It began with death.… Thus giving me too much time to ruminate all things I didn’t truly have time to mull over as I was nearing the completion of my bachelors. Farmer Wade began with the death of half of the chromosomes that completed my being, my Daddy. The need to create and be surrounded by bright happy colors in a life that seemed now so gray came through in the form of flowers and excessive mowing. Amongst haphazardly planted flowers with no true rhyme to their placement, light needs nor the understanding of the difference between a annual and a perennial, amid the zinnias I planted Brussels sprouts and next to the half dead pine bushes I planted another two. To my disbelief they grew! Now full of confidence in my feat I jokingly became Farmer Wade, I then decided the next spring it was on!
In late February the time had come, my mother and I went to Menards and purchased seed starters, soil, and I went wild and started a massive vegetable flower growing frenzy in my basement. I was also tackling a 16-credit course load for the last semester before completing my B.A. Finally the cold resided I had graduated, and it was time to plant the life’s I had nurtured for the past two months. Well the man who was to till my plot, never showed and I knew I needed a large space that I was against doing by hand. So I pulled up good ole YOUTUBE and decided it would be cheaper in the long run to purchase my own tiller VS. renting, so I tilled a 4x20 foot plot and set roots to the ground and built the crookedist chicken wire and stake fence possible (not intentionally) but it served its purpose. A few weeks later I packed my bags and was off on my long planned trip to find myself July 7 my son and I hit the road for Atlanta to drop him off with his paternal aunt and cousin and two days later I flew to Peru to reflect upon my years of existence and live completely outside of my comfort zone for three weeks… I returned to the states with a renewed appreciation for order, technology, and indoor heat being able to take a shower with water at my choice of temperature. (In Peru it either scalds you without warning or goes freezing again, without warning.) I also missed the ability to be lost without a phone or loosing all sense of time, seeing the animals roam freely with green grass to munch on and the children running about carelessly in the highways… yes the highways, I did say I missed the order in my native country, I missed not having to scour every label for creepy foods, and hearing the monkeys call to one an another in the rainforest.
Almost a month later after a detour to Disney so my little guy could have some fun too, I pulled my now well-traveled green scion into the driveway, oh Iowa, how I kinda’ missed you. At 4 a.m. I unloaded my bags chatted with my mom and then headed out back with a flashlight to see how my garden had faired in my absence. HOLY SHIT!!! My chin about hit the ground, being my first real garden I had no idea what to expect… The pumpkins traveled over the neighbor’s fence and wrapped around the tree (we don’t speak to each other for some unknown reason) the watermelons and cantaloupe were stretching towards the hot tub, the peppers, beans and beets were thriving in abundance. This was the moment, after being away experiencing life and being independent and free, Farmer Wade evolved. My heart was beginning to beat with a renewed sense of normalcy, my breathing became slightly easier, My daddy’s void can never be filled nor the ache that still resides in my heart and mind from missing someone so much. But I was learning from these experiences and gaining a sense of peace, purpose and knowing that no matter what my dad is always within me.
A few weeks later I returned to school to get a minor that was only 5 classes off, I inquired about a degree in horticulture, but the additional $40-60,000 of debt and at least three more years of college left a sour taste in my mouth so I opted against switching majors completely after graduating. In the now year and a half since my dad had passed, I had aggressively eliminated HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and most dyes from my family’s diet, if only I had known I would turn into a complete food freak, checking every label and researching every unpronounceable word of the foods I purchased. I began investigating deodorant after experiencing armpit discomfort, I switched to TOMS after doing some research about the ingredients in these sticks of smell pretty, sweat smothering, Alzheimer’s causing deodorants. The fruits of my research concluded that this shit is literally going to kill us all and rob us of our marbles, memories and knowledge… All due to the social stance on smelling like sweet pea and never having a sweat circle on your clothing.
I concluded enough was enough and had a Secret, Degree and Suave deodorant pitching party realizing, I had collected deodorants as if the stores were hard to come by. About a month into using TOMS, I smelled like a man under my arms and applying three times a day in an effort to combat the funk, my armpits had now begun peeling as though I had a pedicure after endless miles of barefoot walking, then a couple weeks later my armpits were red, raw and I didn’t even want to wear a shirt, shave, nor close my arms due to the burning sensation I was now experiencing. Finally I went to New City Market here in Des Moines and purchased a salt rock deodorant. Well that only made matters worse and the smell too, but I pushed on hoping time would heal all armpits. Eventually the rawness ceased but the sore, peeling and darkened skin was still an issue and after shaving the rawness would rear it’s nasty sensation all over again, the final straw with the salt rock occurred when my son knocked it out of the cupboard again and it shattered on the cold tile floor. SOOOOO that day while wearing TOMS in class and knowing what would soon follow for my armpits if I didn’t find an alternative pronto. My professor was droning on and there I was researching hundreds of DIY deodorant recipes, which was also becoming an obsession. Encouraged, I abruptly left class and drove to the health market and purchased the makings for what has become a beautiful knowledgeable functioning, relationship, several failed recipes later and about 5 or 6 batches and countless trips to the health store I nailed it! Boom Farmer Wade had made an effective, no pain inducing deodorant! Power to the pits my arms could rise again!
As life has further evolved since my stupendous creation in 2011 and I have become more and more anti-GMO, and anti- unpronounceable chemicals in the food and body care products, anti what are they putting in the air and water. I have become determined to aid others in regaining power over their food, bodies, health and minds, I want to help you make better choices for yourself and your families and see how easy it really is once you are aware of your surroundings and the GMOS, and insurance premiums are no longer holding us hostage.
Now I proudly present to you readers my other alias, Veggie Thumper, who also presents Farmer Wade deodorants, body butters, and hand sanitizers (and more to come.)
Veggie Thumper also aids in informing on what is occurring in the world around them and rallying for them to gain insight on holistic methods, what is in the food and water and simplifying helpful tips, recipes, DIY ideas and inspiration and knowledge on various topics from how to live cleaner and without dependency on large greedy corporations out to sabotage us all, to food preparation, detoxing, juicing and smoothie discussions, skin care recommendations, and staying well remedies and sometimes a chuckle or two. VeggieThumpers.com is also how those interested can order my concoctions. Look Veggie Thumper up on Instagram and Facebook!
Welcome to Thumperland and I hope we can be Veggie Warriors together while we awake the masses and inform them and welcome more aboard. Those who want to learn more, and some who are just starting to learn to live better. together we can make these chemical “foods” and everyday items a story we tell our grand-children how the people woke up and took their health back! Stay tuned read awhile. there is PLENTY more to come!
Peace,
Veggie Thumper