Nourishing Families Naturally with Holly Renee Overcashier, elderwise organics
🎧 Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music
On this episode of The My Outdoorsy Mom Podcast, Holly Renee Overcashier, founder of Elderwise Organcis shares how a deeply rural upbringing and personal health crisis led her to a holistic, nature‑aligned lifestyle. Together with her husband, she co‑founded Elderwise Organics—an organic superfoods company born from her experience making DIY elderberry syrup for her family and local parents.
A Farm Girl’s Roots
Holly’s childhood on a multi‑acre family farm shaped her bond with nature—playing barefoot, caring for animals, and valuing outdoor time long before it was trendy.
Outdoor Rhythms Across States
Even split between Minnesota and Florida, Holly’s family weaves outdoor living into daily rhythms: gardening, homeschooling, sledding, beach walks and backyard forts—making nature a non-negotiable part of life regardless of climate.
A Wellness-Changing Health Crisis
After multiple surgeries and debilitating health issues, Holly embarked on her own healing journey—leaning on nutrition, movement, and natural remedies instead of quick fixes. Within a year she went from bedridden to a half marathoner.
The Birth of Elderwise Organics
It began with jars of homemade elderberry syrup passed around at church. When friends and local moms asked for more, Holly (with encouragement from her husband) began selling, then scaling—emphasizing quality, transparency, and relationship-first sourcing.
Superfood Sourcing with Soul
From touring sea moss harvesters in St. Lucia to witnessing matcha ceremonies in Japan, Holly and her team source with integrity—prioritizing regenerative practices and fair relationships over profit.
Shop www.elderwiseorganics and use code "MOM15” for 15% off your first order!
Want the full episode? 🎧 Listen to Episode 12: “Nourishing Families Naturally with Holly Renee Overcashier, Elderwise Organics”
-
Julianne Nienberg (00:00)
Today's guest is someone who truly lives in alignment with nature, not just in the way she parents, but in the way she feels her family's health and wellbeing. Joining me is Holly Renee, co-founder of Elderwise Organics, a company dedicated to helping families nourish their bodies with nature-sourced superfoods.
Holly and her husband are entrepreneurs, mentors, and passionate advocates for holistic living. They split their time between warmer climates in the winter and their 10 acre property in Minnesota, where they raise chickens, homeschool their two kids, and prioritize a lifestyle deeply connected to nature. Today, we're diving into how we can simplify wellness, make outdoor living part of our daily rhythms, and nourish our families with what nature provides. Holly, welcome to the podcast.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (00:42)
thank you so much for having me. This is going to be a lot of fun. I'm so excited to chat with you.
Julianne Nienberg (00:46)
So one of the things that I loved learning about you is that you grew up on a farm and the way you described it, sounded so idyllic running barefoot through the fields and caring for farm animals. felt very Charlotte's Web. How did that upbringing shape your perspective on nature and parenting?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (01:04)
Well, it was one of those things that if we weren't outside doing chores, we were outside just playing. We had three TV channels. We didn't have indoor, we weren't an inside indoor family. We were always outside because anybody who has had a farm or even a hobby farm knows that there's always something to be done. so quality time was outside with my family. And so I think that that's...
just how that grew within me was let's be outside because that's where my parents are, you know, and that's where my brother is. And so it was not just being outside, but it was cultivating the land. was building relationships with animals. It was being outside in the fresh air because why be inside when you can be outside? And so we were, we were barefoot all of the time. And you know, it was just, it was, it was all I knew to be honest with you and in living in a rural, you know, community, that's kind of just how
Everybody did it. And so that I didn't question it. wasn't anything different. It was just how I grew up and my family still operates that farm today. It's still being cultivated by my dad and my brother. And it's, it's beautiful to see the legacy that's being handed down.
Julianne Nienberg (02:14)
Wow, I mean exactly what you said, the legacy that's being handed down and something that obviously.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (02:18)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (02:20)
has played such a big part of how you parent today. So, you've split your time between Minnesota and Florida, right? And so how do you prioritize outdoor time into your life in both of those locations? you're homeschooling, you're raising chickens, talk to me about what that looks like when you're spending time. And I have to say two very different climates, right?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (02:26)
Mm-hmm.
