Pine Needle Tea

One of our families favorite remedies for any type of cold, lung congestion or viral infection of any kind is Pine Needle Tea.  I found this remedy in an old, old, OLD book on  natural remedies that I picked up at a thrift store.  We have found it incredibly useful.

I would very probably use pine needle tea liberally if I had ANY virus.

So, in a bullet point list, everything I know about Pine Needle Tea:

• It is very cheap (free :)
• It is easy to make
• It is delicious
• Don't drink it if you are pregnant or nursing.  Really.
• It is full of Vitamin A and C (in a natural form so everything surrounding them is there, complete)
• It seems to help your eyes 
• It is an expectorant (if you drink too much it dries your nose out.  Not my favorite)
• Our favorite is sugar pine (the one with the shorter needles)
• You can put pine needles in your bathtub for various ailments.

Here is more detailed information from Dave's Garden.  I found it by a simple google search and his research appears to be solid.  No need for me to reinvent the wheel.  Just go there if you want more concrete info.

Here is how we make it:

1. Pick pine needles
2. cut them into smallish pieces
3. put in container and pour boiling water over them
4. cover and steep about ten minutes
5. strain 
6. add raw, local honey if necessary
7. drink

Protect your bodily warriors (keeping your biome healthy)

Biome:  the web of healthy bacteria that works symbiotically with our bodies inside and outside to provide bacterial  warriors against nasty bacteria, virus, pathogens, or other unpleasant organisms.)

bi·ome

ˈbīˌōm/

noun

 Ecology

noun: biome; plural noun: biomes

1. a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g., your body (ok, I added this :).  A forest or tundra.

 

This is an update of an old blog.    Just a personal note:  In this world of no borders, odd diseases and unpleasant viruses taking up residence in our personal space... The type of lifestyle we finally settled on is still the best protection you can have.  No matter the situation, a healthy gut and an active biome is the best protection you can have.

A great, great way to begin is to spend time on Donna Schwenk's blog.  Cultured Food Life is the name of her new book and she has done a great community service (IMHO) in educating so many people and giving a great starting point.  Her book is available on her blog or any of the other myriad of ways we find it.  Here is the Amazon link to Cultured Food Life.

And so... the rest is what I wrote about 18 months ago.  I see no reason to change my opinion based on current events.  There is one addition on the "Do Not" list about antibacterial products.  I list it as number 1.  Don't kill your warriors.

A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED THUS FAR

I just wanted to put a quick reference here on the top of my long-neglected blog.  This is a summary of some of the things that we have explored together in this blog.  Please remember, this is my OPINION (note IMHO - In My Humble Opinion really means everything on this blog) .  Always do your own research, believe in something yourself - don't just take someone else's word for it.  If you use the search feature, you can find a lot of research and recipes throughout this and many other blogs.  This can give you information to make up your own mind..... but you should continue researching.

Don't attempt to make too many changes at once unless you are in a crisis.  Take your time.  Don't throw your family under the bus.  Keep rational with any changes.   Include the kids in WHY you are changing.  Have some fun - try a couple of new things.  Try them again if they are good for you.  Don't give up.

Be healthy and well!

ADD THIS INTO YOUR LIFE:

1. Eat a lot of good fats (coconut oil, olive oil, butter from pastured cows, cod liver oil, etc.) A minimum of 2 tablespoons per day.
2. Drink raw milk from pastured cows if it is within the realm of possibility.  Add raw cream to your coffee.  A lot. Enjoy it thoroughly.
3. Eat something lacto-fermented every day.  Live sauerkraut is probably one of the most wonderful things you can do for your body long term.  Kim Chee is awesome.  Discover everything lacto-fermented.  Make up something and give it a try.
4. Eat pastured eggs from a local source if it is within the realm of possibility.  The yolks should be bright orange.  Can you have chickens where you are?   A backyard chicken coop is not a lot of work.
5. Drink something live with enzymes every day. (Kombucha tea, Kefir, Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Vinegar - something along those lines.)
6. Eat grass fed protein (beef, chicken, pork)
7. Soak all grains, nuts and beans.  This means sourdough bread and soaking and drying nuts.  Beans, rice and lentils, of course, should be soaked with a bit of whey or apple cider vinegar and the water drained off before cooking.  Do you have a crock pot?  Do you cook much?  Most of this is not hard and you do it ahead of time.  I do a lot on weekends and coast through overfull weeks.  Make soaked granola.  Have fun!
8. Eat cultured and organic milk products (yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese).   Add kefir in some form to your diet EVERY DAY.   There are so many good and easy recipes.
9. Make bone broth.  Have some several times a week.  Cook beans or rice or soup in it or drink it like a tea.  Dirt cheap and easy.
10. Exercise 20 minutes per day.  Frankly, yoga and pilates with some aerobics and weight training are almost the best thing for long term.  Honestly, "The Biggest Loser" has some of the best workout DVD's for at home that I have found.  $9 at Wal Mart.
11. Find a holistic doctor or chiropractor if it is possible.  The way we often practice medicine is criminal (IMHO).  Will not rant here.  :)
12. Go organic.  Go local.  Go fresh.  Fruits, vegetables, everything.  There is a host of reasons outside of the chemical thing.
13. Take a good, food based multi-vitamin that is in powder or liquid form.  Don't waste your money on pills that are shaped up with binders and fillers.  Most of it just goes right through you.  We use "All-One" Senior formula.  We take it in the morning with a little Kombucha tea and juice.  There are other really wonderful choices.

