Last summer we finally made the decision to get dairy goats.  We’ve been buying raw goat milk for about 8 years now from a friend just 3 miles up the road from us.  Our family went to visit her farm last summer (for the 20th time…) and had a fun visit playing with all the new baby kids running around!   What a fun experience!  And they were so adorable…  So without further ado, we finally bit the bullet and bought Foxy and Brook.  Foxy was a 4 year old Saanen doe who was currently milking so we’d have milk to feed Brooke who was only 2 months old; also a Saanen doe kid.

Foxy’s Story

We were told that Foxy would be unbreedable because of a fatal birthing experience she had had the year before.  Her baby died and she almost died herself.  Fortunately, she was given to our friend, who recovered her at her farm.  Foxy came into heat that fall and was bred 3 times without success of another pregnancy.  Because of her injuries, she dripped urine on her udder which left a large urine scald mark and had to be thoroughly washed before milking her morning and night.

Foxy

Healing

When we got our goats, we started them all on an Herbal Deworming program, Probiotics and put food-grade H2O2 in their drinking water.  They also had free access to tons of blackberry bushes, as they enlarged their own pasture area!  Foxy was loaded with worms, as she would pass them in her poops.  She had a dull hair coat and was very skittish.  We gave Foxy a round of glyconutrients and other immune support products and started building some trust with her.  Through this process, she contracted Scab Mites and we dealt with this nasty nuisance for awhile until the scabs began to go away.  Tea Tree Oil was a awesome product for this!

A couple of months later, I noticed that the urine scald mark on her udder was gone.  I observed her urinating and as she still tended to pee off to the left a little, she was not at all hitting her udder!  Her coat became brighter and softer and she started coming over for attention when we’d go sit and play with Brooke and Brown Sugar.  Oh Yes… we couldn’t just have one baby kid, so we bought a little Nubian doe kid, Brown Sugar.

I learned that focusing on digestion and the immune system was the key.  Controlling parasites naturally also helped them to build up immunity against them.  Goats will naturally have some internal parasites and be exposed to external bugs (Scab mites) but if they have a strong immune system, their bodies will not get sick and will get rid of the toxins naturally.

Healing Continues…

In November, Foxy came into a strong heat cycle.  She stood at the gate calling me every time I went out the front door!  Since our friend had a new Saanen buck, I decided to breed her.  So I made the call and took her over there.  She was very happy to see Mr. buck and he bred her several times.  I was told not to get my hopes up…but what the heck?  I had nothing to lose.  I took her home and marked my calendar to show when she should come back into heat if she was not prego.

Baylee on kidwatch!

I never saw another heat cycle, so I decided to do a blood test in January to confirm.  A week later, the phone call came in.  She was POSITIVE!!  I was praising the Lord! and got her on herbs right away to prepare her for kidding.  I quit milking her and added Red Raspberry leaves grain.  The kids and I started researching how we could help Foxy birth this baby(s) naturally and successfully.  I didn’t know what kind of shape her uterus or birth canal was in with her past trauma.

Miss Foxy Lily

April 11th at 8:00am, I went out to let the goats out and feed breakfast to all the animals.  Foxy wasn’t interested in breakfast, which was very abnormal from her usual morning appetite!  (1st sign) She just went out to the pasture and stood as far away as possible. (2nd sign)  At 10:30am, I found her making a nest in the dirt behind the barn (3rs sign) and brought her inside the barn to her newly constructed birthing stall.  Thank You, Honey! I spread more shavings and fresh straw around and she was set! Baylee and I watched her lay down and get back up (4th sign) and then I noticed the mucous plug. (5th sign)  We kept an eye on her for the next several hours as she went through early labor.  I started giving her Arnica and Caulophyllum every hour or so.  (Arnica is a homeopathic for muscle soreness/trauma and Caulophyllum is a homeopathic for strengthening the uterus, helps prevent uterine bleeding and tones the uterine muscles.)

Newborn Lily!

At around 4:30pm, Baylee headed back out for another check.  Seconds later, she came running back to the house yelling, “Mom, she’s pushing!”  I dropped what I was doing and ran out to the barn.  We noticed the bubble and new she was in active labor!  My heart races and Baylee said a quick prayer for Foxy.  We watched her progress and noticed one foot coming out.  The baby didn’t seem to come out fast enough, so I gloved up and felt around.  I felt teeth first, so I knew that the baby’s head was right there, but I couldn’t find the other foot!?  Poor Foxy was pushing so hard and crying out…  I decided to go further in to see if I could pull that other foot forward and thus help Foxy birth this baby!  As I did do, I felt Foxy push again, so I just held the head and one foot and pulled with her.  Walla…the baby’s head came out and then the rest of the body came.  I was relieved to see the other front foot there.  It must have been back along her side or something?

