Thieves "Make and Take" Party

I had hope that the weather for my March 25 party would feel spring-like. Instead, my guests ventured out in the "last (I hope!)" snow storm of this long winter. Thanks for coming! We made four thieves-inspired projects, and here's the details in case you want to try these at home. If you are curious about the Thieves blend of essential oils, you can read up on why I love it here.

1. Moisturizing Antibacterial Foaming Hand Wash

Studies are showing that the triclosan found in most conventional "antibacterial" soaps can create health problems with hormones and resistant bacteria. Here's a recipe for hand soap without the junk!

Ingredients: 

1. One 8oz or 250ml bottle with a foaming pump. You can reuse one or I found mine here. There are directions for making adorable Mason jar containers with foaming pumps, but I didn't have time to cut the lids for this party.

2. 2 Tablespoons unscented castile soap. I bought mine from Amazon.

3. 1-2 teaspoons fractionated coconut oil. I found it on Amazon.

4. 10-15 drops of Thieves essential oil blend. You can buy it from Young Living.

Directions:

1. Pour the castile soap and fractionated coconut oil into the bottle.

2. Add the essential oils.

3. Fill the rest of the way with water, leaving room for the pump.

4. Screw on the top and shake gently. 

I charged $5 for the soap with my bottles, and just $3.50 if someone brought their own bottle.

2. Hand Sanitizer with Thieves Oil

Here's where I found this recipe for hand sanitizer without the nasty triclosan. 

 Ingredients:
1. 2 Tablespoons aloe vera gel. I found the gel on Vitacost.com.
2. 1 Tablespoon filtered water
3. 1/8 teaspoon Vitamin E oil. I also found this on Vitacost.
4. 5 drops of Thieves oil.
5. A 2 oz. squeeze bottle. There are great ones on Amazon for about $6, but I found cute ones in the travel section at Target.

Directions:

1. Combine the aloe vera gel, vitamin E oil, and the Thieves oil. 

2. Add some water to thin it until it is thin enough to coat your hand. 

Option: One friend brought a small spray bottle, and she made the sanitizer thin enough to spray onto her kids' hands at the park.

I charged $3.50 for the hand sanitizer, and only $1.50 if they brought their own container.

3. All Purpose Thieves Cleaner

Do you know how many toxic ingredients are found in conventional cleaning products? Thieves Household Cleaner uses safe and effective essential oils to clean. 

Ingredients:

1. 32 oz. spray bottle. I found some on Amazon. 

2. Water

3. 2 Tablespoons Thieves Household Cleaner. 

Directions:

Fill the bottle with water to just below the "fill line." Add Thieves Cleaner and screw on top. Shake gently to mix.

I charged $5.00 for the cleaner. I would just charge $2.50 for a refill.

4. Bug Repellent Lotion Bars

Every summer we get tons of mosquitos in our backyard, and I'm hesitant to use typical bug repellents, especially on my little kids, because the DEET is poisonous. I'm excited to try these bug repellent lotion bars this year. You just rub them on your body before heading outside. I'll make sure to include a review of them later this spring. The recipe makes 6 .5-.75oz bars.  If you do get a bug bite, here's an article about an easy remedy that you can find in your kitchen.

Ingredients: 

1. 1/4 cup coconut oil. I bought my oil from Tropical Traditions.

2. 1/4 cup grated shea butter. I found it on Amazon.

3. 1/4 cup grated beeswax, firmly packed. I bought it from Amazon. 

4. 1/4 teaspoon Vitamin E Oil (optional). I found it at Vitacost.

5. 1/4 teaspoon Purification oil blend. You can buy it at Young Living.

6. 1/4 teaspoon Thieves oil blend. You can find it at Young Living.

7. Silicon mold - I bought a Wilson mold at Michael's with a 40% off coupon. 

Directions: 

1. Using a glass bowl or double boiler over a pot of boiling water, gently melt the beeswax, coconut oil, and shea butter.

2. Stir the ingredients until they melt.

3. Remove from heat. Add the essential oils and Vitamin E. 

4. Stir until blended, and then pour into a mold. 

Allow the bars to cool before removing. You can put them in the refrigerator to cool them more quickly. They can be stored for up to 6 months. Keep them in an airtight container. 

