Gross Things In Our Food

There are some really gross things in our food that are allowed by the government of the United States of America. Other countries forbid what we are encouraged to eat. You need to know what you are putting in your body when you buy groceries because gross things are in our food.

The best way to avoid this is to grow and process your own foods. Make meals from scratch using pure ingredients. Grow your own garden. David's Garden Seeds® has great seeds.

Some of our mini cucumber plants for sale already have baby cucumbers on them.

Hey there, savvy eater! Let's dive into a topic that might make you think twice about your next meal: Gross Things In Our Food. But don’t worry, I’m here to break it down for you in a clear and friendly way.

First up, let’s talk about why it’s important to know what we’re putting into our bodies. Many of us assume if something's on store shelves, it’s safe. But the reality can be far from that.

You’ve probably heard of chemicals in our food, but you might not know what they are or what they do to us. Let’s start unpacking some of the most common and alarming ones.

Gross Things In Our Food - 9/2-9/8/2024

Monday, September 2, 2024

Good Monday morning! Happy Labor Day! Today is the final day of our 15th birthday sale. Our Farm Store is open today from 9am to 5pm and all of our seeds and plants are on sale--45% off. Everything else is 20% off so come on out and Save $$$!

Of course, we do not ship plants or chocolate, but everything else can be ordered online... Come on out and shop. We look forward to seeing you today!

Our 2 meat birds from this past spring.

I woke up super early for a holiday, at 5:19am. Of course, it is not a holiday for me. The Farm Store opens for business at 9am. I will have no helpers. The orders continue to pour in so that is good. I was able to pull a bunch of orders on Saturday and a bunch more yesterday evening. Now I have a whole new stack. Some of the orders are over $300 so there are pages and pages to them. Of course, it is not every day that we have this kind of sale.

I also have to find time today or tomorrow to prepare for our new baby chicks that will arrive on Wednesday morning. They are meat chicks, Cornish Cross chicks. This will be our first time to raise meat chicks from the beginning. Cornish cross chicks are ready for freezer camp in six to eight weeks and should weigh four and a half to six pounds. They put weight on rapidly. This sounds like what we need. If it goes well, we will do it again and maybe even start selling our freshly butchered chickens. Right now, these are for us to eat.

This past spring, we bought some meat birds that were almost ready to butcher from a farmer over in Devine. He would not tell us the kind they were. There wasn't all that much meat on them and we kept them for several months, trying to fatten them up. My guess is they were not Cornish Crosses but he just plain would not say. We should have just walked away but David did not understand the differences in meat birds. Instead of talking it over, he just said he would take two.

This time we are better prepared and we have the right kind of protein scratch but for the first three weeks, they will get chick crumble, just like regular new chicks get.

It's now 8:40am and we have definite sprinkles! Yay! They have been promising rain all weekend and nothing. Now there is actual moisture. I hope it pours!

It rained on and off a few times throughout the day. We got 1/8th of an inch.

Our store was open all day. Everyone waited to come until after 11am and they were all gone by just after noon. I am grateful that Matt was here then to help me out. That was it. I spent the day pulling orders and tomorrow, I have to mail them all out. Matt was here by 7am, helping David out back with the watering system.

I came in at 5pm and put a roast and vegetables in the Instant Pot. It came out delicious.

Gross Things In Our Food

Homemade strawberry shortcake and whipped cream.

Ever wonder why you’re always craving sweets? One big culprit is high-fructose corn syrup. It’s in sodas, candies, and even some bread.

High-fructose corn syrup is used because it’s cheaper than sugar, and it sweetens and extends the shelf life of food. But what does it do to your body?

Well, it can mess with your metabolism and make you gain weight. It’s a major answer to the question: why are Americans obese and sick?

High fructose corn syrup is in a whole lot of sweet things that Americans love and it helps us to pack on the pounds which is why we are all so overweight.

Margarine was touted as a health food when I was a kid. It is all chemicals. Eat real butter!

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Some of our fall plants that are for sale right now.

Good Tuesday morning. Our sale is finally over but I have hundreds of orders to mail out plus another 100 to pull from yesterday. I woke up to some rain which is nice. It is hot and humid and the forecast says that rain is coming again in an hour. It is 7am and 77° right now.

