Black Friday & Lessons in Simplicity

This post is particularly geared for those of you who are attempting to live a more simple life.  It's often challenging to work on a simple life around the holidays, while the rest of the world goes into a spending frenzy.

Ahh, the madness of Black Friday/Cyber Monday!!!  I must admit, last year I participated in Black Friday.  In previous years, I had avoided it like the plague, imagining elbows being thrown over some great "deal" and the air permeating greedy and desperation.  In an effort to avoid some of this, I shopped later in the morning and fortunately I don't pay attention to what's "hot" for the year.  My plan was to first make a list, then look at the sales online, then pick a couple stores I thought would have some items on my list on sale.

Honestly, the best part was that my husband was happy to watch the kids for half of the day while I was able to shop in peace...alone.  In addition, I enjoyed coming home to report that I had purchased many items off my list.  My favorite "score"  was my daughter's ice skates that she "had to have" at something like 30% off.

This year, I won't be participating and I'm not sure I will again. I'm absolutely not judging anyone who is going out this year.  I actually feel like some of my stereotypes about shoppers that day and all the hype has dissipated a bit, and now don't feel like I'm really missing out on anything. Good luck!

I am, however, intentionally avoiding these days to shop. I find two primary pitfalls of this whole "Black Friday/Cyber Monday" events.  First of all, I think we are often tempted to buy things just because they are such a good deal. I'm familiar with that initial feeling of that deal.  But do we really NEED this product?  By purchasing something you wouldn't have normally purchased, even if it is a good deal, you might end up spending more money overall. In addition, you have gained more possessions to clutter your home.  From a simplicity standpoint, making impulse purchases like these cloud our spiritual well-being.  Instead, we should be looking to purchase items intentionally for their usefulness or beauty in mind.  If you think back to impulse purchases you've made in the past, have you honestly used these items regularly?  Have any of these items been gathering dust in your cabinets, basements, or been sold off cheap in a yard sale? Maybe some have been winners, some not. How many broke after being used only a few times? My point is to try to encourage you to think ahead of what you really need and steer away from those impulse items.

My second issue is about how this "holiday" tends to corrupt our culture overall.  Do you think that supporting these box stores like Walmart who have these rock bottom prices, mandating that their employees come in on Thanksgiving, are really contributing to the better good?  When you are choosing to support businesses like this on these holidays, in encourages them to continue to do this.  In fact, next year they want to make more profit and will come up with a strategy to do so.  In the meantime, the small businesses who choose to stay home and be with family, who absolutely can't compete with those prices, and who value fair wages are the big losers.

What happens when we choose the box stores?  The Walmarts stick around (or abandon cities when they aren't making enough profit), and the small businesses close up shop.  Then those business owners whom you love to visit and know who you by your name (and love your precious little baby you are holding while shopping) will be something you remember that used to be around.  "Oh I loved that store."  "Oh the owner, Mary, was so sweet and friendly."  Can you think of some small businesses or boutiques you used to enjoy going inside?

Here's a scenario:  The box store's bakery is probably a couple dollars cheaper, tastes pretty good, and is open 24 hrs. It's an easy purchase, especially if you are shopping for other items in their store. Let me ask you this- Do you feel different when you walk inside your local bakery shop, breathe in the wonderful smells, and actually see the owner of that business greeting you with a smile on their face?  I know I do.  I sometimes walk out feeling a million dollars when I know I am supporting a specific person in my community who has put love into what they are producing and appreciates my business.

Have you also started to notice that the media and these big stores with huge marketing dollars are adding on days for shop in their store?  Now we have extended hours in the middle of the night and you now can come on Thursday, the actual day we have traditionally stayed home to give thanks with our family.  Those family members and friends of yours who work in retail might not be joining your family dinner soon, and might not be able to just relax and spend time with family.  What's next?  Is this going to become a week long event?  I've had a hard enough time going into stores with Christmas music playing and all the fall decorations taken down.  I was even in a store the day after Halloween and they were pushing Christmas already.  Sheesh!

Final thoughts on simplicity and the upcoming holiday (I know this has been lengthy!).  Please consider less "toys" and "stuff" for your kiddos this holiday. If you have fewer, high-quality items and also trying to pick ones that you know your kids will play with over and over again, this will make your holiday experience richer for your kids and you.  Your wallet (and budget) won't even know the difference.


Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
 574.275.1235

Halloween Tales from Crunchy Mama

My Witches Brew (Jambalaya)!

Instead of focusing on all the Halloween candy my children are going to consume (already have consumed!) and all the wrongs of Halloween from a mom who primarily tries to focus on good health, today I am savoring that "sweet joy" (pun intended) my kids have over a holiday I have outgrown.  One of my favorite parts of motherhood is being able to enjoy events and places by watching my kids enjoy it...living through them.  It reminds me of our Disney trips and Christmas mornings.  I've found renewed enjoyment watching my kids captivated and entranced by all the excitement and mystery.

I'm wearing two hats today (actually 3 if you count my witch's hat!).  One- I want my kids to still be healthy and not just bouncing off the walls in excitement over sugar.  I've prepared healthy meals in between the sugar highs and am going to make sure they are bundled up for trick or treating (it's cold and rainy here).

The second hat is the one where I let things go and have fun with WITH them.  This is not always easy for me.  I get wrapped up in my "To Dos", meal preparation, cleaning, working, etc.  Today, we're having fun together and sharing memories.

Despite all the fun, I realized how normal making Halloween "greener".  I cringe at all those individually wrapped candies filling the trash cans (or blowing in the wind while trick or treating), all the chocolate that has been made from exploiting children , and expensive costumes only to be worn once.

Sometimes I am not conscious of the ways I've become accustomed to sustainable choices but here are some I can think of for this holiday:

1.  Second-hand costumes- Nope, I'm not mother of the year with a handmade and sewn outfit for each of my kids.

2.  We are re-gifting candy.  Unopened candy that for some reason makes its way into our house (especially suckers!).  My kids receive candy, I say we can have them later, and then they disappear into a bucket.  Now I have a bucket full of candy.

3.  Tonight's dinner is from the crockpot.  Not only does it use less energy, it makes dinner prep more manageable so I can focus on other activities and preparations, AND it's warm and healthy!

4.  Our kids reuse their little Easter baskets that are little market baskets made with fair labor practices.  I skip the plastic pumpkin and don't just designate the baskets for any holiday.  In fact, we often use it to collect "treasures" when we're on outings.

5.  Pumpkins-Instead of going big on the pumpkins, I've convinced my kids (ok, coerced a little!) that the medium sized pumpkins are the best and whatever one they pick, they have to be able to carry it from the patch to at least the hayride wagon.  Our pumpkins are from an organic farm I worked on (Bertrand Farm) which supports local sustainable agriculture and economy, while also providing us with some delicious pumpkins.  We'll be able to use these pumpkins for lots of recipes, which I've recently become a bit obsessed with since I've been pregnant.

Post Halloween:

1.  After Halloween, my responsible mama hat comes back on.  With the exception of a few favorites, their candy will leave the house.  There are 2 ways I am debating on doing this:
               A. Candy for the Troops- Some dentists collect candy and trade it for a prize or some small dollar  
                    amount.  Then the candy is shipped overseas for our troops. To find out if there is a dentist in
                    your area that participates in this, click here.
              B.  The Halloween Fairy- The kids put their candy out somewhere designated by you, and then in  
                    the morning there is a small gift (game/activity/toy) waiting for them. (I'm personally leaning
                    toward the one for the troops but can see how the fairy one could be fun)

While I think it is a great idea to not just focus on candy for Halloween, I still think this is the essence of the holiday.  When I think of my childhood, I am very fond of our trick or treating and sorting/trading candy after.  I am definitely going to make sure that treats and junk food is not the focus of other upcoming holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on).  And if you hand out something besides candy this year, cheers to you!

Getting ready to watch "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown",

Jen   :)


Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

Top 10 Eco-Friendly Tips to Beat the Heat

Whether you are pregnant, wearing your baby, or just wanting to keep cool during the hot summer months, we hope that some of these suggestions will help you and your entire family beat the heat while also being "green".

Top 10 "Ecological" Ways to Beat the Summer Heat:

1. Drink loads of water. Add mint, lemon, or cucumbers for extra cooling.

2. My go-to solution for most things: Green Smoothies-breakfast, lunch, dinner.  Add coconut water! We also freeze our green smoothies and they make delicious popsicles. I have a great recipe posted here.

