Parkers

from page 13 the oldest now hunts too.

The family uses fish and wild game as meat sources, but their focus is more on consuming fruits and vegetables. They have three aeroponic tower gardens that they fill with lettuce, kale and herbs year-round. They do not purchase those items from a store unless one of the towers runs out of water and the plants die.

“Fruits and vegetables are very healing,” Kimberly said.

Kimberly is a former personal trainer with a nutritional background and has more than 1,200 followers on her Instagram account.

As Kimberly grows the outdoor garden this spring, her goal will be to grow enough food to preserve fruits and vegetables for the year. So far, with a smaller garden last year, she was able to cut down on store produce by almost half.

To keep the kids excited about produce, Kimberly makes snack

Parkers page 15

Parkers from page 14

boards for them, grabbing a cutting board and chopping up vegetables to serve with hummus and serving peanut butter with apples.

“Kids like food to be fun,” she said.

They also craft many soups in their house. One of their favorites is a creamy broccoli soup with carrots and potatoes creamed together with cashews and chopped, cooked broccoli. Kimberly said the soups allow her kids to consume all the nutrients from the vegetables.

Whether it is riding dirt bikes through the woods or tending to the land, Kimberly said her family is content.

“You can have a lot of kids and not lose your mind,” she said. “I share the beauty of a big family and eating a wholesome diet and having fun in the country. … (The idea) that life can be simple.”

With Details

BY SARAH COLBURN | STAFF WRITER

AVON – As winter melts to spring, low maintenance plants and shrubs with heartier bloom options are hitting the market.

Plant trends come and go, but Paul Huls, of Huls Horticultural Services LLC of Avon, said colorful, thoughtful plantings never go out of style.

“Hostas and daylilies don’t have nearly the popularity they used to,” he said. “People are moving away from some of those traditional plants a little bit. We tend to go in streaks, and we like things that are new and unique.”

Huls page