Let me tell you about the summer that made me identify as a farmer, not just the farmer's wife, how it completely broke me and ultimately led to my journey of renewed health.
In the spring of 2017, we came upon the opportunity to purchase two dairy cows from a local organic dairy that was going out of business. Everything just kinda fell into place and we knew that this was just what we needed to take the leap into providing raw milk to our farm customers who had been asking for it for years. We had always planned on producing raw milk, we just thought it was still a couple of years away.
We were on a tight timeline, working to get everything set up on the farm and ready for milking before the cows we were to purchase would head to auction. It was a tense, extremely busy couple of weeks. But we did it and soon everything was in place.
We brought the cows home on a Saturday morning after they had been milked. These were two cows that were used to being milked in a parlor set up, where they really didn't have any direct contact with people. In our set up, the cows come in and put their heads into a manger to eat while a headlock keeps them in place. They are unrestrained except for that head catch. We then walk and work right next to the cows. This was a completely foreign concept to these cows. They were not used to people standing next to them or even touching them much.
The first milking was challenging to say the least. The cows really did better than they could have, but there was still plenty of kicking and stammering around to be had. Keep in mind this is the first time I’d ever even seen a cow be milked with a bucket milker before, Brent was doing the hands-on stuff. We had a pully on our vacuum pump break while milking the first cow and Brent had to hand milk the second cow.
The next morning we went out to the barn extra early to replace the broken pully on the vacuum pump before milking. On one of the several trips in and out of the barn for parts and tools, Brent came down the steps wrong and broke his ankle.
I had no idea what we were going to do. I knew that I couldn’t milk these new cows and I knew that Brent couldn’t either. There was talk of sending them back to the farm they came from so they could go to the auction the following week.
It turns out I was wrong on both accounts. I could indeed learn to milk those cows pretty quickly and Brent, despite his broken ankle and being on crutches, was able to hobble around the barn and help me learn those first couple of weeks.
In those weeks I discovered fear like I never had before. I was terrified of milking those cows, they were big and they kicked. It was heart racing, on the verge of passing out fear.
But I conquered that fear, and in time was able to milk them on my own without Brent hobbling around as my back up.
But then the real challenge started. Brent was laid up all summer. Our busiest time of the year on the farm. It’s typically a challenge to get everything done when we’re both able to work at it together, and this summer it was just me.
I had never run the equipment to cut or bale hay before, but I learned. That summer was non stop. There were many days when I was outside for 14-16 hours working and then coming in to make everyone dinner and put the kids to bed. I had never before been so exhausted both physically and mentally for such an extended time. There was no time for anything except work. I would get up by 6 am and be busy working until 10 pm when I would fall into bed only to start again the next day. There is simply too much work on a farm for one person alone.
That summer was easily the most stressful time of my life. More stressful even than having newborn twins and a 19 month old, more stressful than the year our youngest daughter was born with a rare genetic disorder and we were going to dozens of appointments every month all the while having twins who were 19 months old and a 3 year old.
In hindsight, I know that that’s the summer I started to identify as a farmer. Prior to that, I had always felt like just a farmer’s wife. Sure I was handy to have around and I could help out with things, but I wasn’t the farmer. Not until I had no other choice. Now if someone asks my occupation, I’ll proudly tell them that I am a farmer.
That summer I injured my shoulder while doing hay. In the months and even year that followed, I slowly had other health ailments add to my shoulder pain.
By the following summer, I was having several headaches a week, spotty vision, chest pain, back, hip, knee, and ankle pain. At the end of the day, after I’d sat down for a little bit, I’d have extreme pain and it would be difficult for me to stand up. I’d also have this pain in the morning when I tried to get out of bed. When my feet touched the floor first thing in the morning or even when I’d get out of my truck after driving, I’d have intense shooting pains up my feet. It hurt to roll over in bed. I was tired all the time and my depression was at an all-time high. I’d have crying spells and muscle pain and fatigue. I’d get exhausted from doing something as simple as pushing a grocery cart through the parking lot.
In the spring of 2018, I finally went to my doctor with my list of symptoms. After a battery of tests, he diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia and wanted me to start taking a drug called Cymbalta. I did a little research on my own and decided that prescription meds were not the route I was going to take to try to control my Fibromyalgia.
I spent the better part of a year dealing with my symptoms on my own and trying out different supplements in a effort to help relieve my symptoms. I knew I needed to do something to improve my health, I just didn’t know what that was.
This spring I got an email from one of our herd share owners, who happens to be a Naturopath. In this email, she talked about a plan, if you will, to help reset your health. I felt drawn to explore this, so I printed out her plan and began to implement it.
The biggest part of this plan was a diet change. I cut out everything processed, no dairy, no sugar or sweeteners of any kind, and no grains or legumes. I increased my water intake and started drinking herbal infusions daily. I also started drinking a freshly made organic green juice every morning and increased my fat intake. Cutting out any unhealthy fats and increasing the good fats like grass-fed butter and ghee, lard and cold pressed coconut oil. Eating lots of organic veggies and only high-quality grass-fed meats and eggs.
In the two weeks before changing my diet I had a constant headache and terrible chest pain. Within two days of changing my diet, my headache and chest pain were gone! This was the first time in my life that I could actually feel the impact that food had on my physical well being.
I stuck strictly to that plan for six weeks. During those six weeks, all of my Fibromyalgia symptoms started to slowly diminish. And as an added bonus, I lost about 20 lbs.
I have started adding in a few foods here and there. I now have raw dairy as a part of my daily diet and I will on occasion, maybe once a week allow myself a food outside of the plan, mostly if we go out to eat or have a pizza night. But, I’ve learned that about one indulgent meal per week is all my body can handle. If I overindulge, my Fibro symptoms quickly start slipping back in.
I am now nine weeks into this lifestyle change and it feels like our farm is coming full circle. I’ve always known that the grass-fed milk, beef, pork, chicken, and eggs that we produce are better for our health than their conventional counterparts. But now I am actually experiencing the healing that this food will do if you cut out all the rest. When I eat now I’m not satisfying cravings, it feels as if I am fueling and healing my body. And that’s exactly what food should do.
This farm nearly broke me, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go on as I had been, and now the farm is helping me to heal and it’s a beautiful thing.
I still have a ways to go, the path to wellness is a lengthy journey, but it’s one I’m committed to. With the support of Tonya, my naturopath, my family, and this wonderful farm, I am well on my way.
I’ve recently started looking for fun new recipes to incorporate into my diet and I’ve found a super easy Paleo Beef Stroganoff recipe that I LOVE and want to share with you. It’s amazing on its own or served over riced cauliflower. You could even serve it over noodles or rice if you prefer.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! If you’re running low on ground beef, we still have plenty of our 20 lb ground beef boxes available in the farm store.
Wishing you all the best!
Farmher Jen
Here’s the recipe for you:
Ground Beef Stroganoff
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Delicious, yet simple enough for a quick weeknight meal. Make it Paleo by using coconut creme instead of Raw Cream.
Ingredients:
1 lb Six S Dairy Ground Beef
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp salt (divided)
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp Arrowroot powder
1 cup beef broth
1/4 cup raw cream
Steps:
Place a large pan over medium heat on the stove.
Add Ghee and once it's melted add mushrooms. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Once cooked, scoop them into a small bowl and set aside.
Put ground beef into the pan along with 3/4 tsp salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Break up ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
Once the beef is cooked, add arrowroot powder and stir to coat.
Add beef broth and stir to incorporate.
After a minute or two, add in the mushrooms and cream, stirring to incorporate.
Serve over riced cauliflower or eat on its own.
Enjoy!