Is Memphis the black hole of natural living that it seems?

[kengdahl]

So I'm starting to get a little depressed. Hubby just found out that we are being transferred to the Memphis area in January. With much anticipation, I start my usual search for people and things important to our lifestyle (and which I've never had trouble finding): raw milk sources, vaccine friendly ped (no vaccines), acupuncturists, local health food stores, crunchy schools, etc. Only this time, the search is coming up DRY!!

I've looked on this forum and I see a lot of postings with questions about Memphis, but not a lot of replies. I joined the alternamamas yahoo group, only to see a whole heated political discussion that was extremely off-putting since I wasn't looking for politics. And the latest posting in the message board was in 2009 so it's not terribly active. I've searched the internet and found one Whole Foods, no Trader Joes (gasp), and ONE local health food store with a review that says the man who owns it is insufferably rude (yikes.)

A school search has turned up some serious dilemmas for us in the private sector.

I'm starting to be seriously concerned about our quality of life over the next couple of years and would LOVE to connect with any mommy in Memphis who can make me feel better about this whole thing. Please?????

Looking forward to hearing from you (with no small amount of desperation.)

[kengdahl]

Just re-logged into alternamamas and realized I had somehow been booted into another discussion group altogether with the political stuff. Actually looks like a great resource with a lot of active members. So I take back what I said.

[AileenM]

We're here in Millington, and I'm slowly finding natural resources. Where will you be?? We just transferred here this month. I've found a couple of natural farms, with great free range eggs, and I'm working on finding a goats milk source (besides Wal-Mart) for DD's milk. The farmer's market is decent, and There is a Wild Oats, and I think a Whole Foods. I am definitely missing Trader Joes, but I plan to make monthly trips to Nashville, where there is one. I'm off to check out alternamamas too!

[AileenM]

Oh, and there is a raw milk source...I just read about it in Edible Memphis (magazine picked up at the farmer's market that actually has a wealth of info!) It's Evergreen farms, about an hour and a half outside of Memphis. There's a whole article on their awesome dairy.

[Kirsie123]

It isn't that bad!! I get raw milk from West Wind Farms who deliver evert Saturday (to the downtown market and also on Tuesday to the Collierville Market.) You can check out their awesome food and milk cfa's etc...

www.westwindfarms.com

We do have a Whole Foods Market here as well.

I sent you a private message this morning about the pediatricians. Though I have found most seem to be delayed vax not no vax. But I have only looked at 2 so far (as I have until October).

Fabulous Midwife group - http://memphismidwife.com/default.aspx Melissa Stallings is awesome!!

I hope that helps you hate Memphis less. It isn't the best "crunchy" city but perhaps with the help of new people moving here and me we can make it better!

[Kirsie123]

OH and acupuncturists!

http://www.acupuncturememphis.com/

AWESOME group!!!

[Ms. B. Sprout]

Thanks for these links -- my SIL is in AR just across the bridge and she's looking for this sort of stuff too.

I would love info about doulas in Memphis.

[Kirsie123]

Ask and you shall receive.

Doulas in Memphis.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group...guid=403680666

You have to sign up for the group first. I don't remember how to do that but it should explain it.

And, ladies I must say I am super excited to see so many posting in the Memphis area. I have been posting for about a year here and there looking for moms or moms to be in this area (I have been here for 20 years) and up until recently very little response. So, perhaps we are all starting to come out of the wood work and maybe make Memphis a great place for us all.

[OdinsMommy0409]

I'm a Memphis natural mommy. As PP's have noted, there are resources with food withsomegreat local farms. You can get Summertown aka The Farm eggs at Whole Foods. There are two no vax friendly-enough docs here as well.

[treehuggingmama]

I second Melissa Stallings. Martina was out of the country when I was pregnant so I didn't even meet her but Melissa and Missy were great! They do doula services as well.

[Ms. B. Sprout]

Thanks, Kirsie123!!!

I am going to pass this link on to my SIL. I think we are also going to be at the East Memphis LLL meeting next week.

[treehuggingmama]

Memphis has a new natural living magazine that I discovered at the Agricenter Farmer's market. It's called "Natural Awakenings". It's free too.

[Jyotsna]

I was born in Memphis and living here most of my life, and while I'm not a young mama like many of you, I have kids who are getting into the babysitting stage...so let us know if you would like some help.

Also, I've been a natural mama for my entire 14 years of parenting, and we homeschool.  My son is going to highschool in the fall, so it will be just us girls, and we will

be about to get out and about more for hanging out with friends, which has often been alot of moms with girls..not as fun for my son to hang out with younger girls!

Give him a couple of years!

I know about some "local" raw milk, eggs ect.  There is a man who lives about 5 miles from my parents farm, who has raw milk. 

I'd love to know about any parenting groups other than alternamamas (nothing wrong with them) but I'm interested in continuing the discussion of natural parenting and discipline into the teens as well. 

Feel free to PM me even just to chit chat.   I'm also a birth and postpartum doula....feel free to call to chat about that. 

