Offense vs Defense for Health on the Farm

Offense vs Defense for Health on the Farm
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
Living on a farm is a dynamic experience. Every season brings new challenges and rewards, and your health is no different. Just like maintaining a healthy farm requires proactive steps, so does maintaining your health.
Think about it in sports terms. Is it easier to be on the offense, controlling the game, or on the defense, trying to regain control? The answer is obvious - it's easier to be on the offense. This same principle applies to your health. Taking proactive steps to build and maintain your health can help you avoid illness and live a more vibrant life. Here are some practical steps to take charge of your health and move from merely surviving to truly thriving.
Step 1: Nourish Your Body Well
Your body is a complex machine that requires specific nutrients to function optimally. Unfortunately, modern diets, even in wealthy countries, often lack essential trace minerals and vitamins. Processed foods lose much of their nutritional value, and store-bought produce lacks the enzymes found in freshly picked fruits and vegetables. I talked more about the food we eat in a previous blog here
To ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs:
  • Incorporate a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables into your meals.
  • Consider adding a high-quality enzyme supplement to aid digestion. Here's my favorite
  • Look into vitamin and mineral supplements to fill any gaps in your diet. If you need help finding effective supplements, feel free to message me—I'm here to help!
Step 2: Reduce Sugar Intake
Sugar is one of the biggest culprits behind weakened immune systems and increased inflammation. While it's easy to minimize your kids' sugar intake, it's often harder to do the same for yourself. But the benefits of reducing sugar are worth the effort. 
Here's a tip for cutting down on sugar:
  • Swap sugary snacks for healthier alternatives. For example, try fruit with a bit of nut butter instead of reaching for that late-night sugary treat.
  • Use natural sugar like honey or maple syrup instead of white sugar. 
Step 3: Utilize Natural Remedies
Nature offers a plethora of remedies to support your health. Herbal teas, for instance, can provide a comforting boost when you need it. A hot cup of tea with a little honey can be soothing and therapeutic.
Step 4: Harness the Power of Essential Oils
If you're not a tea drinker, essential oils can be a fantastic alternative. These potent plant extracts offer numerous health benefits. However, it's crucial to use pure, high-quality oils to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Some tips for using essential oils:
  • Apply them topically. Essential oils like lavender can be soothing when applied to the skin.
  • Use them aromatically. Diffusing oils like eucalyptus can promote respiratory health.
Remember, essential oils are highly concentrated, so a little goes a long way. If you're unsure how to use them safely, reach out to me for guidance.
Thriving, Not Just Surviving
By taking these proactive steps, you can take control of your health and move from a defensive stance to an offensive one. Building your health doesn't have to be overwhelming. Start with small, manageable changes, and gradually incorporate more healthy habits into your routine.
If you're ready to take charge of your health and need some guidance, I'm here to support you. Together, we can work towards a healthier, happier, and thriving life.
Take the first step today and message me for personalized advice on supplements and essential oils. Let's build a healthier future together!

 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Thriving Through Farm Distress: Wife’s Support Network! In our community, we embrace the challenges of farm life and provide a supportive space for wives facing the complexities of managing a family farm. Whether you're navigating financial pressures, day-to-day operations, or seeking ways to create a thriving home, we're here for you. Explore gardening tips for cultivating your own oasis, share insights on animal care, and discover practical family budgeting strategies. Together, let's grow through challenges, flourish authentically, and sow the seeds for a resilient and thriving farm life. Join us on this journey of resilience and abundance! 
 
As I've grown in my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So, I MADE MY OWN. You can look at it on the link below and buy it on amazon below.
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 
 
Supporting Your Family Naturally from the Inside Out community!! This community is for Mommas, looking to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically, all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years of my journey. We have moved off Facebook, to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly options for providing for your family in the best way possible.
 
Join the FREE Community
 
I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

A Review of Roots Apothecary Adaptive Cacao: The Perfect Alternative for Coffee Lovers

A Review of Roots Apothecary Adaptive Cacao: The Perfect Alternative for Coffee Lovers
As a mom who spends most of her time on the farm, I know how important it is to start my day with a warm cup of coffee. However, after realizing that coffee was causing inflammation in my body, I had to give it up. It was a difficult time for me, as I missed the comfort of my morning cup. While searching for a coffee alternative, I came across Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao. Not only did it satisfy my coffee cravings, but it also had the added bonus of adaptive mushrooms to manage the everyday stress of life on the farm. In this blog post, I will share my experience with Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao.
 