REMOVE THIS FROM YOUR LIFE:

1. Do not use antibacterial products on or in your body.  They kill off your biome (the web of healthy bacteria that works symbiotically with our bodies inside and outside to provide bacterial  warriors against nasty bacteria, virus, pathogens, or other unpleasant organisms.)
   
2.  Anything made from GMO's.  They are evil beyond belief (IMHO).  It is best to not put stuff into your body that might cause problems.  You have a "bad blast" and your gut can be ruined.  Just sayin' 
3. ANYTHING that has soy in it.  Men should NEVER EVER EVER EVER drink soy milk or eat soy.  It messes with your manhood.  Women pregnant with boys should NEVER include soy in their diet.  Boy babies should NEVER drink formula made from soy (almost the only thing available) The ONLY exception is a properly lacto-fermented soy sauce, in moderation.
4. Anything hydrogenated, fractionated, or something you cannot pronounce.  Read all labels.  This basically eliminates about 80% of processed foods (which are dead and rob your body of life anyway)
5. Cereal that has been extruded (is it in a shape?  It has been extruded - stick to soaked granola.  super easy to make.)
6. High levels of stress.  The B vitamins will help with this.
7. Grains, nuts and seeds that have not been soaked.
8. Get some of the sugar out of your life.
9. Any milk product that has been homogenized.  A gentle pasteurization is ...... ok..... but raw-non homogenized is better.  If it is homogenized, treat it like something nasty.
10. Avoid like the plague anything that has High Fructose Corn Syrup in it.  It also goes by hfcs now.  Don't touch the stuff.  It is nasty for your liver and your insides and almost impossible to eliminate.
    

There, see.  That is not so bad.  Just do all of that and get back to me in 10 years.  You will have tons of energy, feel great and look better than you did at 20.

Cindy

Protecting your family from health threats

The diet that prevented polio

Three foods that can change your life.

Gut Bacteria Review

ABC's of Nutrition from the Weston A Price Foundation

Anyone following health news lately has to be concerned.  Enterovirus 68 (and childhood paralysis) and Ebola seems to be a current thread of our national conversation.  The potential of death, debilitation or long term disease speaks to many of our worst fears.   The lack of effective administrative / medical solutions makes those fears grow.  I have been looking to the past to see what our family can do to protect ourselves from these nasty things.

I found a great page that ties in several articles from the late 30's / early 40's from the scientist who was successful at giving a rabbit polio.  It also has the basis for his research and his conclusions.

The diet that prevented polio

From the article:

“One of the puzzling characteristics of polio,” Dr. Sandler said yesterday, “has been its prevalence in warm weather. Many people cut down on protective protein foods—such as meat, fish and poultry—because of a mistaken idea that a ‘light’ diet is better for them in warm weather. And they increase consumption of cooling foods and beverages—most of them heavily sweetened. It is this increase in consumption of sugar that produces a lowering of blood sugar and thereby a lowering of the body’s resistance to the polio virus and other diseases.”

"His theory is two-fold—he believes he has found a major cause for polio in humans, and he believes that preventive measures are simple, easy, and quickly applicable.

Dr. Sandler believes that the major cause is the low blood sugar in the human body, caused, paradoxically as it may sound, by eating too much sweets and starchy food.

The preventive measures? Cut out foods containing sugars and starches.

In 24 hours, according to Dr. Sandler, the body can build up sufficient resistance to the polio virus to prevent disease. The diet would have to continue, of course.

“The crisis is here and hours have become precious,” he said. “I have been impelled to bring this directly to the newspapers because of my profound conviction that, through community cooperation and general acceptance of a diet low in sugars and starches, this epidemic can be got under control in about two weeks time.

“I am willing to state without reserve that such a diet, strictly observed, can build up in 24 hours time a resistance in the human body sufficiently strong to combat the disease successfully. The answer lies simply in maintaining a normal blood sugar.”

 This is really, really great information.

It needs to be added that lacto fermented foods bring an entire different level of protection.  Small amounts of milk kefir, kombucha and fermented veggies build an amazing defense system in your gut... your first line of defense.  There is much old and current information available and this is something that has been discussed quite a bit here.  BUT  here is a great blog post that might be helpful.  Donna also has a new book out that is chock full of great recipes.  I have one myself and have given a lot away :)

Three foods that can change your life.

I would recommend all of you check out these great articles and think about what steps you can apply.

Here is an article I found that gives a good overview of gut stuff for our continued education.

Gut Bacteria Review

For those who want to get REALLY serious, here is a ABC basic page from the Weston A. Price foundation.  Always the best IMHO :)

ABC's of Nutrition from the Weston A Price Foundation

Blessings
Cindy

The diet that prevented polio

Three foods that can change your life.

