The Paleo Mama

Homegrown and Handmade

Jackie Ritz

How to Cut the Cable and Not Feel Deprived

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Have you recently taken a close look at your cable bill? Do you see lots of taxes, charges, and fees that kind of snuck their way into your bill? I remember the last time I looked at my cable bill and thought, “what a waste of money” and I called the company up and I cut the bill. I was tired of feeling like I was getting ripped off. What’s funny is that cable didn’t start off that way in the late 40’s, and what once was a small localized business, has turned into a ginormous industry of penny-pushing and trying to make as much as they can off the consumer.

According to Consumer Reports, the average household will spend $154 a month on cable. Over a year that is over $1,800! That is more than I spend on our family’s clothes and, quite possibly, it is more than what you spend on groceries every month.

I published this article about a year ago and mentioned that we decided to cut our cable because we were aggressively trying to pay off debt. Cutting our cable was a tough decision at the time. I dreamed of Little House on the Prairie nights in our house with our kids…but it never works out quite like that! However, in the 2 years that we have cut out cable, I have never felt deprived or felt like I missed out on the latest shows. Let me show you how to get around the cable pit so that you can start saving money on cable and start using that money for something much more necessary (organic produce, quality meats, or paying off debt).

How to Cut Your Cable in 5 Easy Steps

Step One:

Shop around in your area for the BEST internet provider. Most cable providers have the internet charges wrapped up like some fancy wording “triple play“. Look in your area and see who offers the best rates for internet service. WOW, Wave, and Verizon FiOS have the best ratings according to Consumer Reports. Work a deal with them. See what their charges are for just internet and phone (if you need that).

Step Two:

Call your provider and tell them YOU ARE DONE. This is a tricky step because the hagglers for cable companies ARE GOOD. Do not let them reel you in. Tell them you are tired of the added fees and service charges and that you want your cable to be done. If you found out that they offered the best deals on “strictly” internet, then keep the internet but ditch the cable. Make sure to work out a deal!

Step Three:

Get the no-cable essentials…unless you are going COMPLETE no cable. We love our Roku and we can stream shows, yes, even the latest Grey’s Anatomy shows, on it. The best thing about my Roku is that you do not even need a DVR anymore. You can play the shows at your convenience. Many new televisions have a built-in cable antenna. Check to see if yours does. If it doesn’t, then I recommend this Radio Shack antenna. This allows you to tap into FREE broadcast table which airs all the major channels like FOX, ABC and NBC. You thought you had to pay for those, huh?!

No-Cable Essentials: Roku and Radio Shack antenna.

Step Four:

Sign up for Netflix and/or Hulu. What’s the difference? Netflix has mostly older shows, but it is great for kids. My kids enjoy lots of shows from Netflix and lots of Disney movies too. Hulu has newer shows and episodes. What’s the caveat? You have to wait a day or so for them to load up the newer episode after it airs on television. But, if you are anxious and can’t wait, then you can always use your handy antenna and watch it!

Step Five:

Get rid of your extra tv’s! Ok, I know this isn’t for everyone, but we just have one TV in the house now. We have vowed never to put a TV in our bedroom or our kid’s bedroom. However, there are times when I would like to lay down in my own bed and watch the latest Revenge. This is where having an iPad comes in handy! Download the Hulu and Netflix app and watch it in your own bed on your own iPad!

Now relish in the fact that you are spending *maybe* $15 a month on Hulu and Netflix and you are saving over $130 a month! What can you do with $130 a month? 

How to Cut Your Cable and Not Feel Deprived | www.thepaleomama.com .001

Coconut-Lime Fruit Salad

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I’m so excited to have Arsy from Rubies & Radishes sharing a beautiful and delicious spring recipe with all my readers! Arsy creates some of the most amazing Paleo recipes I have ever seen! She has two Paleo cookbooks out, The Paleo Slow Cooker, and a BRAND new one, The Paleo Foodie! Her unique cultural flare gives all her recipes a distinct Arsy touch and I am so delighted that she is offering to share one of her favorites from The Paleo Foodie Cookbook!

Coconut-Lime Fruit Salad from The Paleo Foodie Cookbook

The coconut-lime dressing adds a tropical feel to this lightly dressed fruit salad, making it a perfect addition to a spring brunch or picnic. It’s also a great way for busy moms to prepare a healthy and exciting snack.

