Ashley's Story
A few weeks ago I asked our customers to share their stories - stories about what brought them to our farm to purchase food. I can always use inspirations for myself, so I figure that others can use some inspiration to eat better and shop local as well.
If you've met me, you know that I just love to talk farming and food to anyone who's willing to listen and engage on my favorite subjects.... When you visit our farm you quickly become a friend.
I also really love to hear what other's are doing (and WHY) to improve their health, the environment or to just make themselves feel good. So many customers have told me their stories, while visiting our farm store, taking a farm tour, at farmer's markets or while meeting us a pickup locations to pickup their orders - and I think it's time to start sharing some of these stories!
That brings me to the first story that I want to share from Ashley who is a long time customer from South Hill, Virginia.
Ashley's Story:
"We used to be vegetarians too - and not good ones, either. We ate veggies, sure -- but relied heavily on grains and sugar for our calorie intake, and were gaining the weight that went along with it. I cringe when I remember in particular how badly I ate during my first pregnancy.
Jim was the first to go Paleo, after our first child was born. The more he learned, the more he understood the common sense of the lifestyle, so he went all in and never looked back. I started eating meat, but took cowardly baby steps on grains and sugar, because I was truly addicted to both and could not stand the idea of life without breakfast cereal.
As is often the case with major life changes, it took a crisis for me to get serious about health. After having three babies in quick succession and spending years breastfeeding, my whole system was fragile and lacking in nutrients.
Six months after my third child was born, my milk dried up, I started having intense anxiety for no discernible reason, and worst of all, my body went into some kind of panic mode that did not allow me to fall asleep for a week straight. I also started having ringing in my ears.
It took me awhile to make sense of it all and conclude that I needed MUCH more protein, whole foods, and exercise. Everything eventually resolved except the tinnitus. I still feel terrible and stupid about my years of cavalier approach to nutrition, especially during those precious months of pregnancy.
Fast forward to now - we are raising our kids on whole and nutrient-dense foods, and grass-finished beef from your farm! As a result, they are strong and healthy and literally ask me "What's this?" when, for instance, they see a frozen crinkle-cut french fry at a restaurant. (Lest you think they are deprived, please know that they do get dark chocolate a few times a week!) Every time we sit down to a big pot of stew or a plate of burgers, we are so grateful to have found a local source of high-quality meat. It has really changed our lives for the better!"
If you want to share your story - just shoot me an email!
If you've already shared your story with me, thank you! I'll be sharing more in the future. If you haven't and you want to share - please tell me about it! Have you lost weight? Have you eliminated foods that make you ill? Is shopping local at the top of your list? Does what's happening to our environment impact your buying choices? Are you worried about animal welfare or the quality of meat purchased in the grocery? Tell me about it! amie@franchescasdawnfarm.com