Gut Bacteria Review

 ABC's of Nutrition from the Weston A Price Foundation

Bell's Palsy

A question that has been bubbling in me recently...  "WHAT are the fruits of the Spirit in MY life?"   Because we are known by our fruit, both here on earth and above in Heaven.   This picture represents what I strive for regularly.  This was a recent "gut check" for me and one that has been a wrestling place.  These have not been the fruits showing up in my life. 

Many of you know that I experienced a Bell's Palsy episode a coupe of years ago.  It recently flared its ugly head again.  Here are my thoughts on addressing this issue in my world. (IMHO... It is always, always, always the best thing to do to begin by getting right with God, no matter what your issue is)

Remember that I am not in any way a medical professional.  This is just what I did and continue to do to wrestle with this health issue.  Really, this is the resolution and the end of a lot of steps.  Please know that all along the way I have had wonderful counsel from a naturopath, a chiropractor and a massage therapist.  If you are in pain with your skeleton, begin with a good chiropractor.  If you have gut imbalance issues, begin with a good naturopathic doctor.  A good counselor can help resolve emotional issues or mental issues.  You may need to begin with a good massage therapist to deal with muscular issues.  Please be open to asking for help and guidance.  This list is where I ended up.  Please know that I began with good professional help.

This is not addressing a Bell's Palsy situation that is caused by trauma or injury.


So, the causative / problematic areas to be addressed:

1) Gut imbalance
 2) Emotional, physical, mental or spiritual stress


These first two (either/or/both) can then begin a chain reaction which can be triggered by:

3) overreaction to neurotoxin exposure (pesticides, possibly GMO's... still researching... corrupted fats, chemical overload in our food or body products, some parma stuff, other neurotoxic things.

4) Opportunistic virus which acts very, very oddly

This in turn leads to a swelling in the affected area (in the case of Bell's Palsy, the inner ear ... other diseases are the basically the same process but different parts of the body affected). This brings us to the next phase.

5) This swelling can cause the myelin sheath (The fatty substance that covers and protects nerves is an extremely simplified explanation) to be damaged or degraded, especially if the original condition is not corrected quickly. A further problem is lesions, but this does not usually occur in Bell's Palsy specifically.

6) For reasons of which I am unclear, this chain of events almost always pulls our body physically out of alignment. This needs corrected by a competent chiropractor as quickly as possible. Massage therapy in conjunction to the physical adjustment may also be very, very helpful.
SO, my personal steps to allow healing of my original episode and subsequent flare ups....

1) Recognize that there is probably an underlying emotional issue bringing problems to your body. It is necessary to deal with this. Depending on your world view, this can be accomplished by prayer and submission to God, inner healing, EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) or other recognition and healing process.

2) Make VERY SURE that my gut flora, my mouth flora and my skin flora is healthy and active. This involves any good Phase 1 diet for a season while AT THE SAME TIME adding a lot of great fats from the whole spectrum (short, mid and long chain fatty acids) and a LOT of fermented foods (sauerkraut or other cultured veggies, kombucha and kefir... there may be others... these are my base.
Following these two steps should bring you to a place of:

3) neutralized pH and a gut that has a healthy population of bacteria (and your skin and your mouth)

4) rest and calm emotionally

This then opens the door for my final steps of healing:

5) Chiropractic adjustment. For me personally this usually involves adjustment of my atlas, sometimes my upper back, and recently my foot. I personally expect to go for 3-4 sessions over about a six week period to ensure that everything is stable. The first time this happened to me it was more like 2-3 times per week for 3-4 weeks.

6) A good chiropractor will have available some low level energy or laser or electrical device which should bring relief to nerve endings that are going haywire and causing a lot of pain and distress.

7) A good massage therapist working hand in hand with the chiropractor may speed all of this up considerably.

8)  Begin (or continue) an appropriate exercise program.  Get out in the sunshine and walk or jog or run, play an active game... but also add some good, structured exercise program.

Hopefully this is helpful to you.

Blessings
Cindy

What to expect when you bring your jar of live sauerkraut home

Please remember that our sauerkraut is a very live, very active food and I tend to overstuff the jars (I will work on that)

These jars tend to hiss, spit, piddle, burp and occasionally explode. This is perfectly normal. Really.  If you do not get it into the fridge, it might piddle all over your counter.  It is a pH of approximately 3.5, which is pretty acidic.  It can ruin the finish on your counter top, floor or other surface.  If you plan to leave it out, or it appears to be over lively, put a plate or bowl under it please.

Your best bet for fresh sauerkraut management is to eat some the day you get it to give a little head room. Put it on a little plate, refrigerate and sing a little lullaby... Go to sleep, go to sleep..... Burp occasionally. It is gassy.

Once you begin eating it, remember that it will begin a WAR with excess sugars, carbohydrates, yeasts, pathogens and unpleasant bacteria.  Your gut is not a very fun place to have a war.... but that is where the enemy of your health lives.  If you have specific questions, please talk to your natropathic doctor, your health coach or someone in our community to help you through this process.

GOOD HEALTH TO YOU!  IT IS WORTH IT!

Cindy

Basic Sauerkraut (lactofermented) Recipe for a Healing Kraut

Directions for the sauerkraut I have been making lately (along with a link to my previous blog post to give basic directions):

Equal mixture of red and green cabbage, carrots, whey, fresh beets, greens and heirloom carrots, fresh lime juice and zest, cayanne, jalapenos, onion, dandelion greens, ginger

The salts: black and red Hawaiian, pink Himalayan, RealSalt from Utah, Gray North Sea salt.

