# Fess up: What makes you "crunchier" than anyone else?



## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

We've talked about confessing areas where we aren't so AP/NFL, and we've talked about our triumphs, and I think it's been fun.









So here's another one: What do you do that is really crunchy, something really outside of the average?

For me, it's something that I think is fairly common here really, but people IRL think I'm crazy. I use a Diva Cup and it's awesome.




*Staff Note: Would you like to leave respond to this thread? Only Mothering Members can post - and you can become one too! We offer easy Facebook Connect and new account registration. *


----------



## dirtismylove (Jun 3, 2013)

We use family cloth, I send my breastmilk to daycare in mason jars and I only wash my hair once a week


----------



## earthmama4 (Oct 13, 2008)

Here's my cream of the crunch list









Unschooling. Lots of people can't wrap their head around it.

We don't do routine doctor visits. We go years without seeing a doctor! I only go if the doctor has something I need that I can't do myself - antibiotics, x-rays, and stitches. And we only do that if we are pretty dang certain its needed. Time heals most everything.

EC. Cloth diapers are kind of weird in the mainstream but EC really makes their heads spin.

We went about a year with very little technology at home. No TV, no computer, no cell phone.

Pretty sure we all had pertussis this last winter. Not fun but we survived and didn't need any medical intervention.

And we have this crazy dream of living off grid that just won't go away. Sigh.


----------



## contactmaya (Feb 21, 2006)

Probably almost never using diapers on my now 17mth old...we EC, but i mean, we rarely used diapers at all since birth...

Making my own yoghurt???

I was thinking about the term 'crunchy' just yesterday when i read the ingredients for 'granola'... wheat products, grain products....crunchy is a 70's notion...going grain free is the 'crunchy' thing now for many people....


----------



## ColoradoMama626 (Apr 30, 2011)

I wear make up maybe twice a year
I own three pairs of shoes- sandles for 75 percent if the time and shoes for snow and somewhere a pair if dress shoes. Most of my clothes are gifts or thrift store, I never shop except for underwear.


----------



## blessedwithboys (Dec 8, 2004)

I feed my produce scraps to worms that live in a box in my kitchen.


----------



## SweetSilver (Apr 12, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ColoradoMama626*
> 
> I wear make up maybe twice a year


Is not wearing make-up crunchy? I thought I was just being lazy and annoyed with applying it! I haven't worn make-up at all for 20 years. Maybe I really do have something truly crunchier-than-thou! Add in unschooling... only wear deodorant when I'm going out and about (if I remember)....

Man! and I thought I was just slightly-stale and chewy.....


----------



## ColoradoMama626 (Apr 30, 2011)

Lol sweet silver, you have a good point, I really am just lazy. All my "crunchiness" is just based on a lack of hygiene. No leg shaving, makeup, lack of desire to buy new clothes and hair in a perpetual pony tail. Ill start the what makes you the least groomed person thread.

Though I really do want to get some worms to feed my food scraps to, I think my daughter would love it.


----------



## ocelotmom (Jul 29, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SweetSilver*
> 
> Is not wearing make-up crunchy? I thought I was just being lazy and annoyed with applying it! I haven't worn make-up _at all_ for 20 years. Maybe I really do have something truly crunchier-than-thou! Add in unschooling... only wear deodorant when I'm going out and about (if I remember)....
> 
> Man! and I thought I was just slightly-stale and chewy.....


You sound just like me. I haven't worn makeup since I was in theater in high school, and theater was the only time I ever wore it.

And when I do wear deodorant, it's homemade from coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and (homemade) vanilla extract. In my defense, it works really well, and I'd wear it every day if I didn't have sensitive armpits, which is what led me to seek out homemade recipes in the first place. Store bought "natural" deodorants make me break out in horrible giant blisters.

Speaking of sensitive armpits, that's really the only reason I don't shave them, too. I shave my legs EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. because stubble drives me insane, but that's all I shave. I was recently reading a thread on another forum about shaving, and it seemed like the vast majority shaved their forearms, and I've seriously never really even heard of that. A friend of mine did it in 6th grade once, but that's the ONLY time I've ever heard of it before now, and I thought she was just being weird and random. Is it a new thing? Is it a dark hair thing? (I'm blonde - I'd probably do a lot more hair removal if I wasn't). Does anyone bothering to read this thread actually shave their forearms?


----------



## dinahx (Sep 17, 2005)

I am well on my way to being an IRL Herbalist & I have nursed two children over 3.5 years!


----------



## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Hmmmm, I don't know. I used to no poo, and no pooed for a number of years, but I stopped awhile back and haven't gotten back into it. This was definitely something people thought was weird, and it came up because when I was on vacation and at my mom's house, I asked if she had vinegar, and she didn't have any, and then somehow I became the topic of conversation among my entire family.

I gave EC a try with my first in 1999, but I didn't stick with it because I just wasn't picking up her cues.

I also use a diva cup and cloth pads, although my cloth pads are mostly old prefolds.

This one is controversial, I know, but I choose to spend most of my income on locally raised meat, eggs and organics. I figure if I don't wear make-up and buy shoes, and I cut my own hair (I just cut my hair on Wednesday), and I stop eating out, there is really no reason not to spend the money on something that I think matters. If I were really crunchy, I'd have my own chickens, but I'm not that far gone.  I do try to garden, and I've grown my own sprouts.

I've also nursed a 5 year old...I think she asked once when she was 6, also.


----------



## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ocelotmom*
> 
> You sound just like me. I haven't worn makeup since I was in theater in high school, and theater was the only time I ever wore it.
> 
> ...


Shaving forearms? Huh? Why? I hope that doesn't catch on around here. That seems crazy to me.


----------



## newmamalizzy (Jul 23, 2010)

Ah! That's me with the "only ever wore make-up in theater"! I put that in my "frumpy" list, usually









I was once very crunchy - no shaving, dreadlocks, patchwork pants, always tromping around at protests with a homemade drum.... Ah, those were the days.


----------



## ocelotmom (Jul 29, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *mamazee*
> 
> Shaving forearms? Huh? Why? I hope that doesn't catch on around here. That seems crazy to me.


To me, armhair isn't even noteable. Even this past weekend when I was trying to look to see whether everyone else on the planet is shaving their forearms or not, I still didn't notice it, and still couldn't tell you.


----------



## cyclamen (Jul 10, 2005)

I'm really not crunchy at all anymore, but I like herb teas and putting crystals (like stones) in my baths! And I believe that the best treatment for a fever is to sweat it out under a lot of blankets, take hot baths, and sleep a lot. At this point in my life, that's pretty much it; my kid and I spent all day watching Wonderpets and eating bologna and potato chips.

Wait, I also have a weird aversion to air conditioning. I always felt like it gave me a headache. So now, every summer, we suffer through the heat with box fans. But I dunno.... a/c is starting to sound pretty nice.