I also have to prepare for the baby chicks that should be here on Thursday morning. According to the email I received, they should ship tomorrow.

Our big, four day birthday celebration sale is over. However, we still have a lot of vegetable plants for the fall garden so we are putting them on sale for 30% off. Also enjoy saving 16% off of all of our seeds now for an undetermined time as you plant your fall garden. Remember that we do not ship plants. I know I say this a lot but every single day, I get orders for plants that I have to waste time refunding. The plants are now way too big to ship. We have had them for quite a while. If you are in the area, come get our big plants for your fall garden. Some are already forming fruits.

We finally started getting some rain in the late afternoon and evening. At times, it was pouring. We had no customers come here today but the orders are still pouring in. The temperatures have really cooled off but the humidity is horrible.

After work, I washed the baby chick feeder and waterer and I cleaned the chick warmer. Someone put it away dirty from last year when we had chicks. It was disgusting. This is why I don't like kids handling chores. I would have cleaned off all of the chick poo before I stored it. Anyway, we are all set for the meat birds to get here now.

Just to keep it fun, I also cleaned out the kitty litter box which I should have done over the weekend.

David made a rotisserie chicken so we ate that with some corn and the vegetables left over from last night's roast. It was a delicious meal.

Gross Things In Our Food

Cake with vivid frosting colors.

You know those vivid colors in kids’ cereals and snacks? They come from artificial colors like Red 40 and Yellow 5.

These chemicals in our food are not as innocent as they look. Research links them to hyperactivity in kids, and even potential cancer risks.

The flavors? They’re created in labs and can sometimes be more harmful than helpful, causing everything from allergies to stomach issues, more gross things in our food.

So what are they found in? Fruit snacks, candies, frosting, cereals and everything that is sugary and brightly colored that kids love to snack on.

Yummy hot dogs taste so good but have chemicals in them. Got to preserve them, right?

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

It's been overcast for days. For the entire week, we have received 3/4 of an inch. That is 1/2 inch more than we got last week!

Well, it rained on and off throughout the night. I am anxious to look at the rain gauge but it is still dark. It is currently 6:30am and 75°. David says he and Matt will be planting this morning. It is supposed to rain for a bit this morning but who knows.

My car is still at Walmart, waiting for the part to come in. It should be here today but I do not know when the mechanic will be available to fix the car.

Today, there were very few sprinkles and Amazon sent the wrong thing so no car.

This morning, I went out and weeded the flowerbeds in front of the store. A ton of grass has been growing in them. We have never had that problem before. Then I pulled up all of the dead flowers and plants in the six pots that are in front of the Production building. I replaced them all with flowers. By the time I was through, I was coated in sweat so I had to go back in and clean up and change for work.

David took a lot of the flowers we had for sale out back for our bees. They need to be planted along the back. Then he consolidated everything that was outside under the shade cloth.

Our tiny puppy has grown huge. Trump loves to lounge around and chew things. He is so cute!

Gross Things In Our Food

Salty, light, crispy, delicious goodness in a bag but what else might be in your bag of chips?

Preservatives like BHA and BHT are used to keep food from going bad, but at what cost?

BHA and BHT are antioxidants, but not the good kind. They can mess with your hormones and may even be carcinogenic.

This raises the question again: why are Americans obese and sick? These additives are just more gross things in our food that could be a part of the answer. When I was a kid, being obese was rare but now, look around! Being thin is pretty rare in many areas of the United States. Back then, the grocery stores were getting bigger and being filled with premade or partially premade foods to eat. Before this, most homes had gardens where fresh vegetables and herbs were grown. My grandmothers were excellent cooks and made just about everything from scratch. The mothers of my time saved time by buying boxes from the store filled with premeasured foods. These foods were seasoned and preserved. Another big thing was getting us away from evil butter. Margarine was touted as a health food that would end heart trouble. Saccharin was the way to beat the evils of sugar.

Cancer was something that was not a common occurrence. Now, a lot of people get it and I have no doubt that the chemicals being dumped in prepackaged foods has a lot to do with it.

