Announcing Worm Juice!

We are happy to announce a new product - Worm Juice.

Our son Dylan began building a worm farm in order to help us with compost as well as worms for our chickens to eat in the winter months.  A wonderful by-product of this activity is Worm Juice.

This "juice" drips from the bottom of his worm farm and is bottled up to use on our garden or house plants throughout the year.  He is now offering it for sale!

It is a complete plant food on it's own or as a supplement to other fertilizers.

You can check it out here and read all about how it works, how to use it and how to purchase it:  http://www.georgesfamilyfarm.blogspot.com/p/natural-fertilizer.html

Healthy Tomato Avacado Soup

If we did what we should, we'd be drinking broth with every meal.  The health benefits are amazing and this is the perfect time of year to make and drink more broth.  But if drinking broth is hard to do, then getting more soups into the family is another way to take in more of this essential food.

We'd found that a good, homemade broth is more powerful than any medicine, if eaten regularly.

This Tomato Avocado Soup is something I've worked on "tweaking" for about 1 year and we all love it.  Even my son who generally doesn't like any soup, says this one is okay with him.  I'm not a fan of tomato soup normally, but this one I love.  Fall is the perfect time to try it and it freezes well too, so you can save some jars in the freezer.

Here is a good recipe for bone broth to get you started: How to Make Bone Broth

There are many ways to make broth - and it's important it is homemade rather than bought in a can at the store.  It's easy to do and inexpensive, so there is no reason to purchase broth!

HEALTHY TOMATO AVOCADO SOUP

Ingredients

1 jar of tomato paste (I purchase glass jars instead of the cans from our local co-op.)
1/2 yellow onion (chopped roughly)
2 Tablespoons organic butter
3-4 cups homemade chicken stock
2 garlic cloves
1 heaping teaspoon chili powder
1 heaping teaspoon basil (a little less is needed if it is homegrown)
1 heaping teaspoon oregano
3 t. Celtic Sea Salt
1 small avocado
1 lime

1. Heat butter and chopped onion in large saucepan.  Add onion and sauté until softened, about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
3. Add chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, chili powder, basil, and oregano.  Simmer mixture for 15-20 minutes to allow flavors to mix.
4. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Prepare a blender by adding 1/2 the avocado and 1 T. of juice from lime.  Pour in about 1/2 the mixture (I blend 1/2 at a time because that is what my blender holds easily).  Careful not to burn yourself, the soup is hot at this point.  Blend or pulse until onions are completely blended - soup will be slightly thicker now.
6. Pour blended mixture into a new pot on stove and set on simmer. 
7. Pour remaining 1/2 of unblended soup into blender along with the other 1/2 of the avocado and 1 T of lime juice.  Blend or pulse.
8. Add all soup to the new pot and set on simmer for 5-10 minutes. 

Served hot with grain free, grilled cheese (from raw milk) sandwiches is our favorite.

You can also pour into mason jars, leaving some space at the top, and freeze for use at a later date.

How the Chicken is Raised, Matters

"Why is chicken soup superior to all the things we have, even more relaxing than 'Tylenol?'  It is because chicken soup has a natural ingredient which feeds, repairs, and calms the mucous lining in the small intestine.  This inner lining is the beginning or ending of the nervous system.  It is easily pulled away from the intestine through too many laxatives, too many food additives... and parasites.  Chicken soup... heals the nerves, improves digestion, reduces allergies, relaxes and gives strength.  - Hanna Droeger from Ageless Remedies from Mother's Kitchen.

A good, homemade stock is the backbone of a good kitchen; it provides flavor to your dishes as well as sustenance and nourishment for your body.   Broth is dense in nutrients.  Rich in trace minerals such as magnesium and calcium as well as glycine – an amino acid that aids digestion and may help to assist in the healing of wounds and injuries which may account for broth’s fame as a healing, wholesome foods. (Read more about the benefits of broth)

Do not purchase canned broth from the store!  It is easy to make your own.  See some good recipes here:  Broth

 

The quality of your ingredients greatly influences the ability of your broth to produce a successful gel, sometimes the bones, meat and skin of conventionally raised chickens will not produce a gel at all, regardless of simmering and brewing under optimal conditions.

