How We Use Colloidal Silver

A little while back my friend gave me a little bottle of what looked like water. I was working with healing a cut on the hand and she had said to spray it directly on the wound and that it would keep the wound from getting infected and help heal it up. I was game and after all it couldn't hurt, I mean it looks like a bottle of water! It turns out that "water" is some good stuff! I decided to read up on some other uses for the miracle water and was finding that it is not only good at wound cleaning and healing but works great to fend off those seasonal bugs. We put it to the ultimate test when we took it to the Harrisburg Farm show. Our family has a history of coming home sick from the farm show every year that we have had kids, so we decided to see if it really could keep us free from the hordes of people carrying flu strains. I was skeptical, especially as we went on the first Saturday and it was rainy out so the farm show was packed! However, I am happy to say that this is the first year we went with kids and came back with just memories and not sickness.

So what is it? Well using silver for health has been around for a long time. In fact the ancient Romans and Kings of biblical times kept silver jars for their drinking water. The families of the rich in the dark ages ate off sliver plates and had a higher percentage of sliver in their blood, thus the term "blue bloods." American pioneers would put silver in their milk and water to retard spoilage. During the plague many rich families gave the baby of the home silver spoons to suck on, hence the term "born with a silver spoon in their mouth." Napoleons army was said to have used it for water purification. It has been recognized for it's protective properties for some time.

What makes it effective is the "silver ions bind them selves to cell walls and are then absorbed into the single-cell bacteria or fungus wherein they interfere with cellular energy production and kill the organism.  The fermentation system of energy production used by these single cell organisms is different than the aerobic energy producing system of human cells, which are not so affected by silver.  This means silver is not toxic to human cells." Also Bacteria cannot develop a resistance to silver, unless it has an extremely thick cell wall and doesn't absorb the silver. Sounds like a good thing to have on hand in case of a super bug in my opinion.

With this much good stuff going for it you want to know what the down sides are. Taking colloidal silver in high doses for extended periods of time may result in a condition called argyria, which is when your skin turns blue or gray. The "blue bloods" of old often had this especially because they avoided sun exposure as well, making the skin especially blue in color. You would have to take rather large amounts for a long time to acquire that look, but it is worth mentioning. Some people have also reported digestive upset but I have a rather sensitive digestive system and it has not given me any trouble.

We have ours in a spray bottle for when we travel. When we are out in a situation like the farm show or at the home of someone who is sick I would give our kids (and us parents too!) a few squirts in the mouth and the hands every hour. After playing at in indoor play land I spray their little hands. We have a bottle of it at home and the adults will take 2 Tbs every other day when we feel something coming on or that tingle in the back of the throat. It has been extremely effective so far in keeping our family healthy and I am glad that we have it as an option in our medicine cabinet.

May your family experience health and happiness the remainder of this winter!

                                                                The Farmer in the Dell

How do we respond when God is silent?

Have you ever been in a period of your life where you are just waiting for the Lord's direction and nothing is happening? It seems like He is quiet and elusive, maybe even far away. I know that I have been there in past situations and right now I am currently experiencing the disheartening "wait". 

I know I prefer a yes or even no over a wait but maybe that is why I seem to get them more often. Maybe it is not so much about where I am going in life as it is about how I am getting there, who I am meeting along the way and what encounters the Lord has for me to make while I seem to be "stuck" in one place. Maybe I need to learn patience, the very thing I have to remind my children about daily. Or maybe I lack faith when I ask the Lord to show himself strong and that is why I have to wait, until my faith is stronger.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;  he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

It would seem I need to let patience have her perfect work but how do I do that? In this day and age when everything seems to need a quick response do I have the time to wait? I know that the longer I am on this earth that what I have in mind is not always the best but whenever the Lord directs the way it is always better than what I wanted in the first place. 

 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

If I want His best then I can't rush God or take matters into my own hands, that is when bad things happen. Take Sarah for example, God promised to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the stars, (Gen 15: 4-6) while Abraham believed his wife thought that it would be impossible for them to have children in her old age, so she gave her servant girl to her husband instead. Now the children of the servant and the children of Abraham and Sarah will always be at odds with each other because of Sarah's lack of faith, taking matters into her own hands, trying to bring about the promise in her own time.

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

I find in these trying times, when my faith is tested and I am in a waiting period, that it causes me to look deeper at my life and the promises of the Lord. It can either strengthen my faith or cause me to loose hope and grasp for an earthly solution. I want to be strong, so just like physical exercise my faith and patience need to be excised as well in order to gain spiritual muscle and stamina. I have trained myself to like physical exercise but I have neglected to train myself to like the spiritual exercise of waiting on the Lord. I must praise and worship God while I wait. That is what I was created for and really all these other things don't matter. I was made for worship. 

               In His time and in His way all things will work together, all I need to do is worship.

            Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

                                                               The Farmer in the Dell

Snow Day Valentines

I love snow days, especially when they fall on the weekend. It is so nice to spend time as a family with no place to go and no other commitments, it was wonderful! I like how it just made the world so quiet and so peaceful, also it just felt so cozy to be "trapped" in our well stocked, warm abode. My kids spent most of the day wondering when we could go out in the snow so to keep them occupied we made some valentines for Phoebe's friends.

These are so easy to make and smaller children can count out two kisses for you and older ones can help assemble the "roses". I don't even remember where this idea originally came from but I have made these for my valentine before we even had kids. They are fun and yummy and it only takes about a min to throw one together and it only cost about $.25 per rose! This is what you will need to make them.

Hershey Kiss Roses

• Tissue paper
• Green pipe cleaners
• Floral tape
• Hershey kisses 

Cut out about 5" by 5" squares with your tissue paper. I usually just eyeball mine it doesn't have to be an exact science.

Take two kisses and have their bases touch and then fold the middle of the tissue paper square over the tip of one of the kisses to make your rose bud.

Twist the ends of the tissue paper around the bottom point of the kiss and wrap the pipe cleaner around the little tail of tissue paper to make the stem.