----------



## phathui5 (Jan 8, 2002)

I'm a home birth midwife.

We live in Oregon, which gives us extra crunchy points.


----------



## babyroots (Jul 23, 2013)

I encapsulate placentas, make tinctures, salves, prints and herbal tonics with them. I think that's my crunchiest trait, other than the usual homebirth, babywear, cloth diaper, bed share, extended BF... Etc etc we do


----------



## Katilee08 (Sep 21, 2009)

I ate my placenta after one of my homebirths! I swore I would NEVER..... bwahahahahaha!!!

Edited to add: That's the most "crunchy" thing I think I've ever done in the 'crunchy' category. I've done many of the other "stereotypical things" placenta tincture, planting one placenta under a tree (that's the one I ate a piece of after birth), home birth, full term breastfeeding, cloth diapering, co-sleeping, ap parenting, making my own laundry soap, diva cup (no mama cloth yet) and babywearing.


----------



## shijin13 (Aug 5, 2008)

My response will probably be "WAY OUT THERE" compared to everyone else. We follow strict circadian cycles. in the winter after the sun sets, which is around 4pm we only use candles or red headlamps for lighting. we turn off our circuit breakers at night, with the exception to our deep freezer and fridge. We don't turn on lights powered by electricity at night. Its easy in the summer b/c its dark until almost 9pm. We also keep our heat turned down as low as possible. Last year we kept our heat about 58 deg, planning on trying to knock it down to 54 this coming winter.

We also do cold baths during the winter outside. We're just starting to work the kids into taking colds baths as well to build a tolerance to cold. by the end of last winter I could easily sit in water just above freezing for 20mins. It also improved my heatlh, as my highly sensitive CRP dropped to .2 by late january. We've discovered that by embracing the cold in the winter, we have a higher heat tolerance in the summer and don't need to keep our ac blasting all summer.

we did cloth diaper with both children and nursed/pumped as long as my supply lasted and my children were interested. we harvest wild edibles from the neighborhood, and make our own yogurt, and saurekraut, and have our own vegetable garden, and buy our meat from a local farmer.


----------



## kbluspiro (Jun 20, 2009)

I use homemade cloth menstrual pads. I've tried a bunch of different "store-bought" brands of them as well, but the ones I make work best for me. Drives my partner crazy to have them soaking and then hanging around before I wash them.


----------



## Greenlea (Apr 21, 2010)

One thing I do is my kids rarely drink anything other than water. Juice is for family parties / holidays and special treats. We don't do cow's milk at all. I don't bring pop into our home at all. We do like to make smoothies but I use almond milk.

I don't bathe my kids that often. I usually forget the last time they have had baths and its usually then that I say we should probably bathe now LOL. It is still about once a week, but they don't smell or anything and when we do bathe I rarely use soap on them.


----------



## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

I ate my placenta....raw.
After being a vegetarian for 20 years, a vegan for a good few of those...I now eat meat but only sustainable game....and mostly just road kill. That's pretty crunchie right?

I have no only breastfed my own children, donated my milk to many others through 'human milk 4 human babies' on Facebook but I have also 'wet nursed' other children.

I don't even consider myself crunchie! lmao I have a shower every day, I wash my hair everyday and I iron all my clothes every day! I do use an eco friendly hoover and hair dryer though! hehe

The thing that has made me totally un-crunchie today is that I used a round up week killer on a bloody bindweed that is killing my shrubs....when I was reading the back of the container, I realised the stuff is owned by Monsanto!!! Woops! .....Die weed die! lmao


----------



## Tizzy (Mar 16, 2007)

I've had 3 unassisted births, for now I think that's my biggest crunchy badge








We homeschool, do not vax, use herbal and homeopathic remedies, grow most of our own meats, have our own dairy animals, make our own yogurt and cheese, I use a diva cup, we cloth diaper and line dry, re-purpose clothing by sewing rather than buying more. We use natural cleaners, enjoy thriftshopping and the kids and I rarely wear socks 3 seasons of the year!

We heat our entire home exclusively with wood and 90% of our meals are made from scratch. I can/freeze/preserve/dry as much as possible!

Writing all this out reminds me why my mainstream friends think I'm weird









I shaved my forearms for several years, the dark hair really icks me out. Now it doesn't grow in dark or thick, contrary to what my grandma lectured me about


----------



## PrimordialMind (May 4, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shijin13*
> 
> My response will probably be "WAY OUT THERE" compared to everyone else. We follow strict circadian cycles. in the winter after the sun sets, which is around 4pm we only use candles or red headlamps for lighting. we turn off our circuit breakers at night, with the exception to our deep freezer and fridge. We don't turn on lights powered by electricity at night. Its easy in the summer b/c its dark until almost 9pm. We also keep our heat turned down as low as possible. Last year we kept our heat about 58 deg, planning on trying to knock it down to 54 this coming winter.
> 
> ...


You and your family are inspiring to me. That is interesting about the use of only natural lighting after the sun sets, it sounds like its very good for overall health. I've never heard of taking cold baths outside in the winter, but i can understand how thats beneficial for building tolerance to the cold. Its amazing to me that it also helps with not feeling too hot, too, that makes total sense.

AFM, i've been using the same dozen cloth pads for over five years now and they're still in great condition. I will never use anything else, except maybe new cloth pads at some point







.

I've had unassisted births, the second one i was alone. My intuition was deepened and the experiences were very empowering.

I take hemp oil and i love chia seeds and bee pollen. I ate a raw vegan diet for two years, which vastly improved my health, especially my digestive health.


----------



## Dela (Jul 8, 2013)

I rode a horse through a drive-thru this morning. Hey, it would have taken me 30+ minutes to get through traffic in a car! I got there in under 15 and we got fresh air too.

Even you ladies running your RVs and cars on straight veggie oil can't beat my ride for fuel efficiency. Most of the food she eats was grown by us too, and she makes free eco-friendly fertilizer. NO WASTE!

I did, however, get 2 chemical-laden bacon-egg-and-cheese biscuits for myself and the kiddo who came with. With coffee. And apple dippers for the trusty steeds. All with disposable and decidedly not eco-friendly packaging. So I guess my ultra-crunch mode of transport was negated by the activity it was used for, LOL.


----------



## KirstenHardy (Apr 22, 2011)

You just made me laugh out loud. I love it that you rode your horse through a fast food place for junk food. Hilarious!


----------



## KirstenHardy (Apr 22, 2011)

Let's see. I use sea sponge tampons and sew my own cloth menstrual pads. They are the best! I HATE store bought commercial pads. I used cloth on my kids so why wouldn't I use cloth for myself? I also used to use my breast milk for all kinds of ailments- including putting it in my babies' eyes when they were irritated.It's like magic.