The coconut milk in this recipe adds a nourishing source of fat and additional nutrients to the fruit salad. The addition of the fat tends to keep you full longer too! I highly recommend using homemade coconut milk or choosing a brand of coconut milk that uses BPA-free packaging and does not add any gums or preservatives.

This recipe is easy to make and packed with flavor. It is a toddler favorite in our household.

This Coconut-Lime Fruit Salad is from the newly released cookbook, The Paleo Foodie. The Paleo Foodie is filled with gourmet yet simple to make Paleo recipes with fresh and vibrant flavors.

Click here to buy the newly released Paleo Foodie Cookbook today! 


Coconut-Lime Fruit Salad

Coconut Lime Fruit Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups strawberries, halved
  • 2 cups honeydew melon, chopped into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 mango, chopped
  • 1⁄4 cup coconut milk
  • 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon raw honey
  • dash of sea salt

Cooking Instructions 

  • Combine strawberries, honeydew and mango in a medium-sized bowl.
  • In small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, lime juice, basil, honey and sea salt.
  • Pour over fruit and serve.

Click here to buy the newly released Paleo Foodie Cookbook today! 

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Arsy Vartanian is the founder and chef of the Paleo recipe and lifestyle blog, Rubies and Radishes and she is also the author of the cookbooks, The Paleo Foodie and The Paleo Slow Cooker. In an effort to achieve optimal health and wellness, she discovered the Paleo diet and Crossfit in 2008. Arsy started feeling better than ever and was eventually able to recover from health issues that she had struggled with for almost a decade. Arsy deeply enjoys spending time in her kitchen creating healthy, grain-free recipes for her family and her blog readers. She resides in a quaint beach town in California with her husband and daughter. Connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

 

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14 Benefits of Maca Powder and 14 Maca Recipes

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“Maca is a plant that grows in central Peru in the high plateaus of the Andes mountains. It has been cultivated as a vegetable crop in Peru for at least 3000 years. Maca is a relative of the radish and has an odor similar to butterscotch. Its root is used to make medicine.” (1) The benefits of Maca have long been valued and has gained more and more popularity in recent years. Culture is awakening to the fact that Maca carries a long list of nourishment to the body. The amazing thing about Maca is that it is an adaptogen, meaning it adapts to the needs of your body.

14 Benefits of Maca Powder:

  1. Increases Energy – Maca has a reputation for boosting energy levels without stressing the adrenals (like coffee can)
  2. Increases Libido and Sexual Function – Maca is a known aphrodisiac among native Peruvian culture. It has been known to increase the libido among men and women!
  3. Improves Fertility – Black Maca has been known to increase sperm count and volume in men and Red Maca has been known to balance female hormones and ovulation cycles.
  4. Regulates Hormone Balance – Maca has a vast variety of amino acids, which are known as the building blocks of hormones.
  5. Reduces Depression – When you take Maca regularly, Maca can work to increase positive emotional moods. Maca has a very unique nutrient called macamides, which aid in decreasing depression and anxiety.
  6. Reduces Anxiety – Maca has a positive effect on your individual mood and can help to reduce any self-perceived anxiety.
  7. Helps with Menopause – Many Maca uses report a significant decrease in hot flashes after using Maca powder.
  8. Enhances Mental Clarity – Black Maca has been shown to have a beneficial effect on learning and memory. Maca is safe for both children and adults!
  9. Improves Blood Circulation – a very interesting property of Maca, is that it has been seen to improve blood circulation.
  10. Improves Acne – When acne is related to hormone imbalance, taking Maca can be very productive for improving hormonal acne.
  11. Improves Muscle Gain – More and more athletes and bodybuilders are using Maca powder to increase their athletic performance.
  12. Improves Thyroid Function – Due to the hormone balancing properties in Maca, it has been known to stimulate thyroid function.
  13. Improves Strong Teeth and Bones – Black Maca is great for increasing bone density and strength.
  14. Improves Skin Tone – Maca has a strong nutrient content and hormone balancing effect on our skin.
  15. Improves Hair Growth – Maca has been traditionally used to stimulate hair growth, as well as prevent hair loss.

Which Maca is Right for You?

There are several different types of Maca and choosing which one you should use can sometimes be overwhelming. Raw Maca has never been heated and all the enzymes and nutrients are left in tact at peak levels. This is the one that I prefer to use.