It's so true. Well, there's a reason we leave is because it gets so cold, you know, but even we we've only been doing this for four years. So in my kids are nine and 11. So we have had those Minnesota bitter cold winters where we had to get real creative with being outside. And we used to have ducks and peacocks also. And so there was animals to be cared for to be being outside. And so that was a huge reason for us to be out there is these animals are depending on us.
Julianne Nienberg (02:42)
Yeah.
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (03:06)
And so we need to make sure that they have the best environment that they have to be able to thrive. And so that's a big thing for us in Minnesota is, you know, caring for the animals and also the land. Peyton has a, my daughter, she has a garden in both areas. And so what we have found is...
Julianne Nienberg (03:09)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (03:21)
Find something that you love to do outside and make it into your daily life. So Peyton loves chickens. So she has little chickens here too. And we have a little garden that they
actually like live in. It's so cute. They're small enough to still be in the garden. We'll be getting a chicken coop soon. But we just found something that came naturally for us and we do it. We're always outside exploring and seeing nature because to us, and we know that
Julianne Nienberg (03:35)
Yeah.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (03:47)
Outside living in nature is a gift it fuels our body sunshine fuels our body getting our feet on the ground fuels our body and we're always looking for ways to increase our energy right and to be Connected to earth the way that I believe that we were designed to and so any any opportunity we have to do that we do it as a family too and I think that that's the part like my kids don't even see it as like checking it off of the list of like we have to go outside today they just see it as like well this is what we do and so if you
Julianne Nienberg (03:51)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (04:16)
cultivate that in your family and even if it's not in the early stages, let's say your kids are 9 and 11 and you're not used to this kind of lifestyle, you can just start incorporating it and rather than making it a to-do list or something we have to do, if you can shift your mindset to like...
we get to go outside rather than you guys go outside. Okay, you need to go outside. It's just like the whole concept of like going to your room, right? Like, okay, you're going to need to go to your room now because we need to talk through this rather than go to your room. It's the same concept of outside, you know, we can either use it as something that's a gift or we can see it as a to do list or something that has to be done. And I think that when you shift that mindset, it becomes what it's supposed to be.
Julianne Nienberg (04:34)
Mm-hmm.
And I think too, and you I'm sure this is something that you emulate with your kids, but when they see their moms or their parents spending time outside,
and enjoying it. I think that paints such a powerful picture to them to exactly what you said that this is a gift that we get to step out and experience and enjoy and savor this fresh air. And, they're always watching. So the more that we can model how much we enjoy being outside, they will naturally come because there have been times when my three year old, one time he said, I hate going outside. And that's, you know, he was three, he's having some big feelings and big emotions.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (05:10)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Right, yes, yes.
Julianne Nienberg (05:34)
And 10 minutes later, he's out walking in the woods with his brother and sister, just getting lost, having their own little conversations. And there will be times when your kids will not want to do something, whether it's going outside or not doing chores, but when we can model how just life-giving it is to just step outside and feel the sunshine,
Holly-Elderwise Organics (05:37)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (05:54)
It is just something so powerful. We experience all the seasons and I find great joy in experiencing all the seasons. we know that winters are a a slower rhythm for us and we savor that. But to hear my daughter, even at breakfast this morning, we were talking about how excited we were for summer. And my daughter said, I love winter too. And it was just such a blessing to hear that because
Holly-Elderwise Organics (05:54)
Yes.
Julianne Nienberg (06:17)
Sometimes we can feel that the winters are long suffering, but that she could find joy in the winter when our rhythms are slower, but my kids have grown to love the snow. And that's because, like you said, we're modeling this joy in being outside. And also we're serving it up to our kids as just, this is something that we just do. We kind of have a.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (06:20)
Yeah.
Mmm.
Yeah.
Julianne Nienberg (06:42)
an