How to Find Locally-Grown Food & Support Small Businesses

May 8, 2013 by   Megan

By Megan Ciampa, Contributing Writer

We’ve all heard that buying local and supporting small businesses is one of the best things you can do for your local economy.  We might even grow our vegetables or gardens, which is probably the very best way to “go local” — right in your own backyard!  But for those of us on that gradual learning curve to buying local and supporting locally owned small businesses, what’s another way to go about it?

In the past few years I’ve gradually tried to purchase foods closer and closer to home.  Sometimes that is within a couple miles’ radius, sometimes it is foods grown within my state, which could span hundreds of miles.  Other times, I may buy from a small business located out of state. Either way, I’m supporting a family operation and feel good about purchasing foods in this manner.  (To be sure though, I also do purchase many foods at my local chain grocery stores.)

If you are trying to find local foods, whether it be produce, meat, or dairy and eggs, try these options to find what’s available in your area.

Online Resources to find Local Foods:

  • EatWild.com – “Your source for safe, healthy, natural and nutritious grass-fed beef, lamb, goats, bison, poultry, pork, dairy and other wild edibles.”
  • LocalHarvest.org – “Real food. Real Harvest. Real Community.”  The site lists farms, CSAs (community supported agriculture), farmer’s markets, wholesale, grocery/co-ops, meat processors, and even restaurants in your area.
  • Find your local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter – http://www.westonaprice.org/local-chapters/find-local-chapter.  Even if you are not a member or familiar with WAPF principles, contacting the leader of your local group may inform you of nearby resources for meats, dairy, produce, or other various co-ops.
  • PickYourOwn.org - Interested in local u-pick farms? This is a massive inventory spanning several countries and continents. It tells you when the seasons are to pick which fruit or vegetable and lists contact informations for the farms.
  • Paleo by City – Bill & Hayley of Primal Palate have created a forum where you can look up  restaurants, shops, farmers markets and other resources that are available in your neck of the woods.  In some cases they may even list naturally-minded medical practitioners.
  • FarmersMarket.com – As the name suggests, it aims to list all the local farmer’s markets by name, address or zip code.  
  • The Resources page on your favorite blog ;-) … See Healthy Home Economist or Mommypotamus’ resources pages for additional examples!

If you feel all out of luck or live in an area where there is little grown locally, there are still several options where you can order food online and have it shipped to you. Amazon.com, USWellnessMeats.com, TropicalTraditions.com all carry gourmet foods, grocery items, or food items in bulk.  

Best of all: Word of Mouth

Perhaps the best way of all to find good local food?  The quintessential word of mouth.  Finding out from others is even easier now with social media as you can quickly list a question on your Facebook feed or on Twitter or Instagram and find out from others where they find the best resources for local food.

How do you find local food? What tips do you have to share?  What has helped you the most with becoming familiar with local farmers or farmer’s markets? Share below!

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Farmer’s Market FAQ with Nature Hills Farm

May 7, 2013 by   Jennifer Hunt

Image by Nature Hills Farm

By Jennifer Hunt, Contributing Writer

Have you ever wondered why a farmer’s market is important? The produce is delicious, but is there any real value other than the novelty of enjoying a Saturday morning at a vegetable stand? Heather Carter, farmer extraordinaire, answers a few questions about the value of a farmer’s market, one way to support your local farmer’s market, and what to expect if you’ve never been to one.

Meet The Farmer

Images by Nature Hills Farm

Heather Carter owns Nature Hills Farm. She participates weekly at the year-round farmer’s market in Cedar City, UT where she sells raw milk, cheese from the raw milk, pork, chicken and duck eggs, grass-fed beef, jams, jellies, artisan breads, vanilla extract, fruit, and vegetables. Her children also make and sell lotion and soap.

In addition to the farmer’s market, Heather also runs a CSA (Community-Supported Agriculture) where she sells a weekly vegetable basket and holds community cheese-making classes.

Heather has a master’s degree in Education, but switched to full-time farming 5 years ago and loves the career change as well as the extra time with her four children.

Farmer’s Market FAQ

What is the purpose of a farmer’s market?

Heather: The purpose of a farmer’s market is for farmers to have a place to get together and to sell their products, whether it is a produce—something they’ve grown on the farm—or whether it is fruit they’ve grown in their orchards, or a value-added product they have made from the products on their farm.

It’s a way for the farmers to have an outlet to sell these products directly to the consumer versus going to a store and trying to sell it and then being a third-party.

Why do consumers like the farmer’s market?

Heather: I think that they like to meet the farmer and meet the person that has grown or prepared their food. People have really become aware of their food and what is in their food and they want to have a little more control over what they’re purchasing and what they are consuming. The best way to do that is to go directly to the farm.

When people come to the farmer’s market, they are able to actually get produce that hasn’t been traveling. It was picked the day before and it’s very fresh and very good produce. I’ve seen that as one of the biggest draws for people at the farmer’s market.

What value does the farmer’s market provide to the community as a whole, whether large or small?

Heather: When we have a farmer’s market, we’re encouraging other people and other farmers to grow and bring their produce and to sell it. It’s always better to support the local community and to keep that money in your community when you buy locally, but it’s also helping to expand the amount of food that we are growing in our community in case we ever needed to feed our community only on our produce that is here from farmers.

What is one way for someone to support the farmer’s market?

Heather: If someone comes to the market before they go to the grocery store and buys everything on their list that they can at the market, and then go to the other grocery store, that will help farmer’s markets continue to grow.

Every farmer’s market is different. If someone has never been to one, what can they expect?

Heather: You are going to see a lot of different produce. You’re going to see some cheeses, jams, meats, and a lot of artisan and homemade foods. You might see live music. Some places even allow crafts. You will see a variety of products that are produced at home or on the farm.