Gelantized Maca is heated to remove all the start content within the root. This makes it more concentrated, however, the high heat destroys some of the enzymes and alters the nutrients. If you have a sensitive stomach, gelantized maca would be the one for you.

Click here to see a great article on choosing which Maca you should take.

Where to Buy Quality Maca Powder:

After figuring out which Maca powder is right for you and your body’s needs, I, personally, use and recommend THIS brand of Maca. I find that The Maca Team carries very high quality Maca powder and they are willing to work with you to figure out which Maca you need. My husband takes the Black Maca and I take the Red Maca. I prefer to take 2 teaspoons daily in my morning smoothie! I don’t mind the taste of Maca, but if you do, The Maca Team sells capsules. Click here to check out The Maca Team products!

[box]The Maca Team is offering my readers a 10% discount using coupon code: PALEOMAMA. CLICK HERE to order quality Maca products! [/box]

14 Recipes Using Maca Powder

 Remember to use coupon code: PALEOMAMA to order Maca products today from The Maca Team! Click here to order!

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Is Natural Living Driving You Crazy?

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Was life less stressful for you pre-crunchy? Were you happier before you *knew* all these dangers and toxins and BPA and OH MY GOD DOES IT EVER END?

Do you feel more guilty being a “natural” mom because now you have to live up to the persona? Now you have to make sure you freaking read everything?!

Did your transformation into living natural become a transformation into now feeling like you suck at everything? At least *before* you didn’t know you were choosing harmful ingredients or detergent that could blow up a house. You were oblivious to it, right? You just enjoyed your little, happy life without giving anything else a thought. It was nice.

But now you see all these warnings and labels and artificial food colorings and your brain is about to explode. How can you be a good mom now and CHOOSE to buy something that has corn syrup in it?

Now you have to soak your nuts (hehe!) for 100 hours, and dehydrate your own jerky. You literally cry when you drive through Chick-Fil-A because you are submitting your kids to such dangerous chemicals in the food.

You feel more guilt.

You feel more stressed.

You feel less happy.

You feel less functional.

You….feel……….miserable, exhausted, and anxious.

You don’t enjoy this beautiful life anymore cause you are more stressed about the ugliness in this world. You no longer enjoy learning about natural and healthy living, you stress out when new studies come out and more pressure is now on you.

You CANNOT read ANY more blogs or websites. It’s just too much. You’ve blocked them from your feed. You are on healthy education overload and you are about to throw in your natural living, crunchy towel for good.

You know what moms…AIN’T NOBODY GOT TIME FOR ALL THAT.

The point is that you are TRYING. You are learning. You are making your home the best place that you can for your children. Most moms forget to give their kids their supplements, use disposable diapers over cloth, and forget to soak their nuts. Hell, I order pizza on occasion for my family! It’s OKAY. My kids are not going to die.

Yes, ignorance was bliss before. You gave your dogs crappy kibble without a second thought and your kids loved those Gerber Puffs. C’mon moms! You aren’t going to damage your kids, or your dogs. It’s not the “once or twice” that hurts us, it’s the lifetime of it.

If the natural remedies aren’t working, there is an amazing thing known as medicine. It’s not evil if you do it the right way. It’s a gift.

This is not the granola olympics and we are not trying to win the award of the crunchiest mom. Stop trying to live up to your fantasy Pinterest world and if you have to stop reading all the new articles that come out (don’t stop reading mine!), then so be it!

Go back to the basics. Read my post on how you might not be perfect, but you are enough for your family or this post on how this mother is done trying to make her kid’s childhood magical.

What is it that is most important to you?

Write out 5 things that are the MOST important to you and go from there. If you love pizza and so do your kids? Then eat the damn pizza on occasion. Your kids aren’t going to look back at you and say, “geez mom, how come you let me eat pizza so much?”

What is important to you? Is breastfeeding important to you? Put your energy into that.

Are you literally HATING cloth diapering? Then stop and buy a safe alternative.

Is making your own detergent getting annoying? Then don’t.

Make a decision to do the best that you can and then leave the rest to grace. Grace covers our inadequacies and our guilt and it fills us up with joy.

Go look at your kids face. Do you see a child who is wishing for more from you?

Tomorrow is a new day, my friends!

Is Natural Living Driving You Crazy? | www.thepaleomama.com.001

Why is Bread Bad for You? The Shocking Truth

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“The Whiter The Bread, The Sooner You’re Dead.”