These two chemicals are actually in many of the packaging materials of our prepared foods found in the grocery store. They are also found in all of those sugary cereals, vegetable oils, butter, beer, chewing gum, potato chips, meat patties, hot dogs, and sausages. They are also found in pet foods and even in our cosmetics.

Thursday, September 5, 2024

The box of chicks we got at the post office. They were just peeping away the whole ride home.

Today, we are supposed to get our baby meat birds. I got no email. I checked the website and it says absolutely nothing other than they got the order back in July and that they were supposed to ship yesterday. I called the poultry company and the call went to voicemail. I called our post office and the phone just rang and rang and rang. By now, 8:20am, the baby chicks should have been delivered to the post office if they shipped yesterday and the post office should have called me...just sitting here waiting...

I did some weeding. I missed some of the grass in my zinnia bed but I got most of that now.

David carried the box of chicks out to the truck. You can fit a lot of tiny chicks into a fairly small box and they were quite active.

I finally received an invoice from the poultry company by email. I went to the post office close to 9am and waited in line. Apparently, there was only one box of chicks because when I told the woman what I was here for, she did not ask what my name was. She just got the box of chicks, then asked for my ID.

Matt cut the box open and we found 16 beautiful, healthy chicks peeping because they were hungry and thirsty.

Look at these fluffy, yellow chicks!

So we got the chicks and drove home. I ordered 15. They sent me 16, all healthy and alert. I put them all in the brooder and they did well. We had to put water in throughout the day.

I spent the rest of the day filling orders from the sale. It always takes me about a week to get caught up. I had a bad headache this afternoon. It was overcast for most of the day but we got no rain. We had no customers today.

I unloaded each chick, one by one, into the brooder. They all appeared healthy and, hopefully, in 8 weeks, they will make good chickens to go to freezer camp.

A chick about to go into the brooder straight from the poultry farm. So cute!

Gross Things In Our Food

A hot bowl of ramen noodles with some additions. I love ramen but it has some unhealthy ingredients, some gross things in our food.

Monosodium glutamate, or MSG, enhances flavor so well it's called a "taste bud hijacker."

While MSG can make food taste better, its side effects include headaches, nausea, and even chest pain in some people.

That's not something you want after a meal, right?

MSG can be found in soups, ramen, mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, frozen TV dinners, prepackaged seasoning packets, and fast foods. Yes, the foods from your favorite fast food restaurants are loaded with MSG. Talk about gross things in our food...

Friday, September 6, 2024

The chicks have plenty of room in their brooder, which is a galvanized tub from Tractor Supply. It does the job and is reusable from season to season.

Good Friday morning. My car is still at Walmart, thanks to the ineptness of the Amazon folks who sent us the wrong part. David ordered the right thing and they sent us a filter...We have to send that back today when we go into the big city of Pleasanton for dental cleanings.

It is still dark out so I have not yet gone out to check on the chicks. I hope they made it through the night okay.

A few minutes after 7am, I went out and all of the chicks were still sleeping. The water and feed were way down. I got them all taken care of and I turned off the A/C for now as it seemed pretty chilly in there for chicks. They had a good first night here.

Now it is time to finish getting ready and head over to put out a few more orders before heading to the dentist.

The goats are playing in their yard. We put them away at night to make sure they are safe from predators.

We headed over to the dentist. David got called back first. I waited and waited. I finally went to the window and asked if the hygienist really knew I was there. The receptionist said yes. A technician finally got me and did x-rays. Then a new dentist came in and did the exam, which is odd. The exam always takes place after the cleaning. This office has three hygienists. So I asked the technician what was going on. She said that two of the hygienists were out today because they had to stay home with their children.

What? Yesterday, someone reported a bomb at the grade school so these two ladies kept their kids home today. School was in session as the bomb threat was checked out and could not be found. That means all of their patients were inconvenienced and the one hygienist who showed up was overworked having to do the work for all three. So what will happen next Monday? Will they show up for work or will they stay home with kids again? I was a working mom and I get it but there is a limit.

So we got out of there later than we should have and we have a business to run ourselves. That is why we get same time appointments at an office that has three hygienists.

We had to do some errands and then some grocery shopping. We did not get back until around 1:30pm. We should have been back by noon.