 

One surefire way to ensure a beautiful, mineral-dense stock that can produce a solid gel is to use a fresh pasture-raised chicken or a thawed frozen pasture-raised chicken, including the chicken feet if you’re fortunate enough to find them.  As the chicken will only undergo one period of cooking, as opposed to two (roasting and then simmering) producing a gel through this method of preparing chicken broth is more reliable.

Recently while making broth I decided to capture the visible difference between a pasture-raised meat chicken and a store bought chicken.  The store bought chicken I used was supposedly an organic, free range chicken - so it wasn't the cheapest chicken in the store!

Compare that to the chickens our neighbors raised with us and were recently processed by their own hands.

Look at the difference in the broth.  The left jar is the broth that cooked from the store-bought, organic chicken.  The jar on the right is from the chicken we processed a few weeks ago at our neighbors farm.

 

 

 



So if you have access to a local farmer and a little extra freezer space, it's very worth it to get a pasture-raised chicken!  Most farmers are happy to have you come by to see their operation, so you can see the living conditions of the food you are buying.  The health benefits are great, and once you've eaten chicken raised by a local farmer, chances are you'll have a hard time eating chicken from a grocery store ever again!

P.S.  Do you know the ingredients to a typical Bouillon Cube?  Here they are:

Salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, corn syrup solids, sugar, beef fat, monosodium glutamate (flavor enhancer), dextrose (corn sugar), onion powder, water, garlic powder, caramel color, natural flavorings, disodium guanylate and disodium inosinate (flavor enhancers), partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (soybean oil and/or palm oil and/or cottonseed oil), artificial color.

Grain-free Peach Cobbler

We have lots of frozen peaches from this past summer and a favorite for Fall is Peach Cobbler.

Below is the grain-free recipe we are experimenting with.  Soon I'll be posting a version that doesn't include sugar - I'm working on replacing the sugar with honey and stevia.  Still need some practice before it's ready to post!

In the meantime, here's a treat!

GRAIN-FREE PEACH COBBLER RECIPE 


8 ripe peaches (fresh, or defrosted a bit from frozen)
1 lemon
1 T arrowroot or tapioca
1 T of cane sugar (I use organic, non processed which I get from our local food co-op)

3/4 cup of almond flour
3/4 cup of arrowroot or tapioca flour
6 T of butter, softened
1/4 cup cane sugar
1/4 t. sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Peel and slice the peaches.  Toss with juice from lemon.  Mix sugar, arrowroot (or tapioca) together and toss with peaches.  Place in a buttered dish for baking.

Place almond flour in food processor and add butter, arrowroot (or tapioca), sugar, vanilla and salt and process until smooth or well mixed.  Crumble this mixture on top of the peaches.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour.

Great when served with sugar free, raw milk, homemade ice cream (recipe to come) or homemade whipped cream!

You can also substitute your summer's blueberries for the peaches and make a blueberry cobbler.  My daughter loves this - and no grains!

Chick Field Trip!

The new chicks are now about 2 weeks old.  It was time to take a field trip from their brooder (in our basement office!) to an outdoor pen.

Due to the heat this week, we could only have them out for about 45 min while I cleaned up their homes inside.  They are SO ready to get out - at least they think so, in their little chicken brains.  But they aren't ready yet for full-time outdoor living.

 

This one jumped up and was ready to go!

 

The others look in envy - they love to perch up on my hand or arm, usually while I'm trying to do something productive like clean their food... which is sheer folly as they are so naughty that it is messed up as quickly as I clean it.

 

Trying out a few first to see how they do.  They must be watched constantly as they are open to predators and they just don't really make very good decisions (like sticking their heads though the chicken wire!  Therefore, someone must be on alert at all times.