Now take your floral tape, and starting at the top wrap from the base of the bud to the end of the tail of tissue paper. It will make it look more uniform and cover up the excess tissue paper.

You can just leave it like this or if you want to get more fancy you can bend some pipe cleaners and make leaves on the rose stems.

Now you have a dozen or two of chocolate roses to give out on Valentines day!

Making these was Phoebe's favorite part of our snow day, even more then going out in the snow! I hope you all had a fun weekend with your friends and family too!

                                                                The Farmer in the Dell

Homemade Vegan Candy Bar

It is the beginning of a new year and quite a few people set resolutions to make this the year they start eating healthy and keeping a healthy weight. Even the best intentions seem to dwindle over time and by Valentine's day most everyone given up on their diet. Why is it so hard to eat healthy? Well when those donuts, ice cream, candy and pizza show up and there you are, staving with low blood sugar, your bodies natural instinct is to eat the most calorie packed food you can get your hands on.

I remember when I was low calorie, low fat dieting I would just smell sugar and then eat whatever it was till it was gone. I was on a cycle of starvation and binge and I just lived in a place of guilt and shame every time I failed my diet. It was terrible until I realized that I didn't need to starve to be a healthy weight and that I could eat treats once in a while. When I did it wasn't because I am a failure at eating healthy it is because there is a time for everything...including ice cream! Especially the homemade kind!

At any rate I am learning to accept and enjoy my size I am today. While it is not the perfect size zero that is flashed all over the media I am healthy and strong, able to have babies, dance, take care of children, clean, cook, help my family and feel beautiful while I am doing these things. I am learning my body is capable of so much more! It is part of growing into my own skin and giving myself the best nutrition. It is perspective, I am not working toward a size that is not sustainable for me, I am feeding my body the fuel it needs to keep my energy stable and body nourished through out my day. Something I really need to keep up with my busy crew! It is a wonderful feeling to be free of needless guilt!

Part of my new life style has been replacing my favorite un-healthy foods with healthy substitutes. This has lead to many interesting experiments, but once in a while you get a winner.

This is great for those moments where you want a candy bar or some chocolate. My kids loved helping me make these. The best best part is that the chocolate coating doesn't harden as quick as regular melted chocolate so kids can roll it in the cool coating before you put it in the freezer and it doesn't have to be time sensitive.  My daughter made the comment, "Mom you are the best cooker!" while making these :) I didn't feel bad at all letting her lick the extra out of our bowl! Here is what you will need to make them.

The Guiltless Candy Bar

• 8 Date rolls
• 1/2 Cup coco powder
• 1/2 Cup of melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 8-10 drops of liquid stevia or to taste
• Pink salt (optional but really tasty!)
• Parchment paper
• Cookie sheet 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and flatten out your date rolls, shaping them to look like snack size candy bars.

Mix the melted coconut oil, vanilla, stevia and coco powder together with a whisk to make sure there are no lumps in the chocolate coating.

Roll your flattened date rolls in the chocolate coating and place on the parchment paper. Once you coat them all their is a little left over, so I drizzled it over the tops of the bars and sprinkled a pinch of pink salt on top.

Place the cookie sheet with the bars in the freezer for 20 minuets and when you bring them out the candy bars are ready!

I would love to hear what favorite food you have "healthified" for us to give a try! Let me know if there is a food you would like to see a healthier version of and we will try and make it!
                                                           To a stronger healthier future

                                                                The Farmer in the Dell

Growing Pains

I must say that having children is scary. From the moment you realize you are pregnant with them you are constantly concerned with their well being and safety. You want to give them the best; the best possible start to the life ahead of them. The best nutrition, education, friends and family life you possibly can and all of these things require decisions on your part. There are so many decisions, every day, that sometimes it can be overwhelming and I become fearful that I am making the wrong choices for my family. How do I know that my choices will not be fatal? That one day it will cause one of my children to have an unnecessary death, either physically or spiritually? This has been on my mind for a while now and I am realizing I am living my life in a spirit of fear. While it is good to be cautious and watchful I do not want to let fear be my driving force for my life and the life of my family. Where is my faith?

Faith has never been a strong point for me.  It has always been a struggle to believe that God will do what has said. I have seen God do amazing things in our life and I know He is capable, I suppose I feel like maybe asking for all the big and little things all the time is too much. Cast all your cares upon Him for He cares for you. 

I guess a revelation hit me this past week while I was experiencing a difficult trial with one of my children. I was praying for wisdom, clutching my child tight to my chest when I felt a gentle whisper in the quiet tension that pervaded the air. "That is my child" is all it said. I stopped rocking and thought about the meaning of what I had just heard. This child did belong to the Lord, it was not solely mine, I just am entrusted to them for a short time but they are always His. He loves them more than I ever could and He knows what plans He has for them in the future. It is normally hard for me to let someone else take over but this time I was covered in a wave of peace and released the tight grasp on my little one as the Comforter covered us both in that moment.

It seemed like I needed affirmation this week because in our progress of reading through the Bible we were in the story of Moses. His mother was in a bad situation, she was pregnant and gave birth to a boy in a time when the government was trying to eliminate all males of Israel nationality. I am sure as she realized she could no longer conceal him she had that moment with the Holy Spirit where she realized that Moses was not just her child he was the Lord's and she was going to give him back into the Lord's hands. She let Moses go into the Nile. I have never been to Egypt but I have heard from those who have that the Nile is dirty, full of rapids, crocodiles and big fish live in there as well. That was a moment of big faith. The beautiful thing is that in her giving her son into the capable hands of the Lord He gave her son back to her for a little longer and spared his life.

The Lord is so good. He doesn't always choose to give the child back but His way is better and we just have to trust in the plans He has for us. We can't always see or understand what is happening in our lives, but when we cast our cares on Him those cares somehow loose their power over us and peace comes to stay. Rest in His peace and Trust in His plans. Follow the instructions in His love letter and watch the beauty of the glory of the Lord unfold in your life. It is so much better than doing it on our own!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

                                                            The Farmer in the Dell


 

Gluten Free Bread in the Bread Machine!!!

