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Permaculture is a way of gardening that creates a sustainable and self-sufficient environment. To understand permaculture we have to look at what nature does with no human interaction. If nature sees a bare spot of land it will fill in the land with any plant that can grow there whether that plant is native or not. If nature sees a problem like polluted water it will put a plant that can help fix polluted water there. Some gardeners pull weeds and plants that are not native without a second thought, but take a closer look maybe that plant is there to fix something that’s wrong. If you want an abundance of crop  you should think about permaculture because not only is row gardening inefficient but it is actually less beneficial. But you can’t just plant any plants next to each other you have to think about there needs and also how they benefit your environment. For example tomato and basil grow really well together because basil helps keep away bugs that are looking for tomato seeds. Another great example that you have probably heard of is the three sisters. Many Indian tribes used this method of planting. The three sisters are corn, beans and squash. Bean plants can take nitrogen from the air and bring it to the soil and that helps all three plants. A case of two plants that do not get along is walnut trees and tomato plants. These plants don’t like each other because walnut trees produce juglone. Juglone is a chemical compound that stunts the growth of other plants. Permaculture doesn’t just involve plants though animals and insects can help too. Chickens can really help with bring up the soil and bees pollinate plants. Rabbit poop is also a exceptional fertilizer. Permaculture is an efficient and beneficial way of gardening and I encourage all of you to do more research on it or just try it yourself.

So a few weeks ago I posted a article on journaling. But if it’s anything like when I started Journaling you may be a little bit lost on what to write so here are 31 journal prompts. You could even do one a day for a month if you wanted to.

1. If you won the lottery what would you do?
2. what does your dream house look like?
3. My favorite quote is…
4. things most people don’t know about me
5. my top 5 favorite memories
6. How I think I can improve in life
7. 10 new thing I want to try are…
8. 10 things I want to do again are…
9. 10 things I NEVER want to experience again are…
10. Things that make me feel calm are…
11. My favorite family traditions are..
12. I couldn’t live without…
13. What’s the definition of success?
14. your last happy memory
15. what would your life be like if it took place in the eighteen hundreds?
16. 10 thing I really, really want but don’t need
17. 10 things I’m really, truly grateful for right now
18. What makes you mad?
19. If you knew you only had one year left in life what would you do right now?
20. What do you imagine your life like in 10 years?
21. What is your favorite season? Why?
22. If you could only go one place and never leave that place where would it be?
23. 10 things I thought I needed a year ago but am doing just fine without know are…
24. 10 things that really bother me are…
25. in another life who would you be?
26. What is your dream job?
27. What is one talent you wish you had?
28. How can you use the talents you do have, for good?
29. Who inspires you?
30. What is your favorite part of your life?
31. What is your least favorite chore? Why?

There are 31 Journal prompts for when you don’t know what to write. See ya next time.

So we all know at this point that our world is Very polluted and, it’s very sad to to think that some people don’t care. Some say that it’s not real but there are facts that global warming and pollution exist. 100,000 sharks die from humans every year. 1,000 turtles die from plastic every year. 5 million animal die do to deforestation every year. The worst part is it’s not like we haven’t thought of solutions, we have but most of the time there a little more difficult or expensive then what we are used to. Lake Victoria in Africa for example, gets filled up from rain that falls directly on it, and because of global warming it’s in danger of drying up. There are animals that live in this lake that only live in one other place in the world. Think about that because we need our plastic bags and water bottles, animals are dying and when an animal goes extinct it’s gone forever. So  I really hope that after reading this post you will make an efforts to stop using plastic.

So you’ve heard of journaling but like me you probably thought “that’s dumb I hate writing” or “I don’t have time for that”. But Journaling actually has a lot of great health benefits. Here is 5.

1. Keeps memory sharp

It has been proven that when we right stuff down we are more likely to remember it.

2. Reduces stress

A journal doesn’t care if you unload all your stress on it.

3. See problems clearer

• If we right down our problems sometimes we can see that the answer is really quite simple.

4. Helps with physical health

Journaling has also been proven to help people with asthma and arthritis

5. Helps injuries heal faster

It has been proven that injury can heal 4.4 times faster if you journal.

Those are five health benefits but there are still lots more. Just remember when your journaling that you don’t have to take it to seriously. It’s fine if you miss a few days or even weeks. It doesn’t matter if your sitting at your desk or laying in bed. Your the only one who’s going to read this so say whatever. See ya next Thursday.

