Heritage Harvest Farm

Benefits of Eating by the Season

2012-01-30T11:32:00.003-05:00

Have you ever noticed that our bodies crave certain foods, at certain times of the year? This is a healthy sign. If you allow your body the food it is craving it will help to nourish and protect you. This does not include cravings for cookies at Christmas, pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and hot dogs in the summer. In case that is what some of you were thinking.

For centuries, our ancestors as well as ancient Chinese herbal doctors have followed a diet of the seasons. Our body will adjust to our climate and does naturally desire what it needs nutritionally based on the time of the year it is. If you don’t tend to crave fruits or vegetables in season, something is not in balance. This will catch up with you eventually in the form of digestive disorders and degenerative diseases. Eat what is harvested locally in the present season, align yourself with nature and keep your body healthy.

In today's world, it is so easy to have what ever you want, when ever you want it. Beneficial? Not necessarily. Ultimately, you are likely to pay a higher price for far inferior nutritional content when it is out of season. The longer the produce sits since harvesting and in transportation, the more nutritionally depleted it becomes. Other countries have different regulations when it comes to the use of pesticides, so this is also something to consider. With the availability of foods year round, many of us get stuck in a rut, eating the same foods over and over again. Eating seasonally brings us back to our roots, back to a simpler time when we ate what we had, and what we had came from a local farm. Eating local crops in season has a many benefits for your health, as well as perks for your local community, the economy and the environment.

Here are some guidelines to help you achieve optimal nutrition in every season:

Green leafy vegetables such as Swiss chard, spinach, romaine and parsley are typical in early spring. Asparagus is also in season. These leafy greens help to flush the body (especially the liver) of the winter “sludge” that has accumulated. Greens also help to alkalize the body. A diet high in alkaline foods helps a body to avoid cancer, autoimmune disease and osteoporosis to name a few.

Light, cooling foods benefit the body during the hot summer months. Raw fruits and vegetables provide the body with living enzymes, oxygen, potent vitamins and fiber. Cucumbers, tomato, berries, cherries, summer squash, basil, mint and so many more are in abundance and should be taken full advantage of. These highly nutritious, low calorie foods will heal and cool the body.

Autumn brings a bountiful harvest of heavier warming foods. Carrots, apples, sweet potato, onions, cabbage, winter squash are soothing to the soul when there is a chill in the air. Peppercorn, ginger and mustard seed are warming spices that the body appreciates this time of the year.

The body tends to crave warm foods in the winter months. Foods that take longer to grow are generally more warming foods. Potato, carrots, parsnips, beets and winter cabbage Nuts are warming as well.

Even meat has a season. Chicken is best harvested in early summer. It means that the birds can be raised on pasture and allowed plenty of sunshine and natural protien. This all makes the meat higher in Omega 3s. Pork is healthiest raised all summer on pasture and out doors as

One of the greatest benefits to consuming pasture-raised pork is its vitamin D content. Much like humans, hogs synthesize vitamin D through their skin which means that their fat can be a very rich source of natural vitamin D. If the hogs aren't given adequate access to sunlight, as is the case with most conventionally raised animals, they cannot synthesize vitamin D. Hogs raised in the winter simply can not get enough sunlight.

Beef cows that have been on pasture all summer are lower in fat and higher in Omega 3s. First of all, grassfed products tend to be much lower in total fat than grainfed products. For example, a sirloin steak from a grassfed steer has about one half to one third the amount of fat as a similar cut from a grainfed steer.

Fat has 9 calories per gram, compared with only 4 calories for protein and carbohydrates. The greater the fat content, the greater the number of calories. A 6-ounce steak from a grass-finished steer has almost 100 fewer calories than a 6-ounce steak from a grainfed steer. Although grassfed meat is low in "bad" fat (including saturated fat), it gives you from two to six times more of a type of "good" fat called "omega-3 fatty acids." This means that purchseing your beef in the fall, when the cows have just come off of pasture is the best nutritional choice.

Cheese made from the milk of grassfed cows is more than four times richer in conjugated linoleic acid—a cancer-fighting, fat-reducing fat—than cheese from standard, grain-fed cows.

This means cheese made from spring and summer milk is far richer in nutrients than cheese made during the winter months when cows do not have fresh green grass.

Butter made in the spring and summer is superior to winter butter as living grass is richer in vitamins E, A, and beta-carotene than stored hay or standard dairy diets, butter from dairy cows grazing on fresh pasture is also richer in these important nutrients. The naturally golden color of grassfed butter is a clear indication of its superior nutritional value.

To find out what’s harvested seasonally in your area, go to localharvest.org. This will also lead you to growers in your area that adhere to strict guidelines when growing your food.

Whatever you do, don’t fall into the rut of the same foods year round. Reap the nutritional benefits by enjoying a variety of locally grown foods. Be creative, try new things.

Our New Little Girl

2012-01-27T09:55:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the big day! Xavi who was the first cow born here on our farm had her first baby. It had been a much anticipated day. You see we raise Dexters, if you are familiar with them you probably know that black is the only true colour in the Dexter world. Dun and Red are mutations of the black. To have one of those colours takes much patience with breeding for the genetics and so on. So not only did my first little girl have her first baby, she had a baby girl! If that was not enough she had a Dun baby girl! Wow we hit the jack pot.

Zoe was born at 5am yesterday morning. It was a long first birth and a little nerve racking. She needed a little assistance coming into the world but after 45 minutes she made her entrance. Mom wasn't exactly sure of what to do with this being her first time calving. We have the cows for milk so the babies are always taken from the moms and bottle fed. This one was taken away earlier than normal as mom had no interest. She would not suck and was slow on her feet so we had to help out with some tube feeding. The good news is, this morning she is up and alert and taking her bottle without any problems.

We wanted to share with you some of our day yesterday. As Zoe could not get warm and was a little weak she really became part of the family. Here she is!

A few minutes old.

In the house to warm up, the cat is helping to clean her off!

My bottle is almost as big as me!

Finally on my feet!

I can't get warm so mom made me a sweater!

Simple Strategies to eat Better for Less

2012-01-25T20:29:00.000-05:00

There have been many times we have had people comment that they can not afford to eat high quality, clean food. With having a family of 6 that is very easy for us to understand. There are many strategies that can be put into place to stretch your food dollars, allowing you to choose better food for your family. There are many health benefits to eating organic produce and organic pasture raised meats. Here are a few ideas to help you stretch your food dollar while still providing your family with the highest quality available.

Slow Down. Slow cooking with low heat (in the crock pot or oven) helps to concentrate flavours. it also provides rich, flavourful sauces with tender, juicy meat
Stock. Making delicious hearty meals with stocks and broths is easy to do. Making your own broths from left over meat and bones is simple to do. These stocks can be frozen and used in place of water in many different recipes.
Grain. grains are very absorbent and will soak up all of the juices they are cooked in. Add grains to your meal instead of meat once or twice a week. This is a great spot to use your stocks in.
Grease. Pasture raised animals provide very healthy fats full of Omegs 3s. There is no reason to feel guilty about saving the grease of your cooked meats. Use them in stir fries and sautes. If you eat a healthy well balanced diet you can afford to cook a few dishes with real fat!
Buy Whole. Purchasing the largest cuts of meat available and cutting them up on your own will save a lot of money. Purchase whole chickens and cut up into breasts, thighs, wings and legs when you get home. Of course save the caucus for your broths! Any time you have the option purchase things like pork and beef, even lamb by the 1/2 or 1/4 and the butcher will cut it to your specifications.
Cut Costs, not Quality. Turn less expensive cuts of meat into fabulous dishes. Learning how to cook cuts like short ribs and shoulders will save you valuable food dollars.
Cook Your Own. There is no way easier to save money than to simply cook your own. There is nothing out there that you can not make your self. This goes from crackers to cookies to meat rubs, lasagnas, hamburgers, bread, buns and so on. With the Internet available to most everyone a quick google will turn up many recipes for you to choose from. You just have to decide to make it a priority.

