"Natural
families" have special bond
By Jessica English
July, 2006
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Founder Kristi Beebe promises, there's no crunchiness litmus test for
involvement in Natural Families of Kalamazoo.
Founded in late 2004, the group has become a haven and support system for
more than 60 area families interested in a variety of "natural
living" concepts, from natural birthing and breastfeeding to organic
foods, cloth diapering, home schooling and holistic medicine. Member
interests vary widely.
"We have people who are just slightly crunchy, all the way up to
those who are really, really crunchy—all levels of crunchiness are
welcome," says Beebe with a smile. "Our group is all about
sharing information and making informed choices. You take in what you
read, hear or see, use what you can and leave the rest."
Beebe started the group shortly after she moved to the Kalamazoo area from
the East Coast. She had met some moms with similar interests through La
Leche League, but wanted an outlet where they could discuss topics beyond
the breastfeeding realm. Originally inspired by a national group called
Families for Natural Living, the Kalamazoo organization was born in
November 2004 with 13 member families.
The group has evolved to include both online and in-person components. The
home-base for the organization is its Yahoo Group, where members post
questions and exchange information on all sorts of topics, from major
parenting dilemmas and sick kids to the best place to find organic
blueberries. Participants also use the Yahoo forum to plan frequent
get-togethers. Events over the past year have included potlucks; park and
library play dates; trips to pick apples, blueberries and peaches; weekend
coffee klatches; and even a canning party.
"The Yahoo Group is great for sharing information,
" says Beebe, who lives in Oshtemo with her husband John Beebe and
their children Jordan, 5, and Aiden, 21 months. "You can post in the
middle of the night and someone else might be up to respond right away. No
matter what your question you can always count on a response of some kind.
"But the computer is not very
natural. If you're reading and typing, you're not spending time with your
family. The really wonderful part about Natural Families of Kalamazoo is
being able to see faces, hang out and eat good food together, and watch
our kids play."
Group member Shawn Felicijan has
enjoyed the connections she's made through the group. Most of her friends
are more mainstream, she says, and aren't interested in chatting with her
about organic
produce or attachment parenting. Felicijan is an active participant in the
Yahoo Group and she's participated in library and park play dates, along
with last year's peach picking, apple picking and
canning.
Like many of the group's members, Felicijan reports that she's become
"crunchier by association" since joining. When she first signed
up, she was primarily interested in organic foods. Exposed to a lot of new
information in the year and a half since then, her thinking on natural
living topics has broadened and deepened.
For example, over the years she'd toyed with the idea of cloth diapering
for her daughters Lindsay, 6, and Kellie, 2, but never made that leap.
Last winter, Kellie came down with a rash and Felicijan thought the cloth
route might be worth a try.
"Through Natural Families, I had this resource of people who were
experts on cloth diapering and able to head me in the right
direction," recalls Felicijan, who lives in Portage with her
daughters and husband David. "One of the ladies actually came to my
house to show me all the different diapers and help me decide which ones
to go with. It was amazing, and we've become good friends now. I don't think I would have ever switched to cloth at 18 months without her
help."
Members report that they've found the group useful in networking outside
interests as well. For example, Felicijan is working on a start-up
publication called Natural Balance Magazine. As she
prepares for its launch, she's appreciated the sounding board and logical
audience available through Natural Families.
Although Beebe tries to keep the group focused on family issues, she says
she's always thrilled to see spin-offs. For example, when members realized
that a number of them were interested in knitting,
they started a group that meets regularly to stitch and chat. And one of
the first off-shoots from Natural Families was an organic community
garden.
Known as the Healthy Harvest Community Garden, the project was the
brainchild of group member Michelle Timmerman-Davis. A friend of Beebe's,
she had a long-standing interest and experience in organic farming and
community supported agriculture. The Natural Families group served as a
connection point for Timmerman-Davis to find like-minded families
interested in a community garden.
Launched in the spring of 2005, the garden project now has seven member
families who tend to a half acre of land at Nazareth Farms, owned by the
Sisters of St. Joseph. Each family buys in monetarily at a share level,
which includes an average number of hours spent working at the garden each
week.
"The garden helps both the adults and children connect with
nature," says Timmerman, who lives in Plainwell with her daughter
Ella, 5, and husband Andy Davis. "It helps the kids to understand the
process of raising healthy food, and where that food comes. The garden
also helps with nature, science and environmental study, and contributes
to creating an environmental ethic. It's an experience and a connection
that they can take with them throughout their lives."
As both the off-shoots and the core group continue to grow and thrive,
Beebe is looking forward to what's ahead for Natural Families of
Kalamazoo. She plans to stay flexible and responsive to
members' thoughts on how the group should evolve.
"It will take its own natural course," says Beebe.
"Whatever people need, they'll let each other know and then make it
happen. What's important to me is that a lot of us now have this sense of
community and belonging that we never had before, and that's an amazing
thing."
For more information or to join Natural Families of Kalamazoo, visit the
group's Web site at
www.NaturalFamiliesofKalamazoo.org.
Among the ideas often discussed in natural family circles:
