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I’m excited to share a chat with my son Ben with you. In his first video appearance in three years, he has a lot to say about growing up in the kitchen and his experience homeschooling and in traditional school.
Dyslexia Challenges at School
It seems so long ago, but for all the downsides to the events of 2020, a silver lining for our family was that we were able to spend more time together and grow closer. Our son Ben had a challenging time navigating his homeschool years in grades 1-8 and brick-and-mortar high school years in grades 9-12. His dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia made learning through traditional means (reading and writing) difficult.
Instead, he found ways to use his talents to graduate from high school and pursue his college degree. He used his speaking and extrovert skills to advocate for himself. Instead of only relying on printed textbooks, he turned to audiobooks and videos, especially on YouTube. And to help him study for tests, he and his dad (my husband Ted) would take long walks together to talk about history and science, go over questions, and talk about stories to help him remember timetables and concepts.
Memorable Times in the Kitchen
Some of the most memorable times I had with my son Ben were in the kitchen, either preparing meals with him or serving him a meal where we could sit at the kitchen table and talk about joys or concerns. The kitchen is such a special place for making memories.
In my last video, I introduced you to The Modern Pioneer Cookbook Curriculum. I created this curriculum with an experienced teacher to provide you with a comprehensive set of lesson plans to teach traditional foods recipes and kitchen skills to students in grades K-12. This resource is over 250+ pages, and I wanted to make it available to you for free so you can use it in your kitchen to make memories with your children and grandchildren and give them skills and a love of traditional foods that will last them a lifetime.
So in today’s video, I’m happy to share my son Ben with you again. He candidly discusses his experiences growing up and learning at school and in the kitchen. I hope his perspective will help those of you who may have struggles in life. You’ll find that new approaches, whether in the classroom or at the stovetop, will bring achievements and give you the confidence for future success.
Order YOUR COPY Now!
The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
The Modern Pioneer Curriculum
The Modern Pioneer Cookbook Curriculum is a comprehensive set of lesson plans to teach traditional foods recipes and kitchen skills to students in grades K-12.
You can use this curriculum in conjunction with the recipes and text in my bestselling book, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook.
This resource is over 250+ pages, and you can download this curriculum for free.
More Family Videos
Check out the following videos to learn more about my son Ben and husband Ted.
- Meet My Sweet Son and Hear His Thoughts on Homeschooling and More
- Meet My Sweet Husband And Hear What He Thinks About Traditional Foods!
Kitchen Life Education Videos
Shaking up Homemade Butter at a Homeschool Shindig in Central Texas
Homeschool students enjoyed making homemade butter at the Lake Travis Community Library.
A Detailed Look Inside The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Watch this video walkthrough of my bestselling book, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook.
Why I Created The Modern Pioneer Cookbook Curriculum
I chat about why it was important for me to create this comprehensive curriculum for students in grades K-12.
Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!
And if you’re looking for a printed book full of my traditional foods recipes that shows you how to create a traditional foods kitchen, be sure to order your copy of my new bestselling book, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook.
Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
Are you looking for more traditional foods videos? If so, I invite you to join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy. Members of this optional paid YouTube community get access to exclusive videos, live streams, and other members-only perks. Plus, your YouTube comments include a special members-only badge.
Kitchen Academy Videos
Baking with Ancient Grains in the Traditional Foods Kitchen
Bake with Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt—nutritious ancient grains that bring rich flavor and tradition to your favorite recipes.
Discussing the Secrets to Perfect Green Herbal Oils
Let’s talk about the popularity of flavored herbal oils.
Are You Salt Sensitive or Salt Resistant? Get the Latest Salt Intake Research
Learn how your body may react to salt intake differently from others.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
- Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free 36-page eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy (Optional Paid) - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook (Optional Paid) - Get a printed book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Kitchen Supplies
- Favorite Aprons
- Spice Grinder
- Countertop Burner (On my kitchen island in many recipe videos.)
- Handheld Vacuum Sealing System
- Vacuum Lids
- Whisk
- Silica Gel Packets (Helps keep moisture from building up in your mix)
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven
- 8-Quart Slow-Cooker
- Fat Separator (Clever kitchen device to help you decant bone broth)
- Flour Sack Towels
- pH Strips (Helps you check on the acidity of your vinegar)
Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide
- Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
- Visit my Shopping Guide page
Get up to 15% off for stocking your Traditional Foods Pantry and equipping your Modern Pioneer Kitchen, including discounts from US Wellness Meats, Farmhouse Teas, Lehman's, Masontops, Cultures for Health, Survival Garden Seeds, Redmond Real Salt, Plan to Eat, and More!
