Preparing and making food for my family is nothing short of a challenge.
Recently, I have been experimenting with different types of ethnic foods and cuisine to broaden our eating horizons. We want our children to be aware and know that food is important in different cultures and how to not only prepare the foods but know how they taste.
With our allergies, I have learned to be frugal; while shopping at several
different grocery stores. Fresh food is more expensive then boxed and canned. This makes it a challenge on where to purchase the food with the best deals and prices.
Some of the rewards of being frugal allow us to grow a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. This allows for a sustainable food resource on our property. Being self-sustainable has its benefits. Our children, now have an understanding of where food comes from. Some of my children tend to stay clear of the garden, lest I task them with weeding. However, now that they have grown, they see the benefits of gardening and enjoy it.
Gardening isn't the only way we are self-sustainable. We tap maple trees for maple syrup in the spring, and we have several beehives for honey. By adding other sweeteners, it cuts back on the regular store-bought sugar we use, Turbinado Sugar.
Regular table sugar is an issue corn wise because corn starch and other products that have corn in them are used as anti-caking agents. When we learned that corn is hidden in those things, we turned our attention to what else corn might be hiding in.
Grandma always said, "You are what you eat." Boy! ... was she right. We have noticed cross-contamination issues with commercially raised animal products and the diets they are fed. We are unable to eat commercially raised beef and poultry. This also includes fish that is farm-raised. All of this is because of the grain-based diets they are fed. When the animal eats the grain (corn), it crosses over into their muscle (meat). This is unfortunately what happens with all animals. When the chicken eats the grain (corn), it will cross over into their muscle (meat) and then into their eggs. Leading to cross-contamination there. As a result of the commercial cross-contaminated meat, we started to raise our own chickens, ducks, quail, and turkeys.
We purchase our beef from local farmers that raise "grass-fed grass finished" beef. There are many grocery stores that sell "grass-fed" beef too. But grass-fed doesn't cover that the cows may be "grain finished". "Grain-finished" means before the cows are taken to the processer, they are fed grain. This grain that they are fed at the end does end up in the muscle (meat) of the cow as well as in the fat.
Commercially raised poultry is not "grass-fed". "Pasture-raised" poultry means that the birds are NOT raised in a caged environment. This allows them a large area to walk and grow within, versus, a small footprint of a cage. By no means, does "pasture-raised" imply their diet, for poultry. This is often confused with "free-range" poultry. This too is confusing because grains can still be supplemented with poultry.
Since we raise our own poultry, we have researched alternative diet options for our poultry. An alternative diet we have aligned with is fermented feed. Our fermented feed incorporates different types of bird seed. By fermenting our bird feed, we accomplish two goals. One, we create a natural probiotic. Two, this allows for the maximum absorption of the nutrients and proteins the poultry requires. We implemented a fermenting process to feed them, so they are on a corn-free and grain-free diet.
After all of that, we looked for other ways to incorporate more protein into our diets.
Another self-sustaining food resource and protein alternative are meat rabbits. These rabbits, Silver Fox Rabbits, are a breed of rabbits that are 50% to 65%, meat to bone ratio. Your common wild European jackrabbit is grossly smaller and gamier.
We have found food for our meat rabbits that work with our allergies too. While raising meat rabbits sounds inhumane, our rabbits have a very lush and comfortable lifestyle.
Living this way has helped us also to teach our children structured responsibilities and develop lifestyle skillsets. As we reap the rewards of our labor, we are now healthier and have more energy. We are thankful that our food allergies have turned into a successful and healthy lifestyle for us.
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