To start with, Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao is more like a hot chocolate than coffee. It has a smooth, creamy texture that feels indulgent without the added guilt. It is made from high-quality cacao beans, which give the drink its rich, chocolatey flavor. Once you add hot water or your preferred milk, you get a warm and comforting drink that is perfect for chilly mornings.
 
What sets Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao apart from other hot chocolate blends is the addition of adaptive mushrooms. These mushrooms are known for their ability to adapt to stress and support the body's immune system. The blend includes reishi, chaga, and lion's mane mushrooms, which are widely recognized for their health benefits. The mushrooms also make the drink more filling, so you don't feel the need to snack as often.
 
Another advantage of Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao is that it is caffeine-free. If you are sensitive to caffeine or are trying to limit your intake, this beverage is the perfect alternative to coffee. I found that it gave me the same energy boost without the jitters or crash that often come with coffee. It also means that I can enjoy it any time of the day without worrying about disrupting my sleep cycle.
 
If you are looking for a sweet treat that won't sabotage your diet, Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao is a great option. It is made with natural sweeteners like coconut sugar and monk fruit, which have a lower glycemic index than regular sugar. This means that they won't cause your blood sugar to spike and then crash, leaving you feeling lethargic and hungry. The sweeteners also give the drink a pleasant sweetness without being overpowering.
 
In conclusion, Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao has become a staple in my kitchen. Not only is it a great alternative to coffee, but it also has the added benefits of adaptive mushrooms and natural sweeteners. It is a delicious and comforting drink that leaves me feeling energized and satisfied. If you are looking for a new hot beverage to try, I highly recommend giving Roots Apothecary adaptive cacao a chance.

Use this link with code CASSANDRAROW for 40% off your first order!
 
As I've grown in my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So, I MADE MY OWN. You can look at it on the link below and buy it on amazon below.
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 
 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Helping Your Family Homestead for Food group! This community is for the Mommas, looking to stay home and raise their kids, but unsure how to keep everyone fed and make ends meet. I share tips from my journey from the office to half the income and feeding my family from home, while maintaining good nourishing food. Tips include gardening, bulk buying, caning/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 
 
Supporting Your Family Naturally from the Inside Out community!! This community is for Mommas, looking to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically, all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years of my journey. We have moved off Facebook, to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly options for providing for your family in the best way possible.
   
Join the FREE Community
 
I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma
 
For more on wellness tips click here:
 
For more on homesteading on your budget click here:
 

The Importance of a Good Night's Sleep

The Importance of a Good Night's Sleep
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

We all know how important it is to get a good night's sleep. But did you know that sleep is actually essential for your health? That's right, when you sleep your body is able to heal and repair itself. So, if you're not getting enough rest, you're putting your health at risk.

Why Sleep is Important
As we mentioned before, sleep is essential for our health. When we sleep our bodies are able to repair and heal themselves. This means that if we're not getting enough rest, we're putting our health at risk. Not only that, but when we're well rested we're able to think more clearly and be more productive. That's because our brains are better able to function when we're well rested.

How Sleep Helps the Body Heal
During sleep, your body gets rid of toxins and heals itself. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep helps the body heal by:

-Reducing inflammation: Inflammation is a natural process that helps the body heal from injury or infection. However, chronic inflammation can lead to health problems such as heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes. Getting enough rest can help reduce inflammation.
- preparing immune cells for action: When you sleep, your body produces cytokines—proteins that fight off infection and promotesleep. Cytokines help defend your body against foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses.  getting enough rest can help prepare immune cells for action and protect against illnesses such as the flu or common cold. 
- repairing tissue damage:Sleep gives your body time to repair tissue damage caused by factors such as stress, UV rays, and pollution. During deep sleep, your body produces human growth hormone (HGH), which helps repair cell damage inflicted during the day.  regular restsaid allows your body ample time to make repairs so you can wake up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
- Regulating hunger hormones: Ghrelin and leptin are two hormones that regulate hunger and appetite. Ghrelin signals the body when it’s time to eat, while leptin tells the brain when to stop eating. When you don’t get enough sleep, levels of ghrelin increase while levels of leptin decrease—this can lead to overeating or cravings for unhealthy foods.  getting enough rest can help regulate these hormones and prevent overeating or poor food choices.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Most experts recommend that adults get between 7 and 8 hours of sleep per night. However, there are some people who need more or less than that. infants, for example, usually need between 12 and 16 hours of sleep per day. And as we get older, we tend to need less sleep. For example, older adults usually only need around 7 or 8 hours of sleep per day. 