 

Soon we had all 35 chicks out on the clean grass and weeds and they settled in pretty quickly.  But soon after, it was time to go back in.

 

 

All that playing is exhausting, time for a nap.  (Kailyn with "Cindy" - name short for "Cinnamon" because she is the only one with cinnamon coloring.)

We are learning so much more about raising chickens, and still have much more to learn.  But it's a fun experience and we're looking forward to more healthy eggs to share with our community.

        

Your righteousness is like the mountains of God; your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O Lord.  

Psalm 36:6

Homemade Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

There is no need to purchase canned soup for casseroles!  It is easily made at home and with much more nutritious ingredients.  It is wise to avoid canned foods as much as possible.  See here for some reasons why:  http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/diet-and-fitness/the-cancer-danger-in-canned-food-20111208-1oksm.html

And now with the wonderful canners and other means, we can make our own food and store in jars or in the freezer.

I typically make this when I make a favorite casserole dish that also needs a whole chicken.  So I boil the chicken for the casserole and use the broth from that to make this soup (which also goes into the casserole!)  But you can boil chicken ahead of time and keep it for use in this recipe.

Here is how to make homemade cream of chicken soup – without gluten – and store it for future use.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup (Makes about 3 cups)

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups of homemade chicken broth (this must be homemade to be nutritious!)

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon Celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon fresh or dried parsley
Dash of paprika
1 ½ cups of raw milk (organic, store-bought can be substituted if you don’t have raw milk)
½ - 2/3 cups of arrowroot OR tapioca flour

Instructions:

In medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil adding ½ cup of the milk and all the seasonings.  Boil only a few minutes.

In a bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup of cold milk with the tapioca flour or arrowroot with a wire whisk.  Add this to the boiling mixture and continue stirring briskly until it boils and begins to thicken.

You can add more chicken broth if it becomes too thick.  I keep mine on the thin side for my casserole but you can make it as thick as you like depending on how you want to use it.

You can also store extra “soup” in mason jars in the freezer.  I use the small, wide mouthed jars to store a “can” of soup for the next time I need it.  Glass is much safer for food storage and if you cool the jar down and leave plenty of space at the top, you should not have any issue with cracked jars in the freezer.

 

 

 

 

 

Amendment 1: Right To Farm in Missouri

There are many important amendments on the Missouri ballot this August, I pray you will all be informed and be sure to vote.  Many times amendments are purposely put on the ballot during the primary due to the low turn-out rate of voters.  Please keep up to date and be sure to share your vote!

My family just started farming this year, we have 20 acres in Farmington.  I attend the local farmer's market each week and talk to others like me who each have 10 - 40 acre farms. 

I was once ready to vote yes on this amendment but then I started to research more and I’ve started to change my mind.  The amendment is worded very vaguely as is the case for many amendments.  So typically if something isn’t worded well, and I'm unable to attain understandable facts, then I vote NO just to send it back to the drawing board to be better worded. 

Making an amendment to the constitution is a big deal – we should be able to word it more specifically!

I try hard to take each issue and research both sides – for and against – before making a judgment.  Also, I want to honor my fellow homeschooling Christians as I share what I’ve learned.  I pray I do a good job of that.  I know we all want what is best for our children and our grandchildren.  With that, here is what I’ll share.

I’ve now read the amendment many times and read over 20 articles on both sides of the debate and I’m planning on a NO vote.  I’m still open to hear arguments that hold details and facts.  But I wanted to at least share another perspective and see what others have to say as well.  Since I’m leaning towards a “NO” vote, I’ll be fair and post information I read in an article that is actually supporting a YES vote.  It is at the link below.

In this article, which is in support of a YES vote, it says this:

http://todaysfarmermagazine.com/mag/881-righttofarm

As one example, Hurst cites a case in Hawaii where a local government outlawed the growing of genetically modified crops.

