NOURISHING THE SOUL
How natural food can bring family together in a world that is filled with unhealthy eating
By Kennedy Gott
Ellen Aldridge practices modern homesteading by growing and raising her own food on their family’s land at their home in Bowling Green, KY. The Aldridge family is living an old-school and natural lifestyle while many in society struggle with the conveniences of a fast-paced life that results in unhealthy eating.
MODERN HOMESTEADING
  • A self-sufficient lifestyle.
  • It includes subsistence agriculture, home preservation of food, zero-waste living, homeschooling, and craftwork.

SOURCE: HOMEBIOGAS

WATCH THE ALDRIDGE FAMILY ON THEIR HOMESTEAD.

According to The Center for Science in the Public Interest, An unhealthy diet contributes to approximately 678,000 deaths each year in the United States, due to nutrition-related diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Ellen Aldridge wakes with the sun to the sound of her neighbor’s rooster across the street. Other than the distant “cock-a-doodle-doo,” the world around her is quiet. She takes time to sit and fold the abundance of laundry sitting on the living room couch, like she does most mornings. Not long after waking, she starts the chores. She walks outside her front door to see the morning fog resting over the farm that her home sits on. She greets the dogs and the cats with their food and walks up towards the wooden barn at the top of the hill. A mama cow waits to be milked behind her fence, to relieve some of the pain in her utter. Ellen takes her bare hands and attaches the shiny, hand-held automatic milker to the cow’s utters and starts to relieve the mama cow. She feeds the chickens and checks for eggs, makes sure the horses have enough hay to munch on, and makes sure the pigs and cows are fed and have water. The sound of tiny feet pitter-pattering up the gravel driveway to her eases the previous sound of bird chirping and cows mooing. She notices one of her children’s hands helping her to pick blueberries, her last chore of the morning.

She walks up to her home with a pale of blueberries in one hand and her child’s hand in the other. As the front door shuts behind them, the sound of more children’s voices fills the room. Ellen gathers nine plates to set the table, one for each of her children.

The Aldridge family gathers around the table that is set with vegetables, fruit, protein, grain, and dairy. All of which came from the land that the Aldridge’s home sits upon. One of the children is asked to bless the food, and then they are ready to eat the food that will nourish their soul.
Nourish Your Soul

The recommended serving of vegetables per day is 2.5 cups for those who need 2,000 calories per day.

SOURCE: DIETARYGUIDELINES.GOV

The Aldridge family has raised a garden since the first year on their homestead. What they grow each year varies from year to year, but they always grow green beans, peppers, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini. "I grow those things, and they grow easily," Ellen said. Some other vegetables they have tried to grow are corn, potatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants.
VALUE OF VEGETABLES
1
Low in calories & fat
Allowing you to balance these with other food groups
2
Important source of nutrients & vitamins
Such as potassium, dietary fiber, folate, and vitamins A and C
3
Lower risk of disease and improve health
Can help maintain healthy blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease and cancer, and keep eyes and skin healthy
4
Can be consumed in many ways
Can be raw, cooked, fresh, frozen, canned, dried, whole, cut, mashed, and juiced

SOURCE: MYPLATE.GOV

SUMMER SQUASH OR ZUCCHINI RELISH
An Aldridge Family Recipe

Yields: six pints

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups chopped squash, zucchini or both
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped red pepper
  • 2 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 tsp celery seed
  • 1 tsp mustard seed
  • 1 cup cider vinegar

Directions:

  1. Combine squash/zucchini, onion, green and red peppers; sprinkle with salt, cover with cold water.
  2. Let stand 2 hours.
  3. Rinse and drain thoroughly.
  4. Combine remaining ingredients in a large sauce pot.
  5. Bring to a boil.
  6. Add vegetables; simmer 10 minutes.
  7. Pack hot relish into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
  8. Remove air bubbles.
  9. Adjust caps.
  10. Process 10 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
Nourish Your Soul

The recommended serving of fruit per day is 2 cups for those who need 2,000 calories per day.

SOURCE: DIETARYGUIDELINES.GOV

Growing fruit has been a challenge for Ellen, but she won't stop trying until she succeeds. The Aldridges have successfully grown watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries and grapes. Their "orchard" has apple, peach, pear and plum trees, but a lot of them haven't been producing because they are still in tree infancy. "I have not had great success with fruit trees, but I keep trying. I'm determined to grow a fruit tree that produces fruit," said Ellen.
FUNCTIONS OF FRUIT
1
Low in calories, fat & calories
Allowing you to balance these with other food groups
2
Have essential nutrients many people don't get enough of
Such as potassium, dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin C
3
Lower risk of disease and improve health
Can help maintain healthy blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease and cancer, and improve growth and repair of body tissue
4
Can be consumed in many ways
Can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried, whole, cut, mashed, and juiced

SOURCE: MYPLATE.GOV

WATERMELON SLUSH
An Aldridge Family Recipe

Yields: 8 cups.

Ingredients:

  • watermelon
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup lemon or lime juice

Directions:

  1. Cube watermelon into 1-inch cubes.
  2. Purée in blender.
  3. Add sugar and lemon or lime juice.
  4. Purée again.
  5. Freeze in a bowl.
  6. Set out a few hours before serving.
  7. When soft enough to scoop, use a round scoop and serve with a sprig of mint.
Nourish Your Soul

The recommended serving of protein per day is 5.5 oz for those who need 2,000 calories per day.