Yes if you read the title I am so excited! I have finally found a recipe for the gluten-free sandwich bread, made in the bread machine! For necessity is the mother of invention. This is the truth that caused me to stumble upon the illusive gluten free sandwich bread that is fluffy, holds together and is so easy I could do it in my sleep!

Because of the holidays my shopping schedule was all off. For those of you who don't know how I love a good schedule this basically had me in a confused state for the last two weeks, they moved my market day to Tuesday instead of Friday! So I squeezed my market shopping in but never made it to the store to buy all the other things we eat that are not not fruits and veggies. We basically ran out of everything at once come the new year, which means no spelt bread for my dear husbands lunches. However I did have this stockpile of gluten-free flour mix made by Krusteaz. So I got out a bag and and decided to give gluten free bread a whirl even if that meant making sandwiches on dense little slices of brick. (An apt description of what most of my "whirls" with gluten-free bread turn out like.)

Not that my husband wouldn't eat it because he is not a pick eater. One of the many reasons I love him! In fact on one occasion, when he was still living at home, he was usually one of the last to eat dinner. Coming in from a hard day of farming he saw what his mom had made left out for him. There were a couple plates with foil over top to keep the heat in so he lifted the foil off a few of them and saw that there was fish pattys, lettuces, tomatoes, buns and all the fixings for a fish sandwich. So he made a sandwich and dug in. His mom came down stairs and asked if he found everything ok, to which he replied, "Yes, the fish sandwiches are good." His mom looked confused and said, "We didn't have fish sandwiches, we had burgers and hash-browns!" So moral to the story, I can give him just about anything because he can make a fish sandwich out of a hash-brown!

So I kinda thew this recipe together not thinking that much would come out of it, and when I looked into the bread machine and saw this I was shocked! It was fluffy, golden brown and smelled...yummy!

 Now I am happy knowing what I can do with my stock pile of flour. If you eat gluten free or are trying to avoid gluten you have got to give this a whirl! The mix is very affordable (I payed $1.89 for 5lbs!) and almost everything I have tried with it turns out wonderful! Here is my lazy, gluten-free sandwich bread recipe for the bread maker.

Krusteaz Gluten-free Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 Tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 3 Tbs honey
• 1 1/2 Cup sour milk or buttermilk
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 1/4 cup Krusteaz gluten free all purpose flour
• 1 Tbs yeast

Dump all the ingredients into the bread machine in the order listed.

Set the bread machine on Rapid Medium setting for a 2 pound loaf.

Set and forget it! Until the yummy aroma reminds you that you are making bread!

After it is done I let it set for about 10 min till I remove it from the pan, so I don't pull the bottom off!

Slice and enjoy!

*I like to slice my bread and let it cool, then I layer them in a ziplock bag. The bead stays fresh that way and doesn't go bad. It makes it handy any time I need a slice. 
                                                              
                                                                  The Farmer in the Dell

A New Year is Coming, Time to Purge!

I don't know if it is the influx of new stuff that comes in our home around Christmas or if the new year always signals this urge, but as January approaches, I feel a strong need to get rid of things that we don't use. We took our second truck load to community aid this week and I still think that we could do to another! How blessed we are to have so much!

While most people are gearing up to start getting rid of excess weight with the new year approaching I am going to be focusing more on the health of my entire family. I have vigilantly kept out processed sugar, processed salt and white, wheat flour and regular, non-pastured meats from our kitchen but even then I have noticed that my family still deals with seasonal illness and healthy people don't get sick. So I started reading and researching, looking for what our diet was missing. What I am discovering though is it is not so much what I am missing as what I am letting in. It is in almost everything that is prepared and pre-made, say hello to vegetable oils.

What is so bad about vegetable oils? Aren't they healthy for you? Let's take a look.
Vegetable oils from corn, soy, cottonseed, canola, safflower and sunflower seeds contain fragile polyunsaturated fatty acids that are heavily damaged by high temperature processing. The result is a product loaded with free radicals, the toxic breakdown products of processed oils, which can cause cancer, depress the immune system and impair growth.* Yikes! Well I think I may have found our problem, because it in everything store made from hummus to organic breakfast bars, things we eat regularly. What is even more worrisome is that these oils are processed with petroleum(think gasoline/kerosene) and then more chemicals are added after that and finally they have to deodorize it because the smell of chemicals and rancid oil is too repulsive. Convenience food, even the "healthy" ones, are tainted with these toxic, rancid oils. The more and more I find out the more I realize I just have to plan ahead and make all of our food, because then I know exactly what I am putting into my family and I can use traditional, healthy oils that are properly exacted and prepared.

My change this year is I am going to be replacing my rancid vegetable oils for the healthy options like grass-fed butter, coconut oil, pure extra virgin olive oil(although you will not want to use this for high heat cooking as it will become toxic like the other vegetable oils) ghee, and grass-fed lard. If any of you have been around my son recently you will know how much he adores butter. It is one of the few words he can say! This is going to mean more planning for me and less just winging it at the grocery store but I am looking for the long term benefits of health.

My other change for this year is I am going to seek out an buy only organic and hopefully grass fed dairy options for our meals. This should not be too much of a change as the only thing we use regularly that is not grass-fed and organic is cheese. I am happy to say we have found a local source and I am looking forward to using it in my meals!

With more people filling our home we have increasingly less and less room, but I have a full home and a full heart, something I wouldn't trade for anything. I want more than anything to give those precious little people a healthy start to their lives, that is why I am currently reading a wonderful book titled *Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby and Child Care. I am learning so much and I hope to implement much of what I am learning into my diet and my family's diet.

If you are looking to improve your health by using the wisdom of healthy cultures from around the world then I would also highly recommend Nourishing Traditions  I use my copy all the time! Loaded with information and recipes it is an invaluable resource to help you in your journey to health. I encourage you if you are looking to make health changes in the coming year, purge out the things that are holding you back from living a life that is full and exuberant as the Lord would desire for us! May 2016 be a wonderful year for you!