Miss Foxy Lily was born!  I cleared her nose and mouth and plopped her in front of Foxy’s nose.  Foxy was an amazing Mama from the beginning.  She licked and licked and talked and talked to her new baby girl.  We were so proud of her.  Lily was a bit weak, so we gave  her a Vit. E/Selenium shot and milked some colostrum out of Foxy to feed to her.  We dipped her umbilical cord with Iodine and Baylee fed her some colostrum every hour or so until she was dry and able to stand.  We were so excited!  We didn’t expect to have any kids from Foxy, but God had a different plan!

Lily continued to get stronger and when I checked on her and Foxy in the middle of the night, Lily was standing up on her own.  I helped her to nursed from Foxy and she did so eagerly and successfully on both sides! Foxy had not passed the placenta yet, so I waited to see if she would since Lily had nursed.  (nursing naturally causes the uterus to contract down and can help pass the placenta)  After about 15 minutes, I gave her a homeopathic called Pulsatilla.  This is specific for a retained placenta and for labor too.  10 minutes later, the placenta passed!  All in one heap…praise the Lord!

Miss Foxy Lily

A Miracle!

We are so very blessed to have this little one added to our farm!  Foxy is once again full of milk and recovering quickly!  She is happy to finally be a Mama and is so protective of little Lily.  Every chance the kids get, they are out at the goat barn playing with her and picking blackberry leaves for Foxy.

We love natural health!  I think that chemical drugs have their place in emergency situations, but God really did give us everything we need for good health and happiness…in nature.  It was super neat to see this happen with Foxy and her successful birthing experience!

Spring Has Sprung…and we hope that you and your families are blessed this season as new life is all around us!

From Our Family To Yours,

Kevin and Amy Jo (and kids!)

Breanna and Lily

Bryce and Lily

This is such a great documentary about the truth of Weight Loss and Optimal Health!  You can watch it in its entirety online at www.FoodForChange.tv.  Deadline is March 31st, 2012.

Here’s the Trailer >>

Click here to view the embedded video.

It is so refreshing to hear the truth.

From Our Family To Yours,

Kevin and Amy Jo

In my single life, I worked as a Veterinary Technician for over10 years.  I learned all about the need to deworm your pets (dogs, cats, horses, goats, cows etc…)  I didn’t even think about needing to deworm people…I thought that was only in 3rd world countries?  I was misinformed….

The Truth

The most common parasite that people can get is the Pinworm.  Everybody is susceptible to pinworm infections , but it is more common in children under the age of 10.  Pinworms can be contracted person to person (or child to child) basically from poor hygiene.  You cannot get pinworms from animals.

There are hundreds of other parasites (worms) that humans can get as well as our pets.

Why are they harmful?

Internal parasites and their waste products can inhibit food absorption by causing inflammation in the gut wall.  They can slow down the food going through our digestive tract which can cause excessive toxins, which in turn produces smelly gas, bad breath and bloating.  These toxins can burden our Liver and Kidneys and may let poisons through the skin causing skin problems and hair loss.  Parasites can damage the nervous system and mess up our hormone production.  Bloodsucking worms can leave open wounds in the digestive tract which can create darker feces.  The loss of blood can cause iron deficiency, anemia and dizziness.

Symptoms

Here are some other common symptoms of a Parasite infection: (these will often be more more pronounced during the full moon phase, when parasite eggs are hatching)

• Itchy Anus
• Colitis (inflamed colon)
• Bloody Stool
• Chronic Cough
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Joint Pain
• Grinding of teeth (at night)
• Irritability
• Bloating
• Gas
• Rings under the eyes ( also a sign of low iron)
• Severe Infestations ~ Weight Loss, Lethargy, Anemia (Pale Skin)

In Animals: You will see these same symptoms in animals, but here are some specific tips:

• Dogs ~ you will see these guys scooching their bottoms on the grass, ground or your rug!  Shoo them out the door fast and give them a 3-day parasite treatment!  (explained below)
• Cats ~ you will often see tapeworms on the hair around their anus.  Tapeworms look like tiny white segments.  Look on their bedding as well.
• Goats ~ Look at the membranes in their eyes.  If they are a bright salmon pink, you are good!  If they are white or pale in color, they need to be dewormed.  Here is a link on this.
• Horses ~ You will often see loose stool or diarrhea.

I don’t have any personal experience with other animals, but I’m sure you could do a google search and find that info that way!

In humans and animals, you will not see most parasites with the naked eye unless there is a heavy infestation.  Most parasites are seen by doing a fecal test and looking for parasite eggs under a microscope.

What do we do about this?

The first thing to think about is ~ creating a healthy body, where parasites don’t like to reside!  A strong immune system and a good elimination system is key!