Chances are most of you here have heard of shopping secondhand, and whether you thought it’s not for me or sounds cool, I recommend you read this article.

1. You will save money

Some basic things that people need like silverware and clothes cost way more then they should. At second hand shops or thrift stores the price of things is sometimes half of what it was new, and most of the time it’s in pretty good condition.

2. You will give items a new life

These things in thrift stores were put there buy some one who didn’t want to throw them away, so by buying them you are making sure that item doesn’t go to waste.

3. You will find unique items

Sometimes you kind find handmade or rare items that no on else in the world but you will have. Just think out of the 7.8 billion people on this earth you are the only one that will own this item

4. The things you will find have character

Have you ever saw something in a store and thought “I wish I could find a lamp with more detail” or something like that. Well at thrift stores you may be able to find that detailed lamp of your dreams.

5.  You will find better quality items

Now you may be thinking “Better quality? won’t they be all old and ruined. You may find some things like that but just because something is old doesn’t mean it is poor quality. In fact the opposite is true, older things were most likely made with more care then some mass-produced T-shirt you saw at the store earlier.

6. Less clothing thrown away

11.2 million tons of textile waste is thrown away a year. By buying secondhand we can take that number down at least a little.

7. less resources used

You may not believe it but  it takes 3 thousand liters of water to make one cotton T-shirt, and 1,800 for a pair of jeans. Not to mention all the carbon dioxide being let into the from the machines.

I really hope that I have convinced you to shop secondhand and thanks for taking time out of your day to read this article.

What is pH level?

pH stands for potential of hydrogen and is a way of measuring levels of alkaline (sweetness) and acidity (sourness). If your soil has the most acidity it can it will be 0.0 if your soil has the most alkaline it can it will be 14.0 and halfway through the scale is 7.0. So if your soil is 0.0-6.9 it is alkaline and if it is 7.1-14.0 it is acid. If it is 7.0 it is neutral everything has a perfect balance. Pure water is 7.0 and soapy water is 12.0.

Why does pH level matter?

The pH level of your soil matters because it impacts several elements that influence plant growth. Plants tend to grow best in pH levels of 5.5-6.5. However some plant prefer different pH levels, you can look up what pH levels different types of plants like to grow in for example, weeping willows like 5.0-6.0 and lilacs prefer pH levels of 6.0-7.5.

How do I fix my soil’s pH level?

Now that you read this article you may be thinking “okay so how do I fix the pH levels of my soil?” or “can you fix the pH levels?”. The answer is yes you can. To fix acidic soil and bring the pH level up you can add limestone, which is the most popular way, to your soil. You can also add wood ash which is a more organic alternative. To bring the soil’s pH levels down you can do several things. Adding sulfur is the easiest way there is but you can also use aluminum sulfate, iron sulfate, sphagnum peat, or compost.

That’s all I have for today I hope this was very helpful.

We recently had a birthday party for my oldest and youngest daughter.  As we planned the party we started to think about what we could serve.  We wanted to have things that fit into the different dietary needs of the whole family.  Considering that and the fact that I am a bit adventurous when it comes to food, we decided to cook a whole hog.

So I started doing all sorts of research on how to cook a whole hog.  It turns out for every person that writes about it there is a different way of doing it.  I picked out all parts of the different methods that made the most sense and honestly seemed the simplest.  The point of this post isn’t to talk about the process. (I may do a post in the future about that.) It is to write about the results.

Once the pig was done, my plan was to pick the meat off the pig and bring the meat in on a platter.  My brother Jon set me straight on that plan. He said we should bring it in whole.  I was glad he felt so strong on that.  It was 100% the right call.

You might expect that there would be people that would be uncomfortable with seeing a whole pig, snout to tail.  I sure was thinking that, but everyone seemed to really get into the experience of it.  It was fun to watch everyone’s reaction and to watch the kids be completely fascinated by the different parts of the pig. It probably didn’t hurt that it tasted so good either.  I, as the good host, lead the way by trying one of the eyeballs.

My hope is that it gave people an experience and a memory that we can recall as a family for years to come.  It will sure stick in my mind.  It will be an anchor used for me recall that party and that time.  These get-togethers can take big commitments for the people putting them on as well as the people attending.  After this party, I better understand that it is important to have anchors for these parties.  We might as well put in a little more effort and have some strong memories of them.