Artisan Bread Making Course

2012-01-20T19:37:00.000-05:00

Join us for some wholesome goodness! Making bread does not need to be difficult. Creating beautiful loves of Artisan Breads is quick and simple, producing professional-quality results with each warm, fragrant loaf.

Being able to provide your family with Healthy Bread, free of preservatives is very easy using the methods you will learn through out this series. You may join us for one class or the entire series. There will be a $40 discount for those taking the full series.

Course 1 – Introduction to Bread Baking

Course 2 – Italian Bread Baking

Course 3 – Rye Breads & Ancient Grains

Course 4 – Crescent Rolls & Breakfast Pastries

Course location: Heritage Harvest Farm, 76 Crystal Rd,

Jasper On, K0G 1G0

                             Registration via EMAIL: angie10141@hotmail.com
                             Registration deadline: Feb 10 2012

                   Schedule and Class Descriptions

All Is Good

2012-01-16T19:53:00.002-05:00

All of the new Links and Pages should now be functioning properly. Sorry for any troubles.
Please do take a moment and let me know if you experience any problems!

Thank You,
Angie

CSA, Meat and Eggs

2012-01-14T20:51:00.002-05:00

Please take a moment to have a look at our pages titled, CSA, Meat and Eggs and Farm Store. I have spent the day updating them and learning how to link the pages as I went along. I hope you will find it much easier to navigate and enjoy our new CSA program.

Certified Naturally Grown

2012-01-09T18:48:00.003-05:00

Our application has been approved! We are now "Certified Naturally Grown"

We are one of only four farms in Ontario that is "Certified Naturally Grown"

Certified Naturally Grown is a Grassroots Alternative to the USDA's National Organic Program meant primarily for small farmers distributing through local channels - farmer's markets, roadside stands, local restaurants, community supported agriculture (CSA) programs and small local grocery stores - the farmers that make up your local landscape!

The CNG Standards and growing requirements are no less strict than the USDA National Organic Program rules. The primary difference between Certified Naturally Grown and the USDA Organic program is cost to farmers and paperwork requirements.

Why is such an alternative necessary? Simply because once the National Organic Program was implemented in 2002, farmers that proudly referred to themselves as "Organic" for decades are no longer allowed to do so unless they are "certified" as such by a USDA sanctioned agency.

The cost of the new USDA program - both in terms of money and paperwork requirements - is too much for many small farmers to afford. This is even more true for farmers that grow a wide range of crops all at once. The paperwork takes more time for multi-crop farmers than large agribusiness mono-crop farms. This is a shame, because growing many different crops at once is a safer and more ecologically sustainable practice. The soil is worked in different ways, and disease and pest problems are significantly reduced.

The need for an alternative certification program - and a "New Label" became apparent in the spring of 2002 as more and more small farmers voiced their concern over the USDA requirements and declared that they were not planning on joining the new program when it went into effect in October 2002.

Certified Naturally Grown was created as a grassroots alternative to the USDA Organic program. It was created by small farmers, for small farmers, and is being run by small farmers! The same group of farmers that created, nurtured and grew the Organic label to such phenomenal public recognition and acceptance over many decades. The Organic label was not grown with government control and high licensing fees, it was grown with sweat, idealism, and farmers helping farmers to improve and stick to those ideals!

While the new USDA program forbids farm inspectors from making suggestions to improve a farmer's situation, the Certified Naturally Grown program ENCOURAGES sharing and advice between farmers.

The crux of the Certified Naturally Grown program is the farmer-to-farmer inspection approach. Farmer-inspectors are most familiar with the pest and disease challenges likely to be faced by other farmers using natural methods in their area, so they are uniquely qualified to observe and note whether their neighbors are sticking to the standards. They're also in a good position to make suggestions on how to deal with these challenges, thereby strengthening the local, natural farming community. Farmer-inspectors fill out a check-sheet inspection form and mail it back to us. It is scanned in and posted on the Internet for anytime public access.

All farmers applying to use the label must agree to do at least one inspection of another farm.

One of the most common misconceptions about the USDA Organic program is how the farm inspections are carried out. A belief has been created that USDA Organic farmers submit their soil or vegetables to "spot chemical tests" and that's part of the reason for the added expense. This is not true. The USDA program does not require chemical tests - spot or otherwise, and instead relies on the farmer's own declarations that they do not use chemicals. Many USDA inspectors do NOT come from an agricultural background and have only gone through a short training program before they begin their on-farm verbal verification of the farmer's paperwork.

It is important to note that Certified Naturally Grown is NOT meant to be a slight or an attack on the new USDA Organic program in any way! While it is frustrating that we won't be able to use a word that we've come to count on for decades now, the USDA program rules have been very well thought out and carefully crafted to maintain the ideals that the Organic farming movement developed and continues to live by. Having a nationally overseen and controlled program should certainly help to encourage many larger farmers to try organic agriculture knowing there is a stable and secure value-added marketing label for their products.

So, as one-time organic farmers, we applaud the growth and maturation of the Organic Label, even as we must move on to a NEW label that is "more our size." That new label, for some of us anyway, is Certified Naturally Grown.

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I believe very strongly in "Certified Organics". Our application for Organic Certification os almost complete. You may wonder why, would I bother with the Certified Naturally Grown? Well there is a 3 year transition period between when you apply for organic certifiction and when you are considered fully Organic Certified. I wanted to make sure our customers know we are comitted to this and that is is not something we just talk about but it is the way we do things.

For more details about this program plese visit: http://www.naturallygrown.org/

Wake up World

2012-01-07T15:13:00.000-05:00

Well this post is a little unusual in that I did not in any part contribute to the main body of it. I do not know how I found this web site or the articles but I am so thankful that I did. I have been saying for the last 6 years to my husband that this is how our world should be. Last year we grew a one acre garden and told several neighbours to just come and get what they needed. We even went as far as to say don`t come an knock on my door to ask for it, just go pick what you need. Then come for a visit. They would try to pay us and my husband said to one of them, Your money is not worth anything to me. The gentleman looked puzzled and my husband explained there will be many things I need a hand with, I will give you a call when that time comes.

Below please find a link to an amazing web site with so many inspirational stories.

Happy 69 Year Old Lady Has Not Used Money For 15 Years
http://wakeup-world.com/2011/07/18/happy-69-year-old-lady-has-not-used-money-for-15-years/

A Deliciously Resourceful Town Aims For Total Food Self-Sufficiency Within 7 Years
http://wakeup-world.com/2011/12/14/a-deliciously-resourceful-town-aims-for-total-food-self-sufficiency-within-7-years/

What We Learned From A Year Without Food From A Grocery Store
http://wakeup-world.com/2011/11/16/what-we-learned-from-a-year-without-food-from-a-grocery-store/

What can we all do to make a difference? I truly believe that within the next 10 years we will not be wanting to work towards this but it will be an essential survival skill. Growing food, raising animals, cooking, all those basic and now old fashioned skills.

Deep Organic Gardening

2012-01-05T21:28:00.000-05:00

There is a term I have found to be very interesting.
"Deep Organic"

When I saw it, I thought what the heck is this?

After some reading I kind of thought to my self, is that not what everyone does?

Deep organic, at its simplest, means that you bring as few off-site inputs into your garden-farm as possible. You don't buy organic fertilizer for your tomatoes, you use your own compost and manure instead. You don't buy mulch; you use the leaves that fell from your trees, grass clippings from the yard or your own straw to mulch your garden. It requires us to think about our gardens and the waste we produce, rather than go out and buy some store bought, commercially made stuff (even if it happens to be organic.) It takes the money out of the hands of giant corporations who sell "organic" garden brands right next to their conventional brands and leaves it in our pockets.