----------



## Dela (Jul 8, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KirstenHardy*
> 
> You just made me laugh out loud. I love it that you rode your horse through a fast food place for junk food. Hilarious!


It's not the worst I've done, believe you me! I lacked a car through most of college and lived in a small rural college town. Made for some interesting situations when your "car" had 4 legs.

My oldest 2 and my older nieces/nephews ride them all over nowadays. Safest way to travel independently for kids, even with the risk of falling. No one messes with a half a ton of muscle. More visible to cars than walkers or bikers. They can get home in a good hurry if they need to. Gets some weird stares, but hey, it works and affords them a great deal of independence!


----------



## pohaha (Nov 14, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ColoradoMama626*
> 
> I wear make up maybe twice a year
> I own three pairs of shoes- sandles for 75 percent if the time and shoes for snow and somewhere a pair if dress shoes. Most of my clothes are gifts or thrift store, I never shop except for underwear.


Lol...it also just kinda sounds like you live in San Diego. There's flip flops, uggs, and a "real' pair of shoes. And awesome thrift shopping. And why bother with makeup when you're in and out of the water. Wait. Maybe I'm crunchy.


----------



## ecoberry1 (Jul 17, 2013)

These posts make me feel so mainstream! I wish I was more crunchy than I am. I'm still breastfeeding my 34 month old, I cloth diapered for the most part and we co-slept until just a few months ago. I buy organic produce, but I've really fallen off the wagon when it comes to meat and processed foods. I do take beverages to work in canning jars and wash and reuse plastic bags, but not as many as I used to.


----------



## SweetSilver (Apr 12, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *KirstenHardy*
> 
> I used cloth on my kids so why wouldn't I use cloth for myself?


I still use some of our old prefold diapers for pads on my heaviest days, especially at night.


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SweetSilver*
> 
> I still use some of our old prefold diapers for pads on my heaviest days, especially at night.


That's a great idea, I'll have to try that.

I don't use makeup. I do "low-poo" and I shower every 2-3 weeks. I breastfed my kids until they were 5 and nearly-3. I've fed other people's babies and had them feed mine. We have backyard hens. I forage around my neighborhood all year round for food, including wild edibles and dumpster diving. Until recently we didn't own a car for over a year. The only reason we own one now is because the in-laws gave it to us and The Hubby fixed it with parts from the Pick-n-Pull.

My kids attend a Waldorf school. I sew much of their clothing. I support my son's dress-wearing. i often walk barefoot or wear minimalistic shoes. I've made minimalistic shoes for my kids. I sewed cloth diapers for my kiddos. I use washcloths for my mama cloth, and we use family cloth instead of toilet paper.

Both my kids were water births; my son was born at 43 weeks and my daughter at 42+2. With my daughter I encapsulated my placenta.


----------



## PrimordialMind (May 4, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lazurii*
> 
> That's a great idea, I'll have to try that.
> 
> ...


You definitely have a very crunchy lifestyle! You dont just do crunchy things, you ARE crunchy







That is awesome and inspiring.

I also like the idea of using prefolds as pads in heavy days, i'm going to try that, too.


----------



## Shanny2032 (Aug 10, 2009)

I'm not feeling very crunchy after reading this, but I swear in my little world I'm Ms Crunch!

Alas, I must confess to shaving my arms. All the way from my hands to my shoulders. Explanation: I have always had very freckly arms covered by glowing, long, blonde hairs. It always bothered me but it never occurred to me to shave my arms! Around 10 years ago (so 30 ish) I met a friend and she shaved her arms because it was so dark. I finally tried it, loved it and have never looked back. It happens much less often these days but about as often as I shave my legs. It's a lot of work!


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

Ah, I forgot to add that I don't shave my pits or my legs. And my hair is blue.


----------



## Dela (Jul 8, 2013)

We're barefooters too. Late April til October around here, pity, back in NM we could go year round basically. TX had the weather but also the scourge of the earth otherwise known as fire ants  My toesies screamed the whole time we lived there but I swell up like a puffer fish from those things so I was year round enclosed shoes there.


----------



## nutmeg86 (Jun 27, 2013)

It's so nice to hear all of this!!! I guess i am way more crunchy than I thought! I use a diva cup, planning a home watrr birth with this next baby, we cd, ex bf and co-sleep ( sort of). We do a lot of ap things, grow Veggies, and watch where our meat and eggs cone from.

Im glad to hear other people don't wear make up, I hate it! I never liked the way it felt. I also shave minimally, and only wear deoderant when going out. I've made my own soaps too. But we fo watch a fair amount of tv!!

Thanks ladies!


----------



## salr (Apr 14, 2008)

I love you guys!!


----------



## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

I'm decidedly uncrunchy based on this thread! I can't even think of anything. I mean, I breastfed my kids, but that's about it. Oh, I recently bought Instead menstrual cups (couldn't find the Diva cup in stores), but I won't get a chance to try it out until next week.

Uh ... I grow a vegetable garden, but just because it's fun and the kids enjoy it -- I still buy most of my produce. I'm rounding up zucchini recipes right now because apparently I'll have it coming out my ears soon. I read a funny quote by Barbara Kingsolver where she said that August is the only month where people lock their cars in the church parking lot, and it's to prevent others from leaving bags of squash on the seat. That cracked me up!

No soda/little juice/almond milk smoothies, but I don't know that that's really crunchy.

We use reusable water bottles, but that seems fairly mainstream these days -- my mom and I were joking that disposable water bottles are the new cigarettes -- people gasp and glare if they see you with one.









Yep, I think that's it.


----------



## kitteh (Jun 25, 2009)

I don't really consider myself to be terribly crunchy... More like terrible at being crunchy. I tell myself that we are limited in our ability to embrace a more natural lifestyle on account of our lower income--we live in a little one bedroom apt so no yard for a garden. We buy organic when possible, but that isn't often in the budget. Same with free-range chicken/eggs and grass-fed beef etc. I kinda stick my head in the sand regarding those things because I don't wanna feel guilty about them. We could also probably do a better job buying more natural cleaning products, but I don't. So I make up for it by just not cleaning! LOL, just kidding... mostly.

Anyhow, this isn't the "list your crunchy shortcomings thread," so here goes:

*We don't own a car, and haven't for over 5 years. We commute mostly by bike and foot, sometimes we take the bus and if we need to take longer trips we use zipcar. Now that we are a family of 4 this is a bit more difficult, but we are really determined to make it work. If we do eventually buy a car we want to be able to get an electric or hybrid.

*I'm currently tandem nursing my 3.5 year old and 1 month old. My 3.5 year old doesn't really show signs of stopping any time soon, and I'm ok with that.

*We have a Family Bed--currently a Queen with a crib side-carred, might upgrade to a King and possibly a daybed side-car as the girls get bigger. Plan to continue co-sleeping as long as the girls want to.