I would like to hear from you about things you do to provide these anchors.  Please leave them in the comments below.

Coconut oil according to Wikipedia is an oil extracted from the coconut that is highly saturated which allows it to not go rancid.  We have been using it around our house long before we adjusted our diets.  We not only use it in our cooking but also use it for its other health benefits.

I am not a doctor and therefore not qualified to be medical advice.  So please do your own research and consult a physician before making any health-related decisions.   Coconut oil is high in saturated fatty acids, which have been shown to have adverse health side effects.  There are some studies know that show that there could be benefits to coconut oil and that it isn’t as risky as once thought.  I will focus mostly on my experiences.

Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and since it doesn’t quickly go rancid it doesn’t need to be stored in the frig.  It has a relatively high smoke point so it can be used in all sorts of applications.  The fact that it stays solid at room temperature makes it ideal for substituting for butter if you are avoiding dairy.  You can use it in baking and recipes of butter or shortening.  I recently saw a post on Facebook where someone said it didn’t work in pie crusts.  I think it might if it was chilled to firm it up much like you do with butter in a crust.

Virgin coconut oil does have a mild coconut flavor.  I seem to pick up that flavor more than the rest of my family.  It is something that can be used to the benefit of what is being prepared, so it is just something to keep in mind.

Coconut oil is largely made up of MCT, or medium-chain triglycerides.  MCT are more easily metabolized than long-chain triglycerides.  Which makes the good source of quick energy.  People who follow a Keto diet (more on that in a future blog) will use coconut oil because it is a good source of quick energy that will not raise your insulin levels.  I have added it to my coffee in the mornings on the days that I am intermittent fasting.  Once your brain is adapted to burning fats instead of carbs that shot of MCTs in the morning will give you the energy you need without breakfast.

I used coconut oil as a base for salves.  I will mix in some essential oils and apply it topically to help support my skin health.  It can also be used as a natural shaving cream.  You can check out this article for many more uses.

We would love to hear from you with any ways you like to use coconut oil.  Please leave them in the comments below.

It was always my intention once we moved to our new home to grow most of the food that we ate. I was tired of all the processed foods with all the hidden chemicals. It just felt like there had to be a better way.

Good intentions don’t always lead to the correct actions. As I am sure, you can all agree life gets busy especially with now three little girls. Sure we took some steps, we have a flock of chickens and ducks that give us more than enough eggs. They even provide a little meat in the fall. We planted some pretty modest gardens with even more modest results. We just never seem to kick into that next gear.

Well, that all changed at the end of this summer. Our oldest daughter, Reagen, had been struggling with what appeared to be allergies. She would get some bad rashes that just never seemed to go entirely away. We weren’t getting much help from the traditional medical doctors, so we took her to get muscle tested.

The results showed that she was sensitive to gluten. We went right to work removing gluten and coming up with substitutes for as many of her favorite foods as possible. It was a big adjustment for all of us, but the results were worth it. She skins cleared up. She became less tired and irritable.

Next, it was my turn. Let just say it was no big secret that I was overweight. So it didn’t surprise me at all that at my doctor’s appointment I had some issues. My liver functions were out of whack, due to a fatty liver. I had very high fasting blood sugars and A1C. The doctor wanted to put me on me out diabetes medication. I convinced her to give me a shot at making a change myself first. I could tell that she wasn’t putting much faith in me being able to make that needed modifications to my lifestyle. I can hardly blame her. It wasn’t like the extra pounds had snuck up on me, and I have a strong family history of diabetics.

I knew for sure the first thing to cut out was the pop. I had become too used to drinking the sugary drinks. After doing some research online, I found that there were doctors that were endorsing a low carb diet to cure diabetes. That was a smaller amount of carbs then the conventional diabetic diet called for. After cutting the carbs, the pounds started falling off, and my blood sugar levels dropped dramatically.

Next, my wife and second daughter, Kennedy, did the muscle testing. Kennedy needs to stay away from corn, including corn syrup (which is in everything), dairy and red food dye. Joleen was off of gluten and sugar. We are just starting down this part of our journey. It has been a challenge to find things to eat that will work in all of our diets.

Our goal and hope are to bring you all along with us on our journey. Let you know what worked, what didn’t and let you learn from our experiences.