                                                               The Farmer in the Dell

Holiday Nuts

With the holidays upon us it is the season for parties and get-togethers. These kinds of holiday foods are usually hard to digest, full of processed sugar and refined carbohydrates. These kind of foods will stick to your waist at the best and at the worst potentially degenerate your immunity and health. So what do you do? When I go to I like to bring along a healthy snack to share if I can and one of my favorite things to bring are nuts. They contain fiber and healthy fats so they keep me full and help keep me from snacking on other less healthy options. Nuts also prevent my blood sugar from crashing mid-way through the evening, something I struggle with more now that I am nursing.

So I go out and buy a can of nuts from the store and am ready to go, no not really. Nuts contain a compound called phytic acid that binds up minerals and prevents the nuts from being properly digested. It is a defense mechanism that all tree nuts have to keep animals from eating the ripe fruits. The good news is that you can still eat nuts,  all you have to do is soak them in water with a Tbs of salt! Each kind of nut requires a different amount of time soaking in salt water. At this point you can rinse them off and eat them soggy or if you are like me and prefer crispy nuts then you will want to dehydrate them at around 200 degrees in an oven or dehydrator.

• Almonds: soak for 12 hours, dehydrate for 15 hours
• Brazil nuts: soak for 12 hours, dehydrate for 18 hours
• Cashews: soak for 6 hours, dehydrate for 15 hours
• Hazelnuts: soak for 8 hours, dehydrate for 12 hours
• Macadamia nuts: soak for 4 hours, dehydrate for 12 hours
• Pecans: soak for 8 hours, dehydrate for 12 hours
  
• Pine nut: soak for 8 hours, dehydrate for 12 hours
• Walnuts: soak for 8 hours, dehydrate for 12 hours

Once you have properly soaked and dehydrated your nuts you can make a yummy mix like this to take to your party.

Rosemary Nuts

• 2 1/2 cups mixed nuts (that have been soaked and dehydrated!)
• 2 Tbs melted butter
• 1/8 cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2-3 drops rosemary essential oil
• 1/2- 1 tsp of cayenne pepper 

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees and spread your nuts on a baking sheet.

Roast the nuts for ten minuets until they are starting to brown.

While nuts are roasting mix the butter, sugar and rosemary oil together till sugar is dissolved. (I skipped this portion and my coconut sugar never completely melted and adhered to the nuts so learn from my mistakes!)

When nuts are nice and golden, remove from the oven and put in a mixing bowl with the butter mix and salt and cayenne. Mix it all together till all the nuts are coated.

These are really good warm or when they are cooled off.

Enjoy and nurture your friends and family this advent season, be blessed!
                                                                  The Farmer in the Dell

DIY Essential Oil Diffuser Necklace

I love enjoying good smells, we all do! That is why people buy scented candles, perfume, air fresheners, scented laundry detergent, scented trash bags, scented dish soap... you name it it probably has an added fragrance because we love to enjoy a good smell. That being said most of the scents we are familiar with are chemically made, not therapeutic and may even cause headaches and other problems. That is one of the reasons I love therapeutic, high grade essential oils, these extracts from plants are pure and are not a bunch of chemicals put together to stimulate the senses. With most essential oils there is also a helpful effect on the body as well which is an added bonus!

We use a diffuser for when the kids and us are sick or we want to relax but sometimes I just want to wear a smell too or take it with me when I go out. So I have been looking at getting a diffuser necklace. They range in price but most of them are around $30 and to me that is kind of salty! So as with most things when the price is high I try and figure out a way to do better and the easy option was to make it myself. You can go to a craft store and find all the pieces you will need to make one, or in my case I made two, one to give away! I made mine for $10 each, which depending on where you buy the necklace it is 1/2 - 1/3 of the price! It is super easy to do (translate took 10 min), so if you can use pliers you can make a diffuser necklace! Here is what you will need,

Diffuser Necklace

• A locket pendant with lattice like front. (This is how you will be diffusing the oils!) 
• A chain
• Charms
• Jump rings
• Needle nose pliers
• Felt
• Scissors
•  Pen

Attach your pendant to your necklace with a jump ring using the pliers.

Decide where you want the charms and attach them using your pliers to open the jump rings and add to necklace.

Open the pendant and lay your felt on the back half. Trace in the inside rim of the pendant on the felt with a pen to see how big you need to make the cut out.

Cut out the circle and place it inside your pendant.

You are now ready to use or give your necklace to some one special! All you do at this point is add a drop or two of the essential oil of your choice to the felt, close the locket and start diffusing pretty on the go!

I love mine and this would make a great gift as well! I hope you give it a try!
                                                                     
                                                               The Farmer in the Dell

How We Potty Train Our Kids Before They Are 2

Evey child is different and has their own unique strengths and challenges.  To be honest I wasn't sure that we would hit our no diapers by age two goal with Boaz but he has been in his "big boy" pants all week, with only had two accidents on the first day. He is still in a diaper at night, but that has been dry as well for the last few days so I know that my days of two in diapers are coming to an end very soon! I am one happy momma! (As soon as I post this I know we will have a relapse because that is the nature of the beast. The proud will be humbled!) At any rate I thought I would share some tips with you with what worked for us.

Potty Training Tips

Start Early

We start sitting our kids on the potty as soon as they can sit on their own around the 6-8 month mark. This may seem silly but they become comfortable on a potty and soon learn what to do on there. I usually sit them on in the morning, before lunch and after, after nap time and before bed. Try and look for your child's signals when they usually go, most of the time they have a rhythm.

Be Consistent

The more consistent you are with sitting them on the potty the quicker they will be diaper free. Both parents have to be on board and involved. I have been very motivated to get Boaz out of diapers, (because two in cloth is a lot of work!) so it actually happened sooner with him than with Phoebe. It also helps when they have an older sibling to encourage them and model it for them.

