Showing posts with label Brookhill Farm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brookhill Farm. Show all posts

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Apple Cider Vinegar: It's Not For Everybody

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)  goes in and out of fashion and is making a comeback.  


Dr. D.C. Jarvis was the first to praise ACV for its benefits and claim it cured almost everything. Jarvis believed in the health benefits of honey and vinegar.  His book is still available and his work represents that piece of ancient folklore surrounding ACV.  

Twenty years ago, I jumped on the ACV train for all the wonderful benefits promised.  Paul Bragg was really the founder of the modern ACV movement.  His daughter, Patricia Bragg, followed in his footsteps.  


Paul Bragg believed that a clean life could offer a man up to 120 years.  He hoped to live that long but his age at death is not known.  No one knew Paul's age.  To be fair, Paul Bragg was a young man before he started his journey and stated many times that his life may not work as a model.  He lived his youth eating all sorts of things that were bad for him.  It was impossible to know what damage was done and how that would shorten his life.  Bragg only claimed the untainted life from birth could enjoy up to 120 years with a daily dose of apple cider vinegar along with clean vegan eating and vigorous exercise.

This is how the movement began.  Later, the Bragg’s came out with Liquid Amino Acids:  a substitute for the protein missing in most vegan diets.  A close look at the label though tells the consumer there is little protein  in Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acid.  The amino acids touted by the Bragg family were from fermented soy beans; a process that came under close scrutiny and caused outrage in the health community not long ago.  Why?  Natural bloggers everywhere had a 'beef' with the vegan protein substitute that stated "No MSG" on the label.  The process by which the amino acids were made produce an 'MSG broth' and was not suitable as a soy sauce alternative or good source of vegan protein.

Patricia Bragg was never available for comment.  Sales tanked.  Now, I imagine enough time passed for folks to develop amnesia and Bragg products are moving off shelves again.  Paul and Patricia Bragg marketed their specific apple cider vinegar claiming that only pure ACV could guarantee benefit.  The vinegar must contain the ‘mother’.  Filtered vinegars provide flavor but no benefit, they say.  There are other brands of raw or unfiltered vinegar that contain the ‘mother’ but Bragg’s is king.
All that said, is there conclusive evidence that ACV is the cure-all for humankind?  There are a few studies that hint ACV may help reduce your likelihood of diabetes or obesity.  Most ancient folklore about ACV has either been disproved or not researched.  There is no body of evidence proving its benefits ranging from curing head lice to de-crystallizing arthritic joints.  Yet, folks continue to use it.  But, not every remedy fits every person. 

If you are using ACV and benefit from it, by all means, keep using it.  Some may actually get sicker taking apple cider vinegar.  A community of folks who struggle with another common ailment:  Candida Albicans.

Candida Albicans in its simplest form is a yeast infection.  If left untreated, the yeast will spread and cause thrush in your mouth, body blisters, etc.  This is ‘systemic yeast’ and at that stage is diagnosed ‘Chronic Candida’.  The increase of antibiotic usage in the United States contributes to the numbers.  Folks who take antibiotics every time that they are ill run the greatest risk of contracting candida albicans.  It is difficult to eliminate once in your system.  Harsh dietary regimens have to be followed, medications are given, and there are three items above all that the candida sufferer must eliminate:  sugar, alcohol, and vinegar.  These three substances cause yeast to proliferate.  Vinegar is gasoline on an already burning yeast fire.

The trouble with candida albicans is the yeast takes up residence alongside fat in your cells.  The yeast creates a barrier between fat and the outside world denying fat an exit strategy.  Unless the yeast is reduced or eliminated from the cells, the fat molecules will not release.  Current researchers believe more suffer with candida albicans than reported because one can go for years without being diagnosed. 

For example, your only symptom may be weight gain while others may experience a myriad of symptoms.  Candida manifests in each person differently.  When aggravated, the condition only worsens because the acidic stomach loaded with yeast is already sour and ‘making wine’ per se.  Candida sufferers will have a decreased alcohol tolerance.  One or two drinks can intoxicate the candida patient who used to be able to drink more before becoming very drunk.  Another study now links chronic edema with obesity.  When yeast surrounds a cell, it traps fat and water.  More research is needed to find a direct link but work to date is compelling.