Anything else you would like to add?

Heather: I think that eating locally is good for the consumer, it’s good for the body, it’s great to eat seasonally, and it’s good for the farmer and the community.

When we’re buying local and eating local, we know that money’s going back into the community and we’re getting great produce in return.

A great big THANK YOU to Heather Carter of Nature Hills Farm for explaining the farmer’s market and its value for the community.

What is the farmer’s market like in your community? What advice would you give to a new farmer’s market attendee?

 

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Monday Health & Wellness: Preparing for Preservation (Price and Pound Breakdown)

May 6, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

It’s that time again….

As the weather starts to warm up, I look forward to all the seasonal foods coming up.  I also look forward to preservation season!  I like nothing more than feeding my family locally, healthfully, and cheaply.  It’s the dream, right?  To have it all?

It’s possible.  I mean, I’m not realistically going to be able to feed a family of 6 the quality I want for $300 a month or something.  But I can certainly keep it lower than or around the U.S. average of $645 for a family of 6 with young kids (you can check the average for your family size and ages here).  I used the “thrifty” plan numbers, by the way, the lowest option.  The highest option is nearly double ($1245 for my family)!

A big way I save money is through preservation.  In a few cases it doesn’t save much, but it improves greatly on quality.  I am willing to do it for both reasons.

Preserving Cost Breakdown

When I was wanting to start preserving my own food three years ago, I scoured the internet for something that would tell me definitively how much food I would need and how much money I would spend.  I really never did find it.

I’m going to attempt to do that here for you, with a few favorite/popular recipes.

Tomato Sauce

I make 90 – 100 quarts per year, so this is my biggest investment, both in time and money.  But we use it a lot.  It goes in so many of our recipes.  My other option of the same quality would be to buy 24-oz. jars of strained tomatoes from Tropical Traditions, for $2.79 each.  That would be $3.72/quart, and it’s just the tomatoes — no spices added.  I don’t buy in cans because BPA lining.  I have not found any organic tomato sauce that does not contain soybean or canola oil or sugar cheaper than that.  Most is $4 – $5/quart.

I find tomatoes for $0.50/lb. in the summer time, from a local organic farmer.  Onions are about $0.60/lb. and I use one large one for each pot (4 – 5 quarts).  I add 2 – 3 cloves garlic, and a few teaspoons of basil.  I finish it with a few teaspoons of sea salt.  Here’s the recipe.

So, my estimation is this:

  • 3 lbs. tomatoes ($1.50)
  • 1/4 onion ($0.20)
  • 2 cloves garlic ($0.05)
  • Spices ($0.25)
  • Total = $2.00 per quart

That is almost a 50% savings over buying the strained tomatoes and making sauce (I’d have to add the $0.50 in onions, garlic and spices to that, as well, so it’s really a greater savings).

Tomatoes are not on the dirty dozen list, so if I happen to go to Amish country in August or September, I have picked up non-organic tomatoes for as little as $0.24/lb.  That would make each jar only $1.25.

My total spending on tomato sauce is around $180 – $200.  If I went with the cheaper, non-organic tomatoes, that could be $125.  For a year’s worth of tomato sauce, that’s pretty good!

Salsa

I decided, last year, to try to imitate the salsa you find in good Mexican restaurants, since that is usually the one I like the best.  It’s sort of thin, with lots of flavor.  I played around in the kitchen and came up with a recipe I love.  It includes tomatoes, cilantro, lime, garlic, onion, and salt.  I could buy salsa that I like at Costco, organic even, but if I remember correctly it is $3 – $4 per quart.

Here is my breakdown on this:

  • 2 lbs. tomatoes ($1)
  • 1/8 onion ($0.10)
  • 3 cloves garlic ($0.08)
  • Cilantro ($0.20)
  • Limes ($0.20)
  • Sea salt ($0.10)
  • Total: $1.68

That’s much cheaper than from the store, and I like it better (and it doesn’t have any sugar, either).  I can this in pints, rather than quarts, because I use it primarily on taco salad, which I don’t have often enough to finish a quart before it goes bad.  I usually dump about 1 c. on a big salad, so a pint will last two meals.  Or, I use it for dipping quesadillas and then it lasts longer.

I do about 12 – 15 pints per year.  Total cost is around $12, and I use about 15 lbs. of tomatoes.

Applesauce

In the past, I have made very thick applesauce.  It basically it was only apples, I didn’t add any water.  It was really thicker than I’d like.  This applesauce required about 4 lbs. of apples per quart.  I am aiming for 2.5 – 3 lbs. per quart this year to achieve the texture I would like.

I get apples for $0.50 – $0.60 per pound when they are in season.  This means that applesauce costs me around $2/quart.

Apples are on the dirty dozen list, but it’s almost impossible to find unsprayed apples in my area.  Low-spray is usually my best choice.  My best price last year was $0.36/lb. for “seconds.”  I could pay 3x as much for “firsts” but why bother, for applesauce?

This year, if I can get that same low price and make the applesauce thinner, I’m looking at a cost of just $1 a quart.  Since I make a good 40 – 50 quarts (if possible), that’s $50, or 150 lbs. of apples (nearly 4 bushels).

My cost breakdown for diced pears is really similar to this, too, since I can get the same price on pears (roughly) and it takes about 3 lbs. of pears to fill a jar.  I can them the same as I do my peaches (see below).

Apple Pie Filling

I know this isn’t exactly super popular for most, but for us it is.  I don’t use it to make pies, I use it to make soaked apple crisp for quick, healthy breakfasts.  I only did about 8 jars last year because it wasn’t a great year for apples, but I hope to do a lot more this year.  It was such a quick and easy breakfast favorite here.