Plan Ahead

If you want to be consistent when you go out have a potty in the car, especially for long trips. This keeps you from having to drive all over to find a restroom and public bathrooms can be very scary so if you can avoid them with little people all the better! Those collapsible potty seats are nice to have as well for travel but you can just hold on to your child to keep them from falling in too. I always pack an extra set of clothes in case we don't make it in time.

Have Fun Rewards

My kids are rarely allowed to have "treats" but when we potty train I make exceptions. Little treats like a chocolate chip, a corn syrup-free gummy, raisins, little bite size cookie or a butter mint. It makes it really special to get something new. Food can be a powerful motivator. If your kid is not a foodie then stickers on a chart that add up to a new toy may be more effective. You know what makes your kid's eyes twinkle. I had one that was a foodie and one that liked stuff so you just have to experiment a bit.

Have a "No Pants Week"

When you find that your child is going well on the potty and only goes in their diaper 2-3 times in 24 hours then it is time for "no pants week." You will be cleaning up messes for the first few days, so stay on hard floors, but I have found that both my kids hated to pee on the floor. They both learned to fine tune their bladder control very quickly, and it didn't take either of them a whole week. For girls I just had her in a dress all the time to make it easier. For a boy we went from just underwear to underwear with sweat pants or pants with an elastic waist so he could take them down himself. I have to say this was the hardest part of potty training a boy, those dumb jeans!

Encouragement

No matter how bad the day was it is always good to keep your attitude positive toward your child, nothing dampers the spirit like an angry, frustrated mom! After all we are also raising little people so lets set a good example on how to deal with disappointment as well as going to the bathroom. You don't want to make the potty a battle field, when they do a good job keeping their pants dry then let them know how awesome they are!

This is what we have done for our last two children and it has worked great. Some days can seem very daunting, like you will have a child that pees their pants till they are 12, but that is just one day tomorrow is usually better! Phoebe was potty trained by 23 months and Boaz is 21 months now so there is hope!  God is good He will never give you more then you can handle :)
                                                              

                                                            The Farmer in the Dell

It's the Little Things!

Sometimes I find that I would like to surprise someone special with a little gift. I like when it doesn't have really any reason other than I care about that person, keeping it random, just because. I have been on the the receiving end of these "just because" gifts from a friend and it was so special to know they were thinking of me, I find that these kind of gifts usually come when you or the person getting them needs an emotional pick-me-up.

I also like to make thank you gifts because it is nice to be able to give something thoughtful along with a note. One of my favorites to have on hand for this sort of thing are these wonderful lotion bars. You can make a batch ahead of time and have ready for hostess gifts, thank you gifts or a just-because-I-care gift. I love them! Simple and useful gifts are my favorite because I am in the process of cleaning out the excess in our house and if it doesn't get used in a years time I most likely will not use it. Time to pass it on to someone who will, otherwise I spend an hour every night cleaning the random things up that my kids have scattered around our home.

So I have been wanting to try making sharpie mugs. They look so pretty and you can personalize them to make them even more unique. I think that they make a perfect "just because" gift because who doesn't like drinking tea or coffee? Anyway if you are looking for a simple fun idea for a little gift, this is a winner. You can make it even more fancy by filing the inside with coffee, tea, hot chocolate or if you want something chocolate and coffee, chocolate covered coffee beans! Can you guess what I chose?

Here is how you make a sharpie mug.

You will need:

• a plain white mug (found these for .89 at Ollie's!)
• a black, fine point sharpie  
• adhesive stencles
• an oven
• a cookie sheet
• coffee, tea, hot coco or other filler

Clean and dry your mug well before applying your stencil, press down to ensure there are no air pockets.

Use your sharpie and color in your stencil allowing a few seconds for the ink to dry before removing the stencil.

Put your mug on a cookie sheet and place in oven for 30 min. Allow it to preheat with the oven to 450 Degrees and when the 30 minuets are up turn off oven and let the mug cool in the oven to prevent cracking from sudden temperature changes.

Now you mug is done you can fill it with whatever you think your friend will like best!

These mugs are so simple and fun to make and sometimes it's the little things that brighten up someones day!

                                                             The Farmer in the Dell

Helpful Tips for Dealing with Food Poisoning

You never know when it will hit you but when it does you will wish it didn't. Food poisoning or food-borne illness as it is called in the medical community, is caused from a bacteria or viruses being present in your food. Usually it is a result of poor food handling, (not keeping refrigerated or raw items at a safe level of cold) or not keeping the preparation area clean that causes the growth of harmful bacteria on the food. When you eat the infected food the symptoms including vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache, weakness, soreness of the joints, fever, or the chills and may not show up for up to a month in some cases. This can make it hard to pin point the actual culprit and can sometimes be confused with the stomach flu. At any rate most people will take Imodium and Tylenol to help get through it but this is only treating the symptoms and not the root of the problem, the contaminated food in your system.
If you prefer a more holistic and natural approach here are some options for you:

1. Activated Charcoal~ This is my all time favorite for food poisoning. I discovered this when I was pregnant with Boaz and was so sick that I was loosing a pound a day. Nothing was working and my midwife was going to put me on IV fluids if I didn't get it to stop by the morning. I had read about activated charcoal and called to verify if it was safe to use during pregnancy. With a go ahead I took 1 Tbs of loose charcoal powder mixed with water, drank 8 more ounces and then repeated the same thing the next hour. Just like that it bound up the toxin and stopped the wild rampage that was in my body. I have used it many times, with success every time. Activated charcoal is not digestible by the body so it binds up anything in your digestive system and eliminates it. It really should be used in it's loose form, capsules will sometimes inhibit the binding process. It should also not be taken with milk or dairy products as they will nullify the charcoal rendering it useless. 
   
2. Raw Garlic~ I know this one sounds like a real joke but garlic is a natural anti-viral and anti-bacterial food. So if food poisoning comes from a virus or bacteria then eating a clove of raw garlic will eliminate the problem at it's source. I did try out this one and surprisingly it has a almost immediate relief from the nausea and I didn't experience any of my other symptoms after eating it. This is probably why most people don't get food poisoning after eating Italian food, all the yummy garlic!
   