How We Practice Deep Organic Gardening:

The easiest way to practice deep organic gardening is to compost, and compost A LOT. We have several outdoor buckets, a compost pile, and a manure pile. In addition, I also take anything compostable to the chicken coop that they might like to eat. This way they get the benefit of eating it, their food costs go down and the digest it and give me back valuable fertilizer. Nothing goes to waste: not a leaf, not an eggshell, not a single wilted carrot from the back of the fridge. Anything that can be composted, gets composted. We collect leaves from our wooded lot if we are in need of extra mulch, leaves make beautiful compost, as well as perfect mulch. We leave our grass clippings on the lawn (if they are not needed in the garden) to feed and mulch the grass. This also helps with water conservation during dry periods. When the plants need an extra boost I make compost tea.

It Is Not Exact Science:

You do not need to do all of these things. But trying to do as much as you can without bringing in a lot of off-site inputs keeps your costs down and you have the added benefit of knowing exactly what you are putting on your food. It is not something out of a bottle or package. There are the benefits of cost savings and then of being a little more earth friendly. I like the idea of providing my own anything. This saves on packaging and all that other unnecessary stuff.

Dreaming of Warmer Days

2012-01-04T18:56:00.001-05:00

For the last few weeks I have had some time of forced relaxation. A person can on sit, or should I say lye on the sofa for so long. I have watched old movies, flipped through books and magazines and spent time surfing the web. All of this gets rather boring and I can't do any one of those things for any length of time.

So what better to do than dream about warmer days? I have the upcoming gardening season all planned out in my head. I can visualize myself out there planting the first cool weather crops, picking the first ripe tomato and getting all that fresh goodness stored away.

Every year I try to add something to our farming/gardening life that helps us be a bit more self reliant. This year I have ordered quonia and lentils to grow as well as Jaltomato (like huckelberries)& Litchi tomato. I will also be growing sunflowers and Lady Godiva pumpkins, they are loaded with unhauled plump seeds which pack a real nutritional wallop with 50% oil content and 20% protein. Both of these last two will be grown specifically to press for oil.

The other thing we will do is grow specific cover crops and some wheat specifically for our chickens. I have ordered several varieties of sunflowers for the hens. They will enjoy snacking on the sunflower seeds.

What is everyone else trying out?

Sorry, I've Missed You

2011-12-30T17:41:00.000-05:00

I am sorry to have been absent for the past while. Just a quick note to say I will be back. My daughter and I were hit by a drunk driver Dec 23rd and I am limited in what I can do. Looking at the computer is difficult so for now I will leave it at this.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Season and enjoy a safe New Year.

Angie

Organic Certification

2011-12-15T21:37:00.003-05:00

The next chapter in our Farming Journey is unfolding and with it comes new experiences. At the moment I am looking at purchasing 2 new cows. One has a four month old steer calf with her and she is re bred to a great bull. The other is one year old.

This would increase both our milk and meat availability!

We are going Certified Organic!

We have farmed organically for 14 years and even at that we still have to go through a 36 month transitional process. No amount of soil testing, water testing or hay analysis can change it! The application form is 49 pages long and has to include sketches as well as descriptions, soil teasts and water tests. You have to have every receipt of where you have purchased every item to prove it was from fellow certified organic growers. This includes potting soil when I start my seedlings!

To say the least it, is a lengthy project, but very worthwhile. When you see the seal of certified by__________ and then the name of the certifier I am telling you that you can be 100% guaranteed that is is a fully certified organic product. There are no gray areas. You are either compliant or non compliant. In the case of non compliance your certification is removed! The inspections and record keeping required is like nothing I have ever seen. As some of you know I was the owner of three retail stores at the same time. The paper work for that does not hold a candle to this.

I don't tell you this to discourage people from becoming certified. I simply tell you so that you can appreciate the cost of both time and money that farmers are committing in order to be sure you are eating clean, healthy food.

Cheers!

Natural Christmas Beauty

2011-12-13T19:52:00.000-05:00

An Interesting Article

2011-12-12T13:26:00.002-05:00

Study debunks myths on organic farms

By Paul Hanley
The StarPhoenix October 17, 2011

The results are in from a 30-year side-by-side trial of conventional and organic farming methods at Pennsylvania's Rodale Institute. Contrary to conventional wisdom, organic farming outperformed conventional farming in every measure.

There are about 1,500 organic farmers in Saskatchewan, at last count. They eschew the synthetic fertilizers and toxic sprays that are the mainstay of conventional farms. Study after study indicates the conventional thinking on farming - that we have to tolerate toxic chemicals because organic farming can't feed the world - is wrong.

In fact, studies like the Rodale trials (www.rodaleinstitute.org/fst30years) show that after a three-year transition period, organic yields equalled conventional yields. What is more, the study showed organic crops were more resilient. Organic corn yields were 31 per cent higher than conventional in years of drought.

These drought yields are remarkable when compared to genetically modified (GM) "drought tolerant" varieties, which showed increases of only 6.7 per cent to 13.3 per cent over conventional (non-drought resistant) varieties.

More important than yield, from the farmer's perspective, is income, and here organic is clearly superior. The 30-year comparison showed organic systems were almost three times as profitable as the conventional systems. The average net return for the organic systems was $558/acre/ year versus just $190/acre/year for the conventional systems. The much higher income reflects the premium organic farmers receive and consumers pay for.

But even without a price premium, the Rodale study found organic systems are competitive with the conventional systems because of marginally lower input costs.

The most profitable grain crop was the organically grown wheat netting $835/acre/year. Interestingly, no-till conventional corn was the least profitable, netting just $27/acre/year. The generally poor showing of GM crops was striking; it echoed a study from the University of Minnesota that found farmers who cultivated GM varieties earned less money over a 14-year period than those who continued to grow non-GM crops.

Importantly, the Rodale study, which started in 1981, found organic farming is more sustainable than conventional systems. They found, for example, that:
. Organic systems used 45 per cent less energy than conventional.
. Production efficiency was 28 per cent higher in the organic systems, with the conventional no-till system being the least efficient in terms of energy usage.
. Soil health in the organic systems has increased over time while the conventional systems remain essentially unchanged. One measure of soil health is the amount of carbon contained in the soil. Carbon performs many crucial functions: acting as a reservoir of plant nutrients, binding soil particles together, maintaining soil temperature, providing a food source for microbes, binding heavy metals and pesticides, and influencing water holding capacity and aeration. The trials compared different types of organic and conventional systems; carbon increase was highest in the organic manure system, followed by the organic legume system. The conventional system has shown a loss in carbon in recent years.
. Organic fields increased groundwater recharge and reduced run-off. Water volumes percolating through the soil were 15-20 per cent higher in the organic systems. Rather than running off the surface and taking soil with it, rainwater recharged groundwater reserves in the organic systems, with minimal erosion.

Organic farming also helps sustain rural communities by creating more jobs; a UN study shows organic farms create 30 per cent more jobs per hectare than nonorganic. More of the money in organic farming goes to paying local people, rather than to farm inputs.

With results like these, why does conventional wisdom favour chemical farming? Vested interests. Organic farming keeps more money on the farm and in rural communities and out of the pockets of chemical companies. As the major funders of research centres and universities, and major advertisers in the farm media, they effectively buy a pro-chemical bias.

Still, the global food security community, which focuses on poor farmers in developing countries, is shifting to an organic approach. Numerous independent studies show that small scale, organic farming is the best option for feeding the world now and in the future. In fact, agroecological farming methods, including organic farming, could double global food production in just 10 years, according to one UN report.

© Copyright (c) The StarPhoenix

Christmas Favourites

2011-12-09T08:03:00.001-05:00

The Holidays are quickly approaching and many of us are enjoying our days in the kitchen preparing. Here on the farm I like to get as much as possible done ahead of time. This includes everything from dishes and meals that can be made ahead of time and then frozen. Then all I have to do it take them out of the freezer and pop them in the oven.