*Both labors were pain-med free, this last one was my crunchier version as it was a water birth, no medications whatsoever, including during the 3rd stage delivering the placenta. However, they were both in hospitals, so that's not too crunchy. And the nurses were kind of upset that I declined an actively managed 3rd stage this last time. I think they were convinced I'd bleed out at any moment, for 8 whole hours after the birth (at which point we voluntarily discharged against hospital recommendation.) Oh, and I also had an orgasm during crowning with this last one! That's kind of a crunchy thing to admit/talk about, no?


----------



## CA Country Girl (Aug 13, 2011)

I actually grew up "crunchier" than I became. When I was a kid we had an outhouse (really I mean- pooping in a bowl of clean water in the house is kind of wild







.)

I still take a really fast shower because we shared solar shower bags. We had kerosene lamps and no TV. My Dad built all of the houses we lived in as a kid and one had a sod roof. We grew much of our own food. I know how to milk cows, pluck chickens, and toss hay bales.

As an adult, I still keep laying chickens and a garden, and believe that knowing where all my food comes from is very important. I have never dyed my hair and don't wear makeup or traditional deodorant. I bed share and breastfeed my toddlers. I believe little kids should be naked and dirty whenever possible. I would be an avid baby-wearer and carry my LO everywhere on my hip, but neither of my girls have been that into the confinement of any carrier for long. But I also have my differences from many who consider themselves crunchy. I love HBO and the Discovery channel and Bravo and believe some TV can be educational (and is VERY useful for parents). I have never been able to fit cloth diapering or EC into my work schedule. I believe in vaccination, but I do choose which, when, and do one at a time. I didn't know that washing my hair only once a week or keeping nice work shoes in my car so I can wear flip flops every where else was crunchy- but then, like I said, I was indoctrinated really young.









I really like the pp who said they rode a horse to the drive in. It was always my fantasy to ride a horse to the store, but we lived too far from town.

I still am comfortable in very 'primitive' living situations, but I appreciate some luxuries when I can get them. I share the fantasy of some pps to really move off the grid some day, but I think I would still want WiFi.


----------



## PrimordialMind (May 4, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Lazurii*
> 
> Ah, I forgot to add that I don't shave my pits or my legs. And my hair is blue.


Haha! Awesome :-D

*lima bean*: that Barbara Kingsolver quote is hiarious!! People have so much squash that they try to put it in other people's backseats







.

*kitteh*: having an orgasmic birth doesn't make you crunchy, it makes you a crunchy goddess


----------



## Emerging butterfly (May 7, 2009)

I have been breastfeeding for 28 collective years, much of that in tandem. We homebirth, unschool, and never use commercial cleaners. We use only cloth and never use bottles. We only see a doc for emergencies, relying on a naturopath and my homeopathy kit instead. We offer free and low cost therapy to those in need instead of charging top dollar for it like most therapists do in our area. My hubby offered free mediation during the occupy movement. We have six awesome kiddos. I use a diva cup. I make all our food. And..... My youngest child was conceived in a blizzard under the night sky, in the woods, in 30 degrees below zero while Venus BLAZED in the midnight sky. Hey, how else can a couple with five kids have a romp if not in the woods at night???







. As such.., her middle name is Venus.


----------



## eastmillcreekmama (May 22, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Tizzy*
> 
> I've had 3 unassisted births, for now I think that's my biggest crunchy badge
> 
> ...


Most of this is true for me, too. But one of the crunchiest things we do is EC, and not just at home, but when we venture forth from our rural hamlet and living-on-the-land lifestyle, we will pee our toddler in parking lot medians, public parks, and even right on the parking lot pavement. After I was doing this with my daughter for a while, I read some threads in the EC board, and realized that some people were really freaked out by this. oops! But honestly, I just get grossed out even more by public gas station bathrooms, and don't want my kids touching things in there, so I go on the lookout and do it in the bushes.

Otherwise, we live a passive solar lifestyle, grow a lot of our own food, have a milk cow that we share with other families, I preserve food for winter, we make our own meals cuz there aren't any restaurants here, I Diva cup with cloth pads (same ones for over 10 years! though they are maybe due for replacement), we grow our own eggs, we buy meat from our neighbors, and almost never go to the doctor. My kids have never taken antibiotics (nor have I for over 10 years). I spin some of my own yarn, too. That's my favorite!


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

This thread is so inspiring!


----------



## Stephafriendly (May 17, 2013)

I love my diva cup and cloth pads. I have a funny story about cloth menstrual pads. First, I should say that sorting laundry isn't my special skill. I know that I could put the pads in a mesh laundry bag and keep them all together. I tend to just throw them in with the dark load. After leaving my husband and filing for divorce, I lived with my parents for about a year. I often washed their laundry with my own. One day my sister found my dad making breakfast in the kitchen. But what was that strange pink thing in his back pocket? It turned out to be one of my washable panty liners. I'm really sorry that I missed the whole scene and only got to hear about it from my sister. (I'm sure Dad never talks about it.)


----------



## vanni (Jan 16, 2012)

I use homemade deodorant (coconut oil, cornstarch, baking soda, essential oils).

I have one pair of shoes for winter and one for summer. Otherwise I'm barefoot.

I use a squatty potty.

I am a little insane in my avoidance of flame retardants - we don't have a traditional couch (a daybed organic mattress on the floor instead).

Lots of other things too... not sure if they're crunchy or just quirks.


----------



## Stephafriendly (May 17, 2013)

Oh, and I made my own soap with breast milk - great for sensitive skin!


----------



## Stephafriendly (May 17, 2013)

I'm just starting to learn about flame retardants. I hope to get an organic mattress when our futon mattress wears out. I'm glad that our couch is a Goodwill find from the 1960's. I'm not sure if they used flame retardants back then, but hopefully it has outgassed everything yucky by now.


----------



## ladle24 (Feb 12, 2006)

I learned from this thread that what we do is called "family cloth." I didn't know there were others out there who did it. Actually, I'm the only one who uses it as toilet paper, since I have all boys who only wipe using toilet paper when they go poop anyway. But our stack gets used as toilet paper, dusting and cleaning rags, breast pads and so on. It is all made from ugly and unwanted receiving blankets, and lasts forever.

My 9yo son cut the cord at our last homebirth. He wanted to catch the baby, but that is dad's job, and all the boys had forgotten what breast milk tasted like and asked to taste some in a bottle. (I didn't tell their father about that!)

We know about edible weeds and use them in salads when we can (we live in the city, so I will only use what we find/grow in our yard.)

Cloth pads.

Cloth diapers...on baby #4, I figured out how to use t-shirts like flatfolds--I didn't have time to make new cloth diapers, or money to spend. They work great.

Make my own kefir.

No-poo/lo-poo. No make-up.

Make my own laundry soap.