3. Skip the oven.  Use either a crockpot or your grill.

4. Eat more fresh fruit and veggies, especially watermelon.

5. Carry a spray bottle around with you.  Better yet, give your kids one too and they can keep themselves cool while having fun! I'm not usually an advocate to go out and purchase a lot of baby accessories but this fan would be a great addition to your stroller or carseat: http://www.leapsandbounds.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=536614&cmSource=Search

6. Skip the blow dryer.  Sure your hair might not be as nice as you want it but who wants to sweat right after showering?  And wet hair = cooler body!

7. In the evening when the temperature breaks, blow warm air out of the house.  Then cool it down with your A/C.

8. Skip using the drying cycle on your dishwasher.  Instead, open up the door and let them air dry. Same with your clothes.  Use that clothesline for clothes and your diapers!

9. Wear loose thin clothing made out of natural fibers.  Letting sweat evaporate off your skin helps keep you cool. Better yet, wear less clothing (especially at home!).  Keep your baby in nothing but their cute cloth diaper!

10. Visit your public pools and local library!

Stay cool,


Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

How to Make Pickles!

Well, for the first time, I've entered the process of making pickles.  I must be upfront that my fermenting process has only begun and therefore cannot vouch for how great these pickles taste...yet.  I will come back into this blog when it's time and add how it turned out then.

Added later- These pickles turned out delicious and had the perfect crunch. Once we started eating them, they didn't last long!

Just like all the new things I've tried at home for the first time this year (making detergent, etc), this is another EASY thing to do from home and much healthier for you.  The recipe I am sharing came from a local CSA member who has been using this recipe to make pickles.  I was excited that she passed this along because we received a ton of pickling cucumbers in our basket this week.

Ingredients & Directions:

        1/8 cup fresh dill
        8 garlic cloves, whole or sliced
        1/2 cup white wine vinegar
        1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
        2 cups water
        1/4 cup salt (necessary to preserve)
        1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
        1/2 Tbs. turmeric (optional for color)
        3 cucumbers, sliced into 1/3-inch rounds (add last)

Stir all ingredients except the cucumber together in a large bowl.  Add
the cucumber slices and place something heavy (like a plate) on top in the
bowl so that the cucumbers stay submerged under the surface of the liquid.
Cover the bowl with a cloth to keep out bugs.  Let the cucumbers marinate
at room temperature for 3 days.  Refrigerate when ready.

This is what mine looks like right now!   

Enjoy!

Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner 

www.ecologicalbabies.com
 ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

Dirtiest/Cleanest Produce-Summer

Usually every year, an updated list is released for the "Dirty Dozen/Clean 15" for fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, they don't list it by season, so there are a lot of ones to remember.  And to be honest with you, I still get some confused trying to remember it.

Today, I decided to put together a good list for veggies and fruit that would be specifically for summer.  Of course, I'd advocate trying to purchass as much organic as possible.  But shopping this way can ease the pressure on your wallet until you can afford to buy all organic.


Dirtiest: 

Sweet bell peppers

Peaches

Grapes

Spinach

Lettuce

Cucumbers

Blueberries

Potatoes

Kale/Collards

Cherries

Raspberries

Summer Squash

Cleanest:

Onions

Sweet Corn

Pineapple

Cabbage

Eggplant

Watermelon

Mushrooms

I was surprised to find that tomatoes were in the middle of the list.  I would have expected them to be higher under the dirty list. 

Note:  This came from a list at: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list/

Any surprises for you?

To good health,

Jen

Jen Starks, Owner
 www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

Our Go-To Green Smoothie Recipe

Photo Taken from The Kitchen Goddess

I was first introduced to green smoothies by my good friend, Jill Welch, also known as The Kitchen Goddess. I came to her after I had my second child, Tyler, and I was exhausted needing a good morning solution.  It probably took her suggesting it like 5 times before I eventually asked her to come over and show me how she makes them.  It really is simple though and I'm grateful for her suggestions and expertise.  Thanks Jill!  :)

The hardest part for those who are new to green smoothies is that they look rather unappealing to the eye.  On the occasions when I add more strawberries than usual and omit the spirulina, the smoothie has a nice little hint of pink.  But usually it is green or a muddy brown.  This was a tricky situation to overcome while introducing this to the family, especially to my daughter.  I admit, I was also worried about its taste after I made my first one.  Fortunately, the taste won over the appearance and my daughter usually happily drinks her green smoothie.