The pie filling requires apples, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, sucanat, arrowroot, and water.  Here is my rough breakdown:

  • 2 lbs. apples ($1)
  • Nutmeg ($0.05)
  • Cinnamon ($0.05)
  • Cloves ($0.03)
  • Sucanat ($0.15)
  • Arrowroot ($0.20)
  • Total: $1.48

I might spend a bit less if I got my apples cheaper.  If I wanted 50 quarts (and I do — that’s apple crisp once a week), I would spend $74.  I would need 100 lbs. of apples.  For both this, and applesauce, I would need approximately 6 bushels of apples.

The apple crisp recipe uses oats, coconut oil, sucanat, and spices.  I estimate this adds $0.50 to the meal.  So, for about $2, I can feed the 4 (soon to be 5!) of us breakfast.  Although these days I also add some potatoes and sausage because we do better with a big breakfast.

Peaches

I really don’t like canned peaches as much as fresh.  I do not eat them very often.  But, sometimes we enjoy them, so I do a few jars.

Locally, I can get “regular” peaches for $10/peck ($40/bushel or about $1/lb.) and I’ve heard rumors of seconds that are organic for as little as $7/peck ($28/bushel or $0.70/lb.).  I buy seconds where I can, but they aren’t always available or in good enough condition to can.  Overripe is one thing; moldy is another.

It takes about 3 lbs. of peaches to fill a jar, so I spend about $2 – $3 per quart, depending on whether I get firsts or seconds.

I also slice peaches and freeze them flat on trays, then scoop them into gallon-sized bags.  A peck (about 10 lbs.) will fill a couple of gallon-sized bags.  These are used mostly for smoothies.

Strawberries and Blueberries

These are much more expensive than above.  So far I only freeze them whole, for smoothies or baking.  We prefer blueberries, but they are the most expensive of anything we preserve — $2.50/lb. at an organic u-pick place.  Strawberries around $2/lb.

My hope is to get 50 lbs. of each this year, which means I’ll be spending $125 and $100, respectively.  I simply soak them in vinegar water, dry them, lay them out on trays, and freeze them.  Then I scoop them into bags individually and put them in the deep freeze.

I have played around with the idea of jams, jellies, or syrups — but we simply don’t use enough of these to make it worth my time.  I like the idea a whole lot more than the reality.  When I go to toast my English muffins in the morning, I want butter.  I don’t want anything sweet.  But, that’s just me.  If your family eats a lot of these types of things, I am sure they are cheaper.  And jams and jellies do not require a ton of sugar!  When I have attempted them, I’ve used very little and have gotten good results.

Affording to Preserve

If I were smart, I’d save money year around.  Typically, I am so relieved and excited to be done with preserving season every year that I forget to save anything…until about March, when hits of warmth drift through the air and I suddenly realize I’m going to need money and soon!

I started saving mid-March this time.  My goal was $50 per two weeks, and I’ve been actually saving $60.  If I keep that up, I will have saved $960 by the end of October, when I finish preserving.  Of course I will have spent most of it.

My goals:

  • 400 lbs. of tomatoes = $200 (less if I buy in Amish country)
  • 6 bushels of apples = $90
  • 50 lbs. blueberries = $125
  • 50 lbs. strawberries = $100
  • 225 lbs. of pears = $135
  • 100 green peppers = $25 (I have seen as cheap as 7/$1 in the height of the season!)

I simply slice the peppers in half, seed them, and freeze like this.  Very easy.

My projected total: $675.  I’ll save more than enough to do all of this, and a bit more if I can or have the time.  I will also continue to save the extra money and set aside the $60 per two weeks through the winter this time.

If I spend what I project, I will have $285 left at the end of the season.  Through the winter (Nov – May) I will save an additional $900, meaning I will begin the preservation season with $1185.  I would save an additional $660 throughout next summer (May – Oct.).

Supposing I spend about the same next summer as I did this summer, I would have about $1100 left at the end of the season!

So, you can see — if I am setting aside this money all the time, I am saving more every year, allowing my preserving expenses to grow easily while still saving up extra money to be used on bulk purchases or in other areas of our family budget.  And if we move this summer like we hope and have a large garden in our new home next year, my preserving costs should drop quite a bit.

(In our first year gardening, we would not be able to produce our own apples, pears, peaches, blueberries, or strawberries in any decent quantity, since they need time to grow and mature before producing a large crop.  We should be able to produce all our own tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, and a number of other items I don’t yet preserve because it isn’t worth it.  It will be when I can grow it.  Realistically, I will be spending a lot of that money I’ll have saved on buying fruit trees, organic plants, and other gardening supplies in the first year or two.)

As you see, preserving is a huge part of how I save money on groceries!  You can see how I allot the rest of my money and an example of what I buy and what I cook here.

Over the next several weeks, I will be sharing recipes, freezer cooking tips, preservation recipes and tips, and more — all about saving money on quality food!

Do you preserve your own food?  Why or why not?

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Natural Fertility Ebook Bundle Launch

May 6, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

I know!  We just had a bundle last week….

This one’s entirely different, I promise you.  And I will not be bombarding you with it all week long.  I know it’s just too much and we need to get back to regularly scheduled programming.  But, for those who can benefit, I don’t want you to miss out!  I’ll be telling you all the details today, and I’ll remind you in the final couple days of the sale too.  There will also be non-sale-related posts on those days, so those of you who aren’t interested won’t be bored.

Fertility Bundle

A lot of women these days experience infertility, which is heartbreaking.  There’s nothing worse than desperately wanting a child…and being unable to have one.  Even worse when it seems like all the women around you are conceiving and carrying to term and enjoying healthy newborns!