All of my breads and rolls are prepared to the point just after the firs rising. They are then punched down and formed into either rolls or loaves and frozen individually. The bread is wrapped in plastic wrap and the rolls look like golf balls in freezer containers. When it's time take out what you need the night before, place them in your baking container, cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge over night. In the morning take them out of the fridge, let rise and bake! Mmmm, all the freshness and no mess!

Homemade Beaver Tails are done in the same manner! Cookie dough is made, placed on the cookie sheets on parchment paper but then put in the freezer instead of the oven. After they are frozen remove from tray and place in a freezer storage container. When you want to bake them, take them out of freezer, place on cookie sheet and bake as usual. No need to thaw at all!

Huge batches of Caramel poop corn are prepared and stored in 2 lt mason jars. Biscotti is great to make ahead as it does not get stale! There are so many things you can do to free up the time you have with family and guests. It helps with the chaos of the season. Best of all there is no mess.

Here are some of our favourite recipes! Enjoy

Would you please share some of your favourites with me? I am always looking for something new to try!

Tourtiere

This tourtiere recipe originated in Quebec and is frequently enjoyed in the winter months, particularly during the holidays.

Ingredients:

•Pastry for a double crust pie

•1 tablespoon light olive or canola oil

•1/2 pound ground pork

•1/2 pound ground beef

•3/4 cup chopped onion

•1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped

•1/3 cup shredded carrots

•1/4 cup finely chopped celery

•2/3 cup beef stock

•2 teaspoons Cognac

•1 teaspoon dried parsley

•3/4 teaspoon salt

•1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

•1/4 teaspoon dried sage

•1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

•1/16 teaspoon ground cloves

•1/16 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•1/16 teaspoon grated nutmeg

•1 tablespoon dry bread crumbs

Preparation:

Preheat an oven to 400F. Roll the pastry dough into 2 equal-sized circles to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Line the bottom of the pie pan with 1 circle and set aside the prepared pie pan and remaining pastry for later.

Using a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and sauté the pork, beef, onion, garlic, carrots, and celery until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked through. Drain any excess fat from the pan. Add the beef stock, Cognac, herbs, and spices to the meat and vegetables; simmer the mixture over low-medium heat, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the heat and stir the dry breadcrumbs into the mixture. Allow the meat filling to sit for 3 minutes. Spoon the filling into the prepared pie pan and top with the remaining pastry dough. Crimp the dough shut, flute the edges, cut vents in the top, and bake the pie for 12 minutes. Reduce the oven heat to 350F and continue baking the pie for 25 to 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Butterhorn Crescent Rolls

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening

1 cup milk

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 eggs

1/2 cup white sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine shortening and milk. Heat until shortening is melted; set aside to cool. Dissolve the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in the warm water. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt together. Add the milk mixture and yeast mixture to the egg mixture, stirring to blend. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and mix well. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Divide dough into fourths, and on a floured surface, roll out into 1/2 inch thick circles. Spread surface with the soft butter. Cut each circle like a pie into 8 triangles, and roll up from larger to small end.

AT HIS POINT YOU CAN NOW FREEZE THEM. or

Place rolls point side down on a baking sheet, and allow to rise until doubled, 3 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C.)

Bake rolls for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Homemade Beaver Tails

These are the real deal! Exactly the same as the real ones. Only now you can afford to eat more than one!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water

5 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 pinch white sugar

1 cup warm milk

1/3 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

5 cups flour, or as needed

1 quart oil for frying

2 cups white sugar, or as needed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1.In a large bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water, and a pinch of sugar. Let stand until slightly foamy, about 5 minutes.

2.When the yeast is foamy, add the other 1/3 cup of sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil and salt, and stir until smooth. Mix in about 3 cups of the flour, stirring with a spoon, then gradually add more flour, turning the dough out onto a floured surface when it is firm enough to handle. Knead for 5 to 8 minutes adding flour as needed to form a firm elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl, and cover. Let rise until doubled, about 30 to 40 minutes.

3.Gently deflate the dough, and pinch off a golf ball-sized piece of dough. On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll the ball out to an oval. Set aside to rest covered with a tea towel, and continue with remaining dough. AT THIS POINT I FREEZE WHAT WE AREN'T COOKING RIGHT AWAY.

4.Heat about 4 inches of oil for frying in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). If you do not have a deep fryer, a wok or Dutch oven will work. I toss in a tiny bit of dough and see if it sizzles and swells immediately. If it does, the oil temperature is where it should be.

5.Just before placing the dough in the oil, stretch the ovals out into a tail shape, thinning and enlarging them as you do. Carefully place the tails in the hot oil one or two at a time. Fry, turning once, until the tails are a deep brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove using tongs and drain on paper towels.

6.Place remaining 2 cups of sugar in a large bowl, and stir in cinnamon if you are using it. Toss fried dough in the sugar bowl while they are still hot. Shake off excess.

Makes aprox 30!

Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 quarts popped popcorn

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place popcorn in a very large bowl.

2.In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour in a thin stream over popcorn, stirring to coat.

3.Place in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Please share some of your favourites with us!

A Little Bit of Homemade

2011-12-06T21:16:00.001-05:00

On my journey this year, I had committed to buy nothing new for one year! Well so far I would say we have surpassed my expectations. Now I will admit we have not been able to abide by it 100% but certainly close.

Most everything we have needed, we have found at second hand stores or auction sales. Some things like shoes and undergarments we had decided to purchase new regardless. There were several reasons to do this project. First is that it is better for the environment if we use things up, re purpose, recycle and so on before purchasing a new item that has to be manufactured. A far as clothing goes. Cotton is one of the biggest polluters to our environment both in growing and processing. There for purchasing great second hand clothing saves money and our environment. The other reason is to see what we actually NEED. Not want but need.

When you have to look hard for something and can't be in a rush, it makes you consider whether you might have something else around that will do the job just as well. It also gives you the time to think about if you really need it, while you are waiting to find it.

My children had reused their lunch bags from the last school year for this school year as they were fine. Now part way through the year two of the kids really NEEDED a new lunch bag. When I was in Wal Mart picking up some toiletries I noticed nice lunch bags on clearance for $3.00. Seemed like a great deal so I brought two home.

Well, as soon as I got in the car, I thought to myself "why did you just buy those"? Then I started thinking about other options that my kids would love more. The next morning down to the fabric bin I went and pulled out some fabrics that I thought they would like. Sewing machine out and ready. I was ready to start sewing some new ones.

Here you will see the two new lunch bags!

A little time and love is all it took. Each one made specifically for the recipient. The kids were thrilled. They did not cost one cent, they are washable and will serve us for years to come.

This one was for Gavin, our hockey player!

This one was for Isha! Our girly girl!

Moving a Little Slower

2011-12-04T21:05:00.001-05:00

Have you ever noticed how fast we go through our days? Jump out of bed, turn on the coffee, jump in the shower, get the kids ready for school and out the door, rush to work, rush home from work, get some sort of dinner ready, get the kids to what ever sport or activity they may be involved in, rush home, homework, bedtime routine and then start again tomorrow!

Wow I'm tired already, but that is the hard reality for many families. Have you ever watched kids out playing, or just left to their own devices. Have you ever noticed a cat laying in just the right spot to soak up the suns rays, how about cows or horses just walking around taking their time. It may sound silly to compare our selves to animals and kids but in the grand scheme of things, they have it right. They don't have a worry in the world. They enjoy life's simple pleasures and love every minute of it.

When we rush through our days just to get to the next thing on the agenda, we are not living life. We are simply moving through it. Take the time today to think about how what you are doing, is affecting your life. How does it affect your mood, they amount of patience you have for your children at the end of the day. How does it affect your partner. How happy are you really?

