I first became curious about essential oils a number of years ago because a my birth doula had suggested using them for a few things we were trying to treat at home and they really seemed to work.  At the time I first began using them it was because she suggested that for the horrible congestion I was experiencing due to sickness, I should take a hot steamy shower and put a few drops of Eucalyptus essential oil in the tub during my shower.  At the time I didn't know any better than to run to the health food store and grab the cheapest bottle of eucalyptus I could find...but it did work and my steamy shower opened me up much like ingesting a mound of horseradish would!

Over the next several years I dabbled a little here and there with oils and what always impressed me was how very little essential oil it took (usually 1-2 drops) to see a notable difference in whatever I was trying to treat.  Now, let me say essential oils are not magic or voodoo, they are just the most potent form of a plant steam distilled and collected as oil.  Some plant matter produces more essential oil than others, there are some crops that require several tons of plant matter just to produce a pound of essential oil...so its pretty potent stuff.

When my birth doula found a company she loved, she had tried a number of different companies over the years as well, she turned me on to it and I could clearly smell and feel a difference.  When I compared her new brand to the ones I had been using from the health food store it was night and day as hers even smelled less "chemical" and very strong.  What also impressed me is that many of the bottles that contained essential oil from edible plants, were also labeled as safe for ingestion in small amounts.  It had always baffled me before why peppermint or ginger essential oils from the health foods store said "do not ingest" when those are clearly edible plants.

So I began more research and I began using ailments and issues that came up in day to day life to try out some of these oils on.  I had a few go-to books that I was using where I could look up an issue...say a sunburn or seasonal allergies and they would suggest what oil to try and how to apply it (be it topically, internally or aromatically).  I was finding many successes.  Among my favorites were:

Lavender Essential Oil
- kitchen burns (applied topically took out the immediate sting and healed so much faster!
-allergy itchy eyes (applied to the temples and on bridge of nose stopped the itch almost immediately)
-poison ivy (applied directly and in conjunction with peppermint oil helps significantly!)

Eucalyptus & Peppermint Oils
-Congestion
-Stuffy or Runny nose

Oregano Oil
-an antiviral that also removes warts and can act as a natural antibiotic

A Blend of Wild orange essential oil, combined with clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and rosemary 
-knocks out fever blisters, sore throats, and often run of the mill viruses.

Those were just the beginning, my arsenal of essential oils has grown to a number of oils (over 40 now) that I use not only to treat issues naturally but also to add to other products we make at home (such as our own deodorant- Recipe Here, skin salves for eczema, facial scrubs, etc).

I know in the beginning I was overwhelmed with information so I just asked my friend and others, read incessantly, and used some common sense trial and error.  I did a post HERE on the bare basics of essential oils, it was information that helped me in the beginning so I wanted to share.

Bare Basics Of Essential Oils (Click on link)

The really neat thing about taking steps towards more natural living is the amazing sense of empowerment that comes with learning that there are many ways to treat issues at home without running to the doctor's office and spending copays and time only to get medications that may or may not work and often carry side effects.  I always suggest trying natural remedies first and if all else fails, you can always go to the doctor!

The important part about using oils is that you get them from a company that sources all natural CPTG (certified pure therapeutic grade), organic oils preferably from the locations around the world where the plants grow indigenously.  I am happy to provide anyone with more information as I love the company I am now using and I love the role of mentoring and teaching others.  If you want any more information about the oils I use please feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you.

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 If you are diligently following this series it is likely because you want to make some changes.  A big change is in your convenience foods...yes, we all love a quick and easy snack.  Mine used to be fruit snacks and granola bars for the kids. The granola bars are healthy right?  You may want to look more closely at some of those labels.  

This kind of goes back to day #4 of this series (post here) where I mentioned the importance of educating ourselves on what we are putting in our bodies.   When all else fails a rule of thumb is if you don't know what an ingredient is...maybe you shouldn't eat it.  But, if it were only that simple...what about the label "natural flavor" what exactly does that mean?  There is an interesting article here where we learn that MSG (you know the stuff we are supposed to avoid because it has been known to trigger migraines and a host of other issues) has more than 25 names it can go by and it is also considered a "natural flavor" as well as many other substances that are only considered "natural" in the loosest sense of the word. Oh and interestingly enough the word "Natural" means nothing when put anywhere else besides the ingredients list, and even then the true "natural-ness" is very debatable.