It’s a modern epidemic.  And it really doesn’t have to be this way.  I know several women personally who struggled with infertility…but once they got information on how to treat it naturally, with supplements and diets, they were blessed with pregnancies and healthy babies!  One of our editors was one of them!  :)

This bundle is perfect for those who:

  • Struggle with infertility (male or female)
  • Struggle to maintain a pregnancy/have repeated miscarriages
  • Struggle with debilitating morning sickness
  • Want to prepare for a healthy conception and pregnancy down the road
  • Want more information on how to nourish yourself during pregnancy
  • Want more information on healthy birth
  • Want more information on healthy babies and feeding babies

The bundle books are worth over $450, but the bundle costs only $34.95.  There are excellent bonus offers and an accompanying giveaway, as well — so it’s a great package.

Please don’t feel obligated to buy or read another word if you are not in the phase of your life where you are pregnant or hoping to be pregnant.  I know some of my readers are not yet in that phase of life, or are past that phase of life.  But I also know some of you are there right now and struggling.  If you can benefit from this, I want you to know about it.

I will say that if you are looking for information about fertility and pregnancy that this is an excellent collection.  I try to learn more before each pregnancy, and every baby has come out healthier because of the knowledge I’ve gathered.  I’ve already had four babies and I’m still excited to read more of these books and gain more knowledge.  Never stop learning!

The Sale Details

9 ebooks about fertility and health

Fertilise Yourself by Natalie Kringoudis of Melbourne Natural Fertility ($19.95)

This ebook is all about priming your body for fertility, with plenty of tips and tricks for a wellness overhaul, and the ‘how to’ steps to set yourself up to win. If you’re struggling with your fertility, or even just your general health, this ebook can help you navigate your way to being fueled and fighting fertility fit!

Making Super Sperm by Bridgit Danner of Joyful Mammas ($29.00)

The genetics of your baby are 50% from the dad, and 30 – 70 % of infertility cases involve male factor. Get a strong start for your baby by Making Super Sperm from the start!

Fertility Smoothies: Elixirs for Optimal Fertility by Hethir Rodriguez of Natural Fertility Info ($19.95)

In this book Hethir shares with you how to create a wide variety of delicious superfood smoothies to help boost your fertility naturally.

Overcoming Infertility with EFT by Sarah Holland of Fertile Mindset ($20.00)

The ultimate guide and practical workbook using the cutting edge technique of EFT for emotional healing on your fertility journey. Includes detailed but simple to follow EFT instructions, and easy to use worksheets to recognize and reverse your own negative beliefs and self-talk surrounding trying for a baby, heal yourself from traumas and damaging experiences that may be harming your fertility and much much more!

Eat Your Way to Parenthood by Gabriela Rosa of Natural Fertility Breakthrough ($35.00)

Gabriela Rosa reminds us how a balanced and nutritious diet provides the building blocks for a healthy sperm, egg and baby. This book is both a guide to the process of fertility and the basics of good nutrition, as well as a manual of recipes that cleverly combine the scientific research with balanced, tasty and nutritious ingredients.

Maiden to Mother by Stephanie Brandt Cornais of Mama and Baby Love

The Mama and Baby Love Guide to a Conscious Childbearing Year, containing easy-to-understand information about everything you absolutely must know as you begin your journey to motherhood. Stephanie gives you all the juicy tidbits, and lessons she has learned from working with pregnant couples for the past decade and from her own experience with being pregnant and a new mom.

Zero in on Ovulation by Sally Moran of Get Pregnant Fast ($17.00)

Knowing when you ovulate shouldn’t be a mystery, but many women struggle to understand when their most fertile time of month is. Learn about the different methods of determining ovulation, what can delay ovulation, what herbs help promote ovulation or cervical fluid, symptoms of ovulation, problems with ovulation (including PCOS and luteal phase defect), the effects of using Clomid or Femara, and more. Bonus sections on male infertility, baby gender selection, frequently asked ovulation questions, as well as one-on-one e-mail consultation with the author.

A Modern Girl’s Guide to Natural Fertility by Marni Hotchkiss of Bridge to Baby ($15.00)

Natural fertility in today’s modern world encompasses the foods we eat, our behaviors, and our thoughts. Take a deeper look into how tools/apps as well as the right foods and other holistic approaches can positively impact pregnancy success.

Cleansing for Conception by Donielle Baker of Naturally Knocked Up ($6.95)

There are times in our life where we need to simply slow down and allow our bodies to clear out the toxins we’re exposed to on a daily basis. One of these times is when you’re thinking about becoming pregnant. This ebook will show you the many ways that you can alter your diet and lifestyle so that your body naturally and gently cleanses in preparation for conception. (pre-release copy – no one else will see it until late summer 2013!)

Three Strategies for Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Russell Davis of The Fertile Mind ($9.97)

Research shows utilizing mind-body techniques can double your chances of getting pregnant. This ebook contains practical steps to get off the emotional roller-coaster, find a sense of peace on your journey and actively utilizing your mind-body link to increase your chances of success.

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2 ebooks that speak to the heart

Pain Redeemed by Natasha Metzler of NatashaMetzler.com ($4.95)

The author of Pain Redeemed takes you on a journey through her own walk with infertility and with honesty and raw truthfulness tells the story of God meeting her there, right in the middle.”

Celebrating Pregnancy Again by Francesca Cox of so this is love ($8.00)

This book is to encourage any bereaved mother experiencing pregnancy again, and help her embrace this bittersweet journey.

12 real food recipe ebooks

The Food Healing Recipe Book for Endometriosis by Melissa Meyer of Cure Endometriosis ($27.00)

Specifically chosen recipes to help women with Endometriosis. Having personally used these recipes and this way of eating, I decided to compile some of my favorite recipes. My partner, also happens to be a chef, so they are all tasty and nutritious!