We had one customer while we were gone. That was it. Matt and David got some fall vegetables planted this morning. I am finally getting caught up on the orders from last weekend's sale.

I just checked on the baby chicks and they are doing well. It is 5pm now so it is time to go in and make dinner, collect eggs, do dishes and more. Have a good Friday evening.

Gross Things In Our Food

TV dinners and pre-packaged foods can be loaded with chemicals. They allow a lot of gross things in our food. Always read the labels. Homemade is best!

Trans fats are so bad they’ve been banned in many places, but they’re still lurking in some processed foods.

These unhealthy fats can clog your arteries and raise your bad cholesterol levels. They’re basically a heart attack waiting to happen.

Knowing about these chemicals in food that make us sick can really make a difference, don’t you think?

So what foods can we find trans fats in? Lots of things that Americans enjoy like the nondairy coffee creamers that we add to our morning coffee everyday, sticks of margarine which is why I use real butter. Also shortening which is why I use lard. You will find trans fats in microwave popcorn, frozen pizzas, fried chicken, french fries, doughnuts, the kinds of biscuits, rolls and pie crusts that are found in refrigerated tubes, as well as commercially baked goods like pies, cookies, and cakes. Yuck.

Saturday, September 7, 2024

Our hens are free range but at night, we lock them up in their chicken fortress so raccoons and other predators don't eat them. We have to fence them so our dogs don't devour them.

Good Saturday morning. The chicks are doing well. We will be opening the Farm Store in 30 minutes. The fall veggie plants are disappearing so you should try to make it out today. They are now buy one, get one free..

A lot of things got planted this morning outside. We have had our fall garden plants for sale for 6 to 8 weeks. They are getting too big and some are producing fruit already.

Matt and David have been planting this morning. David is burning holes in the weed barrier for planting.

Here are a bunch of peppers getting too big to sell so David and Matt are planting them today.

I am going to plant the hydroponic tower in the Farm Store as well as the two GreenStalk garden towers I have on the store porch. It is time for fall planting! (Unfortunately, I did not get these things done today. Orders come first and I am nowhere near caught up at the end of the day.)

I also have a ton of orders to get out to you. The day is beautiful. It was down to 71° this morning but it will be 94° before you know it. No clouds, no rain.

So far, all of our customers have been out of town today like the Killeen and Leakey areas and also from San Antonio. Not many locals come over here.

This morning, David used the flame thrower for burning holes in the weed barrier so they could plant in the raised beds. The thing is pretty cool.

The fuzzy chicks are eating and drinking a lot.

The yellow appliance is our chick warmer. They go under it to get nice and warm. Chicks like it to be 90° plus the first week.

It is now almost 2pm. I think we are finished with customers today. I am having a hard time staying awake. I think I will go take a nap, which I normally do not do. I'm getting old...

I need to do laundry and make dinner for tonight. I will be making air fried chicken strips along with a variety of veggies that will also be air fried. David wants me to make a peach pie but right now, I don't know if I can stay awake long enough for any of it.

Tonight, the Svengoolie movie was Killer Clown From Outer Space which David said no to so we watched the newest Planet of the Apes movie. I air fried chicken strips that I coated along with fries and mushrooms. I also made delicious corn on the cob and I baked a strawberry peach pie with fruit from our orchard that I had in the freezer. It was delicious.

Gross Things In Our Food

Too much salt is put in the majority of American foods.

Sodium is essential, but too much of a good thing can be harmful. Processed foods are often loaded with it.

Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. It’s a silent killer in many diets.

Just another reason to check those labels before tossing items into your shopping cart.

If you’re ever in doubt, consult with a nutritionist or dietitian. They can offer guidance tailored to your personal health needs.

So, next time you go grocery shopping, remember this discussion. Your future self will thank you.

One of the best ways to reduce your intake of harmful chemicals is to cook more meals at home.

When you cook at home, you control the ingredients and can avoid many of these gross things in our food.

Plus, cooking can be fun and rewarding, giving you a greater appreciation for what goes into your meals.

Salt is in almost all prepackaged foods which is full of sodium. Sodium helps to make our blood pressure higher.