The cold bath outside in the winter thing is intriguing. I for one can't stand cold showers, even in the summer, and don't even like cold air in the bathroom in the winter. I keep the house at 68 in the winter, but use a little electric heater in the bathroom when I shower. It could be because I have long hair, and long wet hair is COLD.

However, we got rid of our car a year ago and do everything on bikes, foot, or transit. It is amazing how much cold the kids can tolerate on bikes. They were comfortable right down to 32 degrees, and I can go to about 20 degrees, and the husband more. I suppose with proper equipment, we could tolerate more cold, but buying warmer equipment costs more than walking instead!

I'm sure there's more. My husband hates it when I say "Well, how do you think they did it for the past 10,000 years until the invention of x in the last century?" Because really, I'm not THAT crunchy.


----------



## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Quick question since several people have mentioned using the Diva cup _and_ cloth pads. I haven't used my cup yet, but it sounds like you have to wear pads also? Ugh, the whole point of me going this route was to cut down on waste but now I'll be using (disposable, for now) pads, so it kind of cancels out my intention. My "crunch" is getting soggier by the minute!


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

I find that a Diva Cup holds as much as a super tampon, so if you need to use a pad with a super tampon then you'll need to use one with the Diva Cup. On my heavy days I can fill a cup in 1-2 hours, and then it starts to slide out of me. Wearing a pad helps me to avoid an accident. Also, pulling the cup out to clean it seems to drag some menstrual blood to the vaginal opening, and I would rather have that caught on a mama cloth than my underroos.

On my light days I can wear the cup for several hours without wearing a pad.


----------



## Sunshinemama8 (Jan 24, 2013)

I had an unassisted birth.

I ate my placenta after 2 of my births.

I prefer to walk barefoot.

I cloth diaper, and partial EC.

We do not ever see the doctor unless it is warranted, and we do not vaccinate. We're all about supporting the immune system with REAL FOOD!

We unschool.

We ferment our own foods.

I had dreadlocks for two years.

My kids are all no-poo.


----------



## nutmeg86 (Jun 27, 2013)

Ok, what is no-poo and lo-poo?


----------



## SweetSilver (Apr 12, 2011)

"no shampoo" etc.

Does knowing what it means make me crunchier by proxy?


----------



## ocelotmom (Jul 29, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *nutmeg86*
> 
> Ok, what is no-poo and lo-poo?


We're so crunchy that our diets are perfect for our bodies so there is no waste and we never have to poop.

Sorry, couldn't resist. Cleaning hair with something other than shampoo is the real answer.


----------



## nutmeg86 (Jun 27, 2013)

I guess I set myself up for that one









Thank you, I've heard of that before but I guess i havent heard the slang for it.


----------



## ian'smommaya (Jun 7, 2004)

I make all our medicines, soap, salves, tinctures, and other bath beauty and health products. Including the dogs and cat.


----------



## mamazee (Jan 5, 2003)

Wow, that's impressive ian'smommaya!

Really a lot of the stuff I'm reading in this thread is impressive!


----------



## HouseofPeace (Mar 23, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stephafriendly*
> 
> Oh, and I made my own soap with breast milk - great for sensitive skin!


recipe please!!!

i'm not crunchy! i just don't hang w/ enough of you peeps.

1. diva cup- old cloth diapers for overnight pads

2. charting for NFP

3. work for farms to get milk and meat

4. no-poo, rare baths for kids

5. homemade deodorant (jasmine and vetiver and cedarwood scented stored in beautiful old avon containers i found for free, mmmmmm)

6. 90+% made from scratch food every day

7. gluten-free house, grain-free mama

8. donated milk to another baby for 5+ months through human milk for human babies

9. 4 kids potty trained by 2 years old through EC starting around 14 months

10. make-up? just bought organic mascara. yup, that's it. i never touch the stuff (ha to all theater people- me too, and modeling, i hate hair products too!)

11. never buy dog food. my dog is 8 1/2 years old and is on something like the BARF diet called mommy feeds her raw milk, organ meat and table scraps (breastmilk for a season)

12. unschooling

13. non-vaxxing (poor dr's, they're not happy)

14. home-dr'ing on most things. sweat a fever, chicken stock and cod liver oil for any illness. i still do well-baby visits, but only b/c

15. 3 homebirths, didn't wash the baby. didn't eat the placenta. i should have for boasting rights! i love my midwife.

16. unjobbing- both of us. we are living the dream

17. homemade cleaning products

18. i just got given my first pair of brand new shoes in 4 or 5 years, teva flip-flops. that's pretty bad....

19. only buy underwear and socks new- even for the kids. we try not to buy any clothes but hubby is needing some updates on the wardrobe.... anyone got men's clothes they want to send my way? oh- did buy a bathing suit for this summer. it was so nice to have one that fit!

20. my toothpaste is sea salt, kelp powder, and baking soda.

i'm sure i'm missing somethings that other people consider crunchy. i don't think it's extreme at all! it's just how we live.


----------



## ColoradoMama626 (Apr 30, 2011)

So crunchy mommas, would any of you share your recipes with us not so crunchy but willing to learn mommas? Should I start a crunchy recipes thread for recipes for soaps with breast milk, cleaning products, etc. I saw the sea salt toothpaste that's pretty cool! Any one interested?


----------



## Viola (Feb 1, 2002)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *shijin13*
> 
> We also do cold baths during the winter outside. We're just starting to work the kids into taking colds baths as well to build a tolerance to cold. by the end of last winter I could easily sit in water just above freezing for 20mins. It also improved my heatlh, as my highly sensitive CRP dropped to .2 by late january. We've discovered that by embracing the cold in the winter, we have a higher heat tolerance in the summer and don't need to keep our ac blasting all summer.


Wow, that's pretty cool.


----------



## dauphinette (Nov 13, 2007)

UC is pretty dern crunchy I think and I did that, well UP/UC.

Family cloth is the bomb, I don't really get why more people don't like the idea, I mean I get the laundry aspect but it's like you don't have to buy toilet paper anymore. And that stuff is expensive!

Um.....I don't really wash my crazy curly hair, just rinse it really well and condition it.

I make my own face toner with rose water and then slather on coconut oil which a lot of people are freaked by, but it doesn't make you break out, it's awesome!

Raw milk, is that crunchy?


----------



## IdentityCrisisMama (May 12, 2003)

I love this thread too!! Thought of posting one like it myself. My most crazy "AP" thing that I've done is what I would call crazy, extreme babywearing. I wore my youngest all over for ever and ever. The last time I wore her for a long time was at President Obama's inauguration - my "LO" was 7!!


----------



## IdentityCrisisMama (May 12, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Emerging butterfly*
> 
> I have been breastfeeding for 28 collective years, much of that in tandem.