Then there is the whole GMO issue.  Did you know this:

 Currently, up to 92% of U.S. corn is genetically engineered (GE), as are 94% of soybeans and 94% of cotton [1] (cottonseed oil is often used in food products). It has been estimated that upwards of 75% of processed foods on supermarket shelves – from soda to soup, crackers to condiments – contain genetically engineered ingredients. http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/adoption-of-genetically-engineered-crops-in-the-us/recent-trends-in-ge-adoption.aspx 

That means that when your convenience food says "corn syrup, cornmeal, corn sugar...etc" you are likely eating GMO food unless your processed food box says "Organic" on it.  Well then, what does Organic really mean? The short and sweet of it is this...

Organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones. http://www.organic.org/home/faq

Is your head swimming yet?  Yep, mine was too.  I did quite a bit of research and what I found was that many of the diseases and ailments we are dealing with today are very likely linked to what we are eating and the chemicals we are ingesting into our bodies.  We weren't meant to eat like we do.  Lets not even mention obesity, diabetes, autoimmune issues, inflammation, gut and bowel issues, etc.

This is where I found that it was the hardest to begin the change.  The whole reason I was feeding my family "convenience" foods (foods from a box) was because it was convenient.  So how was I going to help our family snack in a healthier manner?  For me it began by thinking back to what foods our great grandparents ate.  Fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, are you following me.  If you picked up some of these types of food at the market it would likely have 1-2 ingredients.  Peanuts for example, they have peanuts, salt and sometimes peanut oil.  But I have also looked at labels and seen where peanuts have 5-7 ingredients in them, really?  I mean for goodness sake, they are peanuts!

So, my challenge to you on this natural journey is in the area of your snack foods.  Try some of these on your family to see if you can make a switch.

Cheese sticks
​fruit leather
peanuts
Cashews
Sunflower seeds
carrots
celery
raisins
dried or dehydrated foods (though watch out for sulfates as a preservative)
dried fruits
freeze dried fruits and vegetables (available online and make great baby finger foods)

If you are feeling creative, how about making some snack foods.  Here are a few of our favorite recipes.

Popcorn (made with an old school kettle)
Energy Bites (recipe here)
Paleo Crack (recipe here)
Homemade brownies (recipe here)
Pumpkin muffins (recipe here)
Banana muffins (recipe here)
Homemade cocoa (recipe here)
Apple Chips (recipe here)

Just think about it... here is a typical label for one of the all American snackfoods that there are often coupons and great sales for.  I know I was guilty of not putting much thought it to snack foods for quite some time, ignorance was bliss for a time.

So the next time you are shopping at the grocery, take a closer look at the labels of what you are adding to the cart, you may have to rethink some of those purchases.


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So you don't have a garden?  No problem, you can still participate in this step.  You do have to have a desire to learn a new skill though.  Canning and dehydrating (dehydrating is the simpler of the two) are ways of preserving the seasonal harvest that for most is not available all 12 months out of the year.  

​Thinking back a few generations ago our grandparents and great grandparents only had what they could grow.  If you wanted to eat tomato sauce or green beans any other time besides in the summer, you had better figure out how to preserve that harvest.  Not only that but you may just starve if you didn't put up enough food for your family!

​Here is where I started...

This is what most ladies refer to as the bible of canning...no disrespect to the real bible but this has EVERYTHING you EVER needed to know about canning, complete with pictures for the visual learners out there, like me!  (If you use my link to access it I get a referral bonus).
​

 Canning is not a difficult skill and other then a jar lifter and a large pot...you don't need a whole lot of fancy equipment​

The only other thing you need is a case of jars (you can buy these at walmart- year round, Family Dollar, Dollar General and Big Lots from about June through October).  You can expect to pay between $10- $14 for a 12 pack case of jars (depending on the size) to buy them new.  But, you only have to buy them once because you reuse them like you would reuse drinking glasses.  The only thing that cannot be re-used from year to year is the disc lids that seal the jars. (be sure to save the rings though!)

