Summer is officially here! Our garden is coming in beautifully, thanks all to Kent, and the kids are geeked to be done with school. As I’m writing this, though (on Friday), I’m still in the “I can’t believe how fast the year went” stage. I’m leaving soon to go to our younger kids’ school for the “5th grade tunnel.” Our 11 year old finishes elementary school today and all the staff and parents cheer as they go through the tunnel of people and leave the school for the last time. It brings tears to my eyes as I write it. Then on Tuesday Kal graduated, and the only word I can use to describe it is “surreal”. It was just so odd trying to wrap my brain around the fact that 18 years went by in a blink. I’m thankful to not have any regrets, though, and also that I've been blessed to have been able to be home with my kids their whole lives, and hopefully that doesn't change. (Doing day care in my home for years was great on so many levels – you wouldn’t believe all the lifelong friends I made and I love seeing “my kids” around town and getting hugs wherever I go.) I know we’ve done the best we can do as his parents and that the rest is up to God & Kal. He really has turned into a funny, humble, wise and kind man. He makes me laugh all the time (he has Kent’s sense of humor) and you should see him with our 4 year old. They have the sweetest relationship, it positively melts us. 
So next year we have one going to college, one going to middle school, one going to 3rd grade and one going to Kindergarten. I’m sure many of you out there have us beat with more kids and a bigger spread (I'd love to hear about it in the comments!), but I still can’t believe we got to have FOUR kids after our miscarriages and infertility issues, and more who we'll see in heaven someday. With God all things are possible, we’re proof of that. I have to wrap this up, there will be 12 of us here for lunch when I get back (I’m posting what I made on Tuesday – so easy and yummy), and I told the kids we could go get ice cream later to celebrate the last day of school! (I try not to post pics of my kids on the internet, but I love this one from a couple summers ago.)
OK, onto some Real Foodie stuff for you today…
Don’t forget you only have a couple more days to sign up for the FREE health & nutrition book giveaway!- Did you hear what they're working on now? More genetically modified soybeans – like we need more FAKE food, made of soybeans no less! An excerpt: “Currently, Monsanto has two varieties of biotech soybeans pending approval with USDA that also seek to modify the nutritional value of soybean oil, promising to eliminate trans fats and produce oil with omega-3 fatty acid — fish oil — for use in yogurt, granola bars and spreads. The modified soybeans represent a move by DuPont and Monsanto to broaden the crop traits engineered in their seeds beyond simple properties like pest resistance to complex areas — like nutritional value, drought tolerance and nitrogen fixation — that are often influenced by multiple genes. These long-promised traits previously found little purchase in the seed giant's business plans.” Let’s not be taken in by this! Fake food is dangerous. If all these people who spend their time genetically changing the very make up of plants, instead worked on getting more REAL FOOD to the masses, imagine the difference in our world! But there isn’t much money in Real Food. I told Kent that if I was blogging about junk food for the past 3 years I’d probably be loaded with advertising offers and all sorts of income, but there just isn’t a lot of money in food that isn’t processed in a big factory using cheap ingredients and coming off a line. But I don't have to tell you that if we don’t have our health none of it matters anyway! My main goal always has been and always will be to get the truth out about REAL food.
- Here’s another neat article Kent found for me. Read how a city manager got vending machines with junk removed from city facilities. Here's an excerpt: “My hat is off to a government employee saying that a government facility shouldn't make it easy for people to be unhealthy,” Miller said. “We know that whatever people have access to, that's what they're going to get when they're in a hurry.” Too bad they didn’t replace the junk with just water, bottles of kombucha or some fermented beverages, instead of juice and diet drinks, though. (Learn how to easily make fermented kefir soda pop at home and here you can find the starters you need!)
- As if it’s not bad enough that they’re messing with our food, now they’re genetically altering trees?
- Thank you Jen S. for sending on this next article. After you read it you’ll have another good reason not to blindly trust what doctors or “studies” might tell you. Have you read my post on that topic called, “What if sex was bad for you?”
- Here’s an article I LOVED, these are such great tips and it took me a while to figure all these out in my own trips to the farm market, I wish I’d had this list a few years ago! 10 Tips for Farm Market Newbies. (Or “Noobies” as the article says, I’ve never seen it spelled that way…?) I especially loved the one about NOT haggling with the farmers on prices. A farm market is not the same as a flea market! As a matter of fact, I try to go the other way. If something is $4.50, I give them a five and tell them that it’s close enough. They do a lot for us and most don’t make enough as it is.
- Lastly, speaking of great farmers, this post from Kimberly is about a farmer friend of mine: Grass farmer nominated for hero of sustainable agriculture award. Also learn more here about why grass-fed is better! (Where to find sources for healthy meat.)
Don’t forget you only have a couple more days to sign up for the 
tina says
NancyO – what a nice comment.
Robin says
I love your website! So many great resources! Thank you!
Stanley Fishman says
Great post about studies. Many studies are designed to serve the interests of those who pay for them. Very often you will have two contradictory studies on the same subject, studies where the results are so contradictory that iis is impossible for both of them to be true.
We need to pay more attention to our own experience and good common sense.
That said, some studies are valid and very valuable. But how do you know?