3. Apple Cider Vinegar~ When you are throwing up everything this may sound like the last thing you want to drink but apple cider vinegar, when metabolized, actually makes your body more alkaline immediately reducing the symptoms effect. It soothes the gastrointestinal lining and will kill off the offending bacteria that caused the problems in the first place. You can take 2 Tbs mixed in warm water with some honey or just take the two Tbs straight.
   
4. Basil Juice~ Is great for treating bacterial infections, it is also easy to get down. You can just juice fresh basil leaves and mix with honey and take throughout the day. Or if you like to use essential oils, one drop of basil essential oil in a cup of water will sooth the stomach and deal with the bacteria at the same time. 

After you get rid of the bacteria you will want to gently sooth the body. Here are some simple ways to heal your gut.

Drink lots of liquids as you may have lost lots of fluids in the process. Some very beneficial ones are:

• Lemon water~the acid in the lemon will deal with any lingering bacteria and the taste is refreshing and clean, something you may need. 
• Ginger Tea~Using lots of fresh ginger, slice and boil it for a few minuets to infuse. Let it cool down till warm take out ginger and mix with honey if desired. 
• Keifer or Keifer water~This builds up the good bacteria in the gut. 
• Green Tea
• Bone Broth

Start on solids slowly. Bland, starchy foods are often the easiest on your body after a bout with food poisoning. Foods like

• White rice(I really like the puffed rice or plain rice cakes)
• Bananas
• Plain toast
• Instant mashed potatoes without butter
• Oatmeal(soaked is better)
• Apple or pear sauce

When you start to feel like you a whole person incorporate yogurt, kombucha and other fermented/probiotic foods and beverages back into your diet to strengthen your immune system and build up the good gut bacteria so you are feeling your healthiest once more.

I hope you never have to deal with food poisoning but it is likely to happen at least once in your life so it is best to be prepared and know what you can do to heal your body from the inside out.
                                                                 The Farmer in the Dell

Fire Water

It's here! Tis the season for sniffles and sneezes, colds all around at every get together. Should you just hole up this season and hide away from the runny noses and sick masses? I know I have been tempted to do that very thing but it is not practical to go into hermit status in the winter. Here are some of our favorite things to have on hand when we come in contact with a sickie or feel like we are coming down with a cold. 

• Elderberry syrup~ I make a batch of this and the kids love taking a dose, they often ask for more!
• Echinacea tincture~ I usually make a "tea" with this to give my kids by mixing a few droppers of tincture with warm water and some liquid stevia. If you didn't get a chance to make some you can buy it from Amazon
• Raw Garlic~ Smash it up and swallow like a pill. You will have garlic breath, it will burn, but you will not get sick! Maybe being a hermit is the way to go ;)
• On Gaurd Beadlets~ We love these for when you know you have been around the sickness but don't have it yet, it usually works to keep us well! If you are interested in leaning more about essential oils or want help making an order please let me know!
• Vitamin C~ If I do fall ill I will take extra vitamin C to ward it off sooner. This is great in conjunction with the echinacea.  
• Fire Water~ This one is one Josh and I favorite ways to boost immunity. It is a spicy but flavorful and it is sure to knock the cold right out of you!

I have been making fire water the longest of all these; made my first batch almost 10 years ago and I still am making it! Partially because the ingredients are easy to find at your local market and it is very easy to make. Notice the amount of easy in the previous sentence :) Anyway, in my book, the only down side is that this would not be one to give to your small children, not if you want them to ever trust you again. It is way too spicy for my little folk but if yours like things hot then give it a try, you know your kids best.

Fire Water
Makes 2 Quarts

• 2 large onions, peeled and chopped
• 4 heads of garlic, peeled chopped
• 3-4 ginger roots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large horse radish root, peeled and chopped
• 4 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• Raw apple cider vinegar, to cover

 layer ingredients into quart jars, you want have approximately equal parts of all the chopped ingredients so a little less than 1/2 cup of each per jar.

Cover with apple cider vinegar and let set 1 week-1month. Strain out the vegetables and store in quart jar room temp.

Take one Tbs of fire water whenever you feel that tingle in your throat.
                                                         

                                                          To your family's good health!
                                                                The Farmer in the Dell

20 Uses for Baking Soda

I love anything I can use as for multi-purpose. It saves me time and energy of keeping only one thing stocked up rather than having to check over a list of things all the time. One of my favorite multi- purpose items in my pantry is baking soda. It really is a jack-of-all-trades in our house. I like it because it is inexpensive, natural and effective! Here is a list of household uses for baking soda besides making a batch of waffles or a cake!