It has been known for a long time that white bread and refined grains in general aren’t particularly nutritious.

Nutritionists and dietitians all around the world have encouraged us to eat whole grains instead.

But grains, especially gluten grains like wheat, have been under intense scrutiny in recent years.

Many respected health professionals now claim that bread and other sources of gluten grains are unnecessary at best and potentially harmful.

Bread is High in Carbs and Can Spike Blood Sugar Levels

Even whole grain bread usually isn’t made out of actual “whole” grains.

They are grains that have been pulverized into very fine flour. Even though this process reserves the nutrients, it causes these products to be digested rapidly.

The starches in bread get broken down quickly in the digestive tract and enter the bloodstream as glucose. This causes a rapid spike in blood sugar and insulin levels.

Even whole wheat bread spikes blood sugar faster than many candy bars (1).

When blood sugar goes up rapidly, it tends to go down just as quickly. When blood sugar goes down, we become hungry.

This is the blood sugar roller coaster that is familiar to people on high carb diets. Soon after eating, they become hungry again, which calls for another high-carb snack.

Elevated blood sugars can also cause glycation at the cellular level when the blood sugars react with proteins in the body. This is one of the components of ageing (2).

Studies on carb restricted diets (which eliminate/reduce starches and sugars) suggest that individuals who are diabetic or need to lose weight should avoid ALL grains (3, 4,5).

[box]Bottom Line: Most breads are made of pulverized wheat. They are easily digested and rapidly spike blood sugar and insulin levels, which can lead to the notorious blood sugar “roller coaster” and stimulate overeating.[/box]

Bread Contains a Lot of Gluten

Wheat contains a large amount of a protein called gluten.

This protein has glue-like properties (hence the namegluten) responsible for dough’s viscoelastic properties.

Evidence is mounting that a significant percentage of the population is sensitive to gluten (6, 7, 8).

When we eat bread that contains gluten (wheat, spelt, rye and barley), the immune system in our digestive tract “attacks” the gluten proteins (9).

Controlled trials in people without celiac disease show that gluten damages the wall of the digestive tract, causing pain, bloating, stool inconsistency and tiredness (10,11).

Gluten sensitivity is also associated with some cases of schizophrenia (12, 13) and cerebellar ataxia (14, 15) – both serious disorders of the brain.

Gluten is probably harmful for most people, not just those with diagnosed celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

The only way to really know if you’re gluten sensitive is to remove gluten from your diet for 30 days and then reintroduce it and see whether it affects you.

[box]Bottom Line: Most breads are made of gluten grains. Gluten causes an immune response in the digestive tract of susceptible individuals. This can cause digestive issues, pain, bloating, tiredness and other symptoms.[/box]

Bread Contains Other Harmful Substances

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Most commercial types of bread contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup, just like other processed foods.

Sugar causes many adverse effects and eating processed foods that contain it is likely to have detrimental effects on health.

Most grains also include the “anti nutrient” phytic acid.

Phytic acid is a molecule that strongly binds essential minerals like calcium, iron and zinc, preventing them from being absorbed (16).

Soaking grains before baking can degrade the phytic acid, which should improve the availability of minerals.

[box]Bottom Line: Most breads contain sugar, which is extremely bad for you. They also contain “anti nutrients” that block the absorption of minerals like calcium, iron and zinc.[/box]

Bread is Low in Essential Nutrients

There is NO nutrient in bread that you can’t get from other foods in even greater amounts.

Even whole wheat bread isn’t as nutritious as you may think.

Not only is it low in nutrients compared to other real foods, it literally reduces the absorption of nutrients from other foods.

  • Calorie for calorie, whole grain breads contain a low amount of nutrients compared to real foods like vegetables.
  • The phytic acid blocks absorption of minerals like iron, zinc and calcium (17).
  • By damaging the intestinal lining, gluten decreases the absorption of all nutrients (18).
  • Grains do not contain all the essential amino acids and are therefore poor sources of protein for humans (19)
  • Wheat fiber may cause your body to burn through its Vitamin D stores much faster and contribute to vitamin d deficiency (20), which is associated with cancer, diabetes and death (21, 22, 23).

[box]Bottom Line: Most breads aren’t very nutritious and the proteins in them aren’t of much use. A damaged intestinal lining along with phytic acid reduces availability of nutrients. Wheat may also exacerbate vitamin d deficiency.[/box]

Whole Wheat Raises The Bad Cholesterol

In one study, 36 men were randomized into two groups.