The most economical way to get jars though is at garage sales.  I often find the jars for less then 25 cents each and you can then buy just the lids and rings for them later.  I think I have close to 800 jars at this point, but that is a good thing because during good harvest years, I fill most of them up!

But wait, I said that you didn't have to have a garden, so where do you get the produce?  You can buy it at farmer's markets, the grocery store, or even apple orchards.  If you are short on funds you can also glean fruits that others may not want. (post here)

When you buy your produce in bulk you save a ton of money.  There is an apple orchard down the road from me where I can buy 40 pounds of apple "seconds" for $15.  (that's .37 cents a pound!!!)  Since we eat a lot of apples, but not that many, I do this and can applesauce to save for the later months when I can no longer get those delicious apples.

​ So you don't live near an apple orchard? No problem.  Most grocery stores sell green beans by the pound where you can parcel out how much you want, in the height of the growing season they are often VERY inexpensive, when you take those home and can or freeze them you save a TON (NOTE: canning green beans requires a pressure canner, not hard to use but it is an additional piece of equipment to purchase.  Or, if you want you can just blanch and freeze those beans (no worries the Ball book I mentioned goes through all of those steps in detail and explains it all!)

Just in case you want to go whole hog...here is the link to a pressure canner, oh and this is the cheapest time of year to buy them because during canning season the prices increase, sometimes dramatically.

Last but not least you can dehydrate your food.  I have a very inexpensive food dehydrator similar to this one...

We often will dehydrate apples, though there are tons of other foods you can dehydrate.  Here is a post I did on our snack apples.  The problem with the dehydrator is that for a large family, I think the effort outweighs the product...we just gobble them up too darn fast!

There you have it, if nothing else buy or borrow the book I mentioned above and get a good look at the photos that explain everything.  It really isn't as difficult as you might think and though my mom cans jams and tomatoes I taught myself about most of the other products I can, it really is that easy.

I have had a garden for my entire adult life.  Since getting married I have been drawn to the yard and enthralled with learning more and growing my food.  I started small, a few tomato plants and a zucchini (because I LOVE zucchini bread).  

Now, before you decide to skim over this section because you just don't have the space for a garden, let me ask you to think VERY long and hard about that.  You do not, I repeat, you DO NOT have to have a large sprawling lot or acres and acres to have a garden.  Do you have a porch?  A patio?  A flower bed?  

My very first home early in our marriage was a shoebox 900 square foot home.  The yard was not much to speak of and there as not a garden plot in place, no problem...I just made one.  I think that first plot was about 5 ft long by 4 ft wide.  It was nothing compared to the huge garden my grandmother and aunt put out, but it was mine, and it was a start.

Those first few garden years taught me a lot.  I did not have an abundance to can or share but it was enough to give me a taste of what it was like to be able to go outside and pick something that I grew for my family, and know what went into that plant.

Fast forward a few years and I had a bigger home with more yard space to till up for a garden.  I also became intrigued by the idea of mixing edibles into my flower beds.  This is something that even you homeowners association gals can do, trust me when I say that no one will notice some cleverly tucked cilantro, basil or chives mixed in with your flowering hydrangeas.

Now that I live on acreage I have plenty of room to sprawl out and grow pretty much whatever I want.  Just know that it didn't start that way and you don't have to have anything but a square foot to start.  (Here is a great link to what square foot gardening is all about).

Gardening is one of those areas that people love to talk about.  If you know anyone at all with a garden, ask them their favorite tips and tricks, we gardeners LOVE to share what works for us.  The great thing is that for the most part, there is  no right or wrong way.  Whether you are into the Back to Eden method, the keyhole garden method, strawbale gardening, or even Lasagna gardening, there is something for everyone.

This is the perfect time of year to prepare for gardening and some of the EASIEST crops ever are beans, patio tomatoes, and herbs.  Here is a post I did on the easiest beans you will ever grow.

I can't explain it but there is just something magical about growing your own food, even if it is just one bunch of basil or a few cherry tomatoes, it is addictive!

Here are links to days 1-4 if you have missed any of the posts in this series...