Vow to be present in your life. Be right there in every moment. Walk a little slower, you will be amazed at what you see and hear. Even when you are walking the same path as yesterday. Drive a little slower or take a different route. Turn off the radio and allow a little quiet in your life. You will be amazed at how your mind works when it is not always overwhelmed with outside influences. Allow your self time to reflect or to think about nothing.

You will not believe how a few little changes can have a wonderful impact on your life and your family. Being present in your life and enjoying each moment both big and small. Finding true happiness and some of us may be learning who we really are for the first time. It's a wonderful journey. Enjoy it!

Homemade Healing and Beauty Products

2011-12-03T20:29:00.001-05:00

There are some basic essentials we keep on hand in this house. Some are used more then others but all are equally as important. I thought I would share with you some of our most used.

The hair rinse and deodorant are wonderful substitute to their store bought counterparts. The do not contain any harmful chemicals. My children could eat them and they are 100% safe. Not only are they safe and inexpensive they work!

The Chest Rub and Cough Remedies are great additions this time of year and not matter how odd you think they sound they are very effective and safe to use on both children and adults. I hope you find them as useful as we do!

Sage and Flowers Hair Rinse

2 TBSP Dried Calendula Flowers

2 TBSP Dried Sage Leaves

2 TBSP Dried Chamomile

16 oz. Apple Cider Vinegar

Keep in covered glass jar. Shake daily. Let infuse for about a month.

Mix 1 TBSP with 1 cup water and rinse hair in the shower.

Shiny, healthy, sweet smelling tresses!

Deodorant

1/4 c baking soda

1/4 c cornstarch

4 TBSP Coconut oil

Feel free to add and essential oil for fragrance. But just a drop or two!

Mix all ingredients well to form a paste. You may now put it in a small glass dish or refill an old Deodorant container if you have one. I keep this in the fridge as if your home is warmer than 24 degrees it will become to soft. When you would like to roll it up in the canister let it sit on counter to soften slightly. If keeping it in a dish apply a small amount with finger tips. This works as well as any store bought Deodorant available today. It is non toxic and costs pennies.

Natural Cough Remedies

Eucalyptus and other essential oils can be very effective in relieving a cough. The oils help to increase oxygen flow and break up chest congestion. Some have antibacterial and/or antiviral properties as well! We can include these essential oils in steam treatments (diffused in vaporizer or humidifiers or in towel steam treatments) or in chest rubs, applied topically with a carrier oil or salve.

Making a chest rub salve is simple. It's also safer (and cheaper) than the store-bought brands, like Vic's, which are made from a petroleum base and contain questionable preservatives and other ingredients.

How to Make a Chest Rub Salve

To make a chest rub salve, you will need a pan to melt the ingredients and a container to store the finished product in. I prefer metal tins, either 2 ounces or 4 ounces for this type of salve. Used moisturizer containers work well, too.

The size of your container will determine how much salve you make, so I will list the ingredient amounts in parts instead of a pre-determined amount. Over the years, I have found this to be much easier than trying to adjust a recipe to fit the container I store it in.

Ingredients:

2 parts coconut oil

1 part beeswax

eucalyptus essential oil (about 10 drops per ounce)

white camphor essential oil (about 5 drops per ounce)

Melt the oil and beeswax in a pan, then add the essential oils. Pour into your metal tin(s) or other container. And let it harden. Now it’s ready to use.

The salve will harden within 10-15 minutes. If you find it is too soft, like the consistency of an ointment, remelt it in the pan and add more beeswax. If it is too hard, remelt and add more oil. If you are not happy with the strength of the oils you can add more after remelting.

This is a basic chest rub salve recipe that can be altered or added to suit your needs or preferences. Essential oils of hyssop, rosemary, peppermint, thyme are a few examples of other oils that help relieve chest congestion. (Some essential oils should be avoided during pregnancy, always check the safety of any oils you plan to add if pregnant.)

This can also be used to help relieve nasal congestion when applied right under the nose.

Homemade Cough and Cold Syrup

This recipe comes from a book called 10 Essential"by Lalitha Thomas.

Ingredients:

1 cup freshly chopped onion
About ½ cup raw honey

Plus any of the following (optional):

1 tsp. Cloves (whole or powdered)- specifically good for pain relief

1-2 Tbsp. Comfrey or Slippery Elm (dried or powdered)- Comfrey is particularly good for healing, and Slippery Elm has more of a reputation for soothing and coating the throat

1-2 Tbsp. fresh chopped Ginger root OR 1 tsp. Ginger powder- Ginger increases warmth, circulation (important for healing) and the overall effectiveness of the syrup

**You can include all of these optional herbs, but at a maximum of 2 Tbsp. extra herbs total

Directions

Put chopped onions and any herbs of choice into a small stainless steel or glass pot. Add honey.

Turn the pot on low heat and slowly simmer. You want to keep the temperature very low while allowing the herbs to steep in the honey. It's best to keep a lid on to help keep all of the medicinal properties of the herbs in the syrup, and just take the lid off to give it a quick stir every few minutes to ensure it doesn't scorch at all.

Let it simmer 20 minutes, then remove it from the heat. Strain the onions and herbs out and store the remaining liquid in a small glass jar with a lid and keep it in the fridge.

The syrup can be used as often as needed, up to every half hour.

1 tsp. for a younger child

1 Tbsp. for anyone 10 years and older

Tried and True Cold recipe:

This home remedy is one I had found on line at one time. It is a great one to keep away any winter sickness, like colds and flu's. It is full of anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

Ginger and cayenne are warming to our system which promotes good circulation, onion, horseradish and garlic help to kill any bugs. Sage and rosemary dry up mucus, and your body will benefit from the minerals that apple cider vinegar offer. It may not sound great tasting but in will surprise you!

1/4 c. ginger root, freshly grated

1/4 c. onion, freshly chopped

1/4 c. fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 c. fresh sage leaves, chopped

1/4 c. grated horseradish

4 cloves of garlic (you can up it to 6, if you feel adventurous)

2 Tbsp. ground cayenne pepper

organic apple cider vinegar to cover

1. Combine all the ingredients in a 1lt mason jar, and fill to the top, leaving 1 inch head space.

2. Shake every day for two to four weeks, strain, squeeze out all liquid.

3. Warm with low heat, add 1/4 c. of honey, stir to dissolve.

4. Pour back into jar, use as needed to get rid of any general feeling of sickness!

2 tablespoons in a cup of hot water, and sipped as needed is one way I use it. If you aren’t feeling like eating a few tablespoons added to a cup of warm chicken broth is a great food source for your system.

The Benifits of Rendering your own

2011-12-01T19:12:00.001-05:00

Lard is a great source of vitamin D, if it is from pasture raised pigs.

Pasture-raised Pork: One of the greatest benefits to consuming pasture-raised pork is its vitamin D content. Much like humans, hogs synthesize vitamin D through their skin which means that their fat can be a very rich source of natural vitamin D - a substance that is critical given that recent research indicates that over 70% of US children suffer from insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels (and adults don't fare much better). If the hogs aren't given adequate access to sunlight, as is the case with most conventionally raised animals, they cannot synthesize vitamin D. (Read more about vitamin D).

Pork is also a very good source of monounsaturated fatty acids - that same heart-healthy fat found in olive oil and avocado. Actually, monounsaturated fat constitutes a full 45% of the total fat content of lard with saturated fat and polyunsaturated fat constituting the remaining 55%. Due to the combined benefits of both vitamin D and monounsaturated fat, pasture-raised pork, lard and even bacon can bring valuable nourishment and flavor to your supper table.

