Farmer’s Daughter

Don’t get me wrong, farm life had its perks. On the luckiest of days, we helped my mom pick strawberries at a farm down the road. Not only did she pay us 50-cents per quart, but we also got to eat strawberries like there was no tomorrow. I recall conversations with my sisters about how lucky it would be to be a berry farmer’s daughter.

Now grown, with two children of my own, I can see more clearly how beneficial life on the farm truly is. It is interesting what a little time lends to perspective, and how easy it could be to take for granted something I didn’t even know my parents were teaching me. Farm life not only taught me the value of hard work, it also taught me the value of staying connected to food — from seed to plant to fruit, grain or vegetable to farmer to table to us and back to the earth. There are very few things in life we are able to see something come full circle. Food is one of them. Food plays a vital role in our lives. It is our life. We need it to sustain us. Each item of food we eat helps (or hurts) us.

Thinking back to our dining room table on a warm summer night, there was never any shortage of fruits and vegetables: beets, corn, tomatoes, beans (thank goodness someone weeded them), cucumbers and strawberries. They were next to a grain and protein that were what was on the table, so that was what we ate. By modeling healthy eating, my parents laid the groundwork for a healthy life. While unhealthy habits can take a lifetime to break, healthy habits can last a lifetime, and even be passed on to the next generation.

You don’t have to live on a farm to teach your children the value of eating healthy. Model healthy habits by balancing your family’s plates with wholesome foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and low-fat dairy. Look for free classes in your area that will teach you how to shop, cook and eat healthy on a budget. Dig right in and start a garden. Your kids will love caring for it and watching it grow. Need inspiration? Take a stroll down Main Street in Norway and tour (and sample) the planters on Edible Main Street. If you’re ready for a bigger garden, visit the Alan Day Community Garden and ask about getting started.

We lead busy lives — all of us — balancing work and play and school. Eating sometimes takes a back seat (literally, if you are hitting up the drive-thru) to the rest of our busy schedules. Finding the time and resources to put a healthy, well-balanced meal on the table can be challenging, but in the long run, it is worth it.

Sarah Carter is a nutrition educator with SNAP-Ed and program coordinator for Healthy Oxford Hills, your local Healthy Maine Partnership and a project of Stephens Memorial Hospital. You can contact her at [email protected] or by calling 739-6222.