🧀 A2/A2 cheese. What's the big deal? It's the way all cheese used to be. LEARN MORE.

Raising Radically Healthy Kids. Nutrition Starts on the Farm!

written by

Sara English

posted on

October 11, 2023

healthy-kids.jpg

At Triple E Farm, we are committed to providing families with high-quality animal-based foods, organ meats, and locally-grown produce that nourish your body and the land.

We know that not everyone has the chance to live on a farm, and that's why we want to bring some of its goodness to you!

We encourage you to take small steps towards radical health. Every little change counts and can make a big difference in your family's well-being. Check out our list of tips for raising radically healthy kids:

Let's dig in!

1.Feed kids animal-based foods from regenerative farms like ours.

Studies show that animal-based foods are essential for children's growth and development. That's why we believe in sourcing our meats from local regenerative farms that prioritize animal welfare, soil health, and sustainable agriculture.

2.Know your farmer, know your food, and maybe they will eat it too!

We get it - navigating the grocery store with kids can be a real challenge, especially when they're pulling you towards all the colorful, junky snacks marketed right at them. It can be overwhelming to decipher all the labels and certifications on the food packages, and even more frustrating when you're not sure what's actually in the product.

That's why we offer complete transparency about our farming practices at Triple E Farm. We want you to know exactly where your food comes from and how it's produced. When you buy from us, you can feel confident and safe knowing that you're getting high-quality, sustainably-raised food that supports your family's health and wellness.

Plus, we've found that children are even more likely to try new foods when they know the farmer who grew them or have visited the farm themselves. That's why we invite you to come visit us and meet our team! You'll get a chance to see our animals, tour the land, and learn first-hand about regenerative farming practices.

At Triple E Farm, we're committed to making healthy and sustainable food accessible to families like yours. We believe that by working together, we can create a brighter future for our children and the planet. So next time you're at the grocery store, skip the stress and order from our farm instead!

3.Feed them organ meats and bones.

Organ meats and bones are often overlooked in modern diets, yet they are some of the most nutrient-dense foods available. At Triple E Farm, we offer a variety of high-quality organ meats and bones that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.

We understand that introducing new foods to kids can be tricky. That's why we suggest starting slow and "hiding" small amounts of organ meats and bones in familiar foods like meatballs and hamburgers at first, while your family adjusts to the new taste. Homemade bone broth is also a great way to incorporate these nutrient-dense foods into your family's diet, and it's a delicious and comforting drink that kids love to sip on!

You may even find that your kids enjoy digging into roasted canoed marrow bone, pretending to be a caveman while getting all the amazing health benefits that come with it! Our goal is to make healthy and sustainable eating fun and accessible for families like yours.

4.Teach them to eat locally-sourced foods

Eating locally-grown foods is not only good for your health, but it's also beneficial for the environment. When you choose foods that are in season and grown nearby, you're supporting a strong local food system, reducing your carbon footprint, and enjoying meals that are fresher and more flavorful.

As we mentioned earlier, kids are more likely to eat foods from a farmer they know personally or a farm they have visited. That's why we believe in creating a personal connection between our customers and our farm. When you buy our eggs, for example, you can tell your kids that Farmer Tony is the one who raised those hens, and his care and attention resulted in these delicious and nutritious eggs. It's an experience that's more personal and engaging, and kids love feeling like they're part of something special.

5.Invest in future generations with regenerative farming.

Regenerative farming practices play a crucial role in enhancing biodiversity, restoring soil health, and sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. By supporting regenerative farms like ours, you're investing in a more sustainable future for your family and the planet.

If there is one cause to support that can make a significant impact on the world we live in, it's regenerative agriculture. This practice touches on almost all of the major issues our society is facing today. If you worry about the future of the world for our children, it's important to teach them about regenerative agriculture and how to source food sustainably. This is a gift that you can give to your children and future generations.

At Triple E Farm, we're committed to practicing regenerative agriculture and promoting sustainable food systems. We believe that small steps towards sustainability can lead to significant positive changes for the environment and human health. By choosing to support regenerative farms like ours, you're making a difference and contributing to a better world for all of us.

6.Allow Less structure, more freedom!

It's important to give kids the time and space to play, explore, and take reasonable risks. By providing more unstructured free time and fewer scheduled activities, you can help foster their creativity, independence, and resilience. Here at Triple E Farm, we encourage our kids to freely explore the farm and learn every day through play and by helping with farm chores.

Even if you don't live on a farm, your kids can still enjoy the same benefits by encouraging them to have outdoor adventures in nearby parks and woods. Visiting farms regularly can also be a fun and educational experience for the whole family. Allowing kids to engage in unstructured play and exploration can help develop important life skills, such as problem-solving, communication, and teamwork.

