Meet Dana and be inspired.
Introduction: please provide an overview about you and your family:
We are a family of 7, soon to be 10, as we are currently adopting 3 children from Haiti. I really want to glean all I can from this informative DVD to help heal any malnutrition in our adopted babies! Something I’m trying to grow in now is balancing our nutrition.
Having a vision for sustainable, healthy living, it has been challenging living in a very small tract home with a very small backyard. But God has provided many ways for us to feed our family well – even on one income. Don’t be discouraged about the cost, time spent, or lack of space to eat healthy! Get creative, get the whole family involved, barter, work in stages, forage, and simplify – these things have helped us to make giant leaps in family health, though we still have so much to learn! :)
Though we would love to have acreage someday, for now we have very limited space. In spite of that, we were able to raise 26 meat chickens completely organically. We sprouted grains indoors, which made up the bulk of their feed. This past Saturday, it only took my husband and I and our 2 older daughters 2 hours to completely process the chickens. We now have meat, organ meats, and chicken feet and heads to add to stocks. Mmmm! :))
We have a little 10′ X 15′ organic garden going with lettuces, spinach, cillantro, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, etc.
What are the ways you nourish rather than merely feed your family?
Our parents have land where we are raising a grass-fed, organic cow, which will be ready for processing in the fall. We also bartered with some good friends who have property … They’ve been pasturing our 8 lambs, and in return we’ve bought some of the feed for their other animals. The lamb has been an excellent source of healthy meat as well as organ meats and stock.
We’ve even been able to save a significant amount on dog food, as the scraps from the animals we process are very nutritious for them!
We’ve been tremendously blessed to barter healthy treats for raw milk from another good friend who has a jersey cow. We make our own yogurt and kefir and other dairy products with that. We also use the clabbered milk to soak things like whole grain, freshly milled flours for pancakes … Yum!
What were your first steps?
The first thing we did was to get rid of processed foods, refined white sugar, flour, and salt. We started using whole, organic grains and legumes, raw honey, and Real Salt or sea salt.
Next we got rid of all of the toxic hygenic products and cleaners. We make our own soap, lip balm, and things like that now. Best shampoo I’ve found is baking soda and conditioner… vinegar! You can’t beat that for frugal. :) The amount of $$$ we’ve saved in hygenic products alone is enough to afford you an increase in your healthy-food-budget … not to mention what you save on commercial cleaners and such!
We researched the ingredients in spices/seasonings and discovered a lot of unhealthy things lurking in the spice cabinet …We now have lots of fresh seasonings which we grew or bought in bulk and also make our own spice blends to replace the stuff we used to buy. No more GMO spices! :)
Buying organic produce has been a financial challenge. There are organic fruits and veggies available at popular bulk stores. We also go to farmer’s markets and grow what we can of our own. We buy in quantity what is in season. Canning is a great way to make use Learning which fruits and veggies are on the “dirty dozen” list and which might be okay to buy non-organic has helped. Search out local small scale farmers and see if you can find good deals and support them as well.
Organic dairy came later as an answer to prayers as mentioned above.
Raising our own has been the answer for us to the high cost of organic, grass-fed meats. Another thing that has helped is to use store bought organic meat and poultry sparingly in quinoa, soups, and other meals that str-r-retch your supply!
How do you know you and your family are well nourished?
When you eat what God created for food, the way God designed it, you know you’re eating well because you’re healthy! For several years, I used to get urinary tract infections almost every month!!! A wonderful friend introduced me to the benefits of herbal tinctures and eating whole, healthy foods … I’ve officially been UTI-free for 1 year and 8 months!! I’ve also been able to cure recurrent cold sores abd allergies completely naturally and no longer have either! All I’ve changed is that I don’t use toxic, harmful prescription drugs anymore and I eat healthy.
Raspberry leaf tea, evening primrose oil, chaste berry tincture, and diet have also been a significant support in female health. :)
Praise God our whole family is healthy. We rarely get sick. Making our own elderberry syrup and herbal teas has been a wonderful preventive measure and is very cost effective!