Day #1
Day #2
Day #3
Day #4


Now for day #5.  I remember back before this farmgirl was quite so crunchy...I heard a friend mention that during the winter months she gave her children Acidophilus capsules to aid in keeping them healthy (thanks for the tip K.H.!).  I have to admit at the time, I had no earthly idea what she was talking about.  But, I was intrigued by fewer visits to the doctor as at that time I was still heavily relying on my pediatrician's advice for most everything, and I visited the office often.

I already had the knowledge that yogurt was good for me.  I knew that in cases of yeast issues be it feminine or in babies' diapers yogurt was a help.  However, I was unaware of how ineffective yogurt was if one wanted to really amp up and help with gut issues.  One area that stuck out to me was during antibiotic use.  When one uses antibiotics all the bad is killed off, but medical specialists also agree that the use of antibiotics also kills off good bacteria in our guts as a side effect.  What does this mean?  The lack of good bacteria can mean diarrhea, stomach upset, constipation, compromised immune systems and a host of other gut issues.  

So, not wanting to be too obvious about my lack of knowledge I began to do some research.

Here is what I found helpful... Acidophilus is a strain of probiotics (good stuff for your gut and primarly found in yogurt and some fermented foods) the difference in Acidophilus and a Probiotic is that Probiotics contains millions of different good for your gut strains and Acidophilus is a particular strain.  So for me a win-win is finding a probiotic supplement that contains not only the Acidophilus strain but a few others for good measure.  What is so interesting is that the amount of probiotics that you get from a supplement is exponentially higher than what you get eating yogurt...I think I remember reading that you would need to eat 10-12 containers of yogurt a day to match some of the good probiotics on the market.
(Here is another good explanation of probiotics).  

So what do acidophilus and other probiotics do for you?  They help with gut issues, inflammation, and get this...a healthy immune response.  Well there we go, I want to be pro-active and help my kids boost their immune responses, especially in the winter months!

There are foods that are good for you and have lots of probiotics too, unfortunately the modern American diet gives little weight to these foods.  They are the fermented versions of our older generations, the fermentation process is what creates the good little fighters that you want in your gut.  Think grandma's saurkraut, Kombucha and Kefir drinks, cheeses, pickles, Kimchee and a few others mentioned HERE.

Well, there you have it and I was sold.  Especially during the winter months I choose to provide my kiddos with probiotics.  My littles (under age 5) get this particular brand of chewables and my older ones get whatever brand I find on sale at the health food store.  For myself, I drink Kombucha and the occasional Kefir smoothie.

If you have missed any of the other days here are links:

Day #1
Day #2
Day #3

Now on to today's step#4, this is one that will take a bit of time.  But, this is where you go from being a blind follower of what others say is "good for you" or "bad" and you get to the nitty gritty of learning why.  

We have all heard the hot button topics of GMOs, Organic growing methods, Big Pharma and so on, but all too often we may jump on the bandwagon of what others say is bad, without realizing or studying why that is.  Plus, what I may consider not good for my family, may not bother you, you may accept things that I would not.  A perfect example of this is the Aquaphor product that for years I used on my children who were suffering from eczema.  I heard all of my friends touting how horrible this product was because it contained petroleum based jelly (think Vaseline) I have to be honest and say that for awhile, it was the only thing that was working for my littles who had horrible dry patches of skin. (I now have a homemade product I swear by) I did my research and I just was not as concerned about the effects of the occasional use of this product for my children.  However, it bothers some.  

The beauty of living life more naturally, crunchy if you will, is that you are in control.  You decide what is good and what is not so good for your family.  We may respectfully disagree but that is part of what is so amazing about this country.  That being said, at least be educated on why you choose to eat Non-GMO, why you want Organic Apples and what it means to get seed that is "Monsanto Free" or Heirloom.  That way you are not blindly following along, you have real data to back up your natural decisions.  Honestly, it makes it a whole lot easier to feel confident in the areas you "naturalize" because you can completely understand your decision to do so, it isn't a fad that way.

The first one I would suggest is this....Food Inc.  It was produced in 2008 and can be purchased on Amazon.com as well as Netflix.

