Food Revolution Day

I am passionate about food...real food that is. I love eating fresh locally grown fruits and veggies! I was always the kid who ate all her vegetables without being asked (except celery...I just cannot eat it without gaging!). I also indulged in raw milk (which is illegal to buy) and fresh eggs. I am fully aware of the fact that all of this has made me a food snob. While I eat a lot of different foods, I am also very picky! Words like deep fried, batter dipped, processed, and filler make me want to run very fast in the opposite direction.

My children's enthusiasm for whole food is varied.  My eldest is a vegetarian, something I turned her onto. If left to her own devices she would be content to eat cheese, pasta (with no sauce..unless it's cheese), cucumbers,faux buffalo wings, and faux bacon. In the past year, however, she has really opened up to new foods. She actually ate a salad last night that wasn't iceberg lettuce drowned in ranch!!

My middle child is a very good eater. She'll eat all the veggies and fruit you give her, but she also likes fried things like fish sticks and nuggets. I've been tempted to show her a video on how these things are made, but she's still young and I don't want to scar her. My youngest child and only son will eat everything you put in front of him, except corn. He's also not allowed to have any processed sugar. He knows this and doesn't fight me when I tell him no to a soda, chocolate milk, or juice. Knowing that my kids will eat what I give them scares me a little, that's a lot of power. As Peter Parker's uncle Ben said, "With great power comes great responsibility".  That's scary!! It means that I get to choose if they eat fried and processed foods, candy, and chips or salads, apples, and broccoli.  For 16 years it has been up to me what goes in those little mouths and I haven't always made good choices.  This past Saturday we went to eat with our church's confirmation class, and I had a coke. I am still feeling guilty about that! But, man, every sip tasted so good.

My husband has not been much help...until recently that is. At the beginning of the year I waged war on everything unhealty in our lives. David, being the supportive husband that he is, jumped on board. After 20+ years he quit smoking!! The downside is that he is gaining weight. For the first time in his life he has to watch what he eats. Before, if I didn't buy junk food, he never complained, but if I did, he was so happy. Now he is actually encourging me to not buy crap and is finally backing me up when I tell the children "no".

For years I have been a huge Jamie Oliver fan. He's always been about healthy eating without having to have a bunch of crazy ingredients. When he started his show "Food Revolution", I was so excited. If you've never seen it you should check it out. You can see both seasons at http://www.hulu.com/. The show really sheds light on what we are feeding our kids at school. He also talks about how bad we are eating as a nation. He did the show in England with huge success, but he is having a harder time here in the states.

This year, for the first time, we are celebrating "Food Revolution Day" on May 19th.  This Saturday!! It's not just in America, but all over the world. You can see what all is going on here: http://www.jamieoliver.com/us/foundation/jamies-food-revolution/home

So in honor of Food Revolution Day I am sharing one of my favorite recipes with you.  Not only is it easy to make, but cheap! It's also rich in all kinds of vitamens and protein. Anyone who tells you you can't get the protein you need from a plant based diet doen't know what they are talking about!


Brazilian Black Bean Stew

6 servings

30 minutes or fewer

Here's a quick vegetarian version of the Brazilian national dish known as feijoada. This stew entices the eye with the colorful contrast of black beans and sweet potatoes and pleases the palate with nourishing ingredients.

• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium sweet potatoes (1 to 1 ¼ lbs.), peeled and diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 small hot green chili pepper, or more to taste, minced
• 2 16-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ripe mango, pitted, peeled and diced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ tsp. salt

Meal plan:

1. Steam some Swiss chard while the stew is simmering and serve with warmed flour tortillas.
   In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until onion is golden, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes (with liquid), chili and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender but still firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Stir in beans and simmer gently, uncovered, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in mango and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro and salt. Serve hot.

Per Serving:

• Calories: 326
• Protein: 16
• Total Fat: 4
• Saturated Fat:
• Carbohydrates: 61
• Cholesterol:
• Sodium: 211
• Fiber: 17

Enjoy!! And Happy Food Revolution Day!!!

Stop to Smell the Honeysuckle

My favorite part of the day has always been right after sunset. A time of day I used to call twilight, but unfortunately I can no longer call it that without thinking of teenage vampires. Regardless, I still love that time of day. I also really love that time in the morning right before the sun peeks up from behind the trees. I guess I love these times because of the magical feel in the air. The lighting is so soft, and I just get this excited feeling like something wonderful is about to happen.

I was blessed to be outside today at both of these times. A rare treat indeed!  This morning I was out getting the chickens water (and then chasing my silly little white dog). This evening I was planting in the big garden. Both times I felt this calm come over me. It was almost as if a voice said "Stop everything you are doing and look around! Look at all the blessings God has bestowed upon you!". 

