I have shared with many of you our family struggles to find healthy food upon moving to this area. I have also shared our story about how Hawkins Homestead Farm came to be, but what I haven’t shared is why I specifically need to eat this way. Over the past 5 years my health has severely declined. As a child I had a heart murmur and suffered from rheumatic fever. Throughout my life, I have had issues with my heart because of this combination. I didn’t always do the best in taking care of my health so now as I age, it has started to catch up to me.

I have acid reflux so I have to watch what I eat. I love spicy foods, but sadly they don’t love me back. In 2011, I developed a blueberry allergy from what I was told were pesticides on the blueberries, but they were supposed to be organic! I have tried over the years since then to eat blueberries or things with blueberries in them, but my body has rejected them all. I also suffer from various other allergies and I live with back pain. If that’s not enough, in the past 2 years, I have been hospitalized twice and had many other ER and cardiologist visits due to issues related to my heart. During one hospitalization, the doctors believe I had a mini stroke or a TIA. There is something going on inside me, that mimics a heart attack, but the doctors can’t pinpoint it. I have had every test imaginable and I’m still going through them. The doctors are trying to figure it all out. It has been extremely difficult at times, but my reliance on God and a supportive group of friends and family has helped me tremendously!

My most recent hospitalization happened this past weekend. For the past 3 weeks, I had been eating a strict vegan diet throughout the week to support a friend. So Monday-Thursday, vegetables. Friday-Sunday, my regular diet. I had been doing this without problem or issue, but for some silly reason this past Saturday was a heavy meat day for me….and not the USUAL meat I eat. We wanted to try bison so we purchased some bison steaks from a local retailer, we also had turkey bacon, store bought grass fed lamb, and beef sticks that day. All things I don’t usually eat. This was also the day I found one of our birds headless….

Needless to say, by the end of the night I ended up in the ER. I was admitted and had to stay in the hospital until a few days ago. I can’t tell you for sure what happened. The doctors don’t even know. I can only relate to you the difference in what I normally do and how I know I should care for my body and what happens when I don’t. I talk all the time about how our health is directly related to what we eat. I should have listened to myself speak! I know my body and I know what’s best for me. I grow and eat organically and true grass fed or pastured because I have to. My health depends on it. I watched my husband stress over me while I was hospitalized. I don’t want to put him or my children through that! Diet equals health! I could have chosen not to share this information, but we all make mistakes and do things we know we shouldn’t. Hopefully this information will be helpful to someone else.

So as soon as I feel up to it, I will be making a trip out to Working Cows Dairy to get what I believe is the best organic dairy products offered locally in our area. Not too long ago we took a trip out to Gaucho Farms and as soon as her lamb comes in, she has our business. I am eating produce from our garden and will make sure that our meats come from local trusted sources. If we’re not growing it, I go to Bain Home Gardens to get it. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way in order to get the lesson. I know I still have a long way to go with the doctors and all, but I can at least do my part by trying to eat myself well!