• Toothpaste  When I a in a pinch I use baking soda on a wet toothbrush to brush my teeth 
• Face scrub  Make a paste with the baking soda and water (add EO's if desired) 
• Shampoo/hair pH balance  I don't use as shampoo regularly but I do sprinkle into my scalp before using my shampoo bar. It eliminates build up on the hair and scalp
• Deodorant  Because of the pH balancing properties this makes a good deodorant in the winter. Some people find it is too strong/irritating to underarms, so if you have sensitive skin this may not be for you   
• Dirty hand cleaner  Works well to get grimy hands clean
• Cold sores  Apply to cold sores around and in your mouth to dry them up
• Scouring powder  This works amazingly well on sinks and plastic pitchers that have tea stains! 
• Drain un-clogger  Pour it a whole bunch of baking soda down the drain and pour white vinegar on top to help break down the clog.
• Odor eliminator  Put a box in the refrigerator and freezer to keep odors at bay.
• Litter Box Freshener  Put one 2 lbs box of baking soda on the bottom of the litter box cover with cat litter. This extends the life of the litter and helps with the smell. 
• Pre-soak for Cloth diapers  This is especially helpful if you have hard water!
• Pre-laundry stain treatment  Make a paste out of baking soda and water and put on the stain and let it dry, it will drawl the stain out of the fabric. If it is an oil or sweat stain, apply dry to fabric and it will pull the oil up out of the clothes. Make sure to brush off the baking soda before laundering as normal! 
• A pretzel bath  When making pretzels, make a bath of warm water and baking soda to dip them in to give the soft pretzels a nice gloss and salty touch. 
• pH balance in the body  Just a pinch in some water can help keep your body from getting to acid. I would do this with all the holidays coming up. Processed foods tend to throw the body off balance and make us more vulnerable to illness. 
• For powdery mildew in the garden  Mix 1 tbsp of baking soda, 1 gallon of water, 1 tbsp of vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of dishwashing liquid. Mix and put in a sprayer. Use weekly. (try to use it when it is not too sunny)
• To kill crabgrass/weeds  Pour directly on avoiding surrounding grass. This also works in cracks of sidewalks too. 
• Sweeten Tomatoes  Sprinkle around the earth close the tomato plant, makes a sweeter fruit.
• Fungicide  Mix 4 tsp baking soda in one gallon of water and spray on plants
• Pest Control  If you have silverfish, roaches or ants sprinkle around door or window frames to keep them away. 
• Splinter removal  Clean affected area, make a paste of 1/4 tsp baking soda and a little water. Apply to splinter and bandage. Wait 24 hours and remove bandage. If it hasn't worked out of the skin repeat till it does. This method works best with tiny splinters or really deep ones.

I am sure this is not an exhaustive list but you sure can do a lot with this common, humble household staple! What other ways do you use baking soda? I would love to hear!
                                                                 The Farmer in the Dell

The Heart of a Child

Sometimes, in the chaos that is motherhood, God sends reminders though some of the most unlikely ways. Namely I am thinking of children. As adults I think that we forget that, with all that we are teaching our children, they can teach us too.

One of my areas of struggle is with giving. I am an extremely frugal person. Those that know me well know I like to try and save wherever I can in the area of fiances. I have been a saver rather than a spender for just about all my life. As a child when someone gave me money as a gift I rarely spent it, usually it was put away for a later date. We always take out money from the paycheck for tithe but I am not really the kind of person who just gives money to organizations or people right away without first counting the cost. If the budget is too tight then I will put it off until we can afford it. It is in my nature to do that. However through different ways I had been feeling the pull at my heart to give toward children who don't have enough food and are fighting starvation every day.

First it was this video I watched on my news feed.

Then the radio station I listen to was doing a pledge drive that was working with the group Feed My Starving Children. I would listen to the radio and my heart was so heavy for the children who were forced to eat dirt to quiet the emptiness in their stomachs. Still it was not enough to push me into action.

Jesus talked about caring for children.    

Matthew 19:14-15
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Mark 9: 41-42

 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward. If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

James 1:27
 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

Then I was driving in the car with my daughter and we started to talk about what we were having for supper. She started off by saying that she hoped that we had strawberry bagels for supper and if we didn't she would cry. I went on to tell her we should be thankful for what ever we have to eat because there are other children in the world who have nothing to eat but dirt who would love to have her supper.

Silence

"Why, Mommy?"
"Because they don't have money to buy food"
"I have some money, I could send them money so they don't have to eat dirt! I don't want them to be hungry."

She has been saving up for a new wagon but she still wanted to give money to help those hungry children. I had no excuse now, my own daughter showed me true religion. We had to look after those in distress. We had to feed those who had nothing to eat, not just talk about about how blessed we are.

I can't teach her what gratitude is until I show her how to give extravagantly. I can't teach her faith without her seeing that Jesus will meet our needs as well as those who have so much less. It is one of those times where actions speak louder than words and NOW was the time to act.

We are coming up on Thanksgiving, a holiday where we celebrate our gratitude. Why not take this time to share with those who have so much less than we do? If you have been feeling the pull on your heart to help those who are less fortunate it only takes .22 to produce a single meal for a starving child. This can make a huge difference in the life of that little one. Let's use the blessings we have to show others the caring hands of Jesus, the kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

Thank you Phoebe for teaching mommy to give without fear, being led by the Spirit! May our hearts be tender and compassionate like that of a child to the needs of others.

                                                               The Farmer in the Dell 

Rosemary's Perfect Face Cream

When I was a teenager I struggled with cystic acne and an extremely oily face. I remember crying about how I wished I could just go out in public without make-up to cover up my angry red bumps and shiny skin. I used every acne topical you could buy over the counter, sometimes more than one at a time, they would work for a little then flare up angry and red again. My skin was a weird combo of extremely oily and flaky dry from all the drying creams I used to work on the acne. I NEVER used face lotion, I thought I never would, I was convinced it would clog my pores even more and make my problem worse. After all it was that evil oil my skin produced that caused this problem in the first  place, at that time the equation was, all oil=bad. It was that simple.

Well it just so happens that it wasn't that simple. After going on an elimination diet I discovered that when I stopped eating wheat, bread in particular, that miraculously the welt-like acne went away! I was a heavy bread eater and literally ate whole loaves of french bread for one meal. I just loved bread! Well that had to stop. Once I cut it out it gave my skin a chance to regulate and heal up. I was still terrified of using anything oily on my face, I was finally getting my skin regulated, why throw it off again? Once my skin balanced out, after I had been off wheat for a year, I was dealing with a different problem, once in a while my skin was too dry and was causing breakouts from the dry skin getting clogged in my pores. I felt so defeated, my skin just hated me! After some research I came to the conclusion that maybe I needed to try adding lotion to my skin regimen. Amazingly it didn't clog my pores and I didn't have tight, flaky skin either! 

Now I am living my dream and go out almost all the time without having to wear makeup to cover and balance my skin tone and it feels great! It goes to show that sometimes the problems in your body show up in the most unlikely ways. Healing begins from the inside out not the other way around.