What are some of your favorite meals or favorite foods?
One of our favorite yummy recipes is a chicken sausage recipe given to me by a good friend. It actually tastes like breakfast sausage, which was a big treat, since our whole family used to really enjoy bacon and sausages and had really missed them. Every year we have a blast as a family picking fresh raspberries! We used some of them to make jam with raw honey instead of sugar. We love yogurt and yogurt smoothies made from raw milk. We add organic spinach and kale and chia seeds to smoothies to boost nutrition. Turning frozen bananas (nothing added!) into ice cream is another idea I borrowed from a great friend. We also really enjoy carrot fries (!), mozarella crackers, lemon chicken, soups, homemade pasta, homemade pizza, fresh salsa, salads, fish, and Mexican food! :)
What pearls of wisdom would you offer those new to these principles?
How we get and prepare our foods can be just as fun as eating food as a family! If you’re pressed for time, eat raw foods! They are usually healthier anyhow, and you save a lot on preparation and clean-up! Start a vegetable or herb garden together. Raise and process your own meats. Forage as a family! There are whole books that teach you what you can forage and where to find things. It’s free or close-to-it and is a great family outing. Fishing and hunting are great ways to put meals on the table and make some of the best memories!! Share the responsibilities- each family member can have their own assignments in researching, shopping, growing, and preparing foods. Make it fun. :)
Last thoughts?
Comparing the increase in your food budget and the thousands it will save you in medical bills later on will show how worth-it healthy living changes are! Finances are really the least of concerns when you think of the health risks to your children and yourself living on a modern, convenience-priority diet. Avoid disease, infertility, and poor quality of life. Invest in your own health for the health of future generations… a Multigenerational Investment! :)
Sandrine’s notes: I appreciate what I experience as Dana’s positive, creative, can-do approach to nourishing herself and her children. This testimonial has warmed my heart deeply and leaves me inspired. If a family of 7 can do it — so can we! Learn more about how to nourish rather than merely fed your family with our DVD.
Comments and Questions: Please feel free to ask Dana questions about how she and her family to it!
Nourishing Our Children 
24 Responses to Make a “Multigenerational Investment”
Thank you for sharing your story Dana! What is that PVC thing you are putting the chickens on?
Hello :)
It is a chicken drying rack. While we are processing the chickens, we keep them in ice water in ice chests. When all the chickens are cleaned, we dry them on the rack before putting them in the fridge for the rest period. The rack just keeps the chickens upright so the water inside can drain off easily. With PVC it was super cheap & easy to make. :)
Thank you!
Dana, Is PVC pipe safe for food? http://www.ehow.com/list_5905098_ingredients-pvc-pipe-manufacturing.html – I know it is extremely hard to avoid all of these kind of materials, however since you are processing yourself – you have a choice.
No, I don’t believe it would be, but I think if you cover it with muslin (or you could use some other material) it should be okay(?) The chickens are cold at that point, so I think it’s okay. The PVC just serves as a frame.
I think this short exposure time is fine. It is different if the food is to be stored in pvc containers etc.
great post, very inspiring!
I agree wholeheartedly, Anna! I think Dana did a wonderful job!
Thank you for the encouragement, Anna. :)
I hope you have fun with whatever you/your family have been trying!
Thanks a lot for sharing your story! I got inspired and proud I’m already following your first steps. I haven’t got to the point of raising my own meat and growing my own veggies, but I’m already considering to move somewhere where at least I can have a garden and grow my own herbs.
I got curious about your elderberry syrup and baking soda shampoo! Would you mind sharing the recipes? Thanks and many blessings!
Hi :)
Here are the recipes:
Elderberry Syrup
Makes: 1pint
1T. per hr. if sick
1 T. per day if well
Ingredients:
½ cup of elderberries (or 1 cup or frozen berries)
1 Cinnamon stick
5 Cloves
1 T. of grated ginger
2 cups of water
1 cup of raw honey
*We only use 1/2 cup honey. A whole cup seemed too sweet to us.