I charged $3.00 for each lotion bar. 

Next Steps: How can I get some Thieves oil?

1. You can order on Amazon or directly from Young Living for retail prices. 

2. You can sign up to be an Independent Distributor for Young Living, and you'll receive wholesale prices. The Premium Starter Kit is a great deal with a diffuser and 10 oils including Thieves. 

3. If you're interested in jumping in on my monthly order, I'll pass on my wholesale prices and cheaper shipping to you.

If you register as a retail customer or distributor with Young Living, you need a member code. My number is 1513256. 

Getting ready for spring while we wait for the next snow storm

Another snow storm may be predicted for this week, but I'm dreaming about green grass and warm sunshine. Even though fresh veggies may be months away, here are some ways you can prepare now to enjoy your CSA or local farmer's market.

1. Save your plastic produce bags, fruit containers, and grocery bags. 

These bags and containers are handy when you pick up your share from a CSA. They can also extend the life of your greens when you wrap them in paper towels and put them in a bag in the refrigerator.

2. CSA and farmer's market gift ideas

-Market basket: My mother-in-law bought me a beautiful, fair-trade African market basket.
-Small cooler: I've seen cute ones on Zulily and Amazon.
-Sun hat: You don't want a sunburn while you pick cherry tomatoes.
-A good seasonal recipe book: I have Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything," but I'm sure there are many other resources with seasonal recipes.

3. Get ready to preserve summer's bounty

-Dehydrator: I have an Excalibur Dehydrator, and it's amazing what it can preserve. This year I'm going to work on blanching the spring greens and then drying them. 

-Canning supplies

-Fermenting supplies: Fermenting foods creates an amazing amount of beneficial bacteria for much less cost than probiotic supplements. I use the Pickl-It system that has an air-lock to produce an anaerobic environment. You only have to buy a few expensive Pickl-It jars, and then you can move the ferments to the less expensive Fido jars.  If you want more information about fermenting, the Intentionally Domestic blog has videos and explanations. 

CSA Selection - NFL Combine style

My husband gets the credit for the analogy between choosing your CSA (Community supported agriculture) and the NFL Combine. I enjoy cheering for the Eagles, and I understand a lot of the game, but I'd never heard of the Combine. For anyone confused by the comparison, here's a quick explanation. Every February, the top college athletes are asked to demonstrate their strength, speed, and skills before coaches and scouts. Essentially, it's a way for teams to compare players in one place before the draft. Even though the football season doesn't begin until fall, the coaches want time to plan their rosters. For those of us wanting to eat affordable, local, and seasonal foods, February is CSA sign-up time. The harvest doesn't begin until June, but the farmers need time to plan crops, quantities, and have money to buy seeds. Before you draft your vegetables for the next season, here is a comparison of your options.

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The Tests: 

1. Speed Test: How much time does it take to get your food during a pick-up? 

It is really important to find a CSA that matches your schedule and availability. When we were part of  Red Hill Farm, I could spend 1-1.5 hours during a pick-up because of all the wonderful, but time-consuming, options for the u-pick portion of the share. I needed to allocate enough time each week to sample cherry tomatoes off the vine and cut a bouquet of sunflowers. We split a full share with another family, so I only had to do the pick-up every other week.  In comparison, I spent about 5 minutes during a pick-up from Red Earth Farm. All of my items were already in a box, and I just had to transfer them to my bags. I could pay extra for flowers if I wanted them, but there weren't any free u-pick items. How much time will your schedule allow this year?

2. Volume Test: How many vegetables can you eat or preserve each week?

I've grown suspicious of the descriptions from CSAs that guide your choice about a full or partial share. This past year, I read that a full share was good for a family of four or a couple that eats a lot of vegetables. Since we had four family members, I figured we should go for a full share. Oops. We were drowning in vegetables, and I felt ashamed at how much went to waste before I could cook it. This year, we will be splitting a full share with another family. Instead of 10 items every week, we will have 5. I will be able to include the 5 vegetables in our weekly meals, and with Red Earth Farm I can always order extra if I have time to preserve more. Unless you eat tons of vegetables, I would recommend splitting a share or getting a partial share. You can always buys more vegetables at a local farmer's market, but too many vegetables can lead to an over-stuffed refrigerator and waste.