I haven't written in a while. It's not that I haven't had good ideas. I've had several. It's just that I've been in a little bit of a funk. Funk may not be the right word. Soul searching may be better. I don't know. I've just been thinking deep thoughts.  About six weeks ago one of my daughter's best friends killed herself. A beautiful girl named Ashley. She had just turned 15...a day her parent's did not celebrate...one they never had. She was well loved by many, was not bullied, she loved tattoos, David Bowie, anything French, and she always had a good story to tell.

Not even a month later, a good friend of my niece's committed suicide. He was 16. Same story...well liked, not bullied. I've been thinking a lot about these kids, and others like them who are so desperate to end their pain that they choose a permanent solution to a temporary problem. While I have been terribly sad by all of this, it's really made me cling to life so much more, almost as a tribute to them. In the past couple of weeks I've really made a conscience effort to put myself (my soul that is) first. Sounds pretty selfish, doesn't it? Let me explain my thinking...

There is this story I heard once. On Oprah, I think. It goes like this... When you board an airplane, they tell you all of the safety stuff you need to know. One of the things they tell you is "If the oxygen masks come out, put yours on first. THEN help your child and those around you." At first you think "Help myself before my kids!! Those idiots!!!" But the reason they tell you this is because if you fail to put on your mask you may pass out before you can help anyone. Then where will you be? What will happen to your kids? Apply this metaphor to your life. We are so busy with everything that we forget to stop and take in all that is good.

I don't really know where I am going with all of this, but I do know that God gave me a dose of oxygen this morning and tonight. I feel so blessed that I was able to recognize it for what it was. I had Emma run in and get my camera so I could explore all the blessings my little "farm" has to offer. Hope you enjoy them!!!



Kevin...the Miracle Puppy





Honeysuckle has taken over the far corner of the property
It smelled soooooooo good!





Thrasher




Two of my favorite blessings!! If you are having trouble with faith let me
 tell you about how these little monsters came into the family.
God is good!



Elinor's first trip to the garden!! She was very alert and curious.



Ellie again...I know a mother shouldn't pick favorites, but I can't help it with her!



The Real Reason

My sister found out my secret and sent me this pic.  I'm not  raising my own food in an effort to improve my health and that of my family, I actually know a secret.  ZOMBIES ARE COMING!!!!

In our house we have a plan for fires, tornados, earthquakes, AND Zombie apocalypse. No joke. You can ask me about it anytime. 

The Proof is in the Pudding

Well...the proof is in the yolk actually.  In case you are still confused about why you should eat local, fresh, and organic, I snapped a pic last week that I wanted to share with you. 

First a little back story.  Did you know that a well cared for hen can live as long, if not longer, than the family dog or cat? True, but they only lay for about 3 or 4 years, and you usually won't get a whole lot of eggs in the colder months. I have been getting farm fresh eggs from my parents for years, but well, their gals are getting a little on the old side. A couple of months ago they just stopped laying! Much to my dismay, I actually broke down and bought eggs at the store.  Something I hadn't done in a very long time. So I really studied those eggs at Walmart, trying to make the best choice for my family. I finally chose organic, free-range eggs for almost $4 a dozen. 

I should have know something was amiss when I opened the carton and all the eggs were the exact same shade of brown (can we say "spray paint!"). I guess you could say I was turning a blind eye. About 3/4 of the way through my last dozen store bought eggs I get the call I have been waiting for all winter..."The girls are laying again!" YAY!!!  I was so excited when my mom brought me my fresh eggs, but I wanted to make sure the others didn't go to waste. So as we were making dinner (I can't remember what...fried rice maybe?) I cracked open the last old egg and needed one more. So into the bowl went a fresh, local, truly organic egg.

I knew there was a difference, but until I saw them side by side I didn't know how big that difference was.  Keep in mind that on the outside these two eggs were the same size.

The one on the top is the one from my parent's chickens.  After I saw this, I actually said, "Holy S#*t! I have got to take a pic of this! No one will believe me!" My husband was even impressed...not easily done.

Another fun fact...you can actually tell what a hen has been fed by the color of the yolk. A hen that has been fed yellow corn and has been allowed to really and truly roam and forage will have a nice, large orange yolked egg.  Chickens LOVE to eat bugs and grass and anything else they can find hidden in the shallow earth. Some sources even say that these eggs contain more nutrients.  I like to think that is true.

On the other hand, hens that are kept "cooped up", not allowed to forage, and are fed a diet of wheat and a little white corn have very pale yolks.  Much smaller one too.

They say you are what you eat...so you have to decide...do you want to be weak, anemic looking, and tiny on the inside, or do you want to be strong, vibrant, and full of health? Hhmmm....seems like a no brainer to me. 



Darby O'Gill

I moved to Paducah 11years and 5 days ago. I was 9 months pregnant with a burning desire to leave Mississippi for good. I would have stopped at nothing to make sure that state was NOT on my daughter's birth certificate. I don't really remember why I hated Mississippi so much, but I did.