In conclusion, there are many reasons why getting a good night's sleep is important for both physical and mental health. If you're not getting enough rest, your body, and therefore your health, will suffer in many ways. To avoid this, make sure to set aside enough time each day for a full night's sleep. Your body will thank you for it!


As I've grown in  my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So I MADE MY OWN. You can take a look at it on the link blow and buy it on amazon below
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Helping Your Family Homestead for Food group! This community is for the Mommas, looking to stay home and raise their kids, but unsure how to keep everyone fed and make ends meet. I share tips from my journey from the office, to half the income and feeding my family from home, while maintaining good nourishing food. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 

Supporting Your Family Naturally From the Inside Out community!! This community is for the Mommas, looking  to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years if my journey. We have moved off Facebook, so to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly option for providing for your family in the best way possible.
Join the FREE Community

I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

Click here to get the stories straight to your email:
 
For more on wellness tips click here:
 
For more on homesteading on your budget click here:
 
For more simple DIY updates click here:




The Right Foods for a Healthy Body

The Right Foods for a Healthy Body
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 

You are what you eat, as the saying goes. And that’s true to a certain extent. As a working mom, you are always on the go and it can be hard to make time for healthy meals. You may not realize it, but the food you are putting into your body has the power to heal or harm you, impacting your overall health. Eating the right foods can help your body to function properly and to heal itself. But eating the wrong foods can make your body work harder or even harm it. So, how can you tell if the food you’re eating is helping or hurting you? 

What you eat matters. The right foods can help your body to function properly and even help to fight off disease. However, the wrong foods can make your body work harder or even harm it. Here are some examples of how the right or wrong foods can affect your body: 

Healing Foods 
There are certain foods that have healing properties. For example, ginger is known to help with nausea and vomiting. Garlic has antimicrobial properties and can help to fight off infections. Honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to treat wounds. 

Harmful Foods 
On the other hand, there are also foods that can be harmful to your body. For example, processed meats like hot dogs and deli meat have been linked to cancer. Refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta can cause spikes in blood sugar levels. And sugary drinks like soda can lead to weight gain. 

There are a few things to consider when determining whether the food you’re eating is good for you or not. One is the quality of the food. Is it fresh or processed? Processed foods are often high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats. Fresh foods are typically better for you because they haven’t been treated with chemicals or other additives. 

Another thing to consider is the quantity of the food. If you eat too much of anything, it’s not good for you. That’s why it’s important to eat in moderation and to be mindful of portion sizes. 

The final thing to think about is how the food was prepared. fried foods, for example, are generally not as healthy as baked or grilled foods because they tend to be higher in fat and calories. So, if you’re trying to eat healthy, it’s important to be aware of how your food was cooked. 

When it comes to determining whether the food you’re eating is good for you or not, there are a few things to consider. The quality of the food, the quantity of the food, and how the food was prepared all play a role in its overall healthfulness. By being mindful of these things, you can make sure that the food you’re putting into your body is doing more good than harm.

Click here to join my free community for mommas wanting support feeding and caring for their family simply 
 

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Time Management Tips for Working Moms

Time Management Tips for Working Moms
If you're a working mom, you know that the lists never seem to end. There's the grocery list, the to-do list, the list of errands to run, the list of things to pack for your kid's school lunch... It can be overwhelming! And on top of all of that, you're expected to be productive at work and be a present, involved parent when you're at home. So how do you find the time to get everything done?

By getting organized and developing a good time management system, that's how! Here are some tips to get you started:
List Making
One of the best ways to get organized is to make lists. Lists help you keep track of what needs to be done and ensure that nothing gets forgotten. Whenever you think of something that needs to be done, add it to your list. You can keep a running list on your phone or in a notebook so that you can add to it whenever something comes up.

Time Blocking
Time blocking is a time management technique where you block off chunks of time on your calendar for specific tasks. For example, you might block off an hour in the morning for answering emails and another hour in the afternoon for returning phone calls. By breaking your day down into smaller chunks, you can make sure that you're using your time efficiently and getting things done.

Scheduling
Scheduling is another great way to stay organized and make sure that you're getting everything done. When you have a lot on your plate, it can be helpful to sit down and schedule out your week. That way, you'll know exactly what needs to be done when and can plan accordingly. If possible, try to schedule some buffer time into your week so that if something comes up or takes longer than expected, you're not thrown off course.
There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to time management. What works for one person might not work for another. The important thing is to find what works for you and stick with it. By making lists, blocking off time on your calendar, and scheduling out your week, you can take control of your time and start crossing items off of your ever-growing list!