Instructions:
Add berries, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and water to a medium sauce pan. Cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer. Cover while reducing liquid to one half. (Takes about 20 mins.) Strain into a bowl. Cool. Add honey to bowl. Stir well. Store in the refrigerator in a jar.
(*Cooling mixture before adding honey keeps the honey raw.)
Modified From:
http://www.learningherbs.com
http://www.herbmentor.com
Baking Soda Shampoo
Add 1 T. baking soda to 1 c. hot water. Stir ‘till dissolved. Ready! :)
Tips:
*We boil the water to make sure it’s hot enough to dissolve the soda. After dissolving, add a few ice cubes, so it won’t burn you.
*We have long, thick hair, so we use 3 T. baking soda for 1 c. water.
*You would also want to use more baking soda for oily hair. The baking soda is a degreaser.
*We also make lots at once & keep in shower so we don’t have to make it every time.
(It is a little chilly this way!)
*Make sure you apply it to the whole scalp & the roots of your hair.
*If you use the vinegar/water conditioner (same proportions as for shampoo), unless you have very dry hair, avoid applying the conditioner to the scalp & roots of hair since it will cause your hair to get oily again.
*For fragrance, you can add essential oils to your conditioner if you like. :)
Thanks, Dana – I posted your recipes on our Facebook page as well!
Do you know the amount of elderberry to give children under 3?
Hi, Tia,
From what I know, the dosage would be the same for any age. The only difference is that you would probably want to use a different sweetener for babies, as I’ve read that honey is unsafe for babies under 1. Some resources recommend avoiding the honey for children under 2. (I learned this about honey BEFORE I started learning about raw honey & all of the health stuff being discussed on this blog, so if someone out there knows something different, please reply.) :) But I don’t know of any precautions for elderberries for toddlers/babies. Theoretically, I suppose someone could be allergic to them- probably about as likely as being allergic to any other berry.
I have a friend whose toddlers got into her elderberry supply & ate so much they turned a little bluish. They were fine, &, in fact, made immune to the chicken pox exposures she’d arranged for! :D
*A nice idea for little ones (or big ones) ;) is that you can use the syrup to top ice cream (healthy, homemade ice cream), add to smoothies, flavor yogurt, top pancakes, etc.
*By the way, we also use the berries in smoothies instead of discarding them IF we didn’t add the cloves (though some might like that flavor in a smoothie), but there are lots of little seeds that way. You can use the berries for other things, too, of course.
:)
Thanks for the baking soda shampoo idea.
My hair tends to be dry, but I’ve discovered a lovely natural conditioner – put a few drops of raw apple cider vinegar and a tiny amount of coconut oil in a cup, add hot water, and work it into your hair after rinsing. Then a final rinse and you have silky smooth hair. Now I have Tropical Traditions’ Organic Hair Oil, a combo of coconut oil and other oils, that is more convenient because it stays liquid.
Nice! We’ll have to try it…
Great post and good timing because I want to make my own shampoo & conditioner. Have you been able to produce a “dryer sheet”? I’ve read about clothes with essential oils but I’m having a hard time figuring out what will help with the static. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi, Gina :)
You might try the static-free dryer balls available. I have a friend who uses them & likes them a lot. The link below says they are chemical-free. They’re reusable & made of rubber. I haven’t personally used them, as I don’t seem to ever have excessive static for some reason(?)
http://www.amazon.com/SWM-Anti-Static-Dryer-Balls/dp/B002P9P1QM
You can just do a search for static-free dryer balls & you may find something you like better.
*In the past, I have tried putting a damp rag in dryer (at end of cycle) & that did work for me, but I didn’t have a big static issue, either.
*I also have used 1/4 c. vinegar in fabric softener dispenser in washer, & that is supposed to help, too.
