How 4 Cute Baby Chicks Changed My Life

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2009.  That year was a turning point for our family. It started with backyard chickens. You would think that taking on backyard chickens would be something that comes later in a real food journey. Nope, not for me. I was reading more and more stories about backyard chickens and I realized that it was something we could easily do. I mean, how cool would it be to have fresh eggs every day? Turns out it is very cool! Little did I know that embarking on that small endeavor with four of the cutest baby chicks would lead me to this place where I am today.

Keeping chickens fueled this passion for really knowing where our food comes from. It started with wanting to make bread for my family. A simple Google search lead me to information about soaking grains, fermenting, and Weston A. Price. Fascinated with what I was learning, I read every book and took every online class I could find on the topic of Real Food.

beautiful-6As it turned out, around the same time my oldest son was having difficulties in his kindergarten classroom. Being a big believer in “you are what you eat” I began to dive into research on how diet affects behavior. I believe that the universe presented answers just at the time that I needed them. I often wonder if I would have struggled to find the answers I was looking for regarding my son had I not dove into chicken keeping when I did.

Learning about Real Food was really what kick-started my journey to a healthy lifestyle. I started to realize that food was only part of the healthy lifestyle puzzle. There isn’t one magic bullet. I started to think bigger. I started to learn the importance of knowing about products that we put ON our bodies. I got rid of toxic dryer sheets and fabric softeners and replaced those with dryer balls. I overhauled all of our cleaning products and made sure that all of them were safe and free of toxins. Beauty products weren’t safe, either! I either found a better option, or started to make my own. As a parent, I would wring my hands over all of the things I SHOULD have done when my children were smaller. Why didn’t I know about the EWG?? I have since come to a place where I have let that mom guilt go. The thing is, when you know better, you do better. And here I am, doing better.

Even though I have done all of these things over the past 7 years, I feel like I still have a lot of work to do. I am constantly learning. And I feel so blessed that I get to serve others and pass along this knowledge!

If someone would have told me back when I got those first 4 chicks that in 3 years I would be teaching others how to do the same, I would have thought they were crazy.

Sharing what I know about fermenting foods, keeping chickens, making bone broth, and essential oils has been a privilege and an honor. When I learn of readers throwing away their canola oil, ditching soda for good, eating FULL FAT dairy, and replacing any over the counter meds and other products with essential oils, my heart literally bursts.

Bottom line is, I am just a mom who wants her sweet (and sometimes bonkers) kids to be happy and healthy. My husband calls me a “granola hippy” and I say things like “gut health” and I make bone broth with chicken feet. Most of my family and friends think I am weird (yet still ask me for advice) but I don’t care. I love my job and I love learning.

Here’s to Harriet, Henny, Cutie, and Lola. Those 4 cute chicks that changed my life.

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