The best part of making a green smoothie for me and the kids (and occasionally Brian if he is around), is that I know they are getting a good dose of greens in their system.  I especially try to make it first thing in the morning.  I know I feel much better on the days I've have it at breakfast. I feel more mentally alert, energetic, less moody, and more satiated.

Rita Clare drinking her smoothie

The original recipe Jill actually gave me is listed on her website right now and offers a great variety of things to add to your smoothie to make them even more nutrient rich.  

Lately, I've kept it more simple (aka lazy!) just so I will keep up with it consistently.

Jen's Green Smoothie:
1 Cup of spinach, kale, or chard (I choose whatever comes in my CSA basket.  Baby spinach is the easiest to start with because it is the mildest in flavor and blends well.)
1 Frozen banana (I stick the overly ripe ones straight in the freezer)
1 Cup of Juice (not from concentrate.  Lately the large containers of the Naked brand has been on sale and has been a great addition)
1 Cup water
4-5 Berries or a peach or an apple (peeled) or other whole fruit on hand
1 Tbs of Spirulina

This is pretty much it.  I try to work with what I have on hand.  Sometimes I add some yogurt, an avocado (if I don't have any bananas), a little honey, bee pollen, flax meal, flax oil, wheat germ. I like to make it in a large batch and drink it throughout the day.

I'd love to hear what you've been putting in your green smoothies lately!

Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

Farm Tales-A Twiny Morning with Tomaters!

Oh my back!  This morning was both hot and tiresome as we focused all our energy on supporting our tomato plants that are growing like crazy.   Last time I was here, the tomatoes were small and we spent most of the time taking out the weeds that were encroaching upon their growing space.  Now look at them!

We did about 6 rows of tying twine alongside the tomatoes and then around the bamboo steaks.  When I start a home garden again, I'm definitely going to be using this approach.  It works for both determinate and indeterminate tomato plants with very little invasion.

Do you notice the rows of twine for each time we go in to support the tomatoes? I did the top row.  I spent about 2 hours bent over doing this and am now paying for it.  Note to self: Yoga poses I must do for the next couple days would be cat/cow pose, child's pose, bow pose, half moon, plow pose, neck rolls, and some spinal twists!


After I finished twining, I helped put cages around some of the other varieties of tomatoes. These were for the shorter, bushier heirloom varieties to keep them off the ground.  It was actually a bit scary, as we had to cut the cages and then form them around the tomatoes with these sharp edges on the outsides.  A few people, me included, had a few gashes midst our dirty hands and arms.

I am always amazed by how quickly the veggies change from 2 weeks of being gone from the farm. This week, I was struck by the eggplants soon to be ready for harvest.  They were just tiny little plants we weeded around 2 weeks ago.  Now look at them!

I also had the privelege of harvesting the radishes.  It's a lot of fun, if you are into digging your fingers into the ground (as I am!). Can you tell how dry it has been???

Again, I felt like my CSA basket was like a Christmas stocking and Theri from the farm was Santa (Ms. Claus rather!).  In our overflowing basket this week were: carrots, cauliflower, radishes, pole beans, dinosaur kale, a ginormous amount of mixed baby greens,  kohlrabi, cucumbers, basil, onions, zucchini, summer squash, and a handful of raspberries.

My next post will be about what I've been doing with all this great produce!  I'll even include a couple great recipes to share.

With dirt still under her fingernails,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
574.275.1235

DIY Activity: Ping-Pong Family

I just came across this great craft that I MUST do as soon as I can get to the store to buy ping-pong balls.   This is a great activity that has so much versatility, great for role-playing and creativity.  The picture below is a different activity about "feelings" (also great idea!) but I couldn't find a picture besides this for a good example of what this project looks like.