3. The Green Test - Does the farm use organic or conventional methods for fertilization and pest management? 

I have been a member of three CSAs, and none of them were "Certified Organic." It is costly for a farm to apply for federal organic certification. Instead, all of the farms I joined follow organic techniques. Before signing up for a CSA, make sure you ask whether the farm uses organic or conventional methods for fertilization and pest management.

4. The Selection Test - Do you get a choice about what vegetables you receive each week? 

Red Earth Farm allows you to see a list of available vegetables each week, and you can select which ones you would like to receive. We were able to avoid some vegetables that we struggled to eat in the past, and we could plan the weekly menu in advance. Many CSAs provide the same vegetables for everyone. This leads to some surprising items in your weekly share, but it can be a fun challenge learning how to cook new foods. I definitely recommend getting a thorough recipe book like Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. The weekly surprises in our CSA box have expanded our palates and we've found new favorites that we'd never tried before.

5. The Google Images Test - Are items labeled or do you have to guess what you have through a search of Google Images? 

This question was generated by my first CSA experience. I split a share with a friend through a Maryland-based CSA. The food came in a box without labels, and we had a great time trying to figure out what we had. Alien broccoli, anyone?

I spent two seasons with Red Hill Farm, and they have a large dry erase board with a list of items for the week. They also label each basket. I discovered that the camera on my phone was helpful so that I could remember what some of the unusual items were called. The box from Red Earth Farm has a print-out of items you selected for the week.

6. The Extras Test - What other options are available? 

Sometimes a CSA will allow you to also sign up for a fruit, yogurt, egg, or cheese share. Red Hill Farm always has free u-pick items as part of the weekly share. One of my favorite memories of Red Hill was picking strawberries during a warm summer rain. Red Hill also has a winter market where members can buy fresh vegetables throughout the winter season.

Additional questions:

1. Is there a safe area for kids to play on the farm during pick-ups?

2. Is there a newsletter or other resources with ideas for recipes?

3. Are there any community parties or ways to get to know other members?

4. Are you expected to volunteer on the farm?
5. Are work shares available?
6. Is the payment due at once or can it be paid in installments?

Draft Time:

So, are you a suburban wanna-be farmer who loves getting some sun while picking raspberries or a busy mom with young kids who values speed and convenience at this stage of life? Hopefully, these tests will help you evaluate your local CSAs and draft one that meets your needs for time, budget, and refrigerator space.

Delaware County, PA CSA Options:
1. Hillside Farm, Media, PA
2. Red Earth Farm -many pick-up locations including Swarthmore, Wallingford, Media, and Philadelphia
3. Red Hill Farm, Aston, PA
4. SIW Vegetables, Chadds Ford, PA - attached to a farmer's market and has some unusual options
5. Thornbury Farm, West Chester, PA
Looking for a CSA in your area? Check www.localharvest.org for farms near you.

Are you a CSA member? What do you look for in your CSA?

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Where can you find nutritious food when it's not in your neighborhood grocery store?

I've been on a journey towards traditional foods for the past three years, and finding healthy foods is one of the biggest hurdles I've encountered during this process. I would read about the benefits of raw milk or grass-fed beef, but then I wasn't sure where to buy them. I live in a suburb of Philadelphia, and we don't have dairy farms or chickens in our backyards. With a little investigation, I've discovered raw milk, grass-fed beef, pastured poultry and eggs, and raw honey within a 20 minute drive of my home. During a typical week, I may purchase food from 3-4 sources, so it's definitely not as convenient as one-stop shopping at the local grocery store. However, I know I'm buying fresh, healthy food, and I'm directly supporting local farmers. Here are some of my sources, and I'll continue to add more to the list as I find them.


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Butter from grass-fed cows: 

1. Your Family Farmer

2. Trader Joes or Wholefoods  - I buy Kerrygold butter.

3. Local health food store.

4. My local milk co-op (see raw milk section) has found a source of raw butter and raw cream. It's not always available, but I was really excited about the option.