Meal Planning Guide for Healthy Thyroid by Magdalena Wszelaki of The Thyroid Diet Coach ($17.00)

Struggling with meal ideas? No time to cook? Bored with the same menu each week? Confused what you can or cannot eat for thyroid health? Then this guide will equip you with tools to make cooking fun, easy and nourishing. Learn about evolving meals, 15-min meals, dressing ideas, get healthy snack lists and a meal plan.

Thrifty Food Plan Experience by Millie Cooper of Real Food for Less Money ($8.95)

You can enjoy traditional foods while on thrifty budget. 67 pages of thoughts, tips and ideas plus a 2 week menu plan, over 40 recipes and links to many more.

Divine Dinners: Gluten-Free, Nourishing, Family-Friendly Meals by Lydia Shatney of Divine Health From The Inside Out ($14.95)

A collection of recipes that can be paired together to make entire meals. All the recipes are lower in sugars/carbs than that of the standard American diet. Recipes are gluten free and tested time and time again on family and friends with great results.

Lacto- Fermentation by Wardee Harmon of GNOWFGLINS ($20.00)

A 155-page, 23-lesson digital book with detailed instruction on fermenting fruits, vegetables, beans, meats, dairy, and grains. The book will expose you to a variety of fermentation methods — using salt, whey, or other starter cultures. Recipes go beyond fermentation methodology and include spices and seasonings to improve the flavor of the final product.

Real Food Ingredient Guide by Kelly of Kelly the Kitchen Kop ($22.95)

Confused about which ingredients are good for you and which ones to avoid? Get a quick-reference list of what to look for at the store or farm, with many listings including a good-better-best recommendation. Also this newly REVISED edition includes bonus material: Bringing Your Family from Junk Food to Real Food!

The Everything Beans Book by Katie Kimball of Kitchen Stewardship ($8.95)

Fall in love with legumes because they’re frugal and delicious. Kimball’s recipes span everything from appetizer to dessert, and the introductory pages will help you cook dry beans like a pro, understand their health benefits, and even get ideas to reduce the…you know…flatulence often connected with beans.

Just Making Ice Cream my Marilyn Beard of Just Making Noise ($12.00)

Because we all deserve a special treat now and then – but it doesn’t mean we can’t choose to do it in a healthier way! It includes 113 pages and over 70 recipes to choose through all 4 seasons of the year… who says ice cream is only for the summer?!

Grain-free/ Gluten-free Baking by Stephanie Brandt Cornais of Mama and Baby Love ($9.99)

If you can’t cook and you can’t bake – this book is for you. I taught myself how to cook, and then I taught myself how to bake. You can too. 20 easy recipes, full of tips and tricks for beginners; recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, pizza crusts and more!

Simple Food for Spring by Shannon Stonger of Nourishing Days ($10.00)

Simple Food {for spring} is a grain-free cookbook that emphasize real food and sustainable living. This 80-page edition contains all of the freshness of spring with a focus on cultured dairy salad dressings, wild edibles, and using all of those fresh greens. Each of the 28 recipes includes full-color photos.

Simple Food for Winter by Shannon Stonger of Nourishing Days ($10.00)

Simple Food {for winter} is the first of what I hope to be four seasonal cookbooks that emphasize real food and sustainable living. This 58 page book contains 30 recipes, 10 full-color photos, and three essays.

Happy Mom, Healthy Family Meal Planning Workshop and eCookbook by Lisa Byrne of Wellgrounded Life ($29.00)

A practical, flexible and enjoyable way to make peace with the task that comes every day: preparing meals. This workshop equips you with techniques to make truly family-friendly, whole-foods recipes through a webinar presentation, meal planning templates & worksheets, demo videos plus a downloadable cookbook filled with 89 tried-and-true delicious recipes. Who could want more? (Besides a personal chef perhaps!)

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6 pregnancy and birth ebooks

Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama ($8.95)

If you’re struggling with how to eat healthy to prepare for and during pregnancy, simplify it with this book. There are only two rules: avoid junk, and eat super foods. Plus 30 healthy, super-food-filled recipes!

UnBound Birth by Jenny Yarbrough of UnBound Birth ($4.99)

Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital is an inspiring collection of natural hospital birth stories. With determination, information, preparation, and support, Jennifer offers women hope for the beauty of a natural birth within a hospital setting.

Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje of Modern Alternative Mama ($8.95)

Make feeding babies easier with this practical guide to healthy breastfeeding, introducing solids, and handling picky toddlers. The book also includes over 30 baby and toddler-friendly recipes.

My Buttered Life: Baby Edition by Renee Harris from MadeOn Skin Care ($5.00)

This ebook includes 5 recipes, each with 5 ingredients or less. The recipes include baby massage oil, baby balm, creamy baby lotion, diaper rash cream and oatmeal milk bath. Each recipe has an accompanying video, a list of where to buy ingredients and supplies, and a cost analysis to compare with store-bought products.

Forty Weeks of Pregnancy Development by Angela England of The Untrained Housewife ($9.95)

What happens during each week of pregnancy? Now you’ll hear how each week of pregnancy brings changes to both you and your baby! Enjoy the extra information about common issues such as morning sickness, back pain, and more!

Embracing Beauty: practical style for every shape and season of motherhood by Trina Holden of trinaholden.com ($9.00)

A style guide that gets to the heart of beauty, and helps women identify and embrace their personal style through all the changes of motherhood.

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Bonus Material

7 week long meal plans

To help you get started on a whole foods diet, we’ve also included a variety of meal plans to fit your needs!