ACV is not a cure-all but it can help some people.  If you suffer from candida, I urge you to avoid adding ACV to your diet.  Are you wondering if you have candida albicans?  Take this questionnaire before seeing your doctor:  http://www.yeastconnection.com/pdf/yeastfullsurv.pdf 

The Yeast Connection online is a great resource for those who suffer from chronic illness.  Rule out yeast before grabbing a bottle of ACV.  People are unique and a cure-all may not be YOUR answer.

Be blessed!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Waiting on Springtime




The woodland and pastures of Brookhill lie dormant waiting for that next burst of sunshine.  Walking the upper tract this morning, the tender green shoots below the bleached grass covering told of a long kept promise by the Creator.  Spring will come!  Life is just waiting for the okay from heaven.

This week, we said goodbye to our four roosters.  The hens seem much happier without them and they were not the roosters that we really wanted for breeding.  They went to a very good home.  Meanwhile, Richard and I are keeping our eyes peeled for a Colombian Wyandotte rooster.  If you know of anyone local who might have one, please drop a line to us.

The Colombian Wyandotte pullets that we got from a lovely couple in Harrodsburg are growing so fast!  This week, two tiny eggs appeared from them.  It is hard to believe they are coming into lay.  But...here they are giving us beautiful little pullet eggs that will become gorgeous large eggs before we know it.

The lake has a mottled glass block style surface this morning, evidence of thaw.  Feeding the fish is something Richard loves to do each morning.  When we can get a pole in the water, there will be catfish in the pan!  The lake at the bottom of the property has one distinguished resident:  an albino catfish that weighs around 15 pounds!  I've only seen the fish twice and was amazed at his size.

The weather is crisp and unforgiving cold but Spring is on its way.  My garden books are here.  More catalogs arrived today to entice me to plant a million lush posies about the farm.  My heirloom seed catalog is also here for vegetable garden planning.  A high functioning yet gorgeous garden is my goal.

Vegetable gardens are necessary but never pretty.  Most gardeners tell that it took about three years for them to get the look that they wanted.  Patience is not really a virtue of mine but the goal for year one is to have a decent outline to build upon year over year.  Pathways, raised bedding, and some containers may factor into the end design.  We were too late in the season for Fall planting but the portable greenhouse structure reserved for that will have hot house tomatoes and other heat loving veggies in it this year.  After that harvest is done, we will be busy putting together our Fall/Winter planting to harvest throughout the cold season.

A garden should work for the gardener through the years.  Don't stop gardening because you cannot bend any longer.  Bring the garden to you!  I will be using a few techniques to ensure that I can reach all my plants for many years while building something that also looks good in and out of season.  Plans from Spring 2014 extend to Spring 2015 with four season harvesting the end goal.  With any luck and a bit of sunshine, I should need very little from the market by summertime.

Do you have any great gardening ideas?  I would appreciate you posting them here.  I've always worked in other people's gardens.  Spring 2014 will be my very own and I'm anxious to get my hands in the dirt.

God bless!

Tina

Thursday, September 12, 2013

A New Beginning: Brookhill Farm of Ghent, Kentucky

BROOKHILL FARM, GHENT, KY 

It's been a long journey but we found the perfect farm for us.  We closed on a fantastic property consisting of 130 acres of rolling hills and pasture, two stocked fishing lakes, fruit and nut trees, vegetable plots, and two grape arbors.  The farm rests on the county line between Gallatin and Carroll counties in Kentucky making it convenient to Louisville and Cincinnati.


The woodland is abundant with first, second, and third growth trees making a lovely home for white tail deer and wild turkey.  This woodland also provides lovely shade and repose for the pigs that we will be rearing.  The lush pasture is perfect for rearing sheep, cattle, broilers, and this same salad bar is perfect for laying hens.



This is an ideal habitat for sustainable living and farming.  We are honored to own it and continue the management of this already well maintained property.  The previous owner was comforted in knowing that his farm would not become a real estate development.  It will remain a farm for future generations.



According to title search, this land first belonged to George Rice and is referenced in his will dated 1822.  Records indicate and locals estimate this farm dates to 1810 or earlier.  His family farmed it for generations until it was sold to the O'Neal family then to the Griffin family.  The previous owner, Flannery, sold it to us.  We look forward to working through the Winter in preparation for Spring.  Our small beef herd and chickens have a new home.  We are adding other animals this Spring and planting our garden.

I will be blogging about what's going on at Brookhill Farm as time allows.  We hope you stay tuned!

God bless!

Tina (and Richard) Boutall
Brookhill Farm
Ghent, KY
USA