----------



## adalau (Apr 12, 2012)

I think my biggest "crunchy" accomplishment was surviving a ten day NICU stay (born at 36 weeks w/ midwife then had to transfer to hospital b/c baby wasn't breathing well) without my baby getting force fed formula or bathed.  Woo! Exclusive breastfeeding, constant skin to skin and maintaining that lovely layer of vernix protection against all odds.

I do a lot of that other stuff too but that's easy!


----------



## magnoliasmom (Jul 27, 2013)

Seems that in my circles, having a natural birth and still nursing my 16 month old is about all the crunchy folks can handle! Add to that the co-sleeping, not freaking out when my toddler is eating dirt, not rushing to the doctor at every sniffle, etc... haha I'm always the "hippie" of the bunch and I'm not even that much of one! In fact, I'm going down this list making notes! (note to self: try EC next time around, learn more about unschooling, look up "circadian cycles"...)


----------



## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Hmmm. Nope, can't think of anything that makes me crunchier than "anyone else". I do live in the Seattle area, though. CD/Breastfeeding/living easy on the earth/localvores/reusable menstrual stuff is all super common. Maybe I just know a lot of weird people? I did triple tandem nurse and nurse through my high risk twin pregnancy (with the full blessing of my perinatologist--which probably gives me negative crunchy points that I had one!), but honestly? I think a lot of people would have done that that I know, it's just at not everyone has twins 17 months after their firstborn.  Cosleeping is mainstream amongst people I know. Most people like being outdoors here and are environmentally aware. (again, I might just know a lot of weird folks I guess) Spanking is culturally a frowny thing so if people do they'll not talk about it except in closed company.

I would say that I'm relaxed and allow my kids more freedom (to make mistakes, to climb, to build their own stuff, to go play on our property without me hovering over them, ect.) but I do not know that's a crunchy trait, as frankly the most uptight moms I've met have been equally divided between crunchy and mainstream.


----------



## jinbear (Sep 18, 2011)

I have had one unassisted homebirth in our rv(which is our home) and am planning to do it again in the next couple of weeks. I breast feed and try to eat organic. Probably as crunchy as I will ever get!


----------



## Katc8910 (Dec 17, 2008)

I


----------



## Ireadtomuch (Jul 12, 2013)

My probably crunchiest trait is the jar's/bag's full of herb's i use to treat everything from headaches to colds/fever's and the fact that i make my own lip-balm(works really well for burn cream) and lotion. With my hair washing it more than once a week makes it less manageable not more and about 95 percent of every piece of clothing I own was pre-loved. Only thing's i buy new are unmentionables and tennis shoes... sandals and heels you can usually find almost brand new second hand.


----------



## Tigerchild (Dec 2, 2001)

Oh wait, I did think of something that makes my crunchier than the average cookie, not in a parenting context though. I'm a LMP who's going to be starting a program in the fall to become a certified aromatherapist in the fall, and who also will be taking more in depth training in intuitive healing work and touching on energy work (which still makes me laugh, as I would have said Lol no if you'd asked me a year ago about going something like that...)


----------



## youngmom89 (Jul 8, 2013)

I use Dr. Bronner's soap for everything, don't wear make-up, use cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, and cloth breast pads, breastfeed. we also don't vaccinate or even go to the doctor's unless it's an absolute emergency, just had my first home birth and it was awesome I bought my newborn baby an all organic, non-flame retardant mattress, which I had to get a prescription for. never used to wear a bra, until I started breastfeeding because otherwise I would leak everywhere. eat mostly organic food. we don't have cable, we just watch old VHS tapes. I also don't have a cellphone or facebook, which most people find pretty odd. I drive an old dented up car that gets 40 mpg. oh yeah and I don't believe in government. I would live like the native americans if I could. we are working on getting completely off the grid. we have a pretty good start because we exclusively heat with a woodstove. I would like to homeschool my 6 year old too, but need to do more research on it and besides she really likes her friends in school so it's a tough decision.


----------



## pt33333 (Jul 30, 2013)

I never really consider myself "crunchy" as I think I have a really long way to go, but I do some things that my circle of friends and family tend to think are crunchy

I belong to a local farm CSA to get fresh, local and organic produce. We used to have a sizable garden and I preserved a lot of food from that, but the garden has been sadly neglected since my husband passed away 5 years ago. I can't fit in tending the garden along with taking care of everything else on my own, so the CSA was my solution.

I preserve whatever food we get in our weekly share that we won't use up soon enough. I've made pickles, salsa, canned tomatoes. I also freeze greens, beans, corn. This year, I want to also buy more when they are selling bulk extras to try to preserve enough to last us through the winter.

I make almost all of our meals from scratch. We rarely eat out, but that is as much to do with saving money as with trying to be "crunchy".

I lo-poo, generally only shower once a week, sometimes twice if been doing really sweaty work. The kids also shower only weekly. And I rarely use makeup

I wash all of our clothes in cold water and line dry everything. Dryer died a little over a year ago and never bothered to replace it. Hasn't even been an inconvenience, even drying clothes on indoor racks in winter or on rainy days. I would like to try also making my own laundry detergent as well.

In the past, I would bake all of our bread. I've fallen off the wagon with that one, but am hoping to start that up again very soon.

In the winter, I keep the heat down to save money and energy. Probably not as low as some, but lower than most people I know here.  I usually keep it at 65 during the day and turn it down to 60 overnight. On a couple occasions when I have a chill that just won't go away, I'll splurge and turn it up to 68. That cracks up my friends who typically keep at at something over 70.

I also co-sleep with my daughter, even though she is 9 now. We co-slept when both kids were younger and she had gone to her own bed when she was 3. But after her father passed away, she moved back to my bed and I haven't made her move. Some nights she will sleep in her own bed, and does so more often now. But there are still nights when I go to bed and find her there. I know at some point it will end completely and I think I'm lucky that she still feels so close to me now.


----------



## nmelanson (Apr 14, 2009)

I wouldn't say that I'm as crunchy in some areas as I used to be, but I live on an acreage (on an island in the pacific northwest) where we have a huge vegetable garden, we raise our own chickens for meat and eggs, we are raising pigs for meat (but I'm not going to eat them... hee hee), once my youngest became potty trained we started to use the old baby wash cloths instead of toilet paper, I do the "no poo" thing and hardly have to wash my hair because of it.... we thrift shop as much as possible.


----------



## elspethpaisley (Sep 1, 2011)

We make our own toothpaste, don't shampoo, walk barefoot on gravel paths all summer, and live on a commune!