When this documentary debuted in 2009, it shocked viewers. Filmmaker Robert Kenner exposes the practices of global food production that is wrapped up in multinational corporate control, thus, placing profit over all else. We see the reality of large-scale food business, like poor health and safety conditions for animals and workers. This title is available for instant streaming on Netflix.  -Via onegreenplanet.org​

Supersize me is another fantastic one.

A well-known documentary by Morgan Spurlock, the film makes a simple argument that fast food makes us fat and unhealthy. To prove it, he takes a 30-day challenge where he can only eat food on the McDonalds menu, and he travels around the country to interview experts and regular Americans. If you’re looking for a kick to stop eating fast food, this doc is fantastic medicine. -Via onegreenplanet.org

 Forks over Knives.

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times called this doc “ a film that can save your life,” and Dr. Oz said everyone needs to see it. The film examines the claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. This title is available for instant streaming on Netflix. -Via onegreenplanet.org​

Here is a list of some websites with compilations of the best or most important food documentaries to watch.  There are duplicates on the list...maybe because they are just that good and thought provoking?

10 Documentaries that will change your thoughts

10 more food documentaries for your viewing pleasure...

17 Food documentaries you must see.

There you have it, consider it an educational experience but be forewarned, you may rethink what you are buying and eating.  This is where some of it started for me.  I hadn't considered being that concerned with GMO food production or other farming practices before watching some of these documentaries.  It will open your eyes.

Want to be sure you don't miss a single post in this series? Be sure to subscribe to my email notifications to get emails about new posts...top right corner of the screen, just add your email and you will also be entered to win a natural freebie at the end of this series!

On day one of this series I shared that my first baby step to becoming more "crunchy" or natural in how I did things for my family was to use butter instead of all of the "fake" alternatives.

Let me tell you, nothing is a better canvas for that natural butter than homemade bread.  Now, for a disclaimer, I am currently eating a paleo diet for health reasons (mainly arthritis) but I still feed my family bread and this is an area that I began becoming concerned about because I noticed something.  As I began learning to make my own bread from scratch I noticed a profound difference in my homemade bread and storebought.  When I would make a fresh loaf of bread it would only keep in my house for a maximum of 3-5 days before starting to mold.  So why did a loaf of bread from the store often last for 3-4 weeks.  That concerned me.  With the amount of preservatives and other things I cannot pronounce (even with a college degree under my belt) I wondered if that was really healthy for my kids.  I decided that it probably was not.

That is when I quit buying white bread at the store (though once in a blue moon hubby will sneak it in the house) I have purchased a loaf or two in a pinch but I no longer buy the cheapest stuff I can find.  If I don't make it myself I am pretty diligent to read what is in my bread, often leading to me shaking my head and deciding to go home and make a loaf.

Okay, so this is where most people become disenchanted.  Making bread can have a bit of a learning curve to it.  However, many people have made bread with "quick bread" recipes and had great success.  Just think have you ever made pumpkin, zucchini or any other quick bread?  Not so bad, right?  The only difference is the adding of a different kind of leavening agent.  In lieu of baking powder or baking soda, you are using yeast.  It really isn't so terrifying at all, promise!  And nothing in the world tastes better than fresh home-baked bread!


Click on the picture if you are interested in getting a copy from Amazon.com, I do get a small referral bonus if you go through my link.

Here is my favorite, basic, easiest starter recipe from the above book.  The Taste of Home baking book is my go-to recipe book for baking, I absolutely love this gift that my mother gave me a few years ago...so much so that it is tattered and very worn but well loved!  

With this recipe I don't knead it, I let my kitchen aid mixer do most of the work for me using the bread dough hook in lieu of kneading.

Milk and Honey White Bread (just click and it will link you to the recipe)

Do be forewarned though, once you get the hang of home made bread...you won't be able to go back to store bought without missing it!

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Probably the second area that I began to tackle on my journey to "crunchiness" was the commercial cleaning supplies that I was keeping under my cabinets.  At the time I began this journey my girls were very little and they always wanted to "help" mommy as I was cleaning.  But, to be honest, I was not liking the idea of those little hands touching some of the nasty and caustic stuff I was using, and then there was the other little one who always tried to get to whatever was kept under the sink.  I decided that it was time to pitch most of that stuff.  For daily cleaning I love....