What this says to me is that they don’t want anyone to be able to complain or put a stop to their Genetically Modified crops.  So if they move in next door to my 20 acres, or upstream from me, and they pollute my land or water with their pesticides, insecticides and herbicides – I have no recourse.  This protects the big farms, but not the small ones like ours.  Shouldn't a local government and it's citizens be able to make this choice or fight against it?  I know I would want to.

It then goes on to say:

 “We believe in the rights of livestock producers to operate their farms in a manner that promotes good animal health and production, and for crop farmers to use the latest technology in a responsible manner without outside influence,”

My question is, if you are “promoting good animal health” then why would you need protection?  These big farmers with their pig operations (as an example) are not promoting good health, they are covering it up with loads of antibiotics. On the other hand, our chickens live a very good life, a healthy life, which means healthy eggs and meat for us and our community.  Therefore, I do not need protection from such a law since I am not polluting the land or the animals.

We have friends in Iowa with 10 children, who run a 600 acre farm.  They tell me that Iowa operates under a similar amendment or law, and as a result their streams and rivers are some of the most polluted in the country.  This is because there is so much manure that the only place these factory farms have to put it is into the streams and rivers.  And they want to avoid being held accountable to that in the event that we consumers object.

This article also uses the term “latest technology”  and that translated means more factory farms and more GMO foods, which science now tells us how dangerous they are.  In fact, 90+% of all our corn in Missouri is GMO.  Other countries have outlawed GMOs so our GMO corn has to be sold in America only.  That seems to say that they need protection because if Americans reject this GMO corn (or soybeans or other crops) then they will have lost a lot of money.  (Read more about GMO foods here:  http://www.responsibletechnology.org/gmo-dangers

Lastly, the article says this:

Oetting thinks the battle for public support for agriculture should continue beyond the August election. “Today, most Americans are three to five generations removed from the farm,” she said. “They don’t understand that science and technology have taken agriculture into the 21st century, as with all business and industry. Farmers have fallen short by not communicating how new production methods help us to be good stewards in caring for the land and our animals.”

On the first point I agree - most Americans are far removed from the farm.  However, I suspect the big farm operations want to keep it that way.  Have you ever tried to call up Tyson chicken and ask for a tour of their facility?  I don't think they would be pleased to show you around.  On the contrary, small farmers love visitors and have nothing to hide!

On the second point he makes, he is saying that the average American is not-so-smart and doesn’t understand all their "technology".  The technology they refer to is factory farm technology and GM crop technology.(aka: pesticides, herbicides, etc.)  The same companies who make the GM seeds, also make all the sprays that these seeds are supposedly resistant to.  Therefore, the farmers who buy them spray even more heavily now than years ago.

I have personally been inside a Pork factory farm (by special invitation of a family friend who owned it) and I can tell you there is nothing about it that is caring for land or animals or those of us to eat the meat.  In fact, they wouldn’t allow me to bring a camera into the building and I can see why.  Our family didn’t eat pork for 5 years just because the smell alone was so bad that we couldn’t get it out of our memory for years.  Until we moved to Missouri and found a farmer who raises his pigs outdoors, then we started eating pork again.

Now don't these pigs look happy?  No activist can complain about a well-cared-for pig
and well cared for land!
Photo Credit: Salatin Family

I think it is wise to have in place the laws we currently have and not outlandish lawsuits and animal rights activists getting carried away.  But we already have laws here for that.  We already have a right to farm.  But we also need to be good stewards of our land as God instructs - and having an amendment like this would take things to the constitutional level and make it very difficult to hold any factory farm accountable for any wrong doings. 

So that is why I have changed my vote to “no” on this amendment.

Whether this amendment passes or not, we can all at peace knowing that ultimately God is in control.  The duty is ours to be informed and to vote, but the results are Gods!

Thanks for reading, blessings,

Sheri

 

From the Farmer's Perspective

 

As I drove out early this morning to go to the local farmer’s market, I was thinking about how much I love this land and this area.  How much I love raising our own food, and how beautiful the landscape is.