SOURCE: DIETARYGUIDELINES.GOV

The Aldridges have slowly grown their variety of meat and protein options on their land. They started with just chickens and now have cows, pigs, and chickens. They slaughter all of the animals themselves, and the children help. They use an assembly line method where each person in the family has a specific job. Ellen said, "Our first cow was named dinner, so the children wouldn't get too attached."
POWER OF PROTEIN
1
Include many different kinds of foods
Such as seafood, meat, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, seeds, lentils, and soy
2
Should be chosen knowledgebly
Meat and poultry options that are lean or low-fat, and seafood option that are higher in healthy omega-3 fatty acids are healthy choices
3
Keeps you fuller longer
Protein will help you feel full for longer and prevent constant hunger
4
Vegan & vegetarians still have options
Such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy products

SOURCE: MYPLATE.GOV

Nourish Your Soul

The recommended serving of grains per day is 6 oz for those who need 2,000 calories per day.

SOURCE: DIETARYGUIDELINES.GOV

" I started about a year ago making homemade noodles and making the pasta from scratch and, oh my goodness, I cringe to buy it in the store now because the taste is so much better," Ellen said. Making homemade spaghetti and bread mostly consists of just eggs and flour.
GOODNESS OF GRAINS
1
Include many different kinds of foods
Such as wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, cereal, bread, pasta, grits, tortillas, popcorn, and rice
2
Have two subgroups
Whole grains and refined grains are the two subgroups, and half of what we eat should be whole grains
3
Give you energy
Play a role in the metabolism, which helps the body to release energy
4
Lower risk of disease and improve health
Reduce cholesterol levels, lower risk of heart disease, and promote a healthy immune system

SOURCE: MYPLATE.GOV

HOMEMADE PASTA NOODLES
An Aldridge Family Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of flour for every two servings
  • 2 eggs per serving
Directions:
  1. Measure flour into a mixing bowl and make a hole in the center.
  2. Pour eggs into the hole.
  3. Mix until combined.
  4. Turn onto a floured surface and knead, adding as much flour as needed to keep dough from being sticky.
  5. Then knead, punch, mix, press, push, smash, roll until the dough is smooth and elastic. This may take a few minutes.
  6. Cover dough and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
  7. Roll out dough as thin as you want it.
  8. Cut dough into the pasta shape you desire.
  9. It’s now ready to cook or freeze for up to 3 months.
  10. Boil for about 3 minutes. It cooks way faster than store bought, so watch it.
  11. Drain water off and you’re ready to eat.
Nourish Your Soul

The recommended serving of dairy per day is 3 cups for those who need 2,000 calories per day.

SOURCE: DIETARYGUIDELINES.GOV

The Aldridges have a single dairy cow that provides them with all things dairy. They used to milk the cow by hand, but now they have a small, portable milker to help make this chore easier. Ellen has slowly been learning how to make cheese, yogurt, and other dairy-containing products. All of children exclaim how much more they like the "cow's milk" than store-bought milk.
DEMANDS OF DAIRY
1
Include many different kinds of foods
Such as milk, yogurt, cheese, lactose-free milk and soy milk
2
Does not include foods made from milk with little calcium
Such as cream cheese, sour cream and butter
3
Nutrients that most people are lacking
Calcium, potassium, vitamin D and protein
4
Improve bone health
Help to build strong bones and teeth and reduce risk of bone diseases

SOURCE: MYPLATE.GOV

HOMEMADE YOGURT
An Aldridge Family Recipe

Ingredients:

  • A large pot that four quart jars will fit into
  • Four quart size mason jars
  • a thermometer
  • a small cooler
  • 1 gallon of milk
  • 8 Tablespoons of plain yogurt with active cultures
Directions:
  1. Fill the four jars with milk leaving about 2 inches of head space.
  2. Place the jars in the pot and fill the pot with water about halfway up the jars.
  3. Bring the water to a boil and allow to simmer until the milk reaches about 180-185 degrees F. You'll see a "skin" develop on the top of the milk. That's normal.
  4. Stir occasionally to distribute the heat.
  5. Remove the jars from the pot and allow to cool to 110-120 degrees F. You can set them on the counter until they cool to the proper temperature (which takes around an hour). Occasionally, stir the cooling milk and check the temperature. If the milk is too hot when you add the cultures, you'll kill the bacteria, so be sure to let it cool enough.
  6. Once cooled, add 2 tbsp of yogurt to each jar, very gently stirring.
  7. Place the lids on the jars and set in the cooler.
  8. Add hot tap water to the cooler until the water line is at the top of the jars.
  9. The water may have to be replenished one or two times during the process to keep the yogurt incubating. Let the yogurt incubate between 6-12 hours. The longer it goes, the better the taste.
  10. Once the yogurt is finished incubating, remove it and let it cool in the refrigerator.
  11. Use honey or maple syrup to sweeten if desired.
  12. Top it with fruit, granola, use it in smoothies, and even substituted it for sour cream in a few recipes.