As I've grown in  my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So I MADE MY OWN. You can take a look at it on the link blow and buy it on amazon below
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Helping Your Family Homestead for Food group! This community is for the Mommas, looking to stay home and raise their kids, but unsure how to keep everyone fed and make ends meet. I share tips from my journey from the office, to half the income and feeding my family from home, while maintaining good nourishing food. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 

Supporting Your Family Naturally From the Inside Out community!! This community is for the Mommas, looking  to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years if my journey. We have moved off Facebook, so to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly option for providing for your family in the best way possible.
Join the FREE Community

I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

Click here to get the stories straight to your email:
 
For more on wellness tips click here:
 
For more on homesteading on your budget click here:
 
For more simple DIY updates click here:




My easy button for home supplies

My easy button for home supplies
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
                                                  
As a busy mom, running business, and living rural, I am all for easy buttons. If I can get the quality I’m looking for, delivered to me, you bet I’m going to take it. No loading the kids up, there’s 3 of them. No burning gas to driving to a big store. No dragging the kids through the store asking for everything they see. I’ll take the products delivered, Thank you. 
 
I do enjoy shopping local and like to patronize local stores as much as possible. But as I said, I live rural. My local town is 300 people. But they do have nice stores. As our family has evolved and shifted our health and diet needs, some of those things I cannot get at the local store. That is where I must either go to a city, HyVee is 1.5 hours away and Walmart 1 hour. Or I can have them delivered. 
 
As I have continued my own journey in being proactive with our health, I have become quite picky on what products I bring into my home. I do not want synthetics, parabens, chemicals, and endocrine disruptors. News flash, most products sold on store shelves contain those. You can read more on the complete list and where they are commonly found, in this past blog post  .
 
One of the brands I have come to love, and trust is the Young Living brand. They are not all essential oils! They have quite a few home products as well. All plant based, nontoxic, and chemical free. The scents are from truly pure essential oils, and they are all listed on the labels (no sketchy fragrance secrete). And they have a subscription program! 
 
Some of my favorites that are routinely in my monthly box are below. No, they are not all in there every month. In the list is also about how often I order them. Clicking the name will take you straight to the product. 
 
  • Ningxia Red: A tasty juice puree, packed full of nutrients. I can mix this into a hot tea in the cool days or add some club soda for a fizzy drink in the warm weather. I order 4 bottles every month. 
 
  • Thieves household cleaner: I use this for everything! Counters, floors, mirrors, stain buster, de-grimmer, laundry booster, and I’m sure more I’m forgetting. I buy the big bottle about 1 once per year. 
 
  • Toothpaste: the whitening is my husband’s favorite, the KidScentsis the kids. I buy a tube about every 3-4 months or less.
 
 
  • Body Wash: For me I like to use the Bath & Shower Gel Base, then I can change the scent up using the oils I have. I buy 1 bottle every year and mix it into a foam pump bottle. 
 
  • Laundry soap: I split this bottle into 4 and buy one every 6 months or so. 
 
  • Hand soap: I prefer the thieves soap and buy the refill bottle every 6 months or so. 
 
 
As I've grown in  my journey as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So I MADE MY OWN. You can take a look at it on the link blow and buy it on amazon below
Don't want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 

Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Helping Your Family Homestead for Food group! This community is for the Mommas, looking to stay home and raise their kids, but unsure how to keep everyone fed and make ends meet. I share tips from my journey from the office, to half the income and feeding my family from home, while maintaining good nourishing food. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision. 
 
Starting to garden doesn't have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I've learned over my gardening learning curve and made them into a simple course to jump start your gardening your life. 

Supporting Your Family Naturally From the Inside Out community!! This community is for the Mommas, looking  to Support Your Family from Nature for Wellness. Tips range from nutrition, herbals, detoxing, natural cleaning, and essential oils. Basically all the things I’ve learned slowly over the past 5+ years if my journey. We have moved off Facebook, so to better serve our community and be able to discuss openly option for providing for your family in the best way possible.
Join the FREE Community

I've had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned better and how to care for my body naturally and prevent common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will get you the tools you need to have a naturally healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal western medicine all the things pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without the Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

Click here to get the stories straight to your email:
 
For more on wellness tips click here:
 
For more on homesteading on your budget click here:
 
For more simple DIY updates click here:



Healthy Snack Strategies on a Budget

Healthy Snack Strategies on a Budget
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
                                                  
If you have kids, you know snacks are a must for life to run smoothly. Around here the afternoon snack is the biggest to avoid the pre-supper hangry meltdowns. Supper can be delayed on the farm, especially in the summertime. But how do you keep easy snacks on hand on a tight budget?
 