Once at the farmer’s market I had great conversation and idea sharing with the many vendors – who are really just my neighbors - each with their own patch of land around Farmington.  One sweet lady offered all the free oregano plants I wanted if I’ll stop by her place – which it turns out is only a few miles from us.  You see, these folks aren’t in this to get rich; they are doing what they love and what they know.  They want to provide real food, grown on family farms, prepared in their own kitchens.  At the market you’ll likely see signs that say “We aren’t certified USDA organic, but we use all organic practices.”  OR “Our food isn’t inspected by the USDA, it is prepared with care in our own kitchen.”

It’s so wonderful to see that I’m purchasing herbs, vegetables, lotions and other goods that were prepared by someone’s hands in their own kitchen.  Rather than made in a huge facility, unknown to me, made by people I don’t know, and then shipped hundreds or thousands of miles in a semi-truck and sold to me by a big-box store.  It is only because of this lack of accountability that we feel we need that “USDA approved organic” sticker on the package of food we buy.  Rather, I just take the word of “Linda” who dried my herbs and put them in a baggie for me, or “Randy” who sold me a jar of honey that he produced with his own bees and poured into a jar just for me.

At one point during my shopping spree at the farmer’s market, an older woman stopped to look at the potatoes being sold in baskets.  She asked about the weight of each basket and the farmer said he hadn’t weighed them.  But rather it was just $2.00 per basket-full.  She said, “Well, that’s a rip off!”

I stood in awe of her boldness to say such a thing and then walk off.  But then I felt sad... sad for her and sad for local farmers.  As I looked at the smiling farmer behind the table full of potatoes and other produce, I could see the many hours he put into bringing this food to the little, modest market.  And the effort he put in to avoiding pesticides, insecticides and other dangerous chemicals.  I could just imagine how many potatoes he might have lost this year to bugs or other intruders that prey on plants when they are grown naturally.  I could see the dirt under his nails and the sun-kissed skin that showed the amount of time he must spend outdoors on his garden.  I know first-hand what it takes to grow a good potato!  But this woman who made the comment really felt she wasn’t getting a good deal.  My guess is that she’s accustomed to purchasing potatoes and other produce from large discount stores.  Grocery store produce is subjected to who-knows-how-many chemicals.  (And as a side-note, potatoes are on the top ten list of the most heavily sprayed produce!) 

I’m sure she’s also used to seeing all her potatoes look the same size and be perfectly uniform in color.  Yes, this is what heavy chemicals can do to produce, make it all look the same.  She probably doesn’t realize that the “cheap” potatoes she bought at the discount grocery are likely more chemical than they are food.  She also doesn’t see the value in supporting these small family farmers who are our last link to real food that isn’t genetically engineered in some facility far away.  These farmers are also our last link to seeds that aren’t patented by the likes of Monsanto and other companies.  (And yes, it’s getting harder and harder to seed-swap with other farmers due to these patents!)

The reality is, these farmers are our last link to REAL food grown by people who care about the food, the land and their community.

I bought three baskets of that farmer’s potatoes and said, “These look great.  I know what it takes to grow a good potato!”  And he smiled a small, modest smile and said, “Yes, ma’am, it’s hard work.”

I’ll take that hard work any day for as long as I’m able.  Buying from a farmer whose farm I can visit myself, and having a relationship with that farmer is a wonderful experience.  It is far more rewarding and comforting than buying my lettuce at the big grocery store.  (Yes, there might be a little caterpillar on my lettuce - but that's a GOOD sign.  If a caterpillar is on it, then that means it isn't sprayed with insecticide!)

It is wonderful to be able to put a face to the farmer who grew my food.  Just try calling one of the brand-names on your grocery-store bought foods and ask to tour their facility.  I don’t think you’ll be welcome.  But most farmers I speak to at the local market invite me regularly to see their farms.  They are proud of what they are doing and nothing is hidden from me, the consumer!

