What's on the shopping list?

Getting my list together...

I wanted to give you all an idea of what I will be ordering through the food co-op this week.  Sometimes it does take a little planning but absolutely worth it.  Instead of grocery shopping on Sunday evening, I will be ordering most of my goods online and have them the following Saturday.

First off my vitamins

Kids, myself and hubby are completely OUT!  We have been holding off until the buying club got started to order more so we could get the discount. We are going to try a couple of new things this month. It usually takes us at least a month or more to go through the vitamins and supplements so I budget accordingly. The kids want to try a new multi that I am okay with since these have the digestive enzymes (many kids vitamins do not contain them), wheat sprouts & spirulina too. Children Nutri Stars Children's Multivitamin $22.93 (120 chewables will last us 2 months-that's $5.76 a month for both my kids). Immune Support Formula (Alcohol-Free) Sweet Echinacea we keep on hand ALWAYS $8.47.
For Me & Hubby
FoodScience of Vermont B Complex-75, Marine Biotherapies Mangosteen with Goji & Pomegranate Juice (kids will enjoy this also), Nutiva HempShakes Chocolate ORGANIC, Natrol General Health Vitamin D3, American Health More Than A Multiple, Green Foods Organic Chlorella ORGANIC Chlorella Powder (to put in our smoothies). Under the bulk items there a few things I am pondering on too - Kelp powder is one of them! I may see if I can find some more super foods like the Acai one in capsule form to add on the website!

Now for our meals

We are stuck using some of the produce I canned and froze last year or head to the grocery aisle until seasonal produce starts to come in.  Meats I try and utilize them a couple of times.  For example I will buy the Organic Soy Free Whole Chickens and make homemade chicken broth to freeze.  Then we will have some of the chicken for supper one night. Left overs I will either use with a pasta or make a BBQ out of it.  So from a whole chicken I can get two meals and chicken broth!!!!  I tend to use  ground beef a lot, simply because it is so versatile.  I will more than likely get a small beef pack or ground beef in bulk (that way I can save a few bucks).  Trying to make two meals with any leftovers of meat helps out on the budget quite a bit.  My mother taught me early on how to stretch a dollar and it has paid off for us eating healthier.  I will grab some uncured bacon and save any drippings to use for just a little bit of flavoring on other things I cook (yes, like your grandmother use to do).  And then will I let hubby get online and order what he wants...the meat list could get LONG!

Personal Care Items

If I didn't make the soap (LOL) I would buy some! I will need to replenish our shampoo (we have been too busy to make anymore). I will be adding on the Avalon Organics Tea Tree that works pretty good.  It can be tough to try new things sometimes but I have found some really great products during the HEALTHY LIVING transition.  Burt's Bees didn't list their ingredients so I can't say how good it will be.  We need some arnica cream too!

Tea & Spices

I am out of plenty of herbs I will be purchasing a long list.  I love the fact we can get ORGANIC in 1 lb packages.  After going to Home Economist for years and purchasing by the ounce I am excited to get such a great price on them.  I like Nuvi green tea and will get some of it, plus a few others.  I will buy some peppermint leaf under Bulk items so I can add it to my teas.  Did you know with many of the items we have listed in bulk you can make your own custom teas?  We may have to work on a class for that.  In the meantime, there are certified organic teas made in Asheville, NC listed on the site.  We get them from a local distributor here in Mooresville.  I am out of Chili powder (the shakers are under spices not bulk) & sea salt.

Specialty Foods

The Rock the Red Jam is out of this world and I will be getting some of that (several great ones to choose from).  I will need to replenish my coconut oil (can't keep it around we use it so much)!  Nutiva seems to be a good company.  They did contribute to the Prop 37 initiative in California last year.    

Plants

I have started quite a few tomato plants (probably around 150) however they are still so tiny.  The plants that our farmer has are ready to be put in the ground...something to think about.  They looked nice and healthy too!  All started from certified seed!

As I add a few things here and there to the website, I am sure my list will increase!  Happy shopping until 4/7 at 11:59pm.

Love & Blessings,

Organic Farm...really our neighbors!?!