Some articles that will help you understand:

Lard: The New Health Food? http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/lard-the-new-health-food

Put Lard Back in Your Larder http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/put-lard-back-in-your-larder

Making Fat: How to Render Lard http://nourishedkitchen.com/how-to-render-lard/

All of us need fats in our diet to be healthy. Using pasture raised animal fats in your diet will not make you fat! Now in saying that, all lard is not created equally! Do not go out and buy leaf lard from your local butcher to render. You would not catch me eating lard from pigs that are not organic nor would I eat it from pigs that were not pasture raised. Pasture raised, organic pork is high in Omega 3's. If hogs are not pasture raised they can not synthesize vitamin D. The Omega 3's and 6's are not balanced and the omega 6's are to high. Pork lard that you find at the grocery store is hydrogenated and filled with preservatives and chemicals so it becomes very important to find pork fat from a family farmer. You can sometime find organic pastured leaf lard at your local organic market. If you are local to us I can set you up with a friend at “Funny Duck Farm” that sells it! They are certified organic and go to the Ottawa Organic market weekly.

Visit them here: http://www.funnyduckfarms.com

Today I spent the day getting my leaf lard rendered and now have beautiful white gold just waiting to be used in pastry dough, for deep frying and every time we make bread (365 days a year). Eating a diet rich in whole foods is very rewarding and I never have to feel guilty when I am treating my family to a deep fried snack as I know exactly what they are getting!

Fresh leaf lard with all bits of meat trimmed off!

Leaf lard chopped in small pieces

Finished snow white leaf lard ready to use!

A Beautiful Life!

2011-11-29T19:34:00.001-05:00

This life of ours is one that I am so grateful for. It is not luxurious or extravagant but it is oh so rich. When the children all have full bellies and school bags are packed, off they go on the bus. Then comes my favourite time of day! There is nothing more peaceful than heading out to the barn. Milk pail in one hand and wash bucket in the other. Chickens are peeping and scratching in the dirt as I walk by them. Our dog comes along, up she climbs to her favourite spot high up in the hay. She is now ready to watch over the world.

Now it's time to scoop out the grain and whisper So'leena... Yes a whisper is all it takes for that pretty lady to come running across the field to shower you with her love. She is happy to come in and get all washed up for milking time, have some of that sweet grain and give you all the milk she has got.

Next the other cows get their new hay and fresh water. Of course non of this happens before they all come for a scratch here and a rub there. A little loving is all they need to ensure they will have a good day. The chickens give up there beautiful brown and blue eggs and the cats need to curl up beside me for a few minutes while I enjoy a cup of herbal tea. This is a beautiful life. It is peaceful and wholesome, never boring and always unpredictable! Just as you think you have your day planned something will always change! Sometimes there is a cow in the front yard, the dog may have brought home a treasure and left it on the front step. There have been times someone has been so kind to leave little puppies under our car. A neighbouring farmer will stop to chat just to check in, one time he even showed up with a 6 hour old calf for us. Or a special friend will call and ask me to come for tea.

No matter what my day is filled with, it is a wonderful life. There are always challenges, there is always something that needs attention right now and that is always when there is no time to spare. There are certain parts of my day that really don't change much but those are the things that make me smile. A phone call from my husband while he is at work just to ask, " so what's on the agenda for today"? A hug and kiss to greet me as soon as he walks in the door. The kids getting home from school and all 4 of them have tales to tell. Dinner time, eating wholesome food that we have grown ourselves and sharing conversations that the kids will always remember. The evening chores getting done, kids getting tucked into bed and time to relax with my man before the so called routine starts again in the morning.

There is something very special about knowing that I am able to be home and provide for my family at the same time. We strive to be as self sufficient as possible. It is difficult for families to be able to make time for it all when both people have to work full time. There was a time when my husband worked 40 hours a week and I owned and operated 3 retail stores. We did it because we had to, after all how else do you make ends meet? Some major events took place and I decided it was time for change.

After I was trampled by one of my own horses and air lifted by helicopter to the hospital I was left with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 2 weeks later our house was hit by lightening and ten minutes after that, our son who was at a soccer game 15 kms away was struck by lightening and taken by ambulance to CHEO. I was 4 hours away at a conference I was hosting for my stores while that happened. Needless to say it was the quickest drive home I ever had. It was also the quickest decision I had ever made. That's it, I was coming home, debt and all, it would work out!

What do you with your days? What is part of your beautiful life? We need to share and inspire one another as no one can go it alone.

Soap Nuts - Free Give Away

2011-11-28T20:39:00.001-05:00

There are not many laundry soaps out there that can claim the status of having a 100% certified organic laundry detergent. We can make that claim because this laundry detergent grows on trees. USDA & ECOCERT agree that this is an organic laundry detergent and allow us to put their stamp of approval on our products.
A combination of different chemical substances to clean our clothes is what we call laundry detergent. When mixed with water this detergent creates lather and the chemicals penetrate deep inside the clothes to clean the dirt and the harmful microbes present in them. But studies show that long term usage of these detergents can lead to skin troubles, not to mention about the water pollution which disturbs the balance of the aquatic life!

A question arises, is there something to make the earth greener and pollution free? Yes, there is. Most of us are unaware of a natural substance which can substitute this laundry detergent and is 100% natural. The substance is known as Soap Nuts which are a fruit of the Sapindus Mukorossi tree. Native to Nepal, India and some other South Asian countries, this tree requires a warm and tropical environment to grow. The harvesting process of soap nuts is completely natural and does not call for any toxin or chemical involvement.
Soap Nuts consists of a solid and hard outer shell and a small pit inside it. This outer shell is used for making cleaning products. After the fruit ripens, it falls to the ground. It is then harvested and dried in the sun. Saponins, a natural substance, are present in the Soap Nuts. When the Soap Nuts are soaked in water, the Saponins are released. This helps the water penetrate the fabric and clean it. Soap nuts are a good replacement of commercial detergents due to the fact that they have a natural anti-microbial property which kills harmful microbes present in dirt. Soap Nuts do not contain any added dyes or chemicals. They are low sudsing, but are capable of cleaning clothes as effectively as commercial laundry detergents without side effects of skin irritation from chemicals.

Organic and chemical free, Soap Nuts can actually help us to take a step ahead in a greener and more natural world. Soap Nuts do not disrespect technology but rather attempt to save the world from a chemical overload. Using soap nuts as a natural laundry detergent is a tribute to nature and the solutions it gives us.

Soap Nuts as a Natural Organic Laundry Detergent to Wash Your Clothes:

No matter how much care you take in washing your clothes and personal items, you will often see your garments fade in color and fall apart much before you expect them to. They are still young and new but something is taking away life from them. You go to the store you bought them from and complain of bad quality, you curse your washing machine but the real culprit is hidden safely in your house. The harmful synthetic detergents and fabric softeners are the actual cause behind the loss of shine from your clothes.

They take away the softness, the color and reduce the life of your garments. And while all this is happening, you are unaware and keep using the detergent again and again. The deadly ingredients in these detergents are not just harmful for your clothing but also act harshly on your skin. That mysterious rash, allergy, itch, pimple or even sinus problems can well be a result of your sensitive skin coming in contact with some harmful chemical that you are literally wearing on your sleeve.

This is the time to look for alternatives and increase the life of your precious clothes. This is where natural laundry detergents come in the picture. Yes they are natural, easy to find, and soft on your clothes as well as your skin. They protect your clothes and give them the gentle treatment that they deserve which any of the synthetic detergents are unable to provide. By choosing natural detergents you will not just protect your clothes, but you will also be lending a hand in protecting the environment. These environment friendly detergents are increasingly becoming the favorite of people the world over.

Another advantage is their ability of protecting your skin. While washing clothes you are directly exposing yourself to chemicals that are harsh and harmful in a number of ways. Natural laundry detergents are great for your skin as they will not harm it in any way.