Our neighbors grow blueberries.  These taste nothing
like blueberries at the stores!  All that travel time to the store
takes out nutrition and taste.  These are truly God's candy!
Learning to eat seasonally isn't easy, but it's worth it.
We will freeze many of these and look forward to next
summer when we can pick them and eat them fresh again -
knowing we are loading up on antioxidants that don't
come from grocery-store blueberries.

Dear friends, farmer’s markets serve not only as a way for people to purchase locally grown produce, but also as a chance for them to connect with others in their communities.  Purchasing local goods is an experience that promotes a sense of place, important in making individuals feel tied to their communities.

These markets also have many environmental benefits such as reduced transportation costs and reduced vehicle emissions.  (That strawberry package you bought at Walmart probably travelled to the store from several states away – or perhaps from Mexico – on a semi-truck!)

  Farmer’s markets have the potential to shift the local economy of their community by encouraging consumers to change their diets and eat more seasonally.  This allows more money to circulate within the region and spill over to the other local businesses.  Farmer’s markets are also less likely to relocate than large grocery stores and they provide stability for local economies.

I pray the local farmer doesn’t fad away while folks head to big-box stores to get their weekly groceries.  Support your local farmers and find yourself happier, food-educated, and healthier too!

For more reasons and ideas for farmer’s market shopping, see this link:

http://www.superkidsnutrition.com/nutrition-resources/oc-top-10-farmers-market/

Psalms 24:1

Earth, Belonging To GodGuardiansNatureResponsibility, Of Natural WorldThe earth is the LORD'S, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.

 

Pass the Worm Juice!

We’ve now been making “worm juice” for about 5 months and are having good results.  We’re nearly r

Our garden is doing well using the worm juice our worms have
produced.  We use no other fertilizers.  And as for
weed control, we use cardboard, paper,
hay and mulch.

eady to share it with others who are interested in organic fertilizer for their house plants or gardens.

WHAT IS WORM JUICE?

We’re glad you asked!  It’s a by-product of nature in a liquid form.  Worm Juice is rich in good nitrogen fixing bacteria, and the key is that the bacteria are ready-available minerals and trace elements so it can be immediately used by your plants.

We have several worm farms in our barn right now, eating our kitchen vegetable scraps along with the soil we give them.  As worms break­down the food source they pro­duce a liq­uid that will fall to the low­est part of the container and drip into a bucket we keep under it. This juice is liq­uid gold as it works as an amaz­ing fer­til­izer. The great thing is you don’t need that much either. The ratio can be as much as 9:1 water: worm juice. How­ever the ratio will dif­fer depend­ing on how much we water our worms.  Sounds odd perhaps, but the lit­tle crit­ters don’t like it to be dry in there so we try to keep the envi­ron­ment as moist as pos­si­ble.

The best worm juice should look like a light brown, something like a weak cup of tea.

The worms produce a lot more of this juice in the warmer months and less in the cooler months.  But an overabundance of it in the summer can be saved until it is needed later!

Most of the “ingredients” that we put in our worm farms are organic table scraps from vegetables and fruits along with other compost.  The worms make wonderful compost and also leave behind the liquid which we drain from the bottom of the containers and put into gallon jugs.  This liquid can be mixed with water and then given directly to your house plants or garden plants for a boost in nutrition.

We are still learning proper use and have not had our “juice” tested yet.  In the past, we have seen the following results from others who have had theirs tested:

·         pH – 8.5: That’s a high pH for soil, but for a fertilizer added every week or two it’s fine.

·         Nitrogen – 1120 ppm: That’s high for a fertilizer.  About twice the concentration I’d use if I were applying a liquid fertilizer to my plants at home. The nitrogen is present mostly as nitrate, which is a good thing.  If the nitrogen were present primarily as ammonium, that might cause problems.