This may turn out to be a little longer than it should but I do want to emphasize how God will lead you and place people in your lives at just the right time! I wish to acknowledge Him first knowing His plans for His children for His purpose... Thank you Lord for your many blessings. Thank you for knowing our hearts and our true intentions of all things. Thank you for knowing more than we do and allowing us to find comfort in You alone. You have continued to show us Your ways and I ask that You help each of us to open our eyes, hearts, and minds to be led by You and Your will for us. Help us to help each other and show Your Love to one another! I praise you Jesus and pray this in Your Loving Name. Amen

This past week has been super exciting not only for homeschooling opportunities but for organics & buying local too! We have had three trips that have been most helpful and an awesome start to some great relationships!

Our trip yesterday was so local that I just have to share the story. Back last October as I started more intense research on local Organics I had a really hard time finding them. Until late one night, I found Mary L Farms on an organic listing website. Now I knew, growing up around here we had farms and dairy farms but NO IDEA any of them could possibly be organic...to my surprise yes there are! I had the pleasure of growing up with some of these folks and had no idea they are doing such great things! I went ahead and made contact through a form online to Mary L Farm to find out some more info and was shocked to find out they do Organic Grass Fed Beef, Organic Turkey, Organic Chicken, and sell Organic Milk to Organic Valley! Now what's a shock is it is less than 4 minutes from my home! Can you say WOW...can't get much more local than your neighbors!

I was diligently working on Organic Christians website and trying to get it going, went ahead and listed the farms such as Mary L and just spent time focused on it for a while. My husband goes to the grocery store right before CHRISTmas and (here goes God) sees the owner of Mary L Farm. Now keep in mind, my husband and I both grew up in this area and have been married for 10 years and now hubby sees him at the store....hmmmm! Well, okay that pushes me a little more to get in contact. Then again within the week my husband sees him again at another store! So now with this situation, we as a family, see God's hand. He leads us when we are watchful doesn't He, in the most amazing ways sometimes. I had put off going to meet farmers and wanted to take my time researching and understanding everything, but God's little push helped us say Hey, maybe we should do this NOW! Good stuff!

So yesterday, we had the absolute privilege of meeting the family of Mary L Farm and experience their entire organic farm. It was so wonderful! They have transitioned into an Organic Farm and seen the differences first hand of conventional milking vs. organic. They were the first dairy in North Carolina to go Organic! They have taken all necessary steps to provide an environment where the animals are nurtured and taken care of so that you can see the animals contentment. I was expecting the "ladies" to be kicking and stressed when being milked but NO they were all calm and collect ready to provide to their loving family! Their gentleness and love for their animals encouraged me so much. To see so many farmers ridiculed I expected something a lot different. This is their life, their livelihood for their family and has been for over 50 years. I have experienced farm life and to be honest enjoy it more than the regular hustle and bustle but it has not been my daily life always. These guys over at Mary L Farm have shown me an even better appreciation for family support (as each work side by side daily to help each other) and a lifestyle that is hard work but worth it!

I think many times consumers forget a family is up at 3-4am starting their day and not finishing until late at night, to provide for US! Let me ask you, do you know your farmers? Are you buying from them and helping support your neighbors? I think we take for granted, consumers as a whole, all of the work involved and the giving of the farmers daily (7 days a week). The farmers like Mary L Farm do not get the credit they deserve, well I guess appreciation they deserve for their daily sacrifice for our families.

Since we homeschool I was able to take my daughter who bottle fed a baby calf and baby goat for the first time, watched cows actually get milked, see the ways Mary L Farm is trying to make a difference from an environmental stand point with their cooling system and organic means, gain new friendships and a new perspective on family support..thanks to this gracious family! An experience she will hold dear for her life (as will I) and a chance to share with her something she cannot get from a workbook! Please see pics and video on Organic Christians Facebook Page

Let me leave you with a few things to think about...what does community mean to you? Have you taken an effort to say thank you to your farmers or taken the time to even meet them? Do you appreciate the support and effort that goes into what you eat? And lastly, probably most importantly are you aware that God has placed folks in your life so that you can help, encourage and support them? What can you do today to say thank you to them?

LET ME SHARE A PUBLIC THANK YOU TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY AT MARY L FARM! What you all are doing is wonderful and I am encouraging everyone in this area to help support you guys! Your kindness to us was unbelievable and the knowledge you shared was an experience I would not have wanted to miss. So thank you, thank you for getting up every morning and taking such effort in sharing your daily work with us. You are admired and appreciated for your hard work even though many take it for granted, please know God sees how you hard you work and it is for Him we do all things! Much Love and Blessings!

HELP SUPPORT THE FAMILIES YOU KNOW BY BUYING LOCAL