Perfect for:
-Bathtime
-Wading Pool/Water Table
-Traveling in the car & trips in general
-Sand Play
-Quiet time in room
-Working out "real life encounters" with friends/family members by role playing
-Birthday gifts for child's friends


(Check out the link below the pic to learn more about the feelings activity for play therapy purposes.)

http://stlouiscenterforplaytherapytraining.blogspot.com/2011/11/grab-some-ping-pong-balls-permanent.html

You'll Need:

6-12 Ping-Pong Balls
empty egg carton (cardboard preferred)
permanent markers
poster paints (optional)

Directions:

Draw faces on the Ping-Pong balls to represent various family members (including pets). After letting the markers dry thoroughly, the Ping-Pong family is ready to move into their egg carton house, where they can be stored and transported.  The "house" can be decorated inside and out with poster paints.  Encourage your child to play with the Ping-Pong family and make up stories about them.  The permanent markers allow the "family" in bathtubs and wading pools.  New family or friends can be easily added.

*Activity was found in the book, Storytimes for two-year-olds by Nichols, Judy (pg. 86)

Have fun!

Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
574.275.1235

Strawberry Vinaigrette-YUM!

I'm very excited about adding this dressing to my options with all the greens we have been receiving in our local in-season produce.  This was absolutely delicious-perfect combination of sweet and tart!  Hope you enjoy it too.


1 C. strawberries (sliced)
4 t. rice vinegar
4 t. lemon juice
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 t. honey
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil leaves, dried parsley flakes, pepper
1/2 C olive oil


Puree strawberries in blender. Add remaining ingredients except oil.  Blend, then gradually add oil while blending on low speed.


Recipe from Simply in Season by Lind, Mary Beth & Hockman-Wert-Cathleen

I used up all my rice vinegar in this recipe, so I decided to reuse the bottle for the dressing after rinsing it out.

My son, Tyler, enjoyed it so much that he insisted on licking out the leftovers in the bowl. :)

Peace,

Jen Starks,
Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

What's for dinner - week of May 21, 2012

Howdy, folks! Here we are! Another week, another meal plan. I enjoyed sharing last week's plan with you, and I'm glad this is going to be a regular series. Please feel free to share your own plan in the comments, or send me links with your favorite versions of what we're having.

Once again the disclaimer that I am not a nutritional expert, so I'm not advocating this as how I think you need to eat. My family likes simple food and we have no dietary restrictions.

Summer produce is in full swing here in sunny Florida, and I love utilizing so many fresh, local ingredients in my cooking. Since farmers markets are getting really cranked up now, we are considering suspending our buying club share for the summer and then resuming in the fall. We love going to the big Wednesday market downtown at Lake Ella. It's great to actually meet the farmers, and also this way we can have easy access to local grass-fed beef, honey, eggs, and goat cheese and milk without making multiple stops.

So here we go! This is what we're having this week. By the way, school is almost out, and this teacher's wife is not sure who is more excited - me, or my husband. So ready for some family time.

The Meals

1. My favorite easy homemade macaroni and cheese (we had TONS left over from last week, so we're having it yet again. I know. It's sad.), sliced tomatoes with chopped basil from my garden, leftover cucumber salad (which at this point is probably more aptly named "pickles")

2. Chicken enchiladas, rice, black bean and corn salad

Chicken enchiladas - I'm really sad to say that I am back to square one with enchiladas. They are one of my FAVORITE dishes to make. I had a really bad break up with Old El Paso brand enchilada sauce, since I have decided to vanquish all canned products from my pantry. Especially acidic tomato products, which are even worse about leeching nasty BPA into your food. A few months ago, I found a powdered sauce mix that actually was made of pretty decent ingredients, but now I can't find it again. Plus "powdered sauce mix" just sounds really nasty, doesn't it? So PLEASE! Help a mama out. Send me your favorite enchilada recipes. I lived in Texas for 13 years and still can't make a decent homemade sauce.

Black bean and corn salad - Now this I do know how to make. :) I don't have a real recipe, since I kind of made it up. The only hard part is remembering to cook your beans in advance, since as I mentioned earlier I'm on a quest to get rid of cans. Use about 1 1/2 C of cooked black beans, and combine with a chopped tomato, and an ear's worth of fresh corn. Add chopped onion and garlic if you like it. Add salt and pepper, a dash of cumin, some chili pepper, the juice of one lime, and a glug or two of olive oil. Toss and chill before serving. You can eat this by itself, with tortilla chips like a dip, or on top of lettuce leaves. We'll probably take both of those options!