  • Jess Pedersen CHHC of Be Mama Be Well The Be Mama Be Well Meal Planner is an alkalizing plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free plan that excludes highly processed foods. The Be Mama Be Well Meal Planner is meant to help you detoxify your body, cleanse your liver, balance your hormones, eliminate food-induced mood swings, and boost your nutrient intake.
  • KerryAnn Foster of Cooking Traditional Foods The Cooking Traditional Foods’ Menu Mailer covers breakfast, lunch and dinner based on the guidelines in the Naturally Knocked Up Fertility Foods Checklist.
  • Mary Vance of www.MaryVanceNC.com Autoimmune plan for those who have Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroiditis or other autoimmune conditions. Excludes the inflammatory foods most likely to aggravate autoimmune conditions: gluten, dairy, soy, grains (for the most part, at least corn), nightshades, nuts, eggs.
  • Jill Marks of Modern Alternative Pregnancy Proper nutrition plays a vital role in fertility, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. This meal plan is gluten-free with real, whole foods to optimize your health and give your baby a wonderful start!
  • Therese Asmus of Artistta This menu plan does it’s best to include a variety of meals that aren’t only pleasing to the pallet, but are also excellent sources of the many nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.
  • Amy of PCOS Diva Spring Meal Plan (includes: Getting Started Guide, Recipes and Shopping List) is a whole food based, gluten-free, processed soy-free, and low dairy (or easily can be made dairy-free) plan. You don’t need a crazy diet to increase your fertility, you just need to get in the kitchen and start cooking delicious, nutrient-dense meals.
  • Joanna Steven, author of Well-Rounded. Plant based, whole foods based, with a mix of nourishing raw and cooked recipes for the vegan or vegetarian woman.

Bonus Offerings

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Giveaways worth $908.00!

But that’s not all – it’s $908.00 times two! There will be one grand prize winner who will receive each and every one of the following products/services.¹ All of which will help you on your way to growing your family. And then we’ll be giving away each of the products separately to individual winners as well, so you get more chances to win these fabulous products.

$25 gift certificate to MadeOn Skin Care ($25.00) – Choose from Simply Soothing Rash Cream, or Beesilk Jr for your baby. Or, shop for you and buy Beesilk hard lotion bars or a pack of tinted lip balms. All products are made with safe and natural ingredients. (includes free shipping)

Fertility Detox Cleanse Program from Bridgit Danner ($125.00) – Get your body primed for baby with this professionally-led detox program (food supplies to be purchased by recipient.)

Still Standing mug from Still Standing Magazine ($13.99) – Still Standing is an online magazine for those dealing with infertility and baby loss, offering resources and hope.

Making Babies DVDs from Bulk Herb Store ($75.00) – Three fun, informational, and colorful DVDs include deliciously healthy recipes, remedies and herbal concoctions that cover the fertility, pregnancy, and post-partum time in your life. At the Bulk Herb Store we want to teach you what we know and inspire you to learn and research beyond that with our homemade herbal remedies, our experiences, and the tested wisdom of others.

ibasal thermometer from FairHaven Health ($59.95) – The ibasal is a computerized digital basal thermometer that helps you maximize your changes of conceiving by accurately measuring your BBT and interpreting this data to produce a fertility prediction in advance of ovulation.

One bottle of FertilAid for Women from FairHaven Health ($28.95) – FertilAid for Women is a fertility enhancing supplement designed to help restore hormonal balance, support reproductive wellness, and optimize your chances of conceiving.

Femmenessence MacaHarmony from Natural Health International ($69.98) – Femmenessence MacaHarmony is a natural approach to hormone balance and supporting fertility without introducing hormones from outside of the body.

Medium Fertility Kit (LH and HCG tests) from Kisses from Above ($18.00) – Includes 30 ovulation and 10 pregnancy tests. Everything you need in one easy-to-order kit! Both the ovulation and pregnancy tests will come in the strip format, as shown in the picture.

Herbal kit from Mountain Rose Herbs ($56.20) – FecundiTea, Nurse-Me Rhyme Tea, “Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Years” by Susun Weed, Evening Embrace Aroma Spray, and 4 oz. each of Red Clover, Dandelion Leaf and Raspberry Leaf.

One bottle of cod liver oil from Green Pasture ($44.00) – Green Pastures is dedicate to providing their customers with high-quality sacred-food oils just as they were made prior to the industrialized food and farming revolution. They are committed to providing the community with nothing but pure, unadulterated, non-industrialized wild-caught fish liver oils.

Set of six essential oils from Plant Therapy ($48.68) – Romance Set Includes 100% Pure, Therapeutic Grade of: Sensual, Peppermint, Energy, Headache Relief, Tranquil, & Invigor-Aid. 10 ml each

Natural Cycle Relaxation Program from Circle and Bloom ($59.00) – Start today to feel in greater control over your fertility success with our downloadable program which includes 28 unique guided meditations to support you in communicating with your body and tapping into your innate ability to create.

Year subscription to Fertility Flower (sympto-thermal charting) ($40.00) – Fertility charting is simple, effective and teaches you about your body. When you “chart”, you learn to recognize when you’re fertile and when you’re not so that you can target your baby-making activities at the most fruitful time.

Complimentary consultation at the Metabolic Treatment Center ($100.00 value) – Dr. Schuler or another metabolic treatment specialist at Metabolic Treatment Center will review an individual’s history, medication, supplementation, diet, and symptoms and provide an initial assessment review (phone, Skype, or at the Bloomington office).

SpermCheck Kit ($39.99) – The only at-home sperm test for men! Results in 10 minutes, 98% accurate, private and convenient!

Preseed lubricant from Baby Hopes ($21.50)- Pre~Seed lubricant replenishes your natural moisture while providing an optimal environment for sperm.

A Practical Guide to Children’s Health ebook by Kate Tetje of Modern Alternative Mama ($17.95) – A well-researched ebook on raising healthy children.

The Woman Code book by Alisa Vitti ($25.99) – WomanCode by Alisa Vitti will guide you on how to Perfect Your Cycle, Amplify Your Fertility, Supercharge Your Sex Drive, and Become a Power Source.