Coconut Oil:

1. Trader Joe's or your local grocery store
2.  Tropical Traditions - also has coconut flour, coconut milk, and tomato products in glass jars instead of cans
3. Vitacost

Organic Produce:

1. CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) - We have been part of Red Hill Farm and Red Earth Farm. Red Earth Farm has delivery points throughout the Philadelphia area. 

2. Indian Orchard - A tiny, hundred-year-old family farm where you can pick peaches, blueberries, pears, and apples. It's located near Linvilla Orchard in Media, PA.
3. Farmer's Markets - Ridley Park (Thurs. 4-7pm), Swarthmore (Sat. 9:30am-1:30pm), and Media (Thurs. 3-7pm). Here's a link to information about many farmer's markets in the Philadelphia region. 
4. Your Family Farmer
5. Door to Door Organics
6. BJ's Wholesale and Costco often sell organic produce

Raw milk and pastured eggs: 

1. The most affordable milk I've found ($4/gallon!) is through a local milk co-op. We pick up from Green Ridge Farm in Parkesburg, PA. You can find many more farms that sell raw milk in PA at the www.realmilk.com.
2. My local health food store Martindale's sells raw milk, cheese, pastured eggs, grass-fed beef, and organic produce.
3. Your Family Farmer is a group of farmers that sell raw milk, raw cheese, pastured poultry and eggs, woodland pork, and grass-fed beef. They deliver every 2 weeks to drop-off points throughout Pennsylvania.
4. When I've traveled, I've found sources of raw milk in CT, FL, and NH through the website www.realmilk.com. It has a "real milk finder" with information about each state in the United States. One of our favorite vacation memories was meeting a three day old calf at a dairy farm in NH when we stopped to buy raw milk and cheese.

Pastured Chickens and Grass-fed beef:
1. Canter Hill Farm in Malvern, PA. They sell at local farmer's markets, and they sell retail in Wolff's Apple House in Media, PA.
2. Forks Farm in Orangeville, PA. They also sell at local farmer's markets, and they have a monthly drop-off in Media. There is a Facebook group you can join if you are interested in their drop-off.
3. Your Family Farmer - They have weekly drop-offs in Media, and they have weekly or bi-weekly deliveries all over the state of PA.
4. Farmer's markets - Ridley Park (Thurs. 4-7pm), Swarthmore (Sat. 9:30am-1:30pm), and Media (Thurs. 3-7pm). Here's a link to information about many farmer's markets in the Philadelphia region.

The Weston A. Price Foundation produces an annual "Shopping Guide" with 'Best, Good, and Avoid' categories for all kinds of food.  I have several copies of this guide if you would like one, and you can get more information or request one at www.westonaprice.org. 

Christmas = family petri dish of germs

While blogging has fallen by the wayside for a period of time, my efforts at real food have continued. I've been learning and trying new things, made it through a pregnancy, and now have another baby boy.  I've grown increasingly cautious about turning to conventional medicine for everyday aches, pains, and mild illnesses, but I didn't have many "all natural" or holistic tools to offer my family as an alternative. A friend kept posting about the wonders of essential oils, and I finally decided to give them a try.

This fall I signed up for an introductory pack of essential oils and a diffuser from Young Living. One of the oil blends is called Thieves. According to the Essential Oils pocket reference, 5th Ed., the clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus, and rosemary oils in the blend have antiviral, antiseptic, antibacterial, and anti-infectious properties. There was a study held at Weber State University in Oregon in 1997, and it showed that after 20 minutes of diffusing Thieves, there was a 99.3 percent reduction in the number of gram positive Micrococcus luteus organisms. Since I had no idea what that organism was, I looked it up on Wikipedia. Essentially, it is a bacteria that is typically found on human skin, and it can colonize in the mouth, nose, throat, and upper respiratory system. It doesn't usually cause illness, but it can be dangerous for people with compromised immune systems.