[km001]

When I first moved to Memphis, I felt the same way that all of you did.  Once, we spent some time here I really learned it wasn't so bad.  Whole Foods is a great place to shop at, as is Fresh Market, I do a great deal of shopping at both.  The greatest sort of comfort for me came through our Pediatrician's office.  We go to All Better Pediatrics, Dr. Folz and Dr. Welch are wonderful, and they have an on-site Breastfeeding Specialist, who sees patients with more extensive breastfeeding issues.  They are an amazing office where you're treated like family, you're know by name and not just a chart.  Another great aspect about the office is that they are vaccine friendly, while they like their patients to get vaccinated, they understand that parents have concerns and reasons for the choice of not vaccinating, and they with work with you.  If you'd like more information about them, you can check them out at www.allbetterpediatrics.com, or call them at 901-761-1880, they'd be happy to set up a tour or have you meet the Doctors, they also offer Pre-Natal Tours.  Good Luck, hope you like Memphis as much as we do!

[3jays]

Memphis's natural scene is growing.  I am not sure what area you will be living but there are a lot of progressive families in midtown ( I can only speak of that area because I use to live there).  I have found small pockets of the type of families you are looking for.  They are out there.

[kengdahl]

Yippeee!! I'm so glad to see so many postings! I need to update my settings because I did not get ANY of these replies. Anyway - we're here!!! We settled in Lakeland due to the proximity to Millington and my husband's commute. A couple of things I discovered:

1) Evergreen Farms milk - Yes! Aileen, I think you posted that but as I mentioned, I only just saw all of these. I found them at the Trolly Stop Market and have signed up for their Wednesday Cordova drop. Delicious milk! A little less creamy than what we were drinking, but I think they skim more of the cream than our Amish farmer did. Probably not so terrible for my waistline.

2) Pediatricians - I tried Dr. Folz and have never encountered so rude an individual as her office person, Bobbie, who flat out told me they would NOT sign any form for school that had zero shots on it. As background, we haven't vaccinated my daughter at all. When I told Bobbie that was not my impression of Dr. Folz based on other mothers' comments, she said they will work with an alternative schedule but not with someone who chooses not to vaccinate at all. She also displayed a frightening level of ignorance by telling me that she and the doctor knew of no exemptions for the state of TN. Since TN offers both religious and medical exemptions, I was gobsmacked. So I moved onto Laurelwood Pediatrics and Dr. Joel Siegel. LOVED him!!! Additional plus is they have Sunday sick kid hours. Dr. Siegel didn't even blink when I told him DD wasn't vaccinated. Didn't even ask me if I wanted to start. LOVELY!!! Complemented me on how beautifully healthy she was.

3) Whole Foods - thank God!! Can't afford to shop here very often, but great for lunch snacks, raw cheeses and non-hormone meat.

4) Meat - there are a couple of local vendors I'm looking into for pastured, non hormone meats. Can't wait.

All in all, it's looking up!! If anyone ever wants to get together, we're available. :)

Kristin

[OdinsMommy0409]

Kristin,

I'm just around the corner in Cordova. I haven't been on MDC in months, but I do get together with Aileen at least a couple times per month. We're currently planning our veggie gardens for the year. If you'd like to join us sometime, let me know.

Laura 

[kengdahl]

Laura - I'd love to get together sometime. My email is [e-mail]. Please shoot me an email when you gals plan your next get-together.

All the best,

Kristin

[daileyjoy]

My name is Jennifer, I am coming back to Memphis after being abroad for awhile. I am looking to make some ne friends who are more like me. I am 32 an have a 15,10 and 2 year old. I have been homeschooling all but 2-3 years while in Romania, I guess overall we are what they call crunch now which is much better then weird..lol. I am a student midwife and herbalist as well as a  CPST ( Carseat tech ), we believe in co-sleeping, breastfeeding and child-led weaning, extended rear facing, we try and eat healthy, not use chemicals, don't vax and see a whole health chiropractor instead of a doctor. My email is [e-mail] since I am not on here very much. I look forward to meeting new friends.

[OdinsMommy0409]

Welcome back (soon)! I highly recommend searching on Facebook for the Alternamamas of Memphis group and/or Alternative Families of Memphis. Those are the local groups for crunchy moms and families, and you could quickly find some new friends that way. Hope your journey back home is easy and calm. What part of Memphis will you be living in when you return? Also, if you'd like a more holistic chiropractor, I highly recommend Natural Potential Chiropractic with Drs. Lindsay and Jeff Carr. Lindsay specializes in pregnant women and children in particular, and Jeff is also an amazing chiropractor. They are very naturally minded - no vax, healthy eating, etc. 
 

Originally Posted by daileyjoy 

My name is Jennifer, I am coming back to Memphis after being abroad for awhile. I am looking to make some ne friends who are more like me. I am 32 an have a 15,10 and 2 year old. I have been homeschooling all but 2-3 years while in Romania, I guess overall we are what they call crunch now which is much better then weird..lol. I am a student midwife and herbalist as well as a  CPST ( Carseat tech ), we believe in co-sleeping, breastfeeding and child-led weaning, extended rear facing, we try and eat healthy, not use chemicals, don't vax and see a whole health chiropractor instead of a doctor. My email is [e-mail] since I am not on here very much. I look forward to meeting new friends.