They were instructed to eat either whole oat cereal or whole wheat cereal (24).

After 12 weeks, the researchers measured blood lipid levels in both groups.

The oat cereal decreased LDL cholesterol and small, dense LDL. Basically, whole oats significantly improved the blood lipid profile.

However, the whole wheat cereal increased total LDL cholesterol by 8% and small, dense LDL by a whopping 60%.

Small, dense LDL is the type of cholesterol that is strongly associated with heart disease (25, 26).

What this means is that whole wheat significantly harms blood lipids and may drastically raise your risk of heart disease.

Yes, that slice of “heart-healthy” whole wheat bread may be killing you.

[box]Bottom Line: Eating not-so-”heart healthy” whole wheat may raise small, dense LDL cholesterol by a whopping 60%. This type of cholesterol is strongly associated with heart disease.[/box]

Whole Wheat is Just “Less Bad” Than Refined Wheat

It is true that whole grain breads are better for you than breads made with refined grains. They contain more nutrients and fiber.

However, they’re just the lesser of two evils. It’s like comparing unfiltered cigarettes to filtered cigarettes. Filtered cigarettes are less harmful, but that does not make them healthy.

If you really must include bread in your life, then there are some options that aren’t quite as bad.

Bread made with soaked and sprouted grains may be less bad for you than regular bread. Preparing it this way reduces the amount of phytic acid.

Ezekiel bread, for example, is made of sprouted grains. This probably makes it less unhealthy than other breads. Gluten-free breads may also be healthier than those made with gluten grains like wheat, spelt, rye and barley.

[box]Bottom Line: Whole grain breads are better for you than breads made with refined grains, but the best option is no bread at all. Breads made with soaked and sprouted grains may be less unhealthy.[/box]

Take Home Message

Anyone who needs to lose weight, has digestive issues or is somehow affected by the western diet should eliminate bread and other sources of gluten grains.

If a damaged intestinal wall, blood sugar roller coaster, bloating, tiredness and a 60% increase in small, dense LDL isn’t a good enough reasons to quit eating bread, then I don’t know what is.

 

Original Article was posted by Kris of Authority Nutrition and republished with permission. 

How to Ditch the City and Start a Farm

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Well, it’s been nearly 8 months since we gave up our big city-living and moved to the backwoods of Western North Carolina. My husband and I were both raised in large cities, so raising our children the same way just felt normal.

However there always was this itch and this itch just started to grow and grow. It would be in small ways at first…like me traveling hours to visit small farms to let my kids play with the animals or to pick blueberries. Then it grew much bigger…we started searching for homes in the suburbs that allowed chickens and possibly goats. Our realtor thought we were crazy and didn’t understand us.  We hit roadblock after roadblock and after *almost* buying a very expensive house on ONE acre (which we thought was a lot of land), because that was all there was, we felt like our dreams of homesteading were crushed.

What If

I remember the first time we played the “what if” game. My husband said to me one night, “what if we moved somewhere else.” At first, I was caught off guard that he was entertaining the same thought I was. Then I played “devil’s advocate” and said that we were raised in Orlando, this is where our families live, this is where we *should* live……….right?

This went on for months and we started going deeper with our feelings. My husband asked me where I always dreamed of living…he knew my answer but it’s just a dream….right? I mean, it’s just a game you play, like MASH as a little girl. You don’t really go and live in your dream place. You just dream about it...right?

Ok, so you get the drift of how confusing of a time this was for us. We both loved Western North Carolina. We loved visiting it and we even rented a cute little cabin near Asheville one year. We finally agreed that WNC was our dream place to live and we finally entertained the thought that we had the choice to move there *one day*. Sigh….one day….there it is again.

And then I said it. I said, “Why one day?” And my husband looked at me and felt the same way. Let’s do this NOW! Life is too short to not live and do what you dream of doing! And that was how it all began!

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How We Ditched the City and Started Farming

1) We Found a Job

This is much harder for some people…I know that. But, it’s worth trying, right? So, we drew a 100 mile radius around our dream city, Asheville, NC on a map and my husband applied at all the jobs in that radius that fit his career. We heard back from a few and we chose one! We came and visited the nearby city and we fell in, complete, love with the place. Actually how it really happened when we sealed the deal was like this: we went to a nearby vineyard and sat down and looked out at the beautiful mountains. I looked over at my husband and said, “let’s do it“!