----------



## alaskanmomma (May 25, 2011)

Reading through this, I'm not very crunchy BUT this is my crunchy side:
Cloth diapers
Line dry
Baby wear
Baby led weaning
Breast feeding
Mama cloth
Home birth
I'm a doula
Don't vaccinate


----------



## Stephafriendly (May 17, 2013)

For the breastmilk soap, I used the re-batch method. I suppose you could substitute breast milk for cow or goat milk in a recipe where you mix it with lye, but this is a delicate process with the strong chance of scorching and ruining the benefits of your milk. I was heartbroken once when I scorched some of my hand-milked goat's milk. I was scared to do the same to my breastmilk, which wasn't so abundant in supply. I made the soap with water, lye and fat. After the soap hardened, I grated it into a crock pot and melted it down with the breastmilk. Then I poured it into a mold and let it harden. Pop it out of the mold and let it cure for a while or use it right away. You could even use high quality store-bought soap and grate it up with the breast milk, but that would be less crunchy.


----------



## Catholic Mama (Nov 7, 2006)

I'm not sure how crunchy this is, but I'm posting anyway.

I only use the microwave for popcorn. For everything else I use glass pots, a stainless steel pot or skillet, the toaster, or the crock pot.

I don't shave my legs. (I wear skirts and dresses that cover most of my legs.)

I tried cloth diapering with my secondborn, first son, 6 years ago but couldn't really figure it out - was always checking on him, but he still managed to soak himself, his clothes, etc. and I was having postpartum depression so I switched back to disposable diapers for my sanity.

I use coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil instead of canola oil.

We don't own a TV, and make a point of not watching it most of the time no matter where we are.

I put peppermint oil on my children's knees when they cry at night from growing pains. (I still need to learn more about that, as I heard I need to mix it with another oil.)

I've put myself to sleep with a tiny bit of skunk cabbage before.

I breastfed my firstborn as long as I could (almost 2 years) until I was pregnant with her little brother and dried up - was hoping to tandem nurse.


----------



## cyclamen (Jul 10, 2005)

Catholic mama - not that you need to do this, as I personally love the microwave & freezer meals, but this seemed like something you might be interested in. You can make popcorn in a big stockpot. Do you remember shake n pop? Just put kernels and oil in your pot, put it over medium heat, and agitate the pot with the lid shut while it heats, and voila, easy stovetop popcorn. The drawback, of course, is you can't send your four year old to do it.


----------



## cynthia mosher (Aug 20, 1999)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Dela*
> 
> I rode a horse through a drive-thru this morning. Hey, it would have taken me 30+ minutes to get through traffic in a car! I got there in under 15 and we got fresh air too.
> 
> ...


I would love to have seen this!









Do you... uh.... have to stop and clean up any droppings your horse leaves behind on the roads? Just curious.


----------



## cynthia mosher (Aug 20, 1999)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Stephafriendly*
> 
> For the breastmilk soap, I used the re-batch method. I suppose you could substitute breast milk for cow or goat milk in a recipe where you mix it with lye, but this is a delicate process with the strong chance of scorching and ruining the benefits of your milk. I was heartbroken once when I scorched some of my hand-milked goat's milk. I was scared to do the same to my breastmilk, which wasn't so abundant in supply. I made the soap with water, lye and fat. After the soap hardened, I grated it into a crock pot and melted it down with the breastmilk. Then I poured it into a mold and let it harden. Pop it out of the mold and let it cure for a while or use it right away. You could even use high quality store-bought soap and grate it up with the breast milk, but that would be less crunchy.


To do it cold process I think freezing the milk first in cubes and then placing them in a container in an ice bath and and slowly adding in the lye water while stirring would prevent scorching.


----------



## cynthia mosher (Aug 20, 1999)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *ColoradoMama626*
> 
> So crunchy mommas, would any of you share your recipes with us not so crunchy but willing to learn mommas? Should I start a crunchy recipes thread for recipes for soaps with breast milk, cleaning products, etc. I saw the sea salt toothpaste that's pretty cool! Any one interested?


Please do! And post the link here so we can follow you to the thread.


----------



## SweetSilver (Apr 12, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *cyclamen*
> 
> Catholic mama - not that you need to do this, as I personally love the microwave & freezer meals, but this seemed like something you might be interested in. You can make popcorn in a big stockpot. Do you remember shake n pop? Just put kernels and oil in your pot, put it over medium heat, and agitate the pot with the lid shut while it heats, and voila, easy stovetop popcorn. The drawback, of course, is you can't send your four year old to do it.


We make our own stove-top popcorn as well. I use a small cake-cooling rack over the burner to make the pan slide back and forth more easily. Oh, and use palm shortening







(organic, but still...) because it works better with the high heat. My oil is spoiling in there because it's expeller pressed! We use a small, long handled pot. The popped popcorn keeps kernels from popping out, as long as it isn't too full. About 1/4 cup corn for a 1-quart pan works perfectly. Keep the lid on until the popping's done. And be careful the heat of the pan and lid is brutal!


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Catholic Mama*
> 
> I put peppermint oil on my children's knees when they cry at night from growing pains. (I still need to learn more about that, as I heard I need to mix it with another oil.)


My kids get really bad growing pains, and I've found lavender oil mixed with a bit of olive oil works wonders on their legs. I just take the bottle of olive oil and press it to my palm and quickly flip the bottle up to get a film of oil. Then I add 2-3 drops of lavender. This is good for one lower leg.


----------



## IdentityCrisisMama (May 12, 2003)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *SweetSilver*
> 
> We make our own stove-top popcorn as well. I


We have a Whirly-Pop. If you have a small living space I think it would be difficult to justify this large single-use item but if you have kitchen storage or make a whole lot of popcorn, I recommend one. They're always at the secondhand shop in our area for some reason - I think they may be a hot holiday gift item for folks who have everything.

Does anyone do nutritional yeast and Braggs on their popcorn? We lived in a town once where you could get this in your popcorn in the theater. It's delish!


----------



## SweetSilver (Apr 12, 2011)

I used to love that combination (first had at Rainbow Gatherings--double crunch!) but can't have corn anymore, so all popcorn is out for me







.


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

I use butter (lots!) and nutritional yeast on my popcorn. Delish. Oh, and I second the Whirly-Pop. It's easy for kids to use, too.


----------



## adalau (Apr 12, 2012)

Pop the corn in a cast iron skillet (w/ a lid of course) in coconut oil, then spritz w/ olive oil (we're dairy free) & sprinkle with nutritional yeast, pink salt & dulse. Delish!

Does the dulse make me extra crunchy? ;-)


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *adalau*
> 
> Does the dulse make me extra crunchy? ;-)


----------



## LLQ1011 (Mar 28, 2012)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *IdentityCrisisMama*
> 
> We have a Whirly-Pop. If you have a small living space I think it would be difficult to justify this large single-use item but if you have kitchen storage or make a whole lot of popcorn, I recommend one. They're always at the secondhand shop in our area for some reason - I think they may be a hot holiday gift item for folks who have everything.
> 
> Does anyone do nutritional yeast and Braggs on their popcorn? We lived in a town once where you could get this in your popcorn in the theater. It's delish!


we do stove top with nutritional yeast and spike....mmmmmmmm


----------



## Catholic Mama (Nov 7, 2006)

Cyclamen, that sounds pretty messy but we might try it sometime. Thank you!