Vinegar...yep you got it!  I can purchase a gallon of the stuff at the dollar store for little more then a dollar and when cut with water (I use a ratio of 1/3 vinegar to 2/3 water roughly) I find that my floors sparkle with no residue.  It works on hardwood floors, vinyl, tile, appliances, etc.  If the smell bothers you you can use some lavender and peppermint essential oils for a fresh clean and good smelling floor cleaner.  I also replaced my Windex with vinegar.  I use a ratio of about the same but then I add in a tablespoon or two of rubbing alcohol to keep the mirrors and windows from streaking.

If I am in the bathrooms I will add in to my cleaning routine a bit of...

Now please note there is a chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar.  I don't use vinegar in my toilets I find that if I sprinkle baking soda in the bowl it cleans and deodorizes.  You can make a paste of baking soda and water for grout in your shower and bathroom too.

You know what the best part about this switch for me was?  I had helpers that were learning to clean house right along side mom and I didn't worry about them getting the cleaning agents on their hands or in their mouths.  

I wonder why we varied from these methods as these are the cleaning agents our grandparents and great-grandparents often used, they worked for them so why did we feel a need to replace something good that worked with something that isn't good for us or our homes?  Even some popular magazines have touted the benefits of vinegar...

Reader's Digest has 95 uses for vinegar
The Vinegar Institute has a list
All You Magazine has 45 tips
Another list of 32 uses

My confession is that I still use a bit of bleach once in a while but that is sparingly and my cabinets do not contain near the caustic chemicals that they used to.  So, today, try out some vinegar, maybe a paste of baking soda too!

Here at incidentalfarmgirl you know I am a fan of doing things naturally and often the "old way"  I love natural remedies, whole food from scratch cooking, gardening, canning, homeschooling, animal husbandry, and I am somewhat of a romanticist when it comes to days gone by.  The term "crunchy" has been thrown around often with regards to women, or moms who prefer a more natural bent (it comes from the granola crunchy hippies way of doing things though I assure you...hippie I am not) and I have even posted granola recipes.

So to start off the new year I want to begin a series of 30 days to a more natural way of life.  I will attempt (as life often gets crazy around here) to post daily tips for the month of January on ways to make steps back into the ways things were done before we over-industrialized every aspect of our lives and over-digitized our routines to the point of exhaustion.

So, I often get the question..."Where do I start?  I want to get back to more natural basics, but how do I even begin when there is so much information flying at me daily about what is good, what is bad, I just can't sort it all out."  This question abounds in every group or discussion I hear about living a life more natural. I gave this some serious thought and tried to remember when I first started really feeling the need to move back to basics, where did I start?

I started with butter.  I know that this may sound strange but we all have to start somewhere.  I just didn't like margarine or any of the other "fake" butters out there and I learned that in baking from scratch that REAL butter makes ALL the difference.  So, if butter tastes so much better, why not stick with real natural butter?

Well, I think that our thinking became twisted back when the health and wellness community started telling us that "fat makes you fat" so we began coming up with all kinds of solutions for a low fat alternative to butter.  We added all kinds of chemicals, weird ingredients and things I cannot pronounce and we declared it good because...well because...it was lower in fat.  If you do any research now you will find that the health communities are starting to find that after years of touting low fat as the best for your body, they are starting to reconsider their former stance. (and by the way, do you often see fat farmers? Most old timers ate butter by the pound and what we are missing now is just the level of physical exertion they had)

So, that is where it started for me.  No more fake stuff, if I want a buttery taste, we used real actual butter.  It tasted so much better and I could pronounce everything on the label (pasteurized cream & salt). Even better when I can get my hands on whole raw milk and make my own butter, but for the most part, we just buy our butter.

That revelation of mine also has led to the use of other ingredients thought to be horrible for you.  I have found a number of uses for our lard rendered from having a hog processed and I save my bacon grease just like I remember my grandmother doing when I was a child.  There was always a container of bacon grease she added to.  It is a great seasoning for vegetables, gravies, and I figure if it worked back then...why change it.