Summertime is honestly the easiest. Part of the garden is planted specifically for easy kid access. The snack bins in the house are usually pretty empty in the summer. For the simple fact, there is food to eat in the garden. If I have the snacks in the house the kids return and eat the snacks inside, instead of the garden produced snacks. 
 
What snacks do we grow? My kids love peas! The good news is the snap peas we can usually plant early and then plant again for a fall run. I only plant one row along the fence for them, because they take more time than I am willing to currently dedicate to preserving them for winter. Strawberries are another quick snack that can be everbearing and give snacks throughout the summer. 
 
Cucumbers take a bit longer to get going but fill the gap nicely for variety in peas and between pea crops. Radishes are another quick growing snack my kids will grab while playing and can be planted a few rows at a time, 1 week apart, to have a continual supply. Lettuce and spinach are also something kids can grab and go, with the same planting strategy as the radishes. 
 
End of summer and fall the fruit starts to come in here and the kids know those are also free range for snacking. They pick it and they can eat it. If we are harvesting a bunch for preserving, they eat from the plants, not the basket. 
 
I do usually buy a few fruits to keep on hand. The secrete here is to buy what is in season and on sale. Local farmers markets can also give you good deals. You can also use this strategy if you find a really good deal. Break out the dehydrator and dry the fruit for snacks in the wintertime or road trips. 
 
The wintertime we snack on more starchy things. Some that we preserved in the fall, like the dehydrated fruit. I usually buy bulk for the other snacks. A giant bag of oats, I can use for oatmeal, baking, and making granola for snacking. 
 
 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Feeding Your Family: Spend Less & Grow More group! This community is for the Mommas, looking to stay home and raise their kids, but unsure how to keep everyone fed and make ends meet. I share tips from my journey from the office, to half the income and feeding my family from home, while maintaining good nourishing food. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision. Join the Free Community
 
Click here to get the stories straight to your email:
 
For more on wellness tips click here:
 
For more on homesteading on your budget click here:
 
For more simple DIY updates click here:
 

What does a toxin free life look like?

What does a toxin free life look like?
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
Last week I talked about what changes when you to go a toxin free lifestyle. You can read that here. This week I am going to focus on what exactly that looks like in day to day life.
 
The day to day really doesn’t have to look much different than what it did before. The difference comes in the products you buy and the things you choose to bring into your home. When you shop you will become an expert label reader on all products.
 
When shopping for personal care products or home cleaning supplies, you avoid things with fragrance or SLS or other words you are unfamiliar with. You can get more information on specific ingredients to avoid here.
 
You will begin to care about where your food comes from. Some rice actually contain heavy medals from past growing practices. The boxed processed foods you used to buy you find are full of dyes and fillers. Empty calories that fill you up, but don’t feed your body. You realize fresh is truly best for your system and try and grow what food you can.
 
You begin to avoid anything synthetic. Including dyes, plastics, polyester, etc. You start to do things the old fashioned way. Making your own, going without, or finding alternatives. Glass is king in your home for storage.
 
You learn how best to support your body from the inside out. With real nutrition. You build your family up and give them what they need to thrive, instead of fighting. You learn how to help the body eliminate the toxins you were exposed to.
 
Truth is without completely isolating yourself from the modern world, toxins are unavoidable. But minimizing the day to day exposure will help your body detox the exposures. How far you choose to go on the toxin free lifestyle is completely up to you.
 
 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
 
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How does life change when you go toxin free?

How does life change when you go toxin free?
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
Toxin free is all the hype now, but what does life toxin free actually look like? What changes in your life when you go toxin free? Making the change to toxin free living is a process, but the benefits are well worth it. Read to the end to find my personal experience. 
 
First, let’s look at why you should switch to toxin free living. In the United States, the F D A has an assume safe until proven different approach to product safety. Europe on the other hand, has a prove safe before approve philosophy. In Europe, more than 1,300 chemicals are banned from use in lotions, soaps, toothpaste, cosmetics, and other personal care products. In the United States? Only 11 are banned. The average woman in the US will use 12 personal care products and/or cosmetics a day, containing 168 different chemicals, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Shocking isn’t it.
 