At Triple E Farm, we believe that providing kids with opportunities to connect with nature and learn through play is essential for their growth and development. So, get those  kids outside, exploring, and embracing their sense of adventure!

7.Let them get their hands dirty!

Spending time outdoors and getting a little dirty can have numerous benefits for children's immune system, emotional wellbeing, and overall health. Encouraging them to play, garden, and explore nature is essential, even if it means getting a bit messy.

Living on a farm naturally incorporates this aspect into daily life. However, it's important to be intentional about it in other settings as well. We need to ditch the germ-a-phobe phenomenon that's going on right now and embrace healthy microbes in the soil. Letting kids know that it's okay to get down and dirty and be wild is crucial since we are part of nature after all!

At Triple E Farm, we prioritize spending time outdoors and connecting with nature. We encourage our children to touch, smell, and taste. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to experience the benefits of outdoor play and exploration. So let's all encourage kids to get outside, get a little dirty, and embrace all that nature has to offer!

At Triple E Farm, we are here to support you in nourishing your roots and empowering your future. 

We offer high-quality meats, produce, and bone broth that can help your family thrive. Our mission is to provide traditional foods for the modern family, in harmony with nature.

Thank you for choosing Triple E Farm as your trusted source of healthy and sustainable foods. We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you at our farm soon!



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A2/A2 cheese. What's the big deal? It's the way all cheese used to be.

Have you heard about the A2/A2 dairy thing?  Sure, I could get into all the science-y stuff behind it. The beta-casein protein structure, the peptides it breaks down into, the mechanisms for how it could cause damage, etc. But... that seems a little complicated. The way I like to think about the A2/A2 dairy thing is that it's the old fashioned kind. Here's why: A long time ago, cows underwent a genetic mutation that made them produce a new kind of protein - A1. You see, all mammals naturally produce milk with 100% A2 protein in it (humans, goats, sheep, mice, whales, etc)... with one exception: COWS.  A couple thousand years ago, cows in Europe were put indoors in cities. They weren't on pasture and couldn't exercise. People started to feed them grain and byproducts from making whisky or beer. They were living an unnatural lifestyle, eating an unnatural diet. The cows were stressed. And what do living things do under stress? They adapt and sometimes mutate.  Those European cows underwent a genetic mutation that made them produce a new kind of protein in their milk - A1. And then, those cows made their way to the US. And now, basically all cow dairy in the US has a mix of A1 and A2 proteins (also called A1/A2). The A2 protein is the old fashioned kind. And, gee I'm not surprised that the old fashioned kind is easier to digest and works best for most.  This is especially true for people from eastern countries like India and China. Why? The cows there didn't undergo that mutation. They still produce A2/A2 milk. People there haven't had time to acclimate to the A1 protein. When someone is intolerant to A1 protein, they generally have tummy troubles. The symptoms can be similar to lactose intolerance: stomach pains, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, flatulence, etc. Over time, those issues can develop into more chronic issues like IBS or colitis. I've heard from so many people who haven't had dairy in years and then try A2/A2 and rejoice - "I can eat dairy again!" Did you know that all of our cheeses are now A2/A2?  That's right! And since cheese basically has the most protein of any other dairy item, it's a great place to start with A2/A2.  We plan to convert our entire herd to A2/A2 by the end of the year. That means that ALL of our dairy will be A2/A2 soon. Stay tuned! Do you handle A2/A2 dairy better, or does it not matter for you? What are the top things you look for when shopping for dairy? I'd love to hear from you! Comment below or contact us 😊

Mmmm... spring milk. Super special when you eat from a natural farmer.

Back in the day when all farming was natural, spring was extra special.  First off, spring feels really good after a long winter. There's the happy emergence of yellow daffodils and pink cherry flowers, the sounds of birds chirping and bugs buzzing, and the warm sun on your skin. But, the most exciting spring thing for a grass farmer like me and for a grass milk shopper like you is when the pasture turns from brown to bright green. When the cows are eating the first growth of 100% fresh spring grass - yeehaw! That means spring milk - the best dairy of the year! You see, when cows are fed outside on real pasture and are raised in harmony with nature, the milk changes throughout the year. There's variation that's in line with nature. In spring, the milk is hands down the best.  When you eat from a natural farmer, there are 3 things to look for with spring milk (or butter or cream or yogurt): The yellowest color. The bright spring grass means yellower milk. You're seeing the extra spring beta carotene in there! It's a sure way to know that your milk was 100% grass fed. The creamiest texture. Spring milk is loaded with more fat than other times of the year. You may notice the cream line on the milk get heftier. It's a perfect time for butter making. The most flavor. Since fat holds flavor and spring milk has more fat... that means the most flavorful milk is spring milk. Plus, when cows eat from biodiverse pastures like mine, it has a nuanced taste. Some may call it grassy or earthy. I call is straight up yummy. And, beyond what you can see and taste, spring milk is known for having max nutrition. Us humans are innately smart at stuff like this. When it naturally looks better and tastes better, it often means it nourishes you better, too! On my farm, 100% spring milk started a couple weeks ago. Now's the time to enjoy the dairy at its best! Have you noticed a difference in the milk or butter lately? Do you love the spring and spring dairy? I'd love to hear what you think! Comment below 😊-----PS: Did you know that, in nature, calving season is spring? We follow that natural cycle with most of our cows. That means we had a lot of mama cows that just gave birth!

