New to board: Central PA mom

[amethyst08]

Hello All,

I'm a SAHM of a darling 8 month old boy. My husband and I are striving for 80% food self-sufficiency this year, and I'm hoping to connect with other families who are like-minded.

We live in Central PA and currently have a large flock of chickens, cattle (hubby raises for meat) a horse, and a couple of dogs and cats...

I buy all our dairy from a certified organic grass-fed dairy farm a few towns over, and am trying to get us eating along the Nourishing Traditions lines - which seems to me goes hand in hand with raising your own food...

Personally, I'm a computer-nerd from Boston turned rural housewife/mother. It's been quite a transition, but well worth it. I would love to find other women who have experienced similar transitions, including first time motherhood later in life (36 when son was born). I still struggle with how to define myself outside motherhood and marriage - especially since I was so complete and self-defined within myself prior my marriage (at 33) and my son.

I love to read and research, I love to learn, I miss horseback riding (hope to get back into it soon) and I am still working on finding outside time with a new baby.

Greetings to you all!
Blessings,
Amethyst

[Caneel]

Hello! Just by chance, the Central PA title caught my eye as I haven't seen much from this (my) area in this section.

I also live in Central PA and was 36 when my son was born. Finance geek prior and an accounting geek now, working in the family business.

My family lives in town and we are actively working, thanks to my education from MDC, to change our diet towards locally produced produce and proteins.

Since our son was born, we have really started to exam how we are living our lives. His birth changed our family and lifestyle in the deepest way possible and we are loving it!

My transition wasn't as extreme as yours but I came from a very rural, farming area. My grandparents were farmers and I was used to eating what was available from the farm or from the neighbors farms.

[annettemarie]

Welcome! We're in PA too, although not quite central. But we're originally from Lancaster!

[Caneel]

I know Lancaster well!

I had a great aunt that lived in Lancaster and we visited often. I remember (years ago) all the hype over the movie Witness. My aunt lived relatively close to where it was filmed.

Now when we pass thru Lancaster, the traffic makes me want to tear my hair out.

[amethyst08]

Nice to meet you two! Do either of you cook using the Nourishing Traditions book?

[Caneel]

No, I haven't heard of the book. Do tell me about it...

[annettemarie]

Nope. We try our best to cook whole foods though.

[Faliciagayle]

hi!

[AVeryGoodYear]

Welcome to the forums :] I love the lifestyle you describe! What a great goal, to buy/trade local, sustainable food -- that is, the things that you aren't already growing or tending to! City living just doesn't lend itself to that, but it sounds awesome.

[paquerette]

Hello from the middle of nowhere in eastern PA.

Have you found the traditional foods forum here? It's down towards the bottom. Lots of great info there. :

[~Boudicca~]

[Hesperia]

Welcome to MDC!!

[Bell]

Nice to meet you!!!:

[Irishmommy]

Welcome to Mothering!

[proudmomof4]

[Kidzaplenty]

Welcome to MDC!

[NewDirections]

:glad you are here :

[Down2Earth]

Welcome! I love the life you described. I wish we could get there. I've slowly been reading Nourishing Traditions. It's a lot harder for me to incorporate all the great advice in my life. (Raw dairy is illegal here. ) But I do a lot of lurking in the Traditional Foods forum. Here's a link in case you have trouble finding it. Link