·         Phosphorus – 22 ppm: That’s a good/appropriate concentration of phosphorus for most plants. It’s much less than we apply when we use a typical garden fertilizer. Potassium – 5034 ppm: This is an order of magnitude higher than we’d apply for most plants using a liquid fertilizer.

·         Calcium – 279 ppm: This is a reasonable amount of calcium.

·         Magnesium – 211 ppm: This is reasonable amount of magnesium.

·         Sodium – 634 ppm

·         Other elements present included Iron, Copper, Manganese, Zinc, Molybdenum, and Boron, all at levels less than 1 ppm.

Our conclusion so far is that this makes an excellent liquid fertilizer if it is used properly.  Diluting it is important and applying it only once each week or two seems appropriate.  We are also sure not to get it on the leaves of the plants, only on the soil below.

This is a great way to avoid those chemical plant fertilizers by using own design in nature, and it’s affordable too.

You can start your own worm farm too - a great homeschool project for any family.

Here's just a little to get you started:  http://www.veryediblegardens.com/iveg/worms

Don't want to deal with worms?  We'll be selling our worm juice to all who are interested very soon!

Why We Avoid GMO's

Just a few years ago I had never heard of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms).  After learning about my daughter's rare epilepsy and after doing tons of research, my eyes were opened.
This, along with the blessing from the Lord to run across other moms who had the similar or same issues with their children, helped me begin a process of being more involved with the food we ate. 

During this time I witnessed two moms  heal their children from autism and severe epilepsy, respectively.  I saw grand mal seizures every month go to zero seizures almost immediately after switching eating habits.  While we are still working on being disciplined in this area, I am constantly trying to do what I can to improve our food sources.

The more I learn the more I want to share with others who may not want to spend much of their lives researching food!   I suspect that many food companies count on people not willing to do the research or make changes in their eating habits.  They count on it so that they can continue to do what is most profitable.  This is likely the reason there is such a fuss right now with companies fighting to avoid labeling their foods when they contain GMOs.  An uninformed public is better for them.

Let me be sure to say that while I do believe that ultimately the Lord is in control, I also know that He says "money is the root of all evil" and this is a perfect example.  GMO foods make some companies a lot of money... at the expense of our health.  It is important for us all to be alert and understand what we are eating and feeding our children.

Perhaps you don't see any health issues in your family.  I can say this, once finding a health issue in our family, suddenly making these changes became of upmost importance. 
And just because you don't see it right now, doesn't mean nothing is happening underneath.

Can folks continue to eat GMOs without ill effect?  I believe 100% NO.  We simply can't eat pesticides and herbicides and experience no ill effect.  Yes, perhaps some will not see the effects for many years and maybe some will live without ever seeing any.  I can say I have heard of a few people who have smoked their entire lives and never had lung cancer... but that doesn't mean it's healthy.

So with that intro, here is some information for you to break it down into simple terms.

GMO's — or genetically modified organisms — are plants or animals created through gene splicing techniques. They are foods created by merging DNA from different species.

The first GMO crop (the Flavr Savr tomato) was approved by the FDA in 1994. Since then, GMO (or GE) varieties of corn, soya, sugar beets and canola have become common local crops in Canada and the U.S.  In a mere 20 years, GMO ingredients have made their way into most of the processed foods available on grocery shelves.

 

Amazingly, many countries have outlawed them and will not purchase our American GMO corn.  America is not exporting much, instead we are eating it ourselves and feeding it to the animals we eat.  So we are getting large quantities of this in our diets.

GMO crops, when first introduced, were touted as the answer to world hunger. The argument was that by developing pesticide and herbicide resistant crops, farmer's would be able to increase their yields and decrease their costs. This has not proven to be the case. Instead, bugs and weeds have become increasingly resistant to the widespread applications of these chemicals, leading to increased use of both. More spraying means more costs for the farmers, more damage to the environment and more health concerns.