Knowing that time was of the essence, my sister took my then 4 year old daughter back to Nashville with her so we could unpack and get everything ready the coming baby. I still had over 2 weeks to go, but we wanted everything perfect for her arrival.

As we were unpacking the moving truck we discovered that the movers had riped my couch and broken my washing machine. So, 11 years and 1 day ago my mother dragged me all around Paducah looking for a new one. The day started off good, Hannah was coming back today and I was excited for her to see her new home. I know she was excited as well. She wasn't used to spending much time away from David and I. Around lunch time I started feeling very bad. I wasn't joking when I said my mother dragged me around town. All I wanted to do was sleep.

Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it? Little did I know that I was one sick young woman. I just thought I was coming down with a cold or the flu or something. My reasoning was solid...I had just moved from a semi-tropical climate to place where winter is an actual season not just a word on the calendar. So all day I did a zombie walk, found my washer, then went back home to bed.

Late that night, as I was lying down, something strange started  happening. My abdomen started doing this weird little dance. It looked like the baby was doing the worm or like she was fighting to get out. Which I guess she probably was. I was amused but also worried.

11 years ago, I went to my doctor.  I was still feeling pretty bad, so David drove me. The first thing they always did was take my blood pressure, today was no exception. Now, there are some words you never want to hear when you are the doctor's office. Here is one sentence that immediately raises a red flag especially when followed by a routine procedure. It goes something like this, "Hmmm...Let me go get the doctor." The doctor came in and confirmed the nurses finding, I had developed Toxemia. They told me that my pregnancy could not continue safely.  I other words, I was about to become a mother for the second time!

They told me to get to the hospital right away and the doctor would be right behind me. So we loaded up and hit the road. At this point David decides he is hungry and insists on going to Burger King. He even asks me if I want something. I don't think I cursed at him but I know I thought about it. Upon arrival at the hospital I am whisked away to maternity and hooked up to all kinds of monitors and IVs. Fluids and anti-seizure medicine and medicine to induce labor, fetal monitors and blood pressure monitors. I was so hooked up that I wasn't allowed to leave my bed all day! Oh, those stupid monitors!!! They kept blasting their warnings all day long!

It was all worth it though. Emma Darby Ward was born at 8:33pm weighing in at 6 pounds 6 ounces and 21 1/2" long. She was and still is everything I always dreamed she would be. I thank God everyday for blessing me with her. She's not perfect. She can act a little bit like Eeyore and she could definitely be a little nicer to her brother, but I wouldn't change one thing about her.

The Birds and The Bees

David and I agreed when we started this little homesteading adventure that his focus would be food and mine would be animals. It's not that I find growing veggies and fruit boring, it's just that I feel the whole animal aspect of any farm or homestead so much more interesting.

I've always had a green thumb.  My dad told me a few years ago that when I was a child he would always have me plant the things he had bad luck with so they would do good. A fact I did not appreciate when I was small. I actually hated working in the garden when I was at home.  And I do stand in awe of the fact that this tiny seed turns into a bush full of the worlds best tasting tomatoes or the sweetest corn. I also take a large amount of pride in growing organic food that my kids will actually eat. I love knowing that I did this amazingly healthy thing for them.  However, it still doesn't hold the same fascination and enjoyment that raising animals does.

I love the daily interaction I get to have with the animals and the personality I get back from them. I adore the looks and excitement I get from them when I walk into the room.  I'm pretty sure my dogs worship me, and my parents chickens always sing my praises as I walk past. The fact that I am very generous with treats has nothing to do with it...maybe.

So last week, after much research, I finally got around to ordering my chicks. It was a hard decision! There is so much that has to be taken into consideration. How many? Color of eggs? Size of eggs? How many eggs a week? Good layers or good for meat or both? Cold hardy? Friendly? Free range or "cooped up"? You can even take a little quiz on www.mypetchicken.com to see which breed would be best for you. In fact that is what I did and came up with a short list of little ladies I'd love to have. What I ended up getting are four Barred Plymouth Rock and 3 Partridge Plymouth Rock. These gals are friendly, dependable, good layers (brown eggs), do well in winter, and can stand being cooped up, but love running around.

They are hatching out on March 26th, and I should get them a day or two after that.  I know I'm very excited but I am surprised to see how excited the kids are especially Hannah, my oldest. She is reading the same books I am and throwing out little chicken facts. She's so excited that I decided to take her to the feed store with me. Which was a funny experience. She was terrified by the coyote traps and in awe of the goat and sheep food.  It was very sweet. So now I wait. I'm not very good at waiting, but I know I still have lots to do. With the help of my father I almost have the brooder box done.