The spices: Sesame seeds, Curcumin, Turmeric, fresh black pepper.

Prep by shredding the cabbage (reserve the outer leaves for the top), carrots, beets, jalapenos and onions. I use a french Fry blade on the food processor to get a nice, big, uniform size. Make sure that the cabbage is at least half of the total. Don't shred the beets and carrots too small or they ferment too quickly.

Next, mix these in a large container with about 1 tablespoon of salt per medium head of cabbage. Throw a few more tablespoons in for the other stuff too. Add the whey. Add the spices and begin mixing.

I like to give quite a bit of time to this process and allow the flavors to get to know each other and taste as I go.

After this process is working, add your other greens, zest your lime and your ginger, into the mix and hand chop your more delicate greens and anything else you want in there. Remember to taste as you go. You will notice that I am unable to give proportions. I just don't have them. I know that you do not need to have so much salt that you cannot eat it and it is good to use what is available to you.

Pack this into your container. Use some non-clorinated water if necessary to have enough liquid to get everything under liquid. Use one tablespoon of salt per quart of water.

Use the reserved outer layer of leaves and then a plate to push everything down under liquid. Use something heavy to hold the plate down.

Now just keep it all between about 55 and 68 degrees for a few weeks, taste it and if it is where you would like it, bottle it up and it can now go into the fridge to continue fermenting.

Happy Fermenting!
Cindy

Sauerkraut Directions for four gallons 
Fermented Roots and Veggies 

Hand Made Marshmallow Recipe

Today is the day that I finally make marshmallows in anticipation of wrapping them in caramel tomorrow (and maybe rolling THAT yumminess in some toasted, chopped nuts).  I adapted a few different recipes and threw in my own twist and love the recipe.

Marshmallows:

2 envelopes powdered gelatin
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Sprinkling Mix:

One cup arrowroot powder 
one cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Put parchment in a large baking pan or cookie sheet and sprinkle with the sprinkling mix.  Make sure you cover all of the bare spots.  If you don't do this now, it might be hard later.  It sets up quickly.

2.  In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1/2 cup of cold water to dissolve.

3. In a small saucepan, mix the sugar and brown rice syrup with 1/3 cup of water. Place over medium/high heat.

4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, pour in the egg whites and beat on low speed until frothy. Add a pinch of salt.

5. When the syrup reaches about 210ºF , increase the mixer speed to high and beat the whites until they are thick and fluffy.

6. When the syrup reaches 245ºF, slowly pour the hot syrup into the whites.  Keep the mixer on high and try to avoid pouring the hot mixture on the whisk since the syrup will splatter and stick to the sides of the bowl (like glue!)

7. Put the gelatin and water into the warm pan that you used for the syrup.  There is enough heat left to liquify this and allow you to easily pour it into the mix.

8.  Add the vanilla extract and continue to beat on high until the outside of the bowl is completely cool (and the mixture looks white and fluffy.

9.  Use a spatula to spread the marshmallows in a layer on the pan. Allow to set up for at least 4 hours, uncovered.

Enjoy

Seed Starting around our house

Starting seeds and watching them turn into beautiful, early plants is one of my major hobbies.  I begin getting spring fever around January usually and have to restrain myself not to begin too early.  This year, due to several odd circumstances I found myself with time, energy and sunshine pretty early.  This allowed me to start lots and lots of seeds.  I had some really great help getting them started.

I wanted to line out my philosophy and the steps I take to ensure that my seeds thrive all of the time.

1)   This is a temporary holding pen, not your garden.  This is just a place to get seeds up and going.  You are not building soil or doing long term things, just getting a head start on the season.  I like to use trays and 9 packs that I get from Orchard Supply.  They are pretty inexpensive and can be used several times.  This gives me a consistent size of thing to move around.  It helps.

2)  I usually buy potting soil.  I know that I could probably make some, but it is pretty inexpensive.  Remember, it is just a holding pen.  This year I gathered some moss, cooked it in water on my wood stove, then left it to dry out.  Then I crumbled it up and mixed it - about 1 part moss to 2 to 3 parts soil.  I did this both to extend my potting soil and for moisture control.  It worked pretty well.

3)  I use commercial fertilizer almost every time I water.  Usually I spend about 15-20 dollars on a bottle of organic fertilizer and that will last me through this season.  This tends to make the plants stocky and strong.  There is just no good way for your soil in those little cells to last and produce great plants unless they are fed regularly.  You could probably make some, but I don't.

4)  Only heirloom, GMO free seeds.  These are the only ones you should even consider using.  This has been covered before in this blog, so I won't hit it this time.  While I was doing all of this seed starting, I was staying about 10 minutes from Baker Creek's Seed Bank.  I may have overspent there.

5)  LABEL EVERYTHING!  Spend a little money on labels that will last.  These are white plastic ones and I mark them with a sharpie marker.  You WON'T be sorry!

