From the Editor:

Somehow it feels that life with a family is always very busy - at least mine is! Spring has finally begun to show some tentative signs in my area (though we did have snow last night). I'm really enjoying the signs we're seeing, and the warmer weather!

The kids and I went out and visited our CSA farm last week. That was a lot of fun. Right now we live in the city (though a small city) and it was really nice to watch the kids run and play in the wide open spaces on the farm.

If you haven't heard of a "CSA" it stands for "Community Supported Agriculture." This is how it works - you buy a "share" in a local farm, and in exchange for that share you get farm products for a number of weeks in the growing season. I say "products" because though fruits and veggies are the normal fare you may also find eggs, cheese, soaps, or other hand-crafted goodies in your farm basket :)

CSA's are extremely beneficial because you know exactly where your food is coming from, and you're supporting sustainable agriculture.

There are numerous other ways you can support your local economy while benefiting your own family - buy from farmer's markets, meat that comes from local farms, products that are hand-crafted in your area. This can be anything from soaps to jewelry for you to toys for your kids. It gives you the opportunity to let your "money do the talking" - and you support other families, and oftentimes, other mothers, when you shop locally :)

Ok, enough from me about that this month - scroll down for some information on what's new!

~Kristen

Contact Me

Featured Articles

Should Midwives be Licensed? - this article was prompted by a question sent to me via my contact form. Please take the time to read the comments and feel free to add your own!

Mothering When Exhausted - when I told you last month I was working on some articles this is the major one I was referring to - and it's encyclopedic. The title tells you exactly what it's about, and if you're at a place where you just feel *tired* you may glean some tips from it!

How to Improve Milk Supply Through Nutrition - this article garnered a little contraversy. As a Tiger Lily reader you know I'm never apologetic about urging you to good nutrition and I feel firmly that excellent nutrition does enhance mother's milk. You can read my article and the comments and make your own choices ;)

EC Q & A Talk with Marija! Marija from ECWear.com did a Q & A session on Elimination Communication with me. We covered a lot of questions and it was really enjoyable! Be sure to find time to listen - you can stream live or download and listen to when have a minute :)

Featured Recipe

Lacto-fermented Salsa I made a lacto-fermented salsa for Scott which he really loved (and has been requesting I make more of!!) It was really tasty and I recommend it highly!

Featured Links

ECwear.com - great store for any elimination communication or diapering gear you may need.

Etsy - this is the place to go for anything handcrafted - toys, clothes, you name it! My favorite part of Etsy is the search function - you can search by location and shop from people local to you.

Eat Wild - find local farmers raising livestock in humane, sustainable ways.

Local Harvest - find local CSAs and other products.

Did you enjoy this newsletter? Send it along to a friend! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or suggestions! Have a great month :D

Thanks,

Kristen, Editor