Taking Responsibility for Our Food

Welcome to April edition of the Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival, hosted by Authentic Parenting and Mudpiemama. This month’s topic is “Celebrating Our Earth – Green Living”. Please scroll down to the end of this post to find a list of links to the entries of the other participants. Enjoy!

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For a long time, we have done our little parts to help the Earth. We reduce our consumption by not buying a lot of stuff. We reuse whatever we can or pass items to others who can use the items. We recycle as much of what is leftover that is possible. Right now those things tend to be rather trendy. More people are becoming aware of mass consumerisum (at least I hope). Everywhere you go, someone wants to hand you a reusable grocery bag (sorry, we have plenty of reusable bags).  Recycling bins are popping up in more and more businesses (a good thing). However, there is still a lack of connection for most people between doing these things and the Earth.

It became clear to us a couple of years ago that we needed to change that for our family. We were ordering a side of beef, mainly free ranged, antibiotic and growth hormone free, from a local farmer to stock our deep freezer. It felt like a very grown up thing to do at the time, buying a cow. We were discussing some things at lunch one day when something my then 7 1/2 year old son said gave me pause. He didn’t equate eating animals with killing those animals. I have to admit it shocked me a bit. I grew up on a farm. We raised and grew our own food. I have always been upfront with our children about where our food comes from. Yet, somehow, my son didn’t feel a connection from his actions of eating the food to that of an animal giving its life. Something needed to change.

Since that time, we have increased our efforts to make that connection to the Earth. We continue to look for ways to live our lives in a more sustainable manner. As we prepare to move, some ideas are on hold and we look for our food from local sources. However, we are making plans for our new place – ones which include chickens for our own eggs, a worm compost bin, a large garden, and if we have space, some other animals so that not only do we know exactly where our food is coming from, but so that we can take reponsibility for the food we eat.

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Visit The Positive Parenting Connection and Authentic Parenting to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Jardin, Our Garden y Learning to Reciclar — Florecita at Florecita Growing Up intertwines family traditions with gardening and green living in a way that engages her 7yr old, 4yr old and 2yr old.
• Nature Love — Alice Griffin Writings from the Wherever shares musings from a walk in the countryside with her young daughter and her hopes that by seeking out this closeness to nature, it will help her daughter to appreciate and care for the earth.
• Online Green Resources For Children (and Parents Too) — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama links to several great online resources which help children learn about the importance of treating mother earth with love and respect.
• 10 Steps to Cleaner Indoor Air  — Laura at Authentic Parenting gives a few simple tips t green up the air we breathe inside our homes.
• Are Big Families Really the “New Green”?  — Michelle @ Grateful Moms of Many wonders how – and if – the tales our children hear influence their future
• Toddler and Preschoolers Learning To Go Green: Six Ideas That Foster Respect for the Earth — Mudpiemama from The Positive Parenting Connection shares six ideas for toddlers and preschoolers to learn about the importance of respecting the Earth.
• Taking Responsibility for Our Food — After noticing a disconnect regarding her children’s view of food, Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children made it a goal for her family to work toward taking reposnibility for their own food and to live more sustainably.