Does Pig Pen Know Best?

I found this article on Pig Pen's favorite subject (dirt), while searching for- of all things, Pig Pen pictures...it's like they were meant for each other!

Can Dirt Prevent Allergies?

"The "hygiene hypothesis" proposes that past generations were exposed to greater numbers and varieties of microbes, which may have helped humans develop strong immune systems. Our reduced exposure to those germs now may be increasing the risk of immune disorders, including allergies. Support for the idea comes from studies that have linked attending day care or growing up around pets, farm animals, or older siblings to a reduced risk of allergies.


While those findings are still preliminary, they do suggest that overly strict hygienic standards may not be helpful. For example, while it pays to be vigilant when there's a strong risk of infection, such as before and after handling food, "it's clearly not harmful for kids to play in the dirt, and not necessary for them to wash their hands 17 times a day," says Joel Weinstock, M.D., an immunologist and professor of medicine at Tufts University in Boston. The evidence may also provide another reason to avoid antibacterial soap and cleaners, which may contribute to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

So you know, I did some more research on something I have long believed and of course nearer yet to Pig Pen's latest craze...Honey.  Local honey is believed to help the allergy sufferers.  Yeah, that bee me.  It's a miserable Spring every year!  And this year was exceptionally bad.  My hope is that once the Honey starts to come in, it will be a mini-immunotherapy over the course of years that will gradually help.  I found this awesome article here.  Make sure to flip thru the pages and continue reading to the end.  Or if you know of someone who has allergies, share it with them.

Yesterday, Pig Pen walked out to the check the hives and took these photos:

Busy Bee's...we should have between the two hives, roughly 14 to 20 thousand bees now!

Here you can see they are capping off the honeycombs already.

This is a GREAT shot!  Way too close for my comfort! 

But if you look, you can even see the Larvae!  Eww!

So today we learned that Pig Pen may really know best...Dirt is Good and Honey is fit for a King!  He never strays far from the dirt.  The night he proposed, he took me muddin' on the 4 Wheeler even:

And for all the Mama's who may still be on the fence, read this great article.  We could all probably lose the anti-bacteria gel and a little less sleep maybe?  Dirty now...healthy later.  Just look at my Pig Pen...he's as healthy as a filthy horse!!!! 

Now, I'm not saying we should all eat worms!

Maybe just think about it??

....NO, we didn't!!

My Aunt always said, "You eat a bushel of dirt before you die".  Why else would we be on the Probiotic craze?  Heck, you don't gotta pay for it...get outside and roll around a little!  Not only is it good for you, IT'S FUN!!!  I would venture a bet that some of our fondest memories are of mud pies and chasing a firefly!

And for an update on the Sting Tally, it remains at Pig Pen...3 and The Apple Pie Gal...None!