6)  I put the trays out all day, every day right from the beginning, whenever practical and possible.  I bring them every night until the weather is steady.  This is not something we like to forget.  The reason I do this is to harden off the plants right from the get go.  Otherwise what tends to happen is a great spring day comes along and you finally haul the trays of green plants out.  A few hours later you go check on them and they are FRIED!  I have done this many, many times.  Either harden them off a little at a time or begin by taking them out before they even sprout.

7)  Overplanting early, then separating the plants into individual cells works really well for me.  This allows me to have less trays to haul around early in the season.  A lot of the time once I begin separating them, it is warm enough to leave them outside at night.

8)  Once it begins to be warm and you are separating everything, you might need to water twice a day.  A good watering can is invaluable.

Follow these steps and you will have some beautiful plants, ready to go into the ground as soon as it is practical.  Where we are, NOT before Mother's Day for the tomato, pepper and cuke seeds.

Fermented Roots and Veggies

This is a wonderful time of year in the garden.  If you got a winter garden in (which I did not) you probably have access to all kind of dark, leafy vegetables like kale, swiss chard, beet greens, turnip greens, cabbage, bok choy, mustard greens and dandelion greens.  You probably also have root vegetables growing beautifully.  Chives should be popping up from your onions and garlic (snip and use, they are wonderful) and the natural, local greens (some people call them weeds) should just be starting to look really good.

Note:  These beautiful greens came from a friend's garden.  I plan to use them all today in a batch of fermented veggies I have going.

Even if you do not have your own garden, this is a great time of year to purchase or trade for these nutritional powerhouses.  The next questions is how to either use or preserve this goodness in the best way.

There are so many recipes to try and ways to incorporate all of this.  Right at this moment, I am deep into fermenting in a sauerkraut kind of way.  The possibilities are endless and the health benefits non-stop.  Making up a batch of fermented veggies and using them as a condiment adds much to your meals and your health.  The colors, tastes and textures can all be adjusted to your what your family likes. 

You can turn this:

Into This:

or switch it up and get something like this:

And then, over time, it becomes something like this:

The basic steps are:  Find great ingredients, wash, chop, salt, inoculate (optional), season (optional), wait, pack it into some container so you can keep it under liquid, put it into a quiet, cool place for a while - one to six weeks, bottle, keep cool.  Once the pH level drops below 4.6, unfriendly bacteria just do not thrive.  It is helpful if it can drop within 4 days of mixing it up.

I always taste my sauerkraut "raw" (raw meaning as I am making it - technically, all of this is raw)  It tastes NOTHING like finished kraut.  The taste from the finished kraut comes from time and friendly bacteria.  The more time, the more flavor.  Don't like your kraut?  Wait two weeks and try again.  I sample over and over and over again so I understand as a cook what it tastes like at this stage.  Although it is not the most pleasant part, I now have a good idea what it should taste like at this stage.  When you are making a lot, it is helpful to know this.

What are some of the benefits?

Now that, my friend, is another post.  Stay tuned.

Cindy

Preserving the Harvest

It has been so long since I wrote a blog post, it just feels awkward.  I guess there is no way to get past that than to just dive in.  

Preserving the Harvest:

 This week brought a large selection of roots and greens, much more than could be reasonably used fresh.  It only makes sense to preserve them.  The best way I know is to lacto-ferment these.

Spending a little time getting these beautiful things cultured has a dual purpose.  First, preservation.  Second, using a lacto fermented food as a condiment with your meal brings a host of benefits.  This has been covered in many, many blogs.  You might check a few of them out to find out the health benefits.

It is really easy to get this going, although somewhat time consuming because almost everything had to be hand chopped.  The steps basically are wash, dry, chop, mix, season, get the mixture under liquid and leave it alone for a few weeks.  The ingredients for today's mixture ended up being:

Sauerkraut from my last batch as a starter 

Fermented Carrot/ginger/lime

Fermented Ginger ale

Cabbage - red and green

Mustard greens

Kale - black and green

Rainbow Swiss Chard

Broccoli

Spinach

Beet Greens

Hot Peppers

Carrots

Parsnips

Onions

Ginger

Fermented Soy Sauce

Sesame seeds

Black Pepper

Salt

Hot curry 

Cumin

After prepping everything, it ended up looking like this:

A few weeks in anaerobic conditions and it should be a wonderful, healthy, perfectly preserved bunch of goodness.  Make some today!

A summary of what we have learned thus far

This is an update of an old blog.    Just a personal note:  In this world of no borders, odd diseases and unpleasant viruses taking up residence in our personal space... The type of lifestyle we finally settled on is still the best protection you can have.  No matter the situation, a healthy gut and an active bionome is the best protection you can have.

A great, great way to begin is to spend time on Donna Schwenk's blog.  Cultured Food Life is the name of her new book and she has done a great community service (IMHO) in educating so many people and giving a great starting point.  Her book is available on her blog or any of the other myriad of ways we find it.  Here is the Amazon link to Cultured Food Life.

And so... the rest is what I wrote about 18 months ago.  I see no reason to change my opinion based on current events.  There is one addition on the "Do Not" list about antibacterial products.  I list it as number 1.  Don't kill your warriors.

