Give Your Family the Farm to Table Experience

Not every family has a garden. My lack of knowledge, labor and time has prevented me from starting one. I love the idea of raising livestock in my backyard but I live in a homeowners’ association that does not allow it. Despite those setbacks, eating fresh, local foods is very important to me. Teaching my family where that food comes from is also vital to our new way of life.

For us natural eating began in May 2012 when my husband’s health was on a steady decline. Heartburn, indigestion and acid reflux plagued him. He was on prescriptions for his stomach issues and visiting doctors way more than he wanted to be. As a family we decided to make big changes to our diet.   We no longer wanted to eat from boxes or eat ingredients that we could not pronounce. We threw out all processed foods from our pantry and refused to buy any more. Although I was busy with a five week old and a five year old at the time, I vowed to prepare all of my family’s meals from scratch when we were home. We made a pact and have not gone back on it.

In just a few months after our switch to natural foods, we noticed great improvements in all of us. First my husband felt better. He no longer needed medication. I slept better and had more energy; this means a lot when you have two young, demanding children. Even my five year old was more focused and happier without the sugar and junk she consumed before. Soon my husband and I slimmed down to sizes we have not been in a decade. My family felt better and began to look its best too.

Buying and preparing fresh foods gave me a new enthusiasm for life. I wanted to share this passion with my family. I envied those farmers and natural food producers surrounding me. I wanted to learn more about them. I wanted to show my children where our food comes from and how it grows.

How could an ordinary person, mom and wife like me achieve that? After some thought, I realized that there are simple things I can do for my family to demonstrate how our food goes from the farm to our table. These tasks can be done by any family and anywhere too.

Here are six things that families can do to eat and live more naturally – the farm to table way of life:

1. Shop locally from markets.
2. Talk to the people at the markets.
3. Pay attention to food labels.
4. Visit a farm.
5. Stay in touch with food sources through social media.
6. Cook and eat at home as a family.

1. Shop often at local markets instead of the big food stores. Visit the local farmers’ stands. Find a food co-op or an organic delivery food service near you. Try out whatever is available within your community. When you find the perfect location, bring your family. Allow more time and have your children be involved in the shopping. Let them pick out fresh fruits and vegetables. They can place the produce in bags and load them onto the checkout stand or the conveyor belt. If the area isn’t crowded, permit your children to drive the cart down the aisles or carry the baskets.   Explain to them why you are purchasing fresh eggs and milk at each visit. Use the opportunity to recycle glass milk jars and egg cartons too.   If you are not sure where your closest farmers market is, visit the Local Harvest.Org website for more information, http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/. There you can type in your zip code and find the closest farms to you.

2. Talk to the people who work at the local markets. Speak to them in detail, beyond just a friendly “Hello, how is your day going?” Ask how long they have been involved in slow, real food. Learn about the produce in season. Find out the owners’ tips for ripeness – how you can pick out the best avocado or watermelon. Tell your cashier what you are preparing for dinner. If you don’t see the vegetable you bought last week, ask if they have it stocked in the backroom. Often markets have more hidden behind the shelves that customers don’t see. Inquire how you can help the market through telling others or even volunteering to help. The more you get to know your food suppliers, the more they will know you and understand how you shop. Become a friend. You can only benefit by talking more to the people supplying your groceries.

3. Pay close to attention to what you buy. Read the labels carefully. Our family does not want any processed ingredients so we do not buy anything without reading it first. The labels in local markets will reveal where the crop comes from, who’s making it and where it can be found. Is your zucchini being shipped into the country or is it being grown in the county next door? Proximity is important. When you buy close to home, you decrease your chances of pesticides in your food. It will taste better, be more nutritious and help support your local farming community.   Keeping dollars within your region is a good habit to have. In addition, be alert to signs while you drive around your town. Follow a road side sign for fresh tomatoes and you may meet a new food supplier that can save you money and a trip to the store.

4. Labels lead to the source. If the family making the lettuce you buy is located just twenty minutes from your home, call them. Find out if the owner of fresh eggs you buy will let you see the chickens that laid them. Ask if you can visit the farm or even arrange a group tour for your children and their friends.   While some farmers are hesitant to open up their doors for liability reasons, others welcome the opportunity to share their passion and their home with you, especially for educational purposes. Most farms have animals and love to have children visit them. I have visited several farms with my kids. My oldest daughter has picked chicken eggs, held baby chicks and fed goats simply because I called the farmer to inquire more. Asking may lead to a fun, educational and free visit that you and your children can enjoy.

5. Find out if your favorite farm or food source has a website or blog. Most of them today have social media presence since they want to spread the word about what they offer. You may be able to buy their products online too. I purchased 25 pounds of grass-fed beef after seeing a local farm’s Facebook advertisement for fresh meat. My farmers market posts special events on their site. They often include photos of just-in deliveries such as local honey, peaches and more. Stay in touch with your suppliers. Become an online fan of your farmers and read their current happenings. Spread the word to your friends and extended family so they can buy fresh and eat well too.

6. The most important thing you can do for your family’s health is to cook and eat together at home. Have everyone be involved in the process. There is something that all family members can do. Younger kids can stir things, drop ingredients into bowls and help set the table. Older kids can help parents with whatever is needed, from cracking eggs to forming meat patties. My children wake up hungry and want food right away. However, I explain to them that our meals take time because they are fresh. I tell them that if they help, we can all eat faster. Sometimes we may share a banana or yogurt as a snack while our meal is cooking. I give my children options and ask them to help me meal plan. I love it when my oldest daughter chooses to make a healthy option like carrot muffins instead of opening up a box of cereal for breakfast. By eating at home, you save money, eat better and spend more quality time with those you love most. Bring in that fresh food from the farm and serve it at your own kitchen table.

The food you eat reflects your health and every aspect of your life. Make the food chain a priority. Shop locally and organically as much as possible to maximize your well-being. Believe in the “farm to table” philosophy. Show your children where food comes from and if possible, get to know the farmers personally who produce it. Visit a farm through a tour or by volunteering to help. Use social media to keep up to date on happenings with your farmers and as opportunities to purchase food. Tell others about where you’re buying the wonderful produce you eat. Cook at home and eat around the table with your family. Make your kitchen the best room in a home by providing healthy eating tools and memories that will last forever.

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This article above originally appeared in the September/October 2013 issue of Natural Child Magazine. It is re-posted here with permission of the publisher and author (me).