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

Oh! I remembered another crunchy thing I've done. I used to save my urine to pour on the compost and in our garden.


----------



## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

me? uhmmm. not sure compared to the crazy crunchy people i am surrounded by (recycling stalins)

however i did have a diva cup conversation with dd and she wants to eventually try one.

dd - the fact that she only eats processed foods at birthday parties. i guess that includes me too.

however i am very sensitive to the term crunchy. i dont consider myself uber crunchy. i dont like drawing attention to myself so i will not insist on my crunchy habits in a surrounding where its a foreign concept.


----------



## contactmaya (Feb 21, 2006)

We're too crunchy in our family to eat pop corn at the moment. (No grains allowed).I wish. Sounds good









(Why do i always feel compelled to answer a thread when it involves food?)


----------



## Lazurii (Apr 1, 2011)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *contactmaya*
> 
> We're too crunchy in our family to eat pop corn at the moment. (No grains allowed).I wish. Sounds good
> 
> ...












Me, too. I make popcorn for my kids but I'm not eating grains, either. Oh well, I'm feeling so good it (almost) makes up for it!


----------



## meemee (Mar 30, 2005)

???? popcorn is a GRAIN????

what??? is corn a grain or a vegetable? hmm. the plant does look like a grass - but are the stalks hollow?


----------



## adalau (Apr 12, 2012)

Corn is definitely a grain. It's a member of the grass family, just like rice.

I aspire to be grain free, but hubby is not on board. The baby is grain free & the older kiddo was grain free till he was almost three. I have to admit that his behavior & health don't seem any different on the limited organic grains he gets. And it makes social situations a lot easier...


----------



## katelove (Apr 28, 2009)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Catholic Mama*
> 
> Cyclamen, that sounds pretty messy but we might try it sometime. Thank you!


It's not messy at all. When we do it our pot has a tiny bit of oil left on the bottom and that's it. It's one of the least messy cooking things I do


----------



## Dela (Jul 8, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *Cynthia Mosher*
> 
> I would love to have seen this!
> 
> ...


No, we live out country roads, then it goes immediately to city really suddenly. The drive thru is right on the edge so not much of a chance of any droppings in the short time we're actually in the city. On the roads we ride on "road apples" are a common sight.

Besides, unlike dog poo, horse manure is generally not a vector for disease, and it's extremely good fertilizer. The companies that landscape the roads here pay good money to buy horse manure, we give it to them free!


----------



## MamadeRumi (Aug 5, 2012)

Well, I realize this is lightweight stuff compared to many mamas here, but I'm feeling extra crunchy tonight because for dinner I cooked my family a stirfry made exclusively from organic veggies grown in my garden. We only moved into this house a year and 1/2 ago, and this is the first year I've had a serious veggie garden, so hopefully this will become such a regular thing that it won't even register on my crunchometer, but for tonight I'm super pleased.

As for my regular, usual crunchiness, we had a home birth, don't vax, didn't circumcise, used cloth diapers (even when traveling to Europe), I made my own babyfood, I babywore, I'm still BFing a 3.5 yo, we try our best to do organic, non GMO foods, oh, and we recently traveled to Cuba with 3 yo DS. I guess I should have listed that as my crunchiest thing. Though I confess I did break down and use disposable training pants during that trip. (a month of cloth diapers or training pants with no place to easily wash them just didn't sound like fun.) I did wear him through much of the trip, though, and came home with the pinched nerve to prove it. (In fairness to DS, that might have been the heavy backpack I was frequently wearing -- this was a research trip, and darn, books are heavy.)


----------



## JamieCatheryn (Dec 31, 2005)

My country crunchy list would be all from scratch paleo foods, garden, chickens, composting, canning. Hygiene: rare deodorant, no makeup, simple hairstyle, homemade soap, sewn cloth pads. Kids: cloth diaper, babywearing, breastfeed until past 2 years, homeschooling. Nothing really wacky or stand out but the whole deal is a pretty crunch lifestyle.


----------



## Catwmandu (Jun 10, 2007)

We don't do routine doctor visits either. When needed for "politics" of a school or child care we visit our super crunchy doctor who of course is out of network. We make / try tons of natural remedies when sick

Elimination Communication - I did it before I even knew that it was a "thing" and now that number 3 is on the way have explained to my elder kids what we did with them - they thought it was cool

Limited TV / screen use, Babywearing & Bed Sharing (which luckily is no longer so crunchy), Diva cup, cloth pads / diapers when needed

That I'm working towards birthing out of the hospital for our 3rd baby - after 2 c's

We just made our first homemade tooth powder and am about to start trying to ferment veggies

I nurse my almost 4 year old (not that he is getting anything but drops and my discomfort while I'm pregnant) but it still soothes him greatly and have tandemed with his older sister when she thinks she ought to try it

And luckily I'm no longer too much outside the norm that my kids understand the importance of composting, non GMOs, rain barrels, not eating things with food dyes, eating organic and locally grown or home grown. We don't eat meat but my children do understand that my hope is that if one day they decide to eat it that it is locally raised with no hormones, eats organic and is lovingly cared for.


----------



## VEforlife (Aug 14, 2013)

This is so inspiring for a newbie here.

My extra crunchy things:

-Raise alpacas for fiber and use their manure for compost

-Only flush toilet for #2 or when it is close to smelling

-Biodynamic farming (we make preparations from animal parts for the garden)

-Natural family planning

-Get Raw milk in exchange for vegetables weekly

-We have only used air conditioning once this year, after it was too hot to sleep

-Cold showers


----------



## OmJaya (Oct 12, 2007)

I never think of myself as very "crunchy" (everything I do just seems.....well, natural!). Here's the things I can think of:


born on intentional hippy community, The Farm, with Ina May Gaskin as my mom's midwife
use fertility awareness method and gladrags....I'm aware of the changes in me all throughout my cycle and am always sharing them with DH
don't take meds for my epilepsy ("manage" with acupuncture, neurofeedback and other natural treatments)
I have pics/tapetries of Hindu dieties allover our house, a meditation room, a Guru and always say "spirituality" instead of "religion"
my dad owns a health food store and my mom works at a juice bar
used elimination communication
had an unassisted birth
DH cooked placenta after babies' births
buy all kinds of grains/legumes in 25 lb (or more) bags and have a large pantry filled with glass jars of them and of lots of different spices/herbs
my kids think it is a big treat to chew up spirulina tablets!
home education with lots of "free time"
5 year-old son reads nutritional labels himself before buying/eating anything and shares his opinions with others on the item's health value
8 year old son loves to do yoga and meditate with me


----------