Naturally Knocked Up book by Donielle Baker ($18.95) – Your guide to increasing the odds of conception through natural living and nourishing foods.

Rebuild from Depression book by Amanda Rose ($19.97) – This book on depression describes the research basis for the nutrient-depression link, highlighting the nutrients with the strongest basis in research. With seven specific nutrients in mind, the authors review each of the food groups recommending how to improve the diet for the long-term.

Extra discounts for bundle purchasers

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Important fine print to read

1) All purchases are non-refundable due to the short duration of this sale and no late sales will be offered. 2) All giveaway products are sponsored by the individual companies, most of which are limited to shipping within the United States. The grand prize package will be shipped by Naturally Knocked Up LLC and is available to US and Canada, excluding the consultation which is available only in the US. ¹To enter the giveaway without purchase send a 3×5 postcard to Naturally Knocked Up LLC PO Box 26 Burnips, MI 49314 by May 14, 2013. 3) All products are downloadable ebooks and audio files. You will not be shipped any physical goods with your purchase of the natural fertility ebook bundle, but will be sent a link where you can download all of the material. 4) It is your responsibility to download all the files before June 1th, 2013. 5) Bonus offers are only eligible once per purchase, expire at midnight on May 31, 2013 and are the sole responsibility of the sponsor. 6) The above links are affiliate links, thank you for supporting this affiliate partner. 7) Please understand the information shared through this natural fertility ebook bundle is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, but rather to encourage perhaps a new discussion or conversation with your own physicians and health care providers and to inspire you to continue to research healthy alternatives.

The Bottom Line

I will remind you all about the sale towards the end.  I know some of you are reading this right now and thinking “Hmm…I might want that.  I’ll have to see if it’s in the budget, or if these are really the right resources for me.”  Some of you thinking this will forget between now and the sale’s end in a week!

If this isn’t for you, that’s fine.  Please head over to today’s other post, Monday Health & Wellness: Preparing for Preservation.

Do you need more information on healthy pregnancy or have you dealt with infertility?

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10 Local Foods That are Best in Season (And How to Eat Them)

May 4, 2013 by   Kate Tietje

There is nothing like a fresh, ripe peach.

I have made no secret of the fact that peaches, when fresh, are my favorite fruit to eat.  All fruits and vegetables are better in season, but those are just amazing, to me.

Since our theme this month is “local,” I want to talk about the foods that are coming in season, why they’re so amazing, and why (and how) you should eat each of them!

Our first strawberry in 2012!

1. Strawberries

Some areas of the country have already seen strawberry season in the last few weeks.  Where I am, we’ll see strawberries about a month from now.  They’re a decidedly spring food, ripe just before it gets really hot.  Strawberry plants are perennial and fairly easy to grow, and they can be grown in a raised bed or a hanging pot.  Many local places have strawberry picking available as well.  Strawberries are high on the “Dirty Dozen” list and should be purchased organically or low-spray if possible.  Many places do not offer unsprayed, but instead spray minimally and only early in the season, before the fruit begins to grow — this is an acceptable alternative, at least for me.

Strawberries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, and have been shown to improve blood sugar regulation and cardiovascular health.  They’re also a fairly low-sugar fruit.

They can be eaten plain, in strawberry ice cream, strawberry shortcake, or with whipped cream.  They can be made into strawberry lemonade or strawberry limeade.  They can also be frozen for smoothies or made into jam — preserved to enjoy the harvest year around!

A deep orange, pastured yolk!

2. Eggs

Did you know these are seasonal?  When you buy from the grocery store, they’re stored for several weeks or months to ensure a steady supply year-around.  But when you’re buying free-range eggs from truly pastured hens, they lay in earnest through the spring and summer months, and taper off to rare laying or no laying in the cold, dark months.  Plus, in the spring, the grass is growing and the bugs and worms are appearing — and this is what hens are meant to eat.  These make the hen’s eggs rich, and you can see the difference in the deep orange yolks!

Eggs are rich in choline, omega-3s, CLA, and vitamin E.  They are also a good source of healthy fats and cholesterol.  The yolks are great to eat raw (if you have access to pastured eggs — please do not do this with regular grocery store eggs!), while the whites are better eaten cooked.  Yolks can be made into ice cream, tossed into smoothies, cooked in scrambled eggs, added to baked goods, pudding, and more.

Eggs can’t be preserved like fruits and vegetables, but they will stay good for a month or two in the fridge, and older eggs can be hard-boiled.

Image by kthread

3. Milk

Yes, milk, too, is seasonal!  Cows usually calve in the late winter to early spring months.  Through the winter, they’re pregnant and usually “dried off” (not producing milk — although it is possible for a pregnant cow to continue to be milked, but her milk will change, just like in a pregnant human).  Plus, they’re eating hay and other dried grasses from the previous summer, or grains like soy and corn, depending on the farm.

In the spring months, when the grass begins to grow rapidly and turns a rich green color (which happens about mid-April where I am), the cows are turned out to graze.  This rich, green grass is the ideal food for cows, and it increases the nutritional content of the milk quite a bit!

Milk from grass-fed cows is rich in CLA, vitamin A, vitamin K, and vitamin E.  It also has an ideal balance of omega-3 to omega-6.  It has a number of excellent health benefits that commercial milk doesn’t have.  Raw is ideal.

Milk can be drunk straight, made into ice cream, mixed into baked goods like pancakes or muffins, made into chocolate milk (my kids’ favorite!), mozzarella cheese; the cream can be skimmed for butter.  Lots of great uses!