 

However, this means more product purchased from the seed producer.  The companies that develop and patent GMO seeds are the same companies that develop and patent the pesticides and herbicides to which the unique seeds are resistant.  Monsanto (and now Dow) is the largest seed company in the world and owns about 86% of GMO seeds globally.  It is also the parent of Roundup.  (I'll post about Roundup another time).

 

By eating GMOs we are eating large quantities of pesticides and herbicides.  No doubt about it.  No one can convince me this is a healthy thing to do.  The safety which these companies tout is unproven and more and more research is showing that these foods are not only effecting our healthy but also doing environmental damage.  Most nations have policies requiring mandatory labeling of GMO foods at the very least, and many have banned them completely.  But not here in the USA.

 

Many people are unaware that the foods they choose contain GMO ingredients.  They are in nearly everything.  If you purchase processed foods with anything made from corn, you can be certain you're eating GMO corn.  If you purchase beef at the local grocery, that cow was eating GMO grains.  We aren't eating small quantities of it, we're eating TONS of it.

 

We are currently struggling to find non-GMO corn for our chickens and have learned that there is NO organic, non-GMO corn produced anywhere in Missouri.  Except one small farm that has just finished a 5-year process to become organic, USDA approved.  They are an Amish family.  The cost of their highly nutritious chicken feed is 4x the cost of the GMO feed.  The government requirements are so costly that they have no choice but to raise these prices.  Personally, if I had to pay $5.00 for a dozen eggs, I would do it in order to get REAL eggs.  Many people spend more than that each day at Starbucks.  It's all about choices.

 

While we're thankful to have at least one farm growing grains the right way - we still have the possibility of cross-contamination of Monsanto's seeds.  (And as a side note, did you know that if any of Monsanto's seeds were to blow onto our property and contaminate our field, that they could sue us for "stealing" their patented seeds?  Craziness!)

 

So what can you do?  Here are some ideas:

• Read labels and avoid anything with soy, corn or canola oil.
• Purchase as much organic as possible.  Google the "top ten pesticide filled vegis" to get an idea of where to start.  For example, apples and strawberries are typically sprayed the most so start with those if you can't afford to buy all your vegis organic.
• Shop at local farmer's markets where you can get to know your farmer and their practices.  You're taste buds will also thank you!
• Grow a garden in your backyard.  Even a small one is a great start.
• If you have the space, get a few chickens.  They provide natural pest control, keep the grass cut for you, fertilize your yard naturally, and provide eggs as a by-product.  :-)  A back-yard flock is the best thing going.
• Stop using Roundup and other weed killers around your home.  White vinegar, salt water - work great for weed killing.  Or just pull them, or learn to live with them!
• Avoid milk products unless you can get them from organic, raw milk.  There are many here in Missouri who are raising healthy dairy cows and would love to sell you some raw milk.  Again, your taste buds will also thank you.  Our family avoids all pasteurized foods now and have reaped many health benefits from it.  You can find cheddar cheese made from raw milk at Trader Joes for a reasonable price too!
• Stay informed.  Take a few minutes to find information.  The internet makes it easy to find what you need, and isn't your health worth it?  If you learned you had cancer tomorrow - wouldn't you be learning all you could about it?  Don't wait for health to fail you - research now and make changes a little at a time.  You'll be glad you did!

The only remedy for staying away from GMO-filled foods is a change in eating.  This change is pretty simple but just a little pricey.  Still, much cheaper than all of the medicines we would be paying for otherwise.

The U.S. National Organic Program forbids the use of GMO practices, so eating as organic as possible is the only way to stay away from GMOs.  Look for the GMO-free label on products you by.  And most importantly, stay away from highly-processed foods.

 

To see the top 10 GMO foods, you can check out this informative video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LAKFhDguuw

 

God gave us all we need to be healthy.  While we may still suffer from sickness (as we are a fallen people), we can do many things to improve our health.  Satan doesn't just work hard on our spirit, he also attacks our health so that we will not be well enough to serve others!  We must always be alert.... but we can enjoy eating more naturally and reap the rewards from it as well!