Considering my recent announcement, I was thrilled to be offered a chance to check out the new book, Super Nutrition for Babies by Katherine Erlich M.D. and Kelly Genzlinger C.N.C/C.M.T.A. (This is not an eBook- it’s a 240-page paperback.)

Upon it’s arrival, I was excited to discover that this book is “rebellious” as I am when it comes to our society’s ideas of how children should be fed. Not only do they recommend raw milk for kiddos (Raw is all Prairie Baby has ever had…) but they whole-heartedly advise against rice cereal (I can’t stand the stuff!) and conventional “kid” junk, aka ‘health’, foods. Yee-haw!

This book is written from a traditional foods perspective (think Weston A. Price style), and has no problem tackling the controversial aspects of feeding your kids. Not only will you find lists and guidelines for feeding babies and toddlers of all ages, there are plenty of recipes packed into the pages as well.

I was thrilled to also have the chance to ask the authors a few questions of my own. Check out their responses below, and after that find out how 2 lucky readers will win a copy of Super Nutrition for Babies! 

(My questions are in green- the authors’ answers are in black)

Q1. My husband has had severe environmental allergies, food allergies, and asthma since childhood. Our firstborn daughter is (so far) free from any of these conditions. (I have been very particular about her diet and breastfed her for over a year) In your experience(s), what are the chances that our future children will possess these problems if we are careful about proper nutrition?

A1. There is no way to ensure that your daughter or other future children won’t have similar allergic conditions to your husband. But by feeding yourselves and your children the cleanest and most nutritious of diets, you will be improving your family’s ability to detoxify and enable your bodies to work most efficiently.… [Continue Reading]

Ever since Prairie Baby was born, we have made an effort to have her be an active participant in our lives. It always makes me sad when I see couples constantly dropping off the kiddos at grandma’s house or the babysitters so they can go out and “enjoy themselves” or work on a project.

Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the occasional date night, but if we think we must continually separate ourselves from our kids in order to accomplish things, the kiddos will miss out on many valuable life experiences.

Since Day One, Prairie Baby has been a part of our team. Some days I stuck her in a Moby Wrap, or buckled her into my giant jogging stroller as I worked outside. We took her everywhere with us… During her first 6 months of life, she attended multiple cattle brandings, went antelope hunting, hung out at several equestrian clinics, and took many a nap in the cool shade of the barn. She’s experienced more in her few years of life than many city-dwelling adults have seen in a lifetime.

Now that she’s a “big girl” (two years old!), she can take an even more active role in our activities- and she is already comfortable and familiar with our routine, since she’s been along for the ride since the day she was born.

It’s never to early to start sharing your homestead life with the kiddos. Below, you’ll find my list of simple activities for the homestead toddler or preschooler to help inspire you in your journey.

22 Activities for the Country Toddler or Preschooler

1. Teach them to plant things. Larger seeds like peas, beans, or corn are fun to poke into the ground, and items like seed potatoes and onion sets are downright fascinating!

2. Let them water.… [Continue Reading]

Sometimes I get this sneaking suspicion that some people think I’m a freak of nature.

I mean, I live 35 miles from the nearest grocery store and stay at home all day with our daughter and a boatload of animals and chores.

And I like it.

People see that I’m not always clamoring for ways to get out of the house, or trying to find every possible “playgroup” just so I have something to do, or driving to the library for the toddler storytime every day, and I think they assume I’m some sort of anti-social hermit.

Generally, I only head to the “big city” about twice per month for shopping or appointments. (We attend a small country church in the neighboring town (pop. 250) 10 miles away, so that does provide some closer social interaction.)

Join me over at The Better Mom today where I’m sharing a few of my simplest tips for staying sane as a stay-at-home mom. You can apply these ideas even if you live smack dab in the middle of the city, too.

 … [Continue Reading]