*I’ve heard of putting a ball of tin foil in the dryer or pinning a couple of safety pins to a couple of the pieces of clothing. (haven’t tried it)
Maybe a combination of things(?) Maybe start with the no-cost methods…
I think you’ll like the shampoo/conditioner. When I first tried it, my hair seemed to sort of “freak out”, but I had read that that was normal (if you’re switching from commercial products, which I was). Not putting the vinegar at the top did help, & after a week or so, my hair calmed down. :) It feels very clean & my hair has more body now because there’s no residue left on it.
Have fun!! :))
My very simple secret is to put the dryer sheets into a net laundry bag and leave that in the dryer, using them over and over again. If there begins to be some static buildup I add another dryer sheet to the bag. They last a long way that way. I’ve had the same package of sheets for many years.
Your story is inspiring! I have a couple questions. First, can you post your recipe for the chicken sausage? I was also wondering how you prepare and use the chicken heads? Do you de-feather them or skin them? I have heard of using the feet, but not the heads. Any more info on this would be super great!! Thanks so much!!
Hi, Melissa! :)
Chicken heads… Nourishing Traditions- a book by Sally Fallon- has some great info on the health benefits of using heads, feet, etc. in stock. The heads were already de-feathered & still had the skin on. They help creat more gelatin in your stock!
Here is the delicious Chicken Sausage recipe… I have the amounts for a single recipe or for the recipe X 12, since that is what we do, and it’s a little of a math problem to figure it out each time! (It was a great practical math problem for my kids!) :D
Homemade Chicken/Turkey Sausage
(yum!) :)
DELICIOUS alternative to unhealthy pork sausage!! You will be impressed with the flavor. :)
You can do one small batch, using 1 lb of chicken or turkey (or whatever meat you choose). This sausage is so tasty, we make 12 x’s the recipe & freeze it… so convenient! We freeze it loose, as opposed to in patties, which enables us to pop it out of the freezer, directly into the pan at the last minute- no thawing! Great when you are in a morning rush. :)
X 12 Ingredients
12 lbs 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
2 ¼ c 3 T. minced onion
1 T ¼ t. cumin
1 T ¼ t. marjoram
1 T ¼ t. ground pepper
1 T ¼ t. oregano
1 T ¼ t. ground nutmeg
1 ½ t 1/8 t. cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper
1 T ¼ t. ground ginger
2 T ½ t. dried basil
2 T ½ t. thyme
2 T ½ t. sage
½ c 2 t. sea salt
12 eggs 1 egg
1 ½ c 2 T. butter
1. Mix all ingredients. *I mix spices first, then add egg, butter, then meat so that the spices are evenly distributed.
2. Chill for about an hour. (If you forget to chill this ahead of time…it cooks up great anyway!) *If you use meat that is partially frozen still, you can skip the chilling step.
3. Form into patties if desired. Saute. *We cook in cast irons & do not need to add butter or any other fat/oil to skillet.
*We use boneless, skinless chicken. Cut into chicken-tender-size strips, then grind up a little at a time in your food processor.
Enjoy! :)
Sorry! The format got a little messed up in the copying & pasting… pretty hard to see the measurements. This is a little more clear:
X 12 Ingredients
12 lbs 1 lb ground turkey or chicken
2 ¼ c 3 T. minced onion
1 T ¼ t. cumin
1 T ¼ t. marjoram
1 T ¼ t. ground pepper
1 T ¼ t. oregano
1 T ¼ t. ground nutmeg
1 ½ t 1/8 t. cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper
1 T ¼ t. ground ginger
2 T ½ t. dried basil
2 T ½ t. thyme
2 T ½ t. sage
½ c 2 t. sea salt
12 eggs 1 egg
1 ½ c 2 T. butter
uggh :{ …keeps changing it after I post… sorry! You can still decipher it, but a little more confusing…
Hi!
I was wondering where you got the herbs and teas? What brand of supplements do you recommend for the things like the Evening Primrose, etc? I am always overwhelmed with the many, many brands of herbs and items I want to use to make natural remedies, etc. thanks :-)
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