A SUMMARY OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED THUS FAR

I just wanted to put a quick reference here on the top of my long-neglected blog.  This is a summary of some of the things that we have explored together in this blog.  Please remember, this is my OPINION (note IMHO - In My Humble Opinion really means everything on this blog) .  Always do your own research, believe in something yourself - don't just take someone else's word for it.  If you use the search feature, you can find a lot of research and recipes throughout this and many other blogs.  This can give you information to make up your own mind..... but you should continue researching.

Don't attempt to make too many changes at once unless you are in a crisis.  Take your time.  Don't throw your family under the bus.  Keep rational with any changes.   Include the kids in WHY you are changing.  Have some fun - try a couple of new things.  Try them again if they are good for you.  Don't give up.

Be healthy and well!

ADD THIS INTO YOUR LIFE:

1. Eat a lot of good fats (coconut oil, olive oil, butter from pastured cows, cod liver oil, etc.) A minimum of 2 tablespoons per day.
2. Drink raw milk from pastured cows if it is within the realm of possibility.  Add raw cream to your coffee.  A lot. Enjoy it thoroughly.
3. Eat something lacto-fermented every day.  Live sauerkraut is probably one of the most wonderful things you can do for your body long term.  Kim Chee is awesome.  Discover everything lacto-fermented.  Make up something and give it a try.
4. Eat pastured eggs from a local source if it is within the realm of possibility.  The yolks should be bright orange.  Can you have chickens where you are?   A backyard chicken coop is not a lot of work.
5. Drink something live with enzymes every day. (Kombucha tea, Kefir, Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Vinegar - something along those lines.)
6. Eat grass fed protein (beef, chicken, pork)
7. Soak all grains, nuts and beans.  This means sourdough bread and soaking and drying nuts.  Beans, rice and lentils, of course, should be soaked with a bit of whey or apple cider vinegar and the water drained off before cooking.  Do you have a crock pot?  Do you cook much?  Most of this is not hard and you do it ahead of time.  I do a lot on weekends and coast through overfull weeks.  Make soaked granola.  Have fun!
8. Eat cultured and organic milk products (yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese).   Add kefir in some form to your diet EVERY DAY.   There are so many good and easy recipes.
9. Make bone broth.  Have some several times a week.  Cook beans or rice or soup in it or drink it like a tea.  Dirt cheap and easy.
10. Exercise 20 minutes per day.  Frankly, yoga and pilates with some aerobics and weight training are almost the best thing for long term.  Honestly, "The Biggest Loser" has some of the best workout DVD's for at home that I have found.  $9 at Wal Mart.
11. Find a holistic doctor or chiropractor if it is possible.  The way we often practice medicine is criminal (IMHO).  Will not rant here.  :)
12. Go organic.  Go local.  Go fresh.  Fruits, vegetables, everything.  There is a host of reasons outside of the chemical thing.
13. Take a good, food based multi-vitamin that is in powder or liquid form.  Don't waste your money on pills that are shaped up with binders and fillers.  Most of it just goes right through you.  We use "All-One" Senior formula.  We take it in the morning with a little Kombucha tea and juice.  There are other really wonderful choices.

REMOVE THIS FROM YOUR LIFE:

1. Do not use antibacterial products on or in your body.  They kill off your biome (the web of healthy bacteria that works symbiotically with our bodies inside and outside to provide bacterial  warriors against nasty bacteria, virus, pathogens, or other unpleasant organisms.)
   
2.  Anything made from GMO's.  They are evil beyond belief (IMHO).  It is best to not put stuff into your body that might cause problems.  You have a "bad blast" and your gut can be ruined.  Just sayin' 
3. ANYTHING that has soy in it.  Men should NEVER EVER EVER EVER drink soy milk or eat soy.  It messes with your manhood.  Women pregnant with boys should NEVER include soy in their diet.  Boy babies should NEVER drink formula made from soy (almost the only thing available) The ONLY exception is a properly lacto-fermented soy sauce, in moderation.
4. Anything hydrogenated, fractionated, or something you cannot pronounce.  Read all labels.  This basically eliminates about 80% of processed foods (which are dead and rob your body of life anyway)
5. Cereal that has been extruded (is it in a shape?  It has been extruded - stick to soaked granola.  super easy to make.)
6. High levels of stress.  The B vitamins will help with this.
7. Grains, nuts and seeds that have not been soaked.
8. Get some of the sugar out of your life.
9. Any milk product that has been homogenized.  A gentle pasteurization is ...... ok..... but raw-non homogenized is better.  If it is homogenized, treat it like something nasty.
10. Avoid like the plague anything that has High Fructose Corn Syrup in it.  It also goes by hfcs now.  Don't touch the stuff.  It is nasty for your liver and your insides and almost impossible to eliminate.
    

There, see.  That is not so bad.  Just do all of that and get back to me in 10 years.  You will have tons of energy, feel great and look better than you did at 20.

Cindy

What is happening around here

Hello all,

I realized that the last post (which has been on top for a while now) is on CANDY MAKING.  Yikes.  Christmas is over.  Back to the real world.  (well, I might make up a batch of caramel sometime soon).  What we are doing around here right now is:

1.  Getting ready to watch (again) an amazing movie.  We plan to watch it at church with a bunch of avid gardeners, hobby farmers, novice growers and everything in between.  A potluck and an afternoon centered around growing stuff successfully.  What could be better than that?  We have watched it free on line, but finally broke down and ordered the video.  