Since November, I've been diffusing Thieves in our home in an effort to kill bacteria and nasty germs. As a family, we made it through November and December with just some congestion and mild coughing. As we packed to visit family for Christmas, we heard that my two nieces were diagnosed with Type A influenza three days before we would see them.  The diffuser and Thieves were on the top of our packing list. During our trip, I diffused Thieves in the kitchen and the bedroom where we were sleeping. Even though my sister-in-law said she felt achey on the day we arrived, her symptoms didn't get worse, and no one else got the flu. We came home with some mild cold symptoms, and my three year old had minor tummy issues, but overall, we were just fine. After spending five days together with 14 people in one house, we were rejoicing that the flu and other illnesses were held at bay. Unfortunately, I learned today that my sister-in-law was diagnosed five days after our trip with walking pneumonia, but we're praying she gets better soon.

One day after we came home, we packed and drove down to spend some time with my in-laws. During the week before our visit, various people from that side of the family had bad colds and pink eye. As we drove, we heard that our nephew was running a fever. The next morning, during our visit, he was diagnosed with strep. Before the doctor's appointment, my oldest son was sitting next to my nephew. The boys were being silly and breathing on each other while their faces were just an inch away from one another. The diffuser and Thieves came out again. We ran it in the kitchen and in the playroom during the day and in our bedroom at night. We had 8 children under the age of 6 and 8 adults in the house. The incubation period for strep is usually 2-5 days. It's been 6 days, and no one else got strep. My mother-in-law has been ill, and my baby and I have been congested, but strep did not spread.

Merry Christmas 

and a 

Happy and Healthy 2014 

from our family to yours!

I'm so grateful to have found essential oils as one of my tools to support health. This Christmas we were exposed to a host of illnesses, and we walked away relatively unscathed. I'm going to continue giving my family probiotics, fermented cod liver oil, bone broth, and raw milk kefir to build their immune systems, but it's nice to have a strategy to fight germs in our home and when we are traveling. I know essential oils can be expensive, but they are worth the cost to me compared to the copayments at doctor appointments, missed work, and prescription costs for antibiotics.
For my local friends, I'm going to be organizing a Thieves party soon where we can make hand gel and household cleaners with Thieves. Please let me know if you're interested, and I can get you more information. I can also help people get Thieves for wholesale prices.

Essential oils pocket reference. United States of America: Life Science Publishing, May 2011. Print.

"Micrococcus luteus." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. np. Last modified 7 Dec 2013. Web. 3 Jan 2014.

Here's a link to a video that explains more about how to use Thieves.
Thieves Video 
Here's some of the Thieves products and more information:
Thieves Booklet

Signs of Change

My two little boys are in their playroom setting the table and pretending to make food. I just overheard Curious George say to Happy Dancer, "I'm scooping your cod liver oil." Wow, how our diet has changed!

Since we are drinking raw milk without added Vitamin D, we needed another source of Vitamin D in our diet. The Weston A. Price Foundation describes cod liver oil as "our most important superfood." Their website has detailed information about the importance of cod liver oil, and they have recommendations for the best brands.

Every day we take our butter oil/fermented cod liver oil from Green Pasture. We began with the Chocolate cream, and the combination of chocolate and fish was initially gag-inducing. My husband couldn't stand it, so he switched to the capsules. Since our little boys can't take a capsule yet, we had to find a way to tolerate the smell and taste. I discovered that if I coated the spoonful of cod liver oil with applesauce, I could swallow without wanting to lose my lunch. Amazingly, my palate has really changed over the last 6 months, and now I don't really need the applesauce. I don't even smell the fishy aroma anymore. For variety, we tried Green Pasture's Cinnamon Tingle flavor of cod liver oil. They aren't kidding about the "tingle" part. The tingle was so strong that it made Happy Dancer cry. We had to separate his 1/2 tsp. serving over several bites with lots of applesauce. Now we are back to the Chocolate Cream flavor, and everyone happily takes their cod liver oil every night.

Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease

My grandma and two of my uncles died from heart disease. I'm praying that the changes we are making to our diet will stop the pattern of people dying too young in our family.

Heart Surgeon Speaks Out On What Really Causes Heart Disease -- Health & Wellness -- Sott.net: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease