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My hubby and I have been taking in all the food documentaries that we can. It has been an eye opening experience learning where our food comes from, and this knew knowledge has definitely changed our eating and buying habits. I thought I would compile a list of food documentaries that we have watched and recommend as well as ones that others have recommended to us. I encourage everyone to be educated consumers.

A good portion of this list can be found on Netflix if you have it. I will put an asterisk next those films.

I will add to this list as I find more.

Happy Viewing!

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Featured Homestead Picture: Sweet Corn

2011 was the first year we really committed to homesteading. Our property saw the addition of several garden beds, fruit bearing trees and bushes, and a small flock of hens. Here are just a few of the things I learned starting down the path of homesteading.

1. Chickens are smarter than you think- I have been waging war with my 2 hens. They are free ranging on my quarter acre lot and have been reaking havoc on my yard since letting them roam free. I live in a subdivision with little love for our feathered friends, so being incognito is essential. If I don’t release my girls by 7am from their “prison”, they will protest with hoots and hollers reaching neighbor waking volume; therefore, free ranging for peace and quiet is required. Since they are free to scavenge my yard, my chickens have undoubtedly found my garden to be their favorite hang out. No chicken wire, bird netting, or fencing has kept those clever poultry out. The chickens may have won the battles in 2011, but I am determined to win the war in 2012. Watch out girls, mama is bringing her A game!

2. Canning isn’t so scary - Well, at least water bath canning…I haven’t tried pressure canning yet. My chickens destroyed my winter vegetable garden that was destined for the can, but I digress. This year I managed to can applesauce, pickles, and diced tomatoes, and I am very proud of the results. I totally get the joy every canner feels when their hard work is rewarded with that heavenly “ping” the jars make when they have been processed correctly. Looking forward to more canning in 2012 when I take on pressure canning!

3. Baking Soda, Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil, and Lavendar Oil clean everything- I now use these 4 ingredients when cleaning just about everything. Okay, so maybe I throw a little water in there at times too. The point is that there is hardly a commercial cleaner left in this house. These homemade concoctions are just as efficient and are far from toxic.

4. Growing sweet corn is not for me- I have tried sweet corn 3 times in my garden and each time it has been an epic failure. I can grow many things, but corn just isn’t in the cards for me, at least right now. In 2012, I am going to concentrate on the things I can grow in my limited space and revisit corn at later date.

5. Extreme Couponing isn’t worth it- For years my hubby and I did the couponing thing with 3-4 sets of Sunday newspapers, couponing websites, coupon binders…the whole shebang. I can’t remember the last time I bought mustard or toothpaste. Well, now we are on a path to healthier organic eating/living…things I have discovered do not go hand in hand with couponing. First, the majority of coupons are for processed foods. There are coupons out there for healthy organic products, they are just few and far between. Second, it takes a lot of time. The many hours I would spend organizing coupons and shopping lists and traveling to mulitple stores was not worth the savings to me, especially when considering that our “stockpile” was full of unhealthy products. I would rather go to work an extra hour.

So, for 2012, we have cut down to one Sunday paper. When we do have a coupon, we use it. When we don’t, we don’t fret. We stock up during the sales and know which stores have the best regular prices. When we need organic free range eggs, Walmart has the best regular price. When we need organic butter, Fry’s has the best regular price. You don’t have to be an extreme couponer to be frugal.

6. You can’t do everything overnight- When we started on this homesteading/healthy living journey, we had high aspirations of the future. There were so many changes that needed to be made. In the beginning, you are working off a high provided by your hopes and dreams, but eventually, reality does set in and you begin to feel overwhelmed. “It’s been x number of years and I still don’t have enough garden space to feed my family.” “I am still buying too many premade, processed foods from the grocery store.” You get caught up reading various blogs showing bread baking in cast iron dutch ovens, a medicine cabinet full of herbal remedies, a pantry stocked full of canned food from a garden, beautiful chicken coops, large lushish gardens, and a part of you begins to feel inadequate for the task ahead. Stop, take a deep breath, and repeat this phrase to yourself. “Rome wasn’t built in a day” or should we say “A homestead isn’t built in a day.” It takes time and a lot of trial and error to completely alter your life and your property. See the success in the small steps toward your ultimate goal.