NancyO says
Haggling at the farmer’s market? I never even thought of it as an option…you’re right, it’s not a flea market. I also know that farmers are mostly a kind and generous group of professionals in their field of expertise. Saturday when I totaled my veggies and the farmer totaled my veggies, there was a several dollar difference (I was buying a bunch). I looked at him and he smiled…obviously telling me he was giving me a break, without sharing that info with the other customers at his table. Then he held up a large, funky shaped tomato that was not going to slice pretty (because real tomatoes are not always uniformly round!) and asked if I would use it…I laughed and said, “you know I will!” and he put it in my bag. It became the diced tomato in a wonderful squash, peppers and onions and soured cream casserole! This farmer also works at Lowe’s (yes, unfortunately many of them have to have other jobs), and he often brings what is left over after market and gives it to other employees. My raw milk/ pastured chicken/pastured pork farmer and his wife have become dear, lifelong friends, and I have seen their generosity, both in introducing people to the value of real food, and toward their customers. Last year, they gave each of their regular customers 10# of grass-fed ground beef as a thank you. Imagine that…they thanked US! They routinely give raw milk to folks so they and their families can “try before they buy”, and they also generously share with those in need. These people really ARE the backbone of our nation, and to haggle with them means that we devalue their product.
Peggy says
I just graduated my third this year. It never gets easier. I thought “Oh, by the time John graduates, I’ll be an old hand at this!” Nope. John’s graduation was just as emotional as Martin’s and Blair’s. But by the time Rose graduates…(heh) In August, we’ll have one in 6th, one in 8th, one in 10th, a college freshman, an employed adult and a grown one on the other side of the continent. It wasn’t the blink of an eye, but maybe two.
N00b (pronounced newbie) is the proper spelling (with zero instead of o). It’s a rather derogatory term when used that way, and refers specifically to the computer field. “Newbie” is usually used in all other parts of life.
I absolutely agree with not haggling with my farmer at the farmer’s market! He got up, harvested this food for me this morning, dragged it all to the market and is standing there in the heat, the rain, the mosquito cloud…no WAY am I going to haggle him for pennies! He’s my hero! I have negotiated with one farmer for a break once if I subscribed to her dairy, meat and vegetable CSA. But I usually spend about half my grocery fund with her anyway.
Melody Joy says
Great articles; the medical writing one is a little unsettling but so important!
KitchenKop says
Linda,
I’m thankful that Kal is going to the local CC and will still be here with us for a while longer. I’m hoping in that time he matures more about eating real food and has your son’s attitude before leaving for architectural school in two years! That’s awesome that he’s concerned about eating good in college. I think it would be fun to follow a student around the cafeteria in the fall and help them make good choices, and then do a post on it of course! Let me know if he’s interested. (Kal wouldn’t let anyone do that in a million years!)
Judy, you’re a sweetheart. Thanks so much for your kind words and beautiful prayer for us!!
Mother Hen/Paula, thankfully I’ve never had that happen, what a bummer! I wonder if it’s because I go really early and it’s still pretty quiet there.
It’s been fun waking up and reading all your comments today, everyone. 🙂
Kel
Linda says
Kelly,
My son, JJ, said that he would be willing. “That’d be cool” is what he said. So, sometime this fall would be great.
Thank you,
Linda
KitchenKop says
Wow, what a great kid! He may even figure it out for himself and I can just come in and interview him. Have him email me when he’s ready and tell him I said thanks! 🙂
Candace says
I totally agree with your comments about not haggling at farmers markets! So not the point! I adore chatting with farmers about their produce, etc.
Motherhen68 says
I don’t haggle either. I mean, you don’t haggle at Walmart, why would you do it at a farmer’s market. And speaking of behavior @ at a farmer’s market, why is it that people’s sense of manners fly out the window? There’s so much pushing and shoving and grabbing of veggies out of my hand, it’s not even funny. Last week my dh almost had to tell some guy off for literally blocking me out of the way, grabbing a tomato out of my hand and just being overall rude. Luckily for me, I’ve got a good relationship w/the farmer’s and I place orders online and they package my stuff up for me beforehand. So even if people are rude, the farmers are not.
Does anyone else experience this at the market or is it just here?
Martha says
Our oldest was 12 when our youngest was born. I’ve really enjoyed watching the relationship between those two especially. (We have two in between.) It is a little battered since the youngest is now two and in to everything, but it’s still great.
Kat says
Hi Kelly, I love what you say about not haggling prices with the farmers. Strangely enough, I often get stuff for free without asking. When I place large orders, or get organ meats & bones that no one wants, farmers are often tossing in some ‘extras’ for me. At the same time, I do like you and don’t ask for change back. I don’t mind paying a bit extra when I can if it helps them out.
Soli @ I Believe in Butter says
This morning I was telling a co-worker about a statement I heard in a podcast a few weeks ago, which I think really sums up the mentality of way too many people in our society: “Greed is their god.”
Soli says
(to add, this is in response to the article about Monsanto and GM food and why they don’t put those resources into feeding people real food instead.)
judy says
Garden is looking goooood! We live in the south, so we are already getting yummy veggies from the garden. In fact, I have a peck of beans to can today. My children are grown and have children of their own. It happens so fast. If I think about it for very long I will cry.
So, I move on to what God has for me now. To be that light and salt that others might see the love of the Lord Jesus Christ and be drawn to Him. You have a beautiful family and I pray that the Lord bless you and your family with all spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms, today and always. I see your light and I thank God for you.
Linda says
Kelly,
I LOVE your blog and have learned tons from it! Now that your son is going to college, perhaps you could do a post on what to eat in a college dorm! My son also graduated this year and loves eating well and is worried about what to eat at MSU next fall.
Thanks,
Linda
jeanne says
When I am purchasing large quantities at the market of strawberries, blueberries, tomatoes or something else that I want to freeze or can, I go shortly before the market will close. The farmers, themselves, will give a discount just so they don’t have to pack up the stuff and take it back to the farm. It is a great way to buy large amounts at a discount without the haggling.