3. Pork tenderloin, glazed steamed carrots, green salad

Pork tenderloin - I haven't decided how I'll prepare this yet. It's on sale at the grocery store this week, that's why I chose it. Plus we haven't had it in a while, and we all really like pork. I'll probably make some kind of glaze. It's good brushed with a glaze of apricot jam and dijon mustard, as weird as that sounds. I just bake it.

Glazed steamed carrots - Cut into small rounds, then steam. Drain, then toss with butter, salt, and a little bit of honey.

We get watercress in our buying club box this week, so we'll have that as a salad with a simple vinaigrette.

4. Stuffed portobello mushrooms, sugar snap peas, bread

We get mushrooms in our box this week, and I found this recipe online that sounds pretty tasty. I'm just going to broil them in the oven, though, since I don't really want to fire up the grill just for this quick dish.

I'm just going to sautee the snap peas with some garlic and grapeseed oil. Nothing fancy. Maybe a pinch of sugar.

I really like making homemade bread, but I might splurge and get something from the bakery. I am a pretty good baker, but I like a really crusty baguette sometimes, and I haven't quite mastered that yet.

5. Pasta with sausage, peppers, and onions; steamed broccoli

The pasta is pretty much what it sounds like. This is one of our favorite ways to cook peppers, which is another item in our box this week. We like to get smoked sausage from a local place called Bradley's Country Store. It's a fun trip up there, and my son loves to go. We usually get a drink and a sausage dog, run around in the fields a bit, and make a little trip out of it. They've been making sausage and cured hams the old fashioned way for almost a hundred years.

Slice and brown your favorite sausage, then take it out of the pan to drain a little. Drain out some of the fat and add a little olive oil. Sautee sliced onions and peppers, and add some salt and pepper. Toss the sausage, onions, and peppers with hot cooked penne pasta, and cover with a good shaving of parmesan cheese. SO GOOD, and takes about 15 minutes to make.

I'm having broccoli just so we have a different color item on the table, and because sometimes my 3yo will eat peppers, and sometimes he will not. But he will always eat broccoli. Well, almost always.

6. Eggplant parmesan, green salad

This is not a very inspired meal. I found some fried eggplant slices in the bottom of my deep freezer this weekend when we cleaned it out to defrost, so we're eating it. I just bread the sliced eggplant in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese which I've seasoned with salt, pepper, and dried Italian herbs. Fry in oil for just a couple minutes per side. I serve it over spaghetti noodles with marinara sauce and mozzarella, then put each plate under the broiler for just a minute to melt and brown the cheese. If you're limiting your carbs you can omit the pasta and just have extra slices of eggplant. Surprisingly, my son actually likes this. Probably because he doesn't ask what is the fried and cheesed item on his plate, and I haven't offered to tell him.

So there you have it! That's what's for dinner this week at the Williamsons.

What are you having? And won't you please share your favorite enchilada recipe with me?

Claire Williamson, for Ecological Babies

claire@ecologicalbabies.com

(850) 228-8322

Jen's Birth- 2nd Time Around

My birth preparation from my first to my second child were night & day.  So were their births!  Today, I am just going to share about my birth plan with Tyler.  Maybe some other day, I'll post Rita Clare's birth story.

This time around, I explore Hypno-birthing as a method for childbirth.  When I first heard the term, I thought it was hoaxy and imagined someone being hypnotized while in labor. Once we began our hypnobirthing classes and I watched the videos of those using this method, I even laughed at how ridiculous this could be. Was this just the few most successful births that they chose to use?  It was completely different than my 46 hour labor with my daughter, Rita Clare.

Here's what I did learn in my classes about hypnobirthing and the cd we listened to almost every night before we went to bed.  I learned different breathing methods to use at different points of your labor. I learned how to train my mind to trust your body and to remain completely relaxed through the birthing process.

Relaxed? During labor?  Seems crazy I know.  The funny thing about pain is that it is heightened when your body experiences adrenaline.  When you are fearful or tense, your body feels more pain.  And I can honestly say that I was "pain-free" until the last 25 minutes while I transitioned and birthed Tyler.