I also got some "new" bee hives this week.  My dad was a bee keeper, and it's something I've always wanted to do. A few years back my cousin, Anne, started bee keeping, but due to certain twists in her life had to give it up. She was generous enough to loan me her stuff.  Now I just need lots more knowledge and a couple of colonies! I learn best from doing, so I will be (hopefully) taking some classes in April from a local bee expert that Anne recommends. I am most nervous about this. You might get stuck with thorns from a blackberry bush, chased by an angry chicken, but bees can kill you. My dad likes to tell me tales of when he got stung. That doesn't calm the nerves though. His best advice is to just get used to the fact that I'm going to get stung. I try to tell myself that it will be no big deal...can't be worse that tattoos and piercings...right?

A Week of Salvation Army

In addition to being a stay at home mother, I also have the priviledge of holding a couple of other "jobs". I fill the roles of Sunday School teacher, Children's Church teacher, youth leader, and Girl Scout co-leader and cookie mom. I am very honored to be able to do these things, and feel it's my responsibility to help mold these young ladies and gentlemen into adults with a great moral compass. Therefore, I am always looking for ways to get them involved. I want them to leave my care knowing that God is beyond the doors of our church.  He is also out in the community with the worst our society has to offer. "Worst" is a strong word. Perhaps I should say poor, dirty, smelly, hungry, homeless, broken, tired, dejected, angry, lost, or hopeless. 

So, it was with great delight that I learned our scout troop would be working at the Salvation Army for a couple of hours earlier this week.  We are currently working on our Bronze Award. Everyone's heard of the Boy Scout Eagle Award, right?  The Bronze is sort of like that.  It's actually the first of three prestigious awards you can earn as a Girl Scout.  To earn it, the girls must do 20 hours of work. Part of this time they will spend building something that helps their community in some way, the other part they have to spend volunteering.

We showed up not knowing what to expect. The nine of us, six girls and three adults (myself included), were quickly put to work. We sorted clothes, hung them up, and put them on the sales floor. I know this may not seem like much, but we got tons done! The ladies at the SA were so greatful and so kind to the girls.  I even learned some cool facts.

The neatest thing I learned was that they use everything you donate.  It may not all go to the store, but it will all get used, so don't be scared to donated anything.  The lady I was talking with actually said, "Don't feel bad about donating stuff that isn't great, we use it all." If things are holey or stained, bring it on.  They put those things aside and either sale them as rags for $10 a bag or they get baled and sold to a company that sends them overseas.

I was very proud of our girls.  Some of them came in not even knowing how to hang things up! I'm not talking about some fancy retail way of doing it...they didn't know how to put any kind of clothing on any kind of hanger. I was shocked, but they sure as heck knew how to when they left! That's kind of a non-official motto of Girl Scouts, "Leave things better than you found them." I know that means clean up your mess and then some, but I also think it can mean something more personal.

My girls! :-)

Naturally, being a female with a retail background, I have an eye for a good deal.  I couldn't help but window shop a little while I was there.  I used to refuse to shop at thrift stores.  I felt bad for buying good clothes at rock bottom prices when there were so many people that needed them.  But then I realized that by shopping in these stores I was actually helping them. They money I used to pay for clothes and other things goes to pay utlities, rent, and buy food.  And as you can see from the photo above, they have plenty! They quicker they can sell them, the quicker they can process all of those donations.



Ever since the holidays they been blessed with many donations. Thanks to this, all the clothes have been $1.  David went in a couple off weeks ago and got a great suit...for a dollar! We went to shop on Thursday while our crazy little man was at school and left $50 poorer, but with a shopping basket full.

Some of our finds include: Lots of tops for our puppet ministry (we have 10 kids at church making their own puppets), a fine dress and shoes for Hannah, dress shirts for David, red high tops for Joel (a little too large but he loves them so much!), a pair of brand new Keens that I am going to give to a little girl at church (expensive sandals...I got em for 75 cents!), and several shirts to support my new hobby (making cardigans out of tshirts).

 I've saved my two greatest finds for last. I've even taken pics because I love them so. First off, I spotted this little beauty as I was about done for the day. I truly think it was meant to be.

A vintage 1970s burnt orange jacket.  I have a style that is all my own. If it's funky, I'll love it. Well, what can get any funkier than an orange polyester jacket from the 70s? It has a lighter orange sister that I purchased also, but I love this one the best.  I found some crazy green high heeled loafers, got those too. 

My next fab find was a slighty used but still working bread maker for $8.  We had one years ago and loved it.  We moved around so much back then. Evidently we started some bread one day, forgot about it, moved, found the machine (and bread).  Needless to say...it's never been the same.  We talked just a few days ago about buying a new one. I don't know who was more excited about this, bargain hunter me or bread addict David.  I made my first loaf today and it was fantastic!!



Joel put David in time out for touching the hot loaf.
He can hardly wait.

The moral to my story is this, step out of your comfort zone, volunteer and you'll be rewarded!!