I am also more concerned now with what is in the lotions and things that go on my skin. I am also more aware that man made chemicals are not good for the body the way wonderful plants and oils God made are. So I like to make a lot of the products I use on my skin. This lotion is one of my favorites. A friend made it for me, and while it seems like it would be too heavy for the face, it is wonderful to put on at night, especially in the winter when the air is drier. The Recipe was published in Herbs for Health magazine and was created by Rosemary Gladstar, a revered herbalist.

Rosemary's Perfect Cream

Ingredients

Waters

• 2/3 Cup distilled rosewater
• 1/3 Cup aloe vera gel
• 1-2 drops essential oil
• Vitamin E (to preserve freshness) 

Oils

• 3/4 Cup almond oil
• 1/3 Cup coconut oil or cocoa butter
• 1/4 tsp lanolin*
• 1/2 - 1 oz bee wax grated 

Directions
Combine the rose water, aloe vera gel, essential oils and vitamin E in a glass measuring bowl, set aside.

In a double broiler over low heat melt the oils together. Pour into a blender and let cool to room temperature. It should become thick, creamy, semi solid and cream colored.

when cooled turn the blender on high then in a slow thin drizzle pour about 3/4 of the waters mix into the center of the vortex. You are aiming to make an emulsion.

Listen to the blender and watch the cream. When the blender coughs, and the cream looks thick like buttercream frosting, turn off the blender. By hand mix in the remaining water mix and do not over beat. It thickens as it sets.

Pour cream into jars and store in a cool place.

* Lanolin has been found to contain pesticides due to the way it is harvested. I use Lansinoh HPA brand as they say that the brand is "guaranteed to never have more than 1 part per million of total combined pesticide residues.(.000001)" Theirs is also refined without bleaching. Good to know I thought. They also say that a current certificate of analysis is always available for review, if you want to take a look.


I love waking up to my skin now, this face cream makes my skin so soft and dewy! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
                                                                 The Farmer in the Dell

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

It brings back memories every time I see a bunch of prickly balls laying around the yard. As a little girl I went over to my neighbors yard, and I was forever barefoot, to visit. I would have to go to the front yard to avoid stepping on all the terrible prickly balls that littered the back of his yard. I knew from experience they really hurt! I often wondered why he didn't just cut that tree down but he was sort of an odd neighbor to find in the city.

He had asked the industrial company behind us to farm their empty quarter acre lot that lay between our property and his. On it he grew corn, tomatoes, sunflowers, and had a prolific peach and sour cherry tree planted there. He would be out early in the morning working that piece of soil with his trusty dog rusty, a rat terrier, who I just loved. I would open my window and shout, "Hey Harry what'cha doing?" He liked to go to auctions and get boxes of junk and he would let me pick through them and take some of the odds and ends that I liked. When it was really hot out he had a snow maker in his basement and he would dig it out and make snow cones. He sang weird songs to me like, "There's a ant on a log, on a hole, in the middle of the sea..." when he sat in his back yard or tell me stories about a cursed Indian that would get me if I went in the shed where he kept his bow and arrows he used for hunting groundhogs. Harry made my childhood full of fun memories, including those prickly balls, the fruit of a sweet chestnut tree.

Chestnut History

Those chestnuts also had an interesting history. Originally from the orient, these sweet chestnuts were brought to Europe by the Romans. Before wheat was readily available and inexpensive this nut was used to sustain the poor of Europe. It was ground into flour and used to make "down bread" because it didn't rise like yeast bread does. Typical gluten-free flour. It was probably rather nutritious as it is the only cultivated nut containing vitamin C, about 40 mg for 3 oz. It has a similar protein content as beans and is close to a potato in carbohydrate content. Sweet chestnuts also have the lowest fat content of any nut, only 2%. Chestnuts are also native to America but were nearly wiped out by blight in the 30's. The native Americans used them for many different medicinal purposes; for headaches, chills, baby powder, colds, sores, cough syrup and stomach ache. The tree was also a main source of tannin used in the leather industry and the original telegraph poles were made of chestnut.

How to Harvest Chestnuts?

There are poisonous and edible chestnuts that are grown in the US. How you tell the difference is by the outer husk. The edible has many needle like spikes and can be brown or green with one or more nuts inside. The toxic chestnut has a green husk with few spikes and only one nut per husk. The edible also has a little tuft at the tip of the nut where the toxic is just round and smooth.

You collect these nuts and can store them inside for a week or so in one layer to cure and become sweeter. Or you can put the husk-less nuts in the freezer, after scoring, as some people say the shells come off very easy after they are defrosted. I am planning on trying this method next year. Do not bring in the ones that have little holes in them as they have chestnut weevil inside and worms will come out!

After curing you make a score X cut in the shell and then you are ready to bake/roast or boil the nuts to get those shells off. I would strongly recommend the boiling as the shells came off so much easier and the flavor and texture were no different in my opinion.

Boiling

Put the scored nuts in small batches in boiling water for a few 3 min. Take out with a slotted spoon and the shells peel off wonderfully. If you do not do this quickly the inner skin may re-adhere and you will have to boil again to loosen it.

Baking/Roasting

The more traditional method. Place scored nuts in small batches on a cookie sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 10 min. then peel off the shells. Again this must be done quickly to keep skin from re-adhering.

I am going to be making a majority of mine into flour and freezing it this year, by putting it though the food processor, using it in place of almond flour in recipes. As it strikes me that it would be similar in texture and flavor. Oh and less expensive as well! You can can them in a light syrup to preserve long term as well. You can make soup, stuffing and of course we like to just eat them as is too.
 Turns out after I was married that we have one of those "pricker ball trees" in our front yard. I have my own little girl who likes to go in the front yard and collect the nuts up. Now I know why Harry kept that tree, the nuts are yummy! Phoebe loves them so much that when I was encouraging her to be entrepreneurial and sell them on a road side stand she looked astonished and said, "Not my nuts! We would not have enough!" They still remind me of Harry and his prickly yard but now we are making new memories with a new sweet chestnut tree.
                                                                The Farmer in the Dell