What is the big deal? What harm are they really doing to my body anyway? Many of these chemicals are endocrine disruptors, meaning they mimic hormones in the body, but the body can’t get rid of them. This throws your natural hormone balance off. Why is this such an issue? Your entire body is regulated by different hormonal signals. So, your body is trying to detox the added chemicals, and rebalance itself. Basically, the extra chemicals, they overload the work on your body, and it breaks down faster, and recovers slower.  
 
So where are these chemicals hiding? In your soap, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, make-up, face wash, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, softeners, air fresheners, candles, cleaners, and more. 
 
Convinced yet? Let me tell you something a little more personal. I didn’t think they were affecting me either, until I started switching. It started because of a little baby, and I wanted to be using cleaners that were safe for her. Then I switched my soaps, when I read how bad those were. Then my lotion, ditched my candles and perfumes. The results? Those periods I had that would leave me doubled over, in bed, moody, feeling bloated, and gross. They were GONE. I began to have cycles that weren’t painful
 
Now all products in our home are toxin free and natural. I don’t worry about the kids getting into the cleaning supplies (let’s be honest, there’s only one anyway), and they often clean up messes themselves. Would I go back to the store-bought stuff? NO WAY. The improvement in my cycle was enough to convince me to never go back. The improvement in my family health and recovery time is bonus. Products come to my door too!
 
Need some help figuring out where to start? Comment or email me! I’d love to help you get on the right track. 
 
 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
 
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What do egg labels mean?

What do egg labels mean?
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links, with NO additional cost to you. 
 
A trip through the grocery store can be so confusing! So many labels anymore, on everything, but what do those labels really mean? Is the product really better or safer if it has a particular label? The next few weeks I’m going to go over the different labels found in the store and break them down for you. 
 
Keep in mind any extra label requires extra documentation. This translates into an increased cost for the consumer. I highly recommend finding a local producer for whatever you wish to buy and ask questions. Find one that aligns with your values and purchase directly from them if possible. Last week we talked about Meat, you can read that here. This week eggs are up. 
 
Non-GMO means the hens are fed a diet free from gm crops or by products. They can still be caged or building confined. But do have a balanced diet fit to their needs. 
 
Vegetarian fed means the hens are not fed animal or animal by products. Naturally, chickens are not vegetarians, but omnivores. When allowed to roam and consume what they wish, they will eat bugs, worms, mice, small snakes and such.
 
Free range means the hens have continuous access to outdoors, though that space may or may not be fenced or covered. Free range can simply be access to an outdoor pen space, or a mobile fenced unit. Most production chickens are fenced in some way for a couple reasons. First there are many predators who love chicken and true pen free ranging results in loss from those predators (fox, coyote, hawk, etc.). Secondly hens are expert egg hiders. 
 
Pasture raised is a tricky label. It is not a regulated term, but implies the hens are raised in a pasture. This is purely a marketing term. 
 
Cage free means the hens can move within building and have unlimited access to food and fresh water. This means nothing about their ability to go outside. 
 
Natural - This label means the eggs are minimally processed, and contains no preservatives, or artificial ingredients. Pretty much all eggs are sold this way (except for those beloved Reese’s easter eggs) whether the label says it or not. It is mostly a marketing tool. 
 
No added hormones – This is also a marketing label. Use of hormones has been outlawed in poultry since 1950s, so all eggs are the same here. 
 
Organic - Means no growth hormones, antibiotics, genetically modified (GM) crops, or animal by-products were fed ever, and the hens have access to the outside. These are most likely your highest priced eggs in the store. Why? Sourcing and cost of the feed is expensive. Plus, the documentation required to sell the eggs as such. Many producers are not willing to do the extra paperwork, for such a small increase in profit.
 
Again, if you are truly concerned about your eggs and where they came from find a local producer. Many people have back yard chickens and will gladly sell you some of their eggs and even show you where the hens live. Farmers markets is another good place to find local egg producers. 
 
 
 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Courageous + Purposeful Mommas group! This community is for the Mommas, mommas to be, in the midst of raising, and kids grown, looking for tips on building your family up and providing for them through natural methods. Tips include: gardening, bulk buying, caning,/preserving, livestock, homesteading, and home remedies. Your family is precious, and this group is to help you gain the knowledge and tools to keep your family well and not reliant on outside professionals. Remedies and tips are easy and simple for the busy momma, time is precious after all, including pregnancy, birth, young kids, and illness. Trust your Momma gut again! This community offers the resources + community you need to help get started on your journey and prepare for whatever future you envision.
 
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