Why corn & soy free? Here's an old fashioned standpoint.

In case you didn't know, over the past few years, we've transitioned all of our animals to be corn & soy free. Our dairy and beef and lamb have always been 100% grass fed. It's nothing new and simply the most natural way. I'm more talking about our animals that need supplemental feed in addition to what they forage for in the woods or at pasture - pigs, chickens, laying hens, and turkeys. There is just one exception: our GMO-free eggs. We're offering them now simply because we don't have enough corn & soy free eggs for everyone. They're the second best option around. Once our corn & soy free flock gets big enough, we'll likely discontinue the GMO-free eggs. But why? Why go corn & soy free? What's the big deal? Recently, I've heard a bunch of farms touting low PUFAs or having great omega 6/3 ratios. Well, that's all fine and well. It's always nice to have science back up what you're doing.  But, it's not really about that for me and my brother Phil. Sometimes it's softer, sometimes just by doing things that are innately natural lead to better health. The scientific whys and hows seem to constantly be changing, but the fact that natural is better has been a constant for a loooong time. Forget PUFAs. Forget omegas. Going corn & soy free is honestly the most old fashioned, most natural way of doing things in our confusing modern world of agriculture. Here are 5 reasons why (as it mostly relates to chickens): Chickens naturally forage for small grains, not big ones like corn and soy. If we go back in time, chickens were scavengers. They'd live on a farm or homestead and mostly fend for themselves. They would find kitchen scraps in the compost pile (veggies and grain and even meat). They would find spilled feed from other animals and eat that. And of course they would forage for grasses and bugs and seeds. And when foraging, they'd usually go for smaller seeds. Think about how big a grass seed is. It's small, much smaller than a large corn kernel or soybean. A modern, unnatural diet of mainly corn & soy can lead to health issues in animals. Here are a few problems that can arise: It's hard for chickens to digest corn and soy. Trying to do it over and over again can lead to digestive issues. For example, corn is high in starch and ferments easily. Chickens eating too much corn can have intestinal distress. Or, another example is that soy is high in anti-nutrients like lectins. This can interfere with how well a bird digests protein and absorbs nutrients.It can also lead to nutritional imbalances. For example, soy is high in anti-nutrients like lectins. Overconsumption can interfere with how well a bird digests protein and absorbs nutrients.It can lead to gaining weight and growing too fast. It's just unnatural. It can lead to issues with muscles, bones, joints, and the heart. Birds that grow too quickly are more prone to broken bones and lameness. We can avoid modern GMOs with certainty. No risk of cross pollination. Sure, corn and soy have been around for thousands of years. But, today's versions are nothing like they used to be. They've been hybridized and genetically modified. And because of the ridiculous amount of fields filled with GMO corn & soy, there's a pretty good chance of cross pollination nowadays. Eliminating corn and soy also eliminates the risk of anything GMO being in your food. Corn & soy are, more often than not, farmed with modern conventional practices. Those are usually bad for the environment and the future of soil. Corn & soy are the top 2 crops in the US. 90%+ that's grown is GMO. And that means that the farming practices are uber conventional.  Tilling, fertilizing with synthetic stuff, spraying lots of chemicals (including glyphosate), etc. These practices usually lead to some big problems environmentally: soil erosion, topsoil loss, loss of microbiology in the soil, loss of ecosystems, pollution in many forms, the list could go on and on!  Feeding a natural diet means healthier animals and therefore more nutrition for you! This is just common sense, right? When you eat better, you are healthier. And when it comes to farming, when you have healthier animals, they produce nutrient-dense foods! We do our best to give our animals the most biologically appropriate, most digestible, most bioavailable foods we can. It's really for the health of everything! What do you choose corn & soy free? Is it the PUFA/omega thing or something else?