Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A Lucky Diet

We found another great local farm. The farmer was very gracious with his time, answering a myriad of questions during the 45 minute visit. He prefers Jersey cows, in case you are interested. He sells raw milk, raw honey, self-processed (non-chlorinated) chicken, lamb, pork and occasional beef. We signed up for all of his food and scored some honey, milk and chickens today.

Dinner Tonight? Glad you asked.

Locally raise and processed whole roasted chicken (beer can style)
Baked organic acorn squash smothered in butter and raw honey
Roasted Maine potatoes
Organic Brussels Sprouts
Tall glass of fresh, raw milk (dated Jan 12)

I am in nutrient heaven. If we get lucky and get to the top of the waiting list, our meat will travel a total of 5 miles from his farm to ours. We'll have the opportunity to look the man responsible for our sustenance in the eye and, more importantly, thank him. We'll get fresh milk, non-toxic chicken and humanely slaughtered pork and my money goes directly into a farmer's pocket.

Despite my incredible diet, or perhaps because of it, I am now down 11 pounds since the move to the farm on Nov 1, ten weeks ago. We're getting three eggs a day, and the hens are picking up. I eat fresh eggs in the morning and leftovers for lunch and then incredible, gourmet dinners. (Have I failed to mention that the SO is also an accomplished chef??? Yes, I know how lucky I am.)

There is no margarine. No white flour. No refined sugar. No High Fructose Corn Syrup™.

Oh and plenty of sleep. Studies have shown that lack of sleep leads to coronary problems and obesity. I get at least 8 hours a day. Since the move from Austin, my thrice yearly tonsillitis/sinus infection has not appeared. The last time I felt ill was when I caved and drank a soda.

I am just so happy. It is all working out.


9 comments:

Sylvia said...

wOOt

great daun! glad you could find someone who has it all. that is fabulous. great news on the weight loss!!! i'm very proud of you. does your SO take dinner orders....or should i say supp-ah?

Daun said...

Sylvia,
Thanks for your encouragement! I am very excited about how well we are doing in mid January!

I hope it didn't sound like I was bragging, I am just very proud of our goals and our commitment to buy/support local. Too many people don't even think about what they put in their mouths every day. Good, clean food is literally right around the corner for most of us, we just need to find it.

Andrea said...

I am so jealous, seriously. You are living the life I want to live and as a stuggling working student living in a small shared apartment, I obviously have no land to work with and it's exceedingly difficult to buy local and organic. I try as much as I can, but literally, I won't be able to afford to eat at all if I don't severely budget. And I do have to live on things like a piece of fruit and an egg and some Mac and Cheese a day, and that's all I can afford. Someday...
Congrats on the weight loss too!! It's totally BECAUSE of the diet.. all those horrible chemicals in processed foods can really mess up a body. You are living the life!!

Daun said...

Andrea,
Thanks for your comments. I, too, have been there. I was a very hungry student. I was living on $1.50 for food a day and once, because finals were coming up, I talked my friend into stealing a bagel a day for me from her dorm. I needed all the calories I could get.

When I studied at Oxford, I was so poor I would eat a jacket potato a day (baked potato with baked beans and white cheese). I had to borrow money from my SO so I could could buy a coffee.

That's why all this incredible bounty seems like a dream. It's taken twelve years to get here, but I feel so happy. Even tonight, in the bitter cold, I love it here so much I could cry.

Claim a "draft horse research trip" and visit us in New Hampshire. I will feed you well. Promise.

Sylvia said...

I too feel your pain with money, girls. Husband has been a student since we met..12 yes now. Will it ever end? *sigh*. We dream to eat healthy, grow our food, know our food! 16 months to go. I sometimes think we're the only 30 somethings with kids who owe SO much freaking money.....and we don't even own our own house yet. :( I guess the job security is worth it? But the debt, hours, risk.....
I was happy working 9-5 living in an old farm house....
Sorry to ramble. We're happy, healthy, and have three fab kids! I can eat burgers and buy clothes at consignment shops!!! Um, so....back to you daun!

Oh, and I could make a trek towards you....I'm coming home in three weeks!!! With no kids or husband!!! I lurve me some raw milk! LOL! But I already have a hook up on that! :)

Sylvia said...

That should have read 12 years.

Andrea said...

Man I might just have to do that! I'll say I need to study bare draft horse feet... lol.

I broke down and got some Taco Bell today.... a horrible vice of mine. Tomorrow is the 3-year anniversary of my second horse's death, so I feel like it's okay. Sometimes, you just have to eat some horribly processed, greasy, chemical disgustingness in order to feel a little better about yourself. But some fresh eggs and raw milk probably would have made me feel a little better body-wise.

My fiancee and I were talking about where we want to eventually end up living, and I really do want a little farmette like yours.

Sarah said...

Congratulations! I'm very happy for you. You make the effort to go your own way and it's great to see you being rewarded for it.

dp said...

Sounds great. I would love to find a reliable source of raw milk around here, but the closest is about 50km away and they send all they can produce to the yuppies in Vancouver, none to the local towns. I could drive out there to pick it up, but I'd be there three times weekly at the rate I drink the stuff. Just organic for us for now.

I was lucky enough to have great, well-paying jobs throughout my undergrad so I never had to scrimp on food. Graduate life has been even better. Too bad, because it probably would have been good for me. I do love to eat.