FDA just made it OK to sell the meat from cloned animals. I am against this, but if someone wants to do that, it is their right. However, it does not have to be labeled as such. Now, we raise our own meat right here on the farm. What about when you go out to dinner though? You will have no idea what you are eating. Raw almonds are so good for you. A law was passed last year that all almonds have to be pasteurized before they can be sold. Some of them are heat pasteurized, but some use another method. I am trying to study it out, but it looks like they use a substance that is proven to not be too good for humans. Here is an excerpt from this article.

"Raw' almonds aren't, really
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently required that all almonds produced in the United States be pasteurized, including nuts labeled "raw." The rule went into effect September 1, despite protests from health-conscious consumers who prefer unprocessed nuts and small-scale growers who can't afford the equipment, which costs between $500,000 and $2.5 million.
The move follows two salmonella outbreaks attributed to raw almonds in 2001 and 2004. Critics of the rule point out that both incidents were the result of faulty practices at large-scale commercial farms. Small-scale and sustainable practices - including mowing and mulching to control weeds, instead of using chemical herbicides - naturally prevent the spread of harmful bacteria more effectively than post-harvest treatment, they say.
The Almond Board of California, a governing body representing all almond growers in the state, pushed for the change. Small growers complain that the board disproportionately represents the needs of the large producers."

What can we do? Do we find a network of people to barter and trade with? I know that local is better anyway. I would love to hear what y'all think of this. By the way that article is well worth the read.

It is another sunshiney day here in Ohio. It is in the mid to high 20's. We got a covering of snow yesterday.