2) We Found a Rental Home

We still weren’t ready to buy. We have been aggressively paying off debt for a year now following the Dave Ramsey plan. So, we knew that we needed to find a rental home that allowed us to start doing our homestead dreams. We found a perfect home on Craigslist that had 4 acres of land, a barn, a huge chicken coop, and a beautiful fenced pasture. We plan on staying in this home for a few more months till we are ready to buy.

3) We Said Our Goodbyes & Sold a Ton of Stuff

This was the hardest part of the move. It’s hard to leave your family, but it’s so rewarding to follow your dreams. So, we downsized and sold a lot of stuff to make the move easier. We sold our king set (we just sleep on a mattress on the floor now!), dining room table, and all our large furniture. This isn’t necessary but we wanted a fresh start and we needed the money for the move. In fact, we are just now (8 months later) starting to buy furniture again! We waited till we were 100% out of debt, which we are now!

4) We Ordered Chickens!

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Seriously, I had the chicks ordered and planned for delivery before we were even in the state! I was so excited to start homesteading and couldn’t wait for my own pastured eggs! Chickens are the best way to start homesteading. They are the easiest animals to care for. It takes about 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night to care for my chickens. As chicks, you need a few things, like a brooder area (we use stacks of straw for this), a heating lamp, and food and water bowls. Start-up costs is under $100 and that is including ordering the chicks online and paying shipping. You usually can find chicks local at a feed store for pretty cheap too!

5) I Found My Goats

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I had my goats planned, as well, before we even were in North Carolina. I knew I wanted fresh, raw, goat milk. Goats are MUCH easier to keep than cows and I am more keen on goat’s milk than cow milk. I found a lady on Craigslist who was selling a goat-in-milk and her doeling. I arranged for us to pick them up about a week after we moved. It actually is a hilarious story if you would like to go read about it! I watched You Tube videos on how to milk a goat for hours but it did NO good. You have to just learn it hands-on and it does take a little practice! However, it’s so worth it. My goat has been giving us nearly a half gallon a day for the past 8 months that we have had her. Sadly, I’m drying her off right now because she is pregnant (and so is her baby!) and needs a little break before her babies come in the early summer.

6) We Started Composting

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There is a local furniture store near us that gives away pallets and these large pallet containers. We grabbed them and started using it to hold our compost in. We definitely planned on a spring/summer vegetable garden so we started composting right away. We throw most our vegetable and fruit scraps to the chickens but we compost everything else! Composting is so easy.

7) We Started Raising Meat Rabbits

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I don’t even know how we started doing this but it has become my husband’s favorite thing so far. We have 3 does (the moms) and 2 bucks (the boys) and we breed them every other month or so. Actually they are due any minute now for this round! The benefit of meat rabbits is that they reproduce a ton and have short pregnancies. Their meat is like chicken too! One set of meat rabbits (one buck and one girl) can give you 400lbs of meat a year! We pasture the offspring before they are ready to be butchered, that way they are living as natural as possible and eating lots of fresh grass.

8) We Slowed Down & Relish Our Life

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This has been THE HARDEST thing for me to do since we have moved away from our city life. You never would have thought that slowing down would be so difficult, but it really is…especially if you are used to hurry, hurry, hurry everywhere you go. The drivers here drive me crazy…they are so pokey! It’s all a mindset and just truly realizing that being rushed is pointless. It doesn’t’ get you anywhere any faster. It just stresses you out and causes anxiety.

Conclusion

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We couldn’t be happier with our decision to ditch the city and start a farm. Our kids absolutely adore their new life here. They miss their family, of course, but we are our own family now and it’s important to us to do what is best for them. The city was scaring me more-and-more and the thought of raising my kids there just kept me up at night.

Now they are able to cherish simple things like the joy of collection eggs, and planting seeds and watching them grow, and watching animals give birth! It is amazing to see how they thrive in this environment.

Books I Recommend: Raising Dairy Goats | Raising Chickens for Dummies | The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It | Back to Basics | Let it Rot | Storey’s Guide to Raising Meat Rabbits

Websites I Recommend: The Prairie Homestead | Weed em’ & Reap | The Elliott Homestead | Blue Yurt Farms

 

Have you ever thought about ditching your city life and starting a homestead or a farm? Leave a comment and tell me about it! I’d love to connect with you!