Sunday, September 8, 2024

Matt holding a baby chick. They are doing well.

Good morning and happy Sunday. It is so cool outside at 64° right now! I have to go out and take care of all of the animals and, for once, it will be a pleasure! I truly hate the awful heat we suffer through every year. This is a nice break!

Today is my brother John's birthday. Of course, like most of my family, he no longer speaks to me. Happy birthday, anyway, little brother.

Blue sage in the garden bed in front of the Farm Store.

David planted some things this morning. I planted the hydroponic tower with things my chicken love like turnip greens, lettuce, kale, and Swiss chard. This was after I took care of all of the animals. Then we got ready and visited a church.

Some of the vegetables that were planted yesterday and this morning out in our parking lot area.

After church, we went to buy some five gallon buckets from a guy on Facebook. David texted him hours before saying we would show up at 1pm. We showed up and texted the guy but he never came out of his home. We waited for 30 minutes, calling and texting several times. Then we left finally. This was in Bexar County but outside of San Antonio. I think just paying extra at the store would have been worth the time of sitting there while being ignored. The guy never once bothered to text back. So that was a fun way to spend the day.

I got home and the baby chicks had clogged up their water again with wood shavings. I fixed all of that and turned on the AC for them as it was beginning to warm up in there.

I hope the cool weather lasts so I can plant more in my Green Stalk towers outside. It is now 3pm and 85° Fahrenheit. The day is flying by and I have really done nothing but plant the hydroponics tower.

My zinnias are looking great this morning!

Gross Things In Our Food

Tasty, salty, beautifully golden, hot French fries! What could be better? But what do they have in them? Hint: Make them at home with potatoes without chemicals.

Trying to cut calories? Aspartame, found in many diet sodas and sugar-free foods, is your go-to, right?

But aspartame has been linked to headaches, dizziness, and even mood disorders. It’s like trading one problem for another.

It’s a classic example of how chemicals in our food can trick us into thinking we're making healthier choices.

Our last part dives into the meat you eat. Did you know many animals are given antibiotics to prevent disease?

While this might sound good, overuse of antibiotics in animals can lead to antibiotic resistance in humans.

This means common infections could become deadly as antibiotics lose their effectiveness.

In conclusion, there's a world of gross things in our food, many of which are chemicals that can make us sick. Being aware is the first step to making healthier, safer choices.

By keeping an eye out for these gross things in our food, you can make more informed decisions and help protect your health.

Remember, it's all about reading labels, asking questions, and choosing fresh, whole foods whenever possible.

This might feel overwhelming at first, but small changes can lead to big improvements in your health over time.

Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, don’t shy away from confronting these issues head-on. You deserve to know what’s in your food.

After all, what we eat directly impacts our well-being. So let's commit to being more mindful and making healthier choices.

Consider starting a small garden or frequenting your local farmers market. Fresh, locally grown produce is typically free from many of these chemicals.

By supporting local farmers, you’re also investing in your community and the environment.

So, why are Americans obese and sick? It’s partly due to the hidden dangers in our food.

But with awareness and a commitment to change, we can turn this around.

It might not happen overnight, but every small step counts.

Start by switching out one processed item for a fresh alternative each week.

Soon, you’ll notice the benefits: more energy, fewer health issues, and maybe even a slimmer waistline.

Join communities or online forums where people talk about these issues. Sharing tips and advice can help keep you motivated.

Just remember, you’re not alone in this journey. Many people are becoming more conscious about these gross things in our food.

Your health is worth the effort. The more informed we are, the better choices we can make.

Let’s raise our voices and demand better from our food industry.

Start reading labels more carefully and avoid products with ingredients you can’t pronounce.

Educate your friends and family about these chemicals in our food. The more people know, the more we can push for change.

Lastly, consider reaching out to food manufacturers. Let them know you care about what’s in your food and want healthier options.

Change often starts with the consumer. Your voice matters!

Thanks for sticking with me through this eye-opening journey. I hope you feel more empowered and informed.

Let’s continue striving for a healthier future together. Remember, knowledge is power!

Until next time, happy (and healthy) eating!

Return from Gross Things In Our Food to Year Six On The Farm

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