For 6 hours though, I literally laid in bed on my side, listening to Brian read my affirmations we practiced during our hypnobirthing classes, he held my hand or rubbed my feet, and I listened to the sound of rain outside and then inside with my sound machine.  I looked asleep but what I was actually doing is focusing my breathing, imagining my body moving Tyler down into the right position, and consciously relaxing all of my muscles.

Our midwives didn't believe I was as close to having Tyler as I was because I spoke calmly and sounded comfortable when they overheard me talking to my doula.  They came about 15 minutes before my water broke (from what I hear) and I had Tyler shortly thereafter.

There was a point at about 6 hours where I felt like I needed to use the bathroom.  Things intensified after I came back to my room, and it was moments after getting back into bed that my water broke. I remember Layla saying, "if you feel like you need to get into another position, this would be a good time."  I immediately went to the floor by the side of my bed and got down on my hands and knees.

It was very difficult to relax at this point but I stuck with the affirmations.  I could feel Tyler's head with my hands and I knew I would be holding my baby moments from now.  At this point, we are generally told to push the baby out.  But in hypnobirthing, you never push to move the baby out.  I continued to breath the way I was trained and then let my body naturally expel my baby at its own pace.  The worst part was that I kept getting cramps in my leg when I was on my hands and knees.  Leaning on my bed helped me extend my leg when I felt one coming on.  Ouch!

I had a mirror below me so I could see him as my contractions moved him.  Only a few contractions and some substantial pain later, Tyler came out and Layla scooped him up and gave him immediately to me.  She let me announce that he was a boy (we didn't find out prior) and boy did he cry loudly!

Yes, I did tear and was sewn up by Layla.  That and my post labor contractions to remove my placenta was the worst part of the process.  Apparently those contractions get worse with each child.  No fun!  I opted to wait until my umbilical cord had stop its blood flow to have Brian cut the cord.

It was wonderful being able to just go to sleep in my own bed with family taking care of me. Fortunately, I had Tyler at 12:31am and so we had until about 7am before Rita Clare woke up.  Our family doctor, Dr. John Ness, came to our house the next day to meet and check on Tyler's well-being.  All checked out well for both of us!

It was a blissful day and the birth experience beyond I could ever imagined.  I would never want to do it differently if I had a choice. If we have another baby, their birth will probably be different than Tyler's just as Rita Clare's had been different. I just hope it won't be too different though. ;)

Grateful for my midwives, doula, my family doctor, and my perfectly functioning body today,

Jen


Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
574.275.1235

You Know You Are a Treehugger When...

you feel guilty about throwing compostable food scraps in the trash.

Photo taken from: http://grayth.hubpages.com/hub/achla-composter-review 

Our outdoor composter isn't working properly and so we abandoned it in the middle of the winter (I share this with my head down low).  Now that it's warmer up here in Indiana, I'm determined to see if I can get it fixed somehow.  Not only is my garbage more smelly with all that old food in there but we miss out on making great soil!

Any treehugging moments to share today?

Peace,


Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
574.275.1235

Growing an Urban Garden

Growing an Urban Garden 

by Haley Stewart of Carrots for Michaelmas 

When we bought our first home two years ago, one of the things we were most excited about was turning our front yard into an urban garden. And we've had the best time making it happen! Currently, we're successfully growing onions, garlic, oats, potatoes, tomatoes, fresh herbs, summer squash, lettuce, swiss chard, peppers, cabbage, and eggplant. Also, despite the raccoons best efforts, we've kept 3 chickens alive long enough to provide us with fresh eggs each day. Our reasons for designating our front yard for vegetable beds and a chicken coop included health, frugality, education, and love of good food (although never having to mow again was a motivating factor).

                             

Save Money 

Concern for what we eat, both for our health and for food ethics, prompts us to eat organic and local produce. However, eating this way isn’t cheap and for a four-person family making do with one income, the frugality of having an urban garden was very enticing. We spend about $150 a year on seeds, organic fertilizer, and transplants. We estimate that the produce we harvest would cost us at least $2000 a year. There is simply no way we could afford the kind of produce we eat if we didn’t grow it ourselves. Our salads are made from lettuce that was connected to the ground 10 minutes before we gobble it up. That's about as fresh as it gets! Last summer our son ate his weight in tomatoes many times over. It's a good thing they were growing in the front yard because there's no way we could have paid hundreds of dollars to keep the child supplied with an unending supply from the grocery store! 

