Entering a new season of life is always an adventure. Through the years I have taught Kindergarten as well as at-risk, inner-city high school students. I have helped to homeschool four of my own five children, as well as help in a co-op to educate children in seven other families. I have worked as a parent liaison with a Virtual School to encourage other homeschool parents. I have worked as a community educator teaching living history in a log cabin as well as in the woods. The common thread is that I have a passion to teach.
Another on-going interest of mine has been dealing with my own personal health as well as the health of my family. As a mom and a grandma, as well as working with a variety of active youth who have frequently stayed in our home, food always seems to take an important role. I am becoming more and more aware of the powerful interplay between food and health. With the rising cost of healthcare, I am constantly researching, investigating and exploring the importance of what I eat. I am truly beginning to understand and believe in the concept of food as medicine. What I eat can be used to either nourish me or not. At worst, it can even do me harm. This process takes much time and energy, but I love what I am learning and experiencing. Like any passionate teacher, my desire is to come alongside other people, companies, or organizations and help teach them what I have learned.
My favorite method of education has always been to see it, taste it, do it, live it. When working through the art of meal planning, I have been frustrated with recipes that are a total failure. I go to all the trouble to search for the recipes, go buy the ingredients and make the meal, only to be very disappointed with the taste. I am launching WellStone Gardens in part to teach using cooking demonstrations so that people can see and taste recipes and decide if they would like to eat it on a regular basis as part of a healthy option.
Another part of my frustration has been where to buy healthy recipe ingredients as cost effectively as possible. I would like to help compile an on-going list of resources for health conscience consumers. Local and organic would be my preference. When you live in Archie, Missouri, that can be a little challenging. Growing your own with square-foot gardening raised beds is something we have developed and can share.
Time management and organization also have needed to be researched and explored. This is an ever-changing process that is tweaked constantly. I would hope others could benefit from things that are helping me in the kitchen as well as exercising.
I am interested in developing a network of people and resources dedicated to helping everyone involved live a more active and healthy life, physically and spiritually. I plan to teach cooking classes, host health events and work at helping others plan their own health events.