Due to the increasing demand of these natural products companies are looking to tap this market and coming up with new products. You will find bio-degradable detergents, detergents containing the extracts of eucalyptus, enzymes and many other ingredients naturally available. You will also find these detergents in various smells like lavender and rose. However you may want to double check to see if what you are buying is actually “natural” or just a synthetic product in the guise of a natural one.

Another natural detergent that has given new meaning to washing your clothes safely is the “Soap nut”. Soap nuts are a revolutionary and interesting natural detergent and the best part is they grow literally on trees. A soap nut tree to be precise. In the Asian countries of India and Indonesia they have been used for centuries with great results. They are good for both your clothes and you and are a gift of nature. They grow on a tree called sapindus mukorrosi or the Chinese Soapberry Tree. Their outer shell is dried and can be used as soap by combining 2-3 of these nuts in a small bag.

Imagine buying something that has no harsh chemicals in it. Something that was made in a 100% natural way and gives you no anxiety or fear of disease. Along with all this something that comes from the bounty of the nature and helps us restore and preserve. When you buy soap nuts you are giving back to the environment by not polluting it via synthetic detergents. So go green, go natural and go the soap nuts way.

Soap nuts are tiny berries or fruits of the soap nut tree, which is commonly found in places like Nepal and India. A native plant of the tropical regions, the soap nut tree bears fruits containing one to three seeds. While the seeds are crushed and used to make detergents for washing clothes, the soap nut is also famous as a medicinal ingredient. In fact, soap nuts have had a long and successful track record for treating several skin conditions effectively. Totally natural and gentle, these soap nuts are wonderful for the skin and don’t cause any side effects.

Soap Nuts & Eczema

Soap nuts are well known to help relieve skin of problems like eczema and psoriasis. Many a time, people try complicated and expensive treatments with little results. Soap nuts on the other hand, are inexpensive and free of chemicals. A lot of people are extremely sensitive to the mildest of skin detergents and products. With soap nuts, you do not have to worry about that.

Soap Nuts for Dry Skin

Itchy and dry skin is common with mild cases of eczema. But with increasing severity, the skin becomes totally dry, lifeless and may break or bleed. People suffering from eczema are advised to stay away from regular soaps and cleansers that might irritate the skin. Soap nuts have a gentle cleansing effect. Soap nuts contain a substance called saponins, and these saponins are the reason behind the antimicrobial action of soap nuts. While bathing, try using soap nuts instead of regular soaps and see what effect it has on your skin. Soap nuts are also odorless when washed away, which eliminates further possibility of allergies to fragrances.

Scaly Skin & Soap Nuts

If you suffer from scaly red patches on your skin, it might be a case of psoriasis. In extreme cases, the entire body might be covered with patches. But even with psoriasis, soap nuts are equally effective. The mild cleansers are safe to use for babies and adults alike. Soap nuts soothe the irritated skin cells and reduce the discomfort. Soap nuts are also good as shampoos. A few spoonfuls of soap nut liquid can be used everyday to clean the body.

Soap Nuts are also used to make your own Tooth Paste, Shampoo, Soap, Liquid Laundry Detergent and Dishwasher liquid. We use the liquid Laundry detergent made from the soap nuts as we wash in only cold water and this method cleans best in cold water. Our clothes are as clean as ever and a little goes a long way. With a front load washing machine we are using only 3 tablespoons of liquid laundry detergent per load.

If you would like us to mail you a trial of FREE soap nuts all you need to do is become a follower of our blog and leave a comment here. If anyone is interested just ask and we will post all of the other recipes as well. Deadline is December 2 2011.

Why Raw Milk?

2011-11-27T20:39:00.003-05:00

There has been lots of hype lately regarding illegal "Raw Milk" sales. Why would a person choose to drink Raw Milk? Whats the big deal, why not just buy the watered down, over heated falsely advertised vitamin enriched white stuff at your local grocery store?

Well for us it's simple! It returning to old paths that have been carved out by generations of the past. A whole food diet that nourishes our mind and body. It is knowing where our food comes from, how it was raised and what is in it. There is noting more wholesome than a glass of organic milk from grass fed cows. It could be from your cows or a local farmers. We all have the right to make that choice.

When milk is pasteurized everything in it is destroyed, both good and bad. Commercial milk is advertised as being fortified with vitamins and there for as good as raw milk! Well that is an interesting thing. Milk can not be sold as pasteurized if it has anything added to it after it has been pasteurized, so the vitamins and all that special "good stuff" is added to the milk before pasteurization! Government inspection is carried out to ensure your milk has had the vitamins added! That's good right? Well they are testing the level of vitamin ash content left in the milk after all of those vitamins have been destroyed by the pasteurization!

When our Government claims drinking Raw Milk is a "Food Safety" issue I have to laugh. When I read articles like this -
Cantaloupes contaminated with listeria have triggered the deadliest outbreak of food-borne illness in the U.S. in 10 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported on Tuesday.

So far, 72 people in 18 states have become ill after eating the tainted fruit, reporting fever, muscle aches and diarrhea. Thirteen people have died from the infection, but that number could rise with forthcoming test results by state health departments. Full article here http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/28/listeria-laced-cantaloupe-6-things-you-need-to-know/

or this

Canada has confirmed its first illness related to the outbreak of E. coli involving spinach grown in the U.S. A 43-year-old woman in Renfrew County, Ont., became ill in early September and had to be hospitalized, the province's Health Ministry said Monday. She has since been released. Health officials said she had a strain of E. coli that is an exact genetic match to the strain that has killed one American and caused 173 to become sick. It has yet to be determined exactly where the woman purchased the contaminated spinach, but officials say it was in Canada.
Full artical here http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2006/09/25/contaminated-spinach.html

The list goes on and on. What about all of the contaminated chicken? It is sad when the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has to have a web site to list all of the food recalls here:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/recaltoce.shtml

If you do nothing else take a look at that page. Clearly our government can not manage our food safety. Everything from Glass Mragments, Listeria Monocytogenes, Salmonella Bacteria, Paralytic Shellfish Toxin, Pieces of Metal, Dangerous Bacteria, Improperly Declared Peanuts, Undeclared Fish/Shrimp and Sesame and Undeclared Milk. These are only the items from November and October 2011. Salmonella in Coriander powder, Pieces of Metal in ground beef ??? Do you feel safe?

I have a little saying that I try my best to abide by. If you can't grow it or make it don't eat it! This may sound impossible to some, and I will be the first to admit we have days this is not 100% possible but 90% of the time we do it. Yes it takes time and planing. But no more time than it takes to, make a grocery list, get in the car drive to the grocery store, fill up your cart, stand in line at the check out, pack the groceries in your car, drive home, unpack them from the car, put the groceries away and then decide what to eat! Now to me that is exhausting and expensive, both in time and money. I could have all my baked goods prepared for a week within that time frame.

I can see people saying well then how am I going to get even those whole foods you are talking about if I don't do all of that? Well there are many options a few easy ones might be, purchase bulk dry goods such as rolled oats and flour in bulk at a health food store. Keep your pantry full! Have everything you need to bake on hand. Join a local food buying co-op (we offer this option). Plant a garden. Can extra produce, dehydrate or freeze. Purchase your organic meat each season to have on hand. Join a CSA if you do not wish to garden. Visit your local Farmers market. Just stay away from the grocery store where you are sure to be surrounded by processed foods.

Almost everyone that reads this post will have some sort of Doctor, a Lawyer, a Banker, Insurance Broker, Real Estate Agent and so on. Why is it then that most people do not have a Farmer? We all need someone to provide us with Clean, Organic Food. Food we can trust to feed ourselves and our families.

If you need help finding a local Farmer in your area just ask here and I will get you connected with some Local Farms.

What do you do now to ensure your food safety? What can we do to help you on your journey?