                          

Eat Seasonally 

Another benefit to eating produce from your own garden is that it forces you to eat seasonally. For example, we’ve been eating salads with delicious fresh lettuce all spring, while we haven’t eaten tomatoes in months. At the grocery store, both lettuce and tomatoes are available all year long; however, if you buy tomatoes in December, they have to be shipped in from far away and can’t compare to the taste of a tomato grown locally in July. Eating seasonally also makes eating each vegetable more exciting as we wait in expectation as seeds become seedlings, flower, and bear fruit.We're currently dying to bite into the tomatoes that are just beginning to turn red (although we've already concocted some tasty fried green tomatoes!). Until we started growing our own food I had no idea which vegetables were  in season! Now, we can enjoy the anticipation of waiting for our favorite veggies to grow (winter squash is my favorite) and then enjoy fresh produce just when it's in season locally. 

                            

Teach Your Kids 

We love that our kids grow up knowing where their food comes from. Our 3-year-old is a part of every step of the process: planting seeds, watering seedlings, harvesting produce, and even cooking it. He knows more about plants and gardening than most adults. At age two he could distinguish between squash seedlings and tomato seedlings (before they have any fruit) something I have just learned to do in the past 3 or 4 years! He can tell intuitively when veggies are ripe and ready to be harvested because he’s so familiar with the plants in our garden. Sure beats diagrams of the water cycle or the life of a seed! 

                             

You Just Can't Buy This Stuff 

The variety of produce available at the supermarket is startlingly small compared to the amazing variety of fruits and vegetables that farmers and gardeners have developed over the centuries. For instance, most stores only have 4 or 5 varieties of tomatoes. You might find one each of slicers, beefsteak, cherry, grape, and Roma. But there are thousands of kinds of tomatoes grown all over the world. There is a wealth of color, texture, shape, taste, and history that is out of reach unless you grow things yourself. This year, our tomato crop will include Atkins, Homestead, Early Girl, Orange Banana, Floridade, Tigerella, Morning Sun, Black Cherry, and Hazelfield. It’s very exciting to anticipate what all of these plants will produce! It is also exciting to be a part of a long gardening history. For instance, this year we are growing a kind of Italian heirloom squash called Trombocino. This variety has been passed down for generations and has traveled all the way from Italy to our front yard. That history adds an element to eating that can’t be found at the grocery store. On Easter Sunday we made a big salad out of the nine kinds of lettuce growing in the garden. Splendid variety! 

           

Our Setup  

We started with three raised beds and grew from there (sorry for the pun). Now we have 10 raised beds that are each 8’ x 4’. We also have 5 rows that are about 3’ x 10’. Originally, we got some dirt from a garden supply center to fill the beds. But, we began producing a lot of compost so we are now able to do without an outside source of soil.  And, really, there is no shortcut to good dirt. It takes a long time to build up a rich and healthy soil full of nutrients and good plant matter. It also takes a long time to learn how to garden well in your area. There are plenty of books and web sites on the subject of gardening, but every place is different. A book written by a gardener in Maine is really not going to do us a whole lot of good in Florida. Local knowledge is essential. Experienced gardeners in your area and truly local gardening supply stores can be a huge help.  

                      

You Can Do It 

If this sounds like something you might be interested in, don't get overwhelmed or intimidated. Urban gardening is truly something anybody can do without extensive experience or a huge time commitment. Start small. I recommend beginning with an herb garden. Nothing is better than stepping out the door to grab some fresh basil to put on a pizza or fresh cilantro to add to tacos. Not to mention how economical it is since fresh herbs at the store cost an arm and a leg. Simple Bites has a great tutorial on making raised beds if you'd like to give them a shot. Try your luck with herbs and then expand from there. Food will never be the same for you! 

Bio: Haley is a Catholic wife and mother to two little ones in Tallahassee, FL. Ballet teacher, blogger, coffee-drinker, and lover of all things Jane Austen, Haley muses about books, motherhood, faith, and her undying love for bacon at Carrots for Michaelmas. You can contact her at haley.s.stewart@gmail.com 

Note: All photos property of Haley Stewart.   

mailto:haley.s.stewart@gmail.com 

Jen Starks, Owner www.ecologicalbabies.com ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 574.275.1235