Dana Mize& the big m ranch
This is Kindall {12 years old} and her VERY First Buck in the Hunting season of 2014. Sounds pretty controversial, doesn't it? What if I were to tell you the actual age Kindall was given the first opportunity to hunt and kill her first deer? Try 9 years old. Kindall gave us all a run for our money at ages that we have all shot our first deer. We are all avid hunters, Brian more than the rest of us, but we all have enjoyed many early mornings and late nights in deer stands all over the state of SC. Here are our very firsts! The reason I wanted to touch on this particular topic is one of deep concern for our nation and our families and is one of the chief reasons we are deciding to take this path in life. Let's break down this concern America's addiction to FOOD. You know no one can turn down a couple oreos, a Dr.Pepper or can of pringles... What is it..."Once you pop.. You just can't stop?" We are at an all time high of playing cat and mouse with America's booming commercial restaurant and food industry. Anyone ever notice the cravings you have for chips or a soda after you have just finished consuming one? One just never seems good enough...does it? You see where I am going with this? America, as a whole, is at a point to where Willpower is not the sole issue It's all about the Bass.... I mean Biology.. It's all about the Biology!! First, we start with a Trigger. A trigger could be the anticipation that builds up when you watch the yellow and red M&M's find out that Santa..REALLY does exist on the commercial, maybe it is seeing fresh baked brownies come out of the oven..or worse Maybe you are just bored! Whatever it may be, that trigger releases dopamine into your system, which ultimately is what we call a CRAVING! Let's get a little uncomfortable and use a comparison.... If you have come face to face with a Heroine, or really any drug, addict you are fully aware that most of the time they are looking for something... Their next FIX. I think we all come to the same assumption that the heroine addict is feeling the same types of "Cravings" just for a completely different type of addiction. But wait....the addiction.....isn't really all that different!!! YIKES! Obviously when you have those cravings you are pretty thrilled when you satisfy them....rriiiggghhhtttt??? This, my friends, is called getting your FIX. When we finally give into our cravings our body releases MORE dopamine. Holy Moly...what are we going to do with all this fuzzy, feel good stuff roaming around inside of us? Good question... Were gonna EAT THAT TOO!!!! All of a sudden your body is requiring sugar at the same rate an addicts body is requiring it's drug of choice. Then guess what happens MORE DOPAMINE is released. Let's level with the Dopamine issue More Dopamine = Greater Strength of Cravings Do you ever get the feeling that you are more hungry DURING the meal than BEFORE you started eating? This is because your have satisfied the initial craving of being hungry, dopamine released, then you satisfied the act of chewing, dopamine released, then we ate another food on our plate that we wanted, dopamine released, man those potatoes are soooo good, dopamine released... and before you know it..you aren't even half way through a meal and you are mentally planning what you want for dessert! And you might just be a pair of eye balls swimming in a sea of, you guessed it, Dopamine!!!!! We have seen the commercial for the M&M's, Ben and Jerry's Ice cream and maybe even a little bit of Hershey's Chocolate syrup. What do you do now? GO MAKE A SUNDAE!!!!! Oh Man...that sounds sooo good.... Then you gobble it all up and your Dopamine levels start to drop again. You have satisfied the craving but NOW you are MORE vulnerable to your next need for a "Fix". The next commercial, environment or habit change and you are back on the Dopamine train!!! I thought this post was about a pre-teen kid and a gun? It most definitely is. Let me pull this all together for you. We aren't agreeing with the Mob Bosses of America's Food Inc. over here and certainly don't want to be considered a sugar frosted drug mule for the rest of our lives! You see, Kindall is young enough to start learning a "not so new" way to sustain herself that is not reliant on GMO's, chemically bleached flour and salt, and sugar content that would send most diabetics into a coma! She has the opportunity to not have to UNLEARN the bad habits that us adults at Big M are probably going to have to "Detox" from. But one of the few ways to control these issues is to completely get rid of your TV...No more commercials for me, NO SIR! Okay, that is a silly! It really comes down to self-control and self-sustainability. We, at Big M Ranch, fully believe that providing for yourself is a personal responsibility. Making sure what you put into your body is going to energize you and not have you addicted...just waiting for your next fix. Keeping ourselves AND our KIDS in tune to the realm of the cycle of life and to realize that food isn't something grown within the four walls of your local Piggly Wiggly. Someone, somewhere is working their butts off to provide a broken system with more demand than there is supply. Thus, leading to farming measures that most people are too uncomfortable to even think of. And that is where you have a choice. A choice to pick up 20 McNuggets at McDonalds or go and feed the baby chicks that mama hens laid this past year waiting for a return on your hard efforts. A choice to pull weeds from the garden to enjoy a farm to table garden salad that is OUT OF THIS WORLD! A choice to know EACH and EVERY ingredient that you and your family are consuming. A CHOICE to turn a blind eye or say enough is enough And WE have made our Choice. Now, We are fully aware that this lifestyle isn't for everyone and we will respect your lifestyle,opinions and choices just as long as you respect ours. This exert from http://modernhealthmonk.com/food-addiction is a really neat perspective on America's addiction. It lays it out black and white by saying: "Processing is one of the ways that the food industry sneakily makes you eat more. Processing basically removes the bran, husk, shell, fiber, and some other things in your food – making it easier to eat a lot more and a lot quicker. It’s baby food for adults. Boneless wings? So you can scarf em down. Deep fried anything? The water content is replaced with fat ==> Creating that crispiness you like so much, and a much stronger flavor. Buttery, creamy rolls and sauces? Fat helps bring out the flavor, and also gives that soft “melt in your mouth” texture." SCARY...Right!? So this is our way of kicking this monster to the curb! Sustaining ourselves by creating our own meat, eggs, veggies, any consumed food really!!!! We will give it all a try! I want you to repeat this sentence over and over: It’s not about willpower, it’s about biology. You have to make a conscientious, real, raw effort to change your eating habits. One way for us to control what goes in our bodies is to hunt/butcher/grow/plant/harvest and produce our own food. We believe teaching children that living animals or garden veggies all have a purpose in life. Shoot...we all do! That life lesson taught at such a young age will allow the child to come to terms with what we are teaching, to ask questions and ultimately have a larger RESPECT for the animals, it's life and it's purpose. We also train ourselves and kids on how to defend ourselves. I have been certified as an NRA basic handgun and rifle instructor and passes on her knowledge ANY chance I get to help others understand, respect and properly handle and use firearms. Kindall is NO different! Another thing we keep in our noggins... is that when you live out in the country, on a farm and have small prey for larger predators all around you, you have to come to terms with other much larger animals that might want to eat you. Protection is keep and being strapped, locked and loaded is key to our safety, the safety of our family, our future animals and any other visitors on the farm. This is just ONE reason why we promote firearms, firearm safety, firearm respect, training and practice on our farm! Remember the saying "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." The same applies here. No matter what happens in life, whether we are here to protect her or not...Kindall will always remember how to pick up a rifle and make means for herself to survive. Maybe not the butchering part just yet but it that lesson is within the next year! From her first doe @ 9 years old {left} to her first buck @ 12 years old {right} We will support her, her knowledge and her skills every step of the way. We are so proud of the lady she is becoming and is TRULY stepping up to the plate to take life by the horns! Congratulations on your First Buck Babe! That will be some good eating for the winter!! Thank you to Mr. Buck, we appreciate your life, your surroundings, and your sacrifice for us. If you are interested in learning more about how we are carving our way through to a better life, follow us on Facebook and keep checking in here for more on the issue! Ditchin the Plans, |
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