Fall Farming

2011-11-27T08:55:00.000-05:00

Many people have been asking us, "So what do you do now with all your spare time?" They are thinking that the garden is done so the work must be done as well! I can understand that as so much of what we do is the produce portion of our CSA. With that being said there is never a lack of projects that need to be completed. We are often looking forward to this time of year so that we can get some things done that we can't get done when it is so busy. Yesterday I was out working in the fields and I was thinking about how much the scenery had changed, not so long ago everything was lush and green. It is just as beautiful, it's just different. I took a few photos to share with you. This is how things look around here in fall/winter!

Here we have the winters worth of parsnips left in the garden and covered with hay. They will stay here all winter and as I need them I simply remove the hay and dig them up fresh and crisp. They will be oh so sweet, as with the frost their starches turn to sugar. Our carrots have been dug and placed in trenches in the green house. Tops were removed and now they will keep fresh until needed. Also in the green house you will notice we have a beautiful supply of Kale, Swiss Chard and Lettuce. These are all cold weather crops so they do well. We will continue to harvest crops well into January or February. I do keep them covered with a heavy frost blanket for added protection.

As you can see the pastures are pretty bare. They cows are now enjoying this years hay harvest and are enjoying it very much. Being Dexters they are very hearty. They will stay outside all winter, we do have a run in that they can use but more often than not they don't bother with it. The herb garden is looking pretty sleepy, although I am still able to gather fresh sage and different mints. The last photo is a little guy that was brought to us by a neighbouring farmer when he was 6 hours old! His mom wouldn't take care of him. He came to us and was raised for 3 months on Dexter milk. Now he is weaned off the bottle and is out with the other little boys. This guy is a Black Angus and will be much larger than our Dexters. He is now healthy, happy and spoiled just like all the others!

This is also the time of year that all our or freezers become full to the brim with fresh grass fed meats. I collected 1500lbs of pork and beef from our butcher this week. We pasture raise all of our animals. Our beef is strictly grass fed and is the healthiest meat a person can eat. The benefits of grass fed meat are tremendous. For all of the health benefits of grass fed and pasture raised meat just take a look at the article Health Benefits of Grass Fed Products at the top of our Blog. We have a selection of chicken, beef and pork cuts. But we also have our own Nitrate Free bacon, ham, wieners, farmers sausage, bratwurst sausage, chorizo sausage and breakfast sausage. There is nothing like going to my freezer and knowing that not only is the food I am feeding my family safe but it is also the Healthiest option available.

Things are Changing

2011-11-22T09:02:00.001-05:00

Up until this point we have run our CSA as a seasonal one, from June through October. This past season we served 30 local families and feel very lucky to have been able to do so. Their veggie baskets were delivered to their doors each Friday. We are always looking for ways to improve! But not just improve in terms of customer satisfaction, although clearly that is of utmost importance. We strive to improve family relationships, self sufficiency, in maintaining a simple life, in following what we believe, in personal growth and so on. In running a 30 member CSA it means working 40-60 hour weeks from April trough October. It also means employing our two oldest children in the garden. It means that we are literally tied to the farm with out having the ability to enjoy other daily activities. This upcoming year our CSA will drastically change as will the posts on this blog.

We will now offer a Full Diet Year Round CSA to a handful of members. We will host several workshops for our members to help them with some self sufficiency skills. Some of those will include bread making, canning and preserving, dehydration, wild crafting, herbal teas and remedies. There are several others we are also considering such as soap making and designing planters as well as wreaths. We encourage our members to come out to the farm and participate in the daily happenings. We want our members to feel like they are part of the farm and have a connection with where their food is coming from. The families that join us will be welcome to take what they need from the garden. Anything they can make use of with in the week can be picked. We will encourage them to take extra and put them up for wither use just as we do. We will not be delivering door to door any longer as in order to keep up with all that needs to be done we need to be on the farm. We will however have a Farm Gate Stand open Friday and Saturday for anyone wishing to come by and purchase organic produce. In addition to our Full Diet CSA we will host a buying club program with Mountain Path Organic and Natural Foods and possibly ONFC (Ontario Natural Food Co-Op).

Up to this point the main focus on our blog has been a seasonal one in that it offers members a place to find recipes for some of the produce they find in their baskets each week. We would like to be able to share topics that we feel very strongly about. We would like to offer resources for you to look into these things and come up with your own conclusions. Food Safety is a very scary thing today. For my family, the only way I can be confident they are safe is by raising our own food. That means raising organic food, not using anything containing GMO`s and pasture raising our animals in their natural environment. You will notice that our other pages will slowly change. We will offer you links and recipes that we use in hopes that you to will love them as much as we do.

We value your input. Please let us know what topics interest you. Tell us what would you like to know more about. Share with us what you do. Let`s learn from one another.

Cheap Meat: An Accident Waiting to Happen

2011-11-21T06:50:00.000-05:00

By Jo Robinson

The latest fiasco in the U.S. livestock industry is that thousands of hogs and chickens have been raised on feed contaminated with melamine, the same chemical that has sickened thousands of cats and dogs. According to the U.S.D.A., some meat from those hogs and chickens has already entered our food supply.

How did this happen? The story begins in China. Melamine is an inexpensive by-product of the coal industry. In a deceptive practice, some Chinese producers have been adding melamine to rice, wheat, and soy meal to make the products appear to contain more protein. (Melamine is not a protein and has no food value, but it is rich in nitrogen and mimics protein on standardized laboratory tests.) Melamine costs less than true sources of protein, so the manufacturer makes more money.

The story continues in the United States. In order to lower the cost of pet food production, U.S. companies have been importing cheap protein meal from China. The pet food manufacturers had no way of knowing that some of these products were spiked with melamine. The exact number of dead and sickened pets is unknown.

But how did melamine get fed to our pigs and chickens? A common cost-cutting practice in the livestock industry is to supplement animal feed with floor sweepings and other leftovers from pet food manufacturing plants. In recent months, however, some of the sweepings happened to be laced with melamine. In this serpentine fashion, a cost-cutting adulterant that was added to protein meal in China found its way into U.S. pet food, then U.S. livestock feed, and then the food on our dinner tables.

The F.D.A. and the U.S.D.A. do not foresee any health consequences from eating melamine-spiced pork and poultry. This may prove to be true. The family pets that died ate the melamine itself; we are eating chickens and pigs that ate the melamine, diluting its concentration.

We may have dodged the bullet this time, but as long as we continue to raise our livestock on a least-cost basis, our health is at risk. For example, many cost-cutting practices lower the nutritional value of our meat. Research shows that the nearly universal practice of fattening cattle on straw and grain instead of fresh pasture gives us beef that is higher in total fat and lower in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. The practice causes no immediate harm, but our health may suffer over the long term.

Some cost-cutting strategies are deadly. In the 1980s and 90s, feedlot managers tried to save money by feeding cattle scraps back to cattle. The tragic result was mad cow disease. Eating meat contaminated with trace amounts of melamine may cause little or no harm. Eating just one serving of beef from a mad cow can kill you.

Adding more governmental oversight is a stop-gap solution. We need a sea change in the way we raise our livestock. We need to raise the animals on their native diets or on quality ingredients that match their original diets as closely as possible. When we feed wholesome feed to our animals, we can serve wholesome food to our families. We are what our animals eat.
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Jo Robinson is the founder and director of www.eatwild.com, a science-based website that details the benefits of raising animals on pasture. She is also the author of Pasture Perfect, How You Can Benefit from Choosing Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products from Grass-fed Animals.

Jo Robinson is a New York Times bestselling writer. She is the author or coauthor of 11 nationally published books including Pasture Perfect, which is a comprehensive overview of the benefits of choosing products from pasture-raised animals, and The Omega Diet (with Dr. Artemis Simopoulos) that describes an omega-3 enriched Mediterranean diet that may be the healthiest eating program of all. To order her books or learn more about grassfed products, visit http://eatwild.com.