Back to Eden

2.  In addition, I have been reading some books on permaculture and we are trying to plan out how to make our entire property a lot more efficient and work better.  The book I am currently reading is "Permaculture by Sepp Holzer.

Sepp Holzer's Permaculture

3.  Also, on the subject of health, I have two books going right now.  Deep Nutrition and Devil in the Milk.  Both are awesome and full of information.  Deep Nutrition is a great book if you are just beginning the process of trying to learn a different way of eating and why you should do that.  Devil in the Milk is about A-1 and A-2 cows and the types of milk they produce.  By accident (?)  we appear to have cows which produce A-2 milk. 

Meet the authors of Deep Nutrition

Book Review of "Devil in the Milk"

And finally, I am starting seeds.  Yep, it is that time of year.   I have a ton of seeds from my favorite seed bank ever and am trying to restrain my hand from too many tomato plants.  Again.

Baker Creek Seeds

Be blessed!

Cindy

Lacto Fermented Garden Salsa

LACTO FERMENTED GARDEN SALSA
(recipe after much rambling)

Hello all, my long lost blogging friends.  You might wonder where I have been, and it is a simple story.  Just about a year ago, we began putting into place a series of changes that moved us into a more simple, more homebound life.  We have tried to move off the grid wherever practical (and sometimes where it is not practical).  We purchased a milk cow named Bonnie.  We put in an extra-large garden and tried to grow some of our animal feed.

Now I don't want to shock anyone, but these type of changes are a lot of W-O-R-K.  Modern conveniences are named that for a reason.  Processed, industrialized food is inexpensive and easy.  Having a milk cow means someone has to be there to milk twice a day.... every day..... 7 days a week.... you get the picture.  Anyway, our time seems to have become redirected.

At this time we are drying the cow up.  This means just one milking a day, not on any schedule.  The garden is put to bed and I never did get a winter garden in, with the exception of our small cold frame.  It feels like we have redeemed an amazing amount of time and freedom.   I do not want to say this is good, I really miss the fresh produce and as soon as the cow is done, I know I will miss that wonderful milk.  But for the moment, it is less hectic..... somewhat.

For this winter I am planning to read a wonderful book called Deep Nutrition.  We just finished a movie on-line called Back to Eden.  I think we will implement some of these changes into our garden.  I would recommend it to anyone wanting to garden in a real way.  We also watched a movie called Burzynski.  It is a wonderfully revealing movie on the incestuous relationship between big Pharma and regulatory agencies.  It is worth watching, no matter what you think of Dr. Burzynski.  We are still in the research phase to see if his remedy is effective.  The same tactics are currently being used on our food supply (especially raw milk).  Protectionism is alive and well in the United States of America.

We mainly planted greens in the cold frame, but the boys made a cool "chicken tractor" which would fit in there.  The chickens keep the cold frame pretty warm.  We will also use it this winter for newly hatched chicks and a mama.  So, we continue to eat simple, wholesome, organic meals.  Soaked grains are a part of life.  Root vegetables are big in our diet, add a lot of greens whenever you can..... and now it is almost time to begin making candy for Christmas :)

My sister, the shopping queen, found us an amazing stove that is waiting to be installed when time permits this winter.  It is in the picture.  It is a Wedgewood stove from 1935 and is in almost pristine condition.  It has both wood and gas burners.  I am not even going to tell you what price she found it for.  No need to excite envy and jealousy. It is a beauty, isn't it.

I wanted to get the recipe for lacto-fermented salsa up, even though the garden is put to bed.  Next summer will probably roll around, and then it will be here.   This bunch of produce is one of the last batches we picked before the cold weather rolled in.  Enjoy

Cindy

Lacto Fermented Salsa

Whey  (about 1 TBSP per quart of finished product)

Tomatoes

(I prefer a variety of colors - they are all different acid levels and each brings something different to the party)

Tomatillos

Hot peppers

Sweet peppers

Cucumbers

(leave the skins on - I try to find some with bitterness to them - good balance)

Onion

Garlic

Lime juice and lime zest

Fresh Cilantro

Sea Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Cayenne, if necessary

Directions:  I use a cast iron skillet to roast the peppers and tomatillos.  If your hands have hot pepper on them, a few drops of bleach will neutralize it and you don't have to worry about touching your eyes for the next 10 hours.  After roasting, I use a food processor to get it chunked up.  Just use blasts, don't blend it.  You want chunks.   After everything is blended, add the chopped Cilantro, lime juice, lime zest and spices.
Taste often.

You will notice that I do not have amounts.  Taste often.  Don't forget the whey.  If it lasts, you should leave it at room temperature for a couple of hours to allow the salt and whey time to innoculate your salsa.  Bottle and refrigerate.

Enjoy
Cindy

Life on the Farm

Blessings to you all,

It has been so long since I have written ANYTHING on this blog, I have almost forgotten how.  There have been many, many changes around our place.  One of the biggest is our major steps to get off of the grid.  We have been trying to simplify, declutter and doing our best to live a different way.  It has been challenging, two steps forward, one step back, intermediate steps, rethinking........ Anyway, it has been fun.  A lot of work..... but fun.  Our life has changed to very quiet, simple homebound routines.   Some of our upcoming projects include a root cellar, ice house and spring house.

As part of that process, we have gotten more serious about our garden.  In the early spring, we dug trenches with the help of the backhoe and put manure in, then refilled.  It broke up some hardpan, stirred around our minerals and really improved our soil.

After reading several wonderful gardening books over the winter, we laid out the plants differently.  Every plant was put in carefully with consideration of "root room".  We wanted to give every plant plenty of room to thrive.  This meant that we placed the tomato plants 4' on center.  It was hard for me.  I was limited to 50 plants...... OK, I might have snuck a couple extra in.  I also gave room to the squash, cukes, melons, peppers - everything got enough root room.  They marked up a piece of pipe for me so I could easily plant.

My sweet hubby made new tomato cages for me this year.  We didn't have enough material for all of the tomatoes, but hopefully by next year we will.  I will use fencepost and wires for the rest of the plants.

We have been harvesting raspberries, beets (they are yummy just rinsed, rubbed with oil and salt and baked) greens of every type, tomatoes (from the coldframe) squash, kohlrabi, turnips, parsnips, radish, peas and we are just beginning to get cucumbers.  Our meals are simple and revolve around soaked grains, greens, eggs, milk, garden produce, our own chickens, grass fed beef and raw cheese.

The cow produces wonderful milk and the chickens are laying beautifully.  My sister continues to turn chicks out of her ever revolving incubator.  The roosters we butcher, the hens we either keep or move on to someone else.  We have lots of chickens.  We used the broody hens and chicks to keep the coldframe warm this winter.... that is why we have early tomatoes.  I'll be working a lot harder on the coldframe w/chicken heat this winter.

The Spring and Summer have been filled with hard work, family, new experiences, adjustments, and the Hand of the Lord always giving us guidance.  I can say again today that He has NEVER left us.... NEVER forsaken us.  We can depend on His mercy, His abundance and His grace.

Be blessed, healthy and well
Cindy

Time to think about gardening!

I know it is still winter, but spring is just around the corner.  There is quite a bit you can be doing to get ready for garden season.  I have already written about why I garden and you can find that post here.  If you intend to get a garden going this year, here are some things you can do now to make sure that happens.

Begin a garden journal/devotional.  Just having one place where you are jotting down your thoughts, scriptures, poems, recipes and ideas is helpful. It is good to get your thoughts in order.  This is also a great time to read a new (or old) book on gardening.  Try the thrift store :)

Plan your space.  Make this a family affair.  Figure out how much room you are committing to gardening, what needs to be done and where you intend to plant everything.  Planning is key to a productive garden.  We like to measure everything and lay it out on paper.

Decide what you intend to plant and order seeds.  I use Baker Creek Seeds - they have an awesome selection and test for GMO's.

If you intend to start seeds, this is the time to do it.  You do not have to have a perfect environment.  You need  a warm place, and after the seedlings have popped up, you need to haul them to some sunshine whenever possible.  Water them and let the water drain.  Add some kind of natural food to your water.  The seedlings burn through the available nutrients pretty quickly.  We usually begin tomato, sweet and hot pepper plants, broccoli, brussel sprouts and swiss chard inside.  The other stuff gets direct sowed when the soil is warm enough.

If you need to build boxes, fix fences or acquire pots to plant in, this is the time to work on it.  Often you can find someone who has changed their garden plan and will trade, barter, buy or give you old containers.  Use some of your soil and mix in something good - well rotted compost, some purchased topsoil.... something full of nutrients.  Make sure your pots will drain well and are big enough for the root systems of your plants.

Begin or plan a compost pile.  You don't have to be fancy.  Find a spot, mix equal parts brown, green and hot (leaves, sawdust, straw, kitchen scraps, manure, urine)  and mix occasionally.   You can build a round container out of old fencing or you can use old pallets or you can go with something that spins, turns and works your stuff.   The more you work it, the hotter it gets.  Here are some great links to Organic Gardening.... as far as I am concerned, they are the king of compost :)  You can probably find lots and lots of other articles on compost, these are just three random ones.

Fast Cooking Compost Pile

Compost Ingredients

Safe Compost Bins

Plan to begin a spring garden as soon as you are able to work the soil.  Lettuce, spinach, onions, potatoes, swiss chard, broccoli, brussel sprouts and peas are part of our spring garden plan.  I can't wait!

Do you need to clean up your garden site from last year?  Take a couple of the nice days that always happen in the middle of winter and clean it up.  While you are at it, take a look at your tools and see if you need to replace, repair, sharpen or rethink them.  Make sure you have a somewhat organized place for your tools.  Always searching for a tool is a huge waste of time.

Talk over with your family the amount of resource you plan to use.  Include time, water, money, physical labor and space.  Reassess what you did last year.  Do you need to do something different?  Be open to suggestions from family members.  Step up the chores for the kids and move them up the chore ladder.  A garden is an amazing way to spend great family time.

I would love to hear your garden plans.  Ours are firmly in place and moving on.  It might seem odd to be full steam ahead on your garden when there is still a significant amount of snow on the ground, but if you do not have a plan, your odds of being successful are much smaller.  It is time to start.



Happy Gardening


Cindy