Image by La Grande Farmer’s Market

4. Greens

These are coming into season right now!  Greens means lettuce, spinach, kale, swiss chard, and lots more.  They like shade and they grow rapidly in the spring when the weather isn’t too hot yet.  Once the weather is hot, especially if they’re in direct sunlight, they’ll “bolt” (grow rapidly, flower) and become bitter in taste.  Swiss chard grows throughout the summer and into the fall, while the others have shorter growing seasons.

Greens are rich in B vitamins (including the important folate), vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin K, and some are rich in calcium as well.  They are also high in fiber and are all-around beneficial to just about any diet.

They can be served in salads (which I love, personally) with homemade dressing (avoid soy oil!), added to soups, quiches, sauteed in bacon grease, and lots more.  Some greens — like kale or spinach — can be blanched and frozen to use later.

5. Blueberries

We love blueberries too!  Around here, they come into season mid-July.  I remember going picking with my family last year right after I found out I was pregnant.  It was a hot, humid, but rainy Sunday morning.  The blueberries grow on huge bushes (this farm had very old bushes; they can be quite a bit smaller, as they were on other farms I visited) and they ripen over a three or four week period in the summer.  Depending on the variety, they can be tiny or quite large.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, and manganese.  Studies have shown that they can reduce cancer risk, diabetes risk, and more.  They can reduce muscle damage, and even reduce brain damage or degeneration!

They can be served plain, with whipped cream, made into blueberry crumble or blueberry muffins.  They can also be frozen for later.

Image by OakleyOriginals

6. Bell peppers

We’ll start to see these appearing sometime in July — they’re a hot weather crop.  They grow on plants that stay fairly low to the ground, and which can produce half a dozen or more at a time if they’re well-fed, watered, and get direct sun.  Ideally, pepper plants need 12 – 14 hours a day of full sun!  (Less will produce far smaller and fewer peppers.  Our gardens were shaded, and 7 hours a day of sun produced 1 – 2 small peppers per plant, if that.  Meanwhile, my in-laws plants, in full sun, were absolutely loaded with huge peppers!)

Peppers are rich in vitamin C (especially red ones), antioxidants, and other health compounds — and organic growing practices increased the amount of all these nutrients in the peppers!

They can be eaten raw (which my kids love), with vegetable dip, stuffed and baked, added to soups, and more!  They can also be seeded and frozen for later use.  (Against the Grain is our Featured Book this month, which means it costs just $5, instead of its normal $7.95!  You can find a recipe for Stuffed Pepper Soup in it.)

7. Tomatoes

One of my very favorites…ripe tomatoes!  They’re just delicious and juicy in season, and they produce superior cooked products as well.  I love to add the to soups, salads, sauces, and just about anything!  A real tomato comes in early August and can last well into September (the season — not the individual tomato!) and is a deep red, flavorful masterpiece.  Nothing like those hard, orange balls that are sold at the grocery store.

Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a nutrient that can promote eye health.  They may also lower the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, and general inflammation, due to their high antioxidant content.  They’re also high in vitamin C, vitamin K, and potassium.

They can be eaten fresh — simply plain, or added to a salad — tossed with pasta, made into sauce, salsa, juice, or added to soups and chilis.  They can be preserved in any of their cooked forms.  We can over 100 quarts of tomato sauce and a fair amount of salsa and diced tomatoes each year!

8. Peaches

Ah, peaches…you already know I love them. :)  They’re sweet, juicy little bits of deliciousness.  They grow on trees and until a few years ago, I didn’t even know they could grow in temperate climates!  They’re a spring crop in hot areas like the south, but are a late summer — July/August — crop up north.  A truly ripe peach is soft and slices easily, and tastes delicious.  Grocery store peaches are often hard, slightly green, and tasteless.

Peaches are high in vitamin C, beta-carotene, potassium, and iron.  They also contain quite a few antioxidants, which supports cardiovascular health.

They can be eaten fresh (my favorite!), made into peach tea, ginger-peach crisp, peach jelly, peach upside-down cake, or peach ice cream!  They can also be frozen in slices, or canned (without sugar)!

9. Apples

The ubiquitous apple.  In the fall, there are apples in every direction around here!  They ripen starting in mid-August and occasionally a few varieties ripen a bit earlier.  The season continue through late October.  Each variety is ripe for a week or two, and there are several varieties.  Our favorites include Jonathon, Golden Delicious, Macintosh, and Honeycrisp.  Most of these are good for cooking, as well as eating!

Apples are high in fiber, and are a fairly sweet fruit.  They’re also somewhat high in vitamin C.  More importantly, apples appear to positively affect your gut bacteria, serving as a “prebiotic.”  (That is, food for the bacteria.)  They may also help regulate blood sugar and may promote weight loss.

They can be eaten fresh (and we do eat a lot of them!), sliced for salads (both sweet and savory), included in pies, apple crisp, made into sauce, apple butter, or added to muffins, apple dumplings, and other baked goods.

10. Squashes

There are a variety of squashes, including ones that ripen in the summer (like zucchini and yellow squash).  There are many more that ripen in the fall, towards the end of September and October.  This includes acorn squash, pumpkins, butternut squash, and the spaghetti squash pictured above!  Squashes are lightly sweet and used in both sweet and savory dishes.  The winter squashes tend to be sweeter than the summer varieties, although both are used in sweet and savory recipes.

Squashes are high in fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, manganese, B vitamins, potassium, and it even contains some omega-3 fatty acids!  It also contains antioxidants, and may help to regulate blood pressure.

They can be served raw, baked in breads, tossed with pasta, made into soup, and more.  Try zucchini lemon-poppy seed bread, pumpkin bread (try gluten-free or grain-free), chicken parmesan with spaghetti squash, butternut squash soup, beef and tomatoes with zucchini, chocolate-zucchini cake, even pumpkin pancakes.  Pumpkin puree can also be frozen for later!

What are your favorite seasonal foods and ways to serve them?

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