If you have symptoms and are suspicious of parasites, here are some diet suggestions:

Pumpkin Seeds - Adults should eat 2 large handfuls and Children 2 small handfuls each day.  We grind these up and store them in the freezer.  Mix with applesauce for children and/or put on top of oatmeal, pancakes and waffles.  Pumpkin seeds are a powerful, natural antiparasitic food!

Increase Fiber in your diet.  Take Psyllium Husk, Chia seeds and drink a green smoothie everyday!

Add lots of Garlic and Onions in your diet!

Little to no sugar in the diet…parasites will feed on sugar!

Increase Iron in the diet!

• IRON-RICH FOODS - Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, White Beans – sprouted, Kidney Beans – sprouted, Quinoa, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Lentils – sprouted, Mung Beans, Garbanzo Beans/ Hummus, Almonds/Almond Butter, Raw Spinach, Flax Seed, Dried Figs, Raisins, Blackstrap Molasses, Dried Apricots

Drink lots of pure water!

Immune System Strengtheners ~  add Probiotics, Ambrotose^® complex (glyconutrients),  & ImmunoSTART to your diet.  Click HERE for information about the Mannatech product line and other supplements we use.

Eliminate Pork products from your diet! I remember in Vet. Tech. school when we were going over parasitology.  We had a lively discussion about pigs  being very susceptible to parasites because of how they live.  Parasites love warm, wet environments and their meat is often full of parasites.  We have adapted to buying beef or turkey bacon and sausage.  **The biblical food laws consider pigs as an “unclean” animal, along with other animals that do not have a spit hoof and chew their cud.   This could be another post!

Here are some additional tips ~

Bathe every day – we put a 4 to 6 ounces of 35% food-grade Hydrogen Peroxide in the bath water and soak for at least 20 minutes.

Wash bed linens frequently.  Parasites are more active at nighttime and will often lay their eggs on your sheets or pj’s!  This is common for Pinworms in children.  (Putting a piece of scotch tape over the anus at night can capture parasites for a more specific diagnosis)

Wear shoes outside at all times. (The feet are very porous)

Wash hands after going to the bathroom, changing diapers and being outside.

Keep fingernails short (parasite eggs can live up to 2 months in there!)

Keep pets on a regular deworming schedule.

Herbal Deworming Programs

For further cleansing of parasites, here are some recommended products for us humans and our pets/animals:

Humans:  OW Company (Black Walnut, Cloves & Wormwood) – 60 day cleanse – Click HERE

Paragone – Click HERE

Pets:  (dogs, cats, goats, horses, chickens etc…)

Molly’s Herbs - Click Here

Conclusion

Okay…so there you have it!  All you ever wanted to know about Parasites!  For further discussion and research, we highly recommend Hulda Clark’s book called ”The Cure for All Cancers”.  This is a fascinating study about how parasites can contribute to human illness and disease.

And for a further reality check…check out this video of a gal who went in to surgery to have a brain tumor removed and the doctors found a worm instead!

EEK!   Watch HERE!

From Our Family To Yours,

Kevin and Amy Jo

There are so many opinions out there that it can be confusing to know what is right for you!

We went through this journey a couple of years ago.  We watched “The Beautiful Truth” and learning about Dr. Max Gerson and his work helping people with migraines to cancer.  The Gerson Therapy promotes a 99% vegan diet (a lot of juicing!) and is not completely raw.   They also focus on helping the body to detox by the help of coffee enemas.  At first it sounded hmmm…,but upon further research it does make a lot of sense!  The  Hallelujah Diet is another system that promotes an 85% raw, vegan diet.  They too have inspiring stories of healing and restoration.  Just recently, we watched the new documentary called, “Forks and Knives”.  This is based off of the study that was done in China called The China Study .  No animal protein is what they preach.

Ya know, we can research and research till we are blue in the face.  At some point, we really just need to give it to the Lord and ask HIM about what we should eat.  Here are some conclusions that we’ve come to:

• Vegetarian and Vegan diets have their place.  If someone had a serious disease or needs to cleanse their body of toxins…eating large amounts of vegetables can transfer the body into a healing state and help the body to detox.  Note:  Fruits help the body to cleanse.  Veggies help to nourish the body with many vitamins and minerals that the body needs to heal and repair. Notice, that I didn’t include bread (or any grains).
• Juicing - has some tremendous benefits.  Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead shows this clearly.  Juicing can provide the body with concentrated nutrients from vegetables.  Sometimes the body might not be able to digest a lot of fiber initially.  By taking the pulp out and just drinking the pure juice is like giving your body super nutrition that doesn’t require a lot of digestive effort.
• Green Smoothies – also have tremendous benefits.  By using a VitaMix or a Blendtec, you can produce a yummy smoothie filled with lots of greens including the pulp, which is excellent fiber. Fiber is great for the small and large intestine and will promote elimination.
• Eat Meat in small proportions.  Instead of eating a big 16oz. steak at one sitting, we should be eating about 4oz. or less.  About the size of the palm of your hand.  This is true for children too.  The rest of our meal should include veggies and whole grains.  Fruits are best eaten as snacks between meals.  Also – you don’t have to have meat at every meal!  Try mixing in a vegetarian meal a couple of times a week!  (eg. Veggie Fried Rice or Sweet Potatoes)
• When eating Animal protein – eat ONLY organic, free-range eggs and chicken, grass-fed beef, wild fish and wild game. (Venison, Antelope, Elk etc…)  We recommend not eating any Pork Products because of the bacteria/parasite issue that brings.  Raw milk and raw milk products are full of good enzymes and natural probiotics.  Raw milk cheese is expensive, so we get organic or Tillamook brand cheese.  We buy organic butter when it’s on sale, otherwise we feel that Tillamook brand butter is second best.   There is definitely a balance here.

I recently picked up a copy of Jordan Rubin’s book, “The Maker’s Diet”.  (at a thrift store)  Upon reading it, I knew instantly that this was the right diet for us!  Jordan talks about the importance of probiotics for the gut, eating a variety of fruits and veggies, good quality meats in small amounts, whole grains and learning how to prepare them correctly and the benefits of raw goat milk.

We also have introduced a lot of fermented foods into our diet in the past couple of years.   Homemade Kefir and Sauerkraut are a main staple in our home!  These help to supply quality probiotics to the digestive tract, thus increasing the absorption of nutrients from our foods.   And it’s awesome for our teeth!

Being a vegetarian or vegan is not a bad thing.  Long term?  Not sure if that’s a good thing.  If you are a strict vegan (no eggs, dairy or meat) you need to be sure you are taking a Vit. B12 supplement and checking for any other vitamins and minerals that are only found in animal proteins.

There’s one thing for sure: WE NEED TO EAT MORE VEGGIES!!

Some easy tips in this area is to make Green Smoothies, take Phyt•Aloe^® and have finger veggies readily available for the family.  Make it fun…put a pile of raw spinach on the kid’s plates and then give them some ranch dip (non-msg version) to dip away!  If Mom and Dad eat veggies and drink green smoothies, then more than likely, the kids will too!

Nutritional Typing can help you determine what your specific needs are.  Protein type, Carb type or Mixed type.  Dr. Mercola offers this test for free – HERE, and included a free cookbook that can help you get started!

What do you think?  We’d love your feedback!  Use the comment area below.

From Our Family To Yours,

Kevin and Amy Jo

What an inspiration!  There’s a lot of really good informational documentaries out there that can teach us how the food industry work, about genetically modified seeds & foods, natural healing therapies etc…   Documentaries have opened up a whole new way to find out the truth about specific issues and more!  It’s helped us to make better & wiser choices for our family.

The other night, Kevin and I were cracking walnuts and decided to watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead while we did our task.  We love, loved this film!  I think the 2 things we learned the most from this documentary is this:

1)  People make changes in their life & diet only if they are serious and committed. Sometimes it takes a heart attack or a other serious health challenge to wake a person up.  All others will remain in their lifestyle because it’s where they’re comfortable.  It takes work and motivation to do something different and therefore reap the benefits.  In this case, a very obese truck driver, chose to make a change for the sake of his health (of course), but also for the sake of being able to play ball with his son.  He chose to take a break from truck driving and laser focus on a 60 day fruit & veggie fast and doing some form of exercise every day.  It started with a 10 minute walk down the street…because that’s really all he could do.  My goodness, to see the transformation in this man’s life after 60 days was so incredibly inspiring!  Obesity is rampant and it doesn’t have to be that way.  It is a personal choice.  This is just one of the stories this film documents.

2)  It’s really quite simple. Once a person is committed and have their “Why” in front of them, there is really no stopping them.  Juicing is super easy to do and can change your life.  Same thing is said for exercising or taking good supplements.  Once the commitment is there, make a small goal and just do it!  You will feel so good and begin to see results to keep you going!

Here is the trailer for Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead:

Click here to view the embedded video.

We watched the entire documentary at Hulu.com.  I bet you could even find it on Youtube.com as well. The Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead website is HERE.   There’s lots of great info here.  Take some time and view this!  It may inspire you to move into action or you might think of a friend who might benefit!

Watching this film has motivated us to making our green smoothies every day.  We are committing to doing a 10 day green smoothie fast this month also.  (Once all of our Holiday festivities are done)  What a great way to start off the new year!

Have you seen the film?  What did you think?  Let us know in the comment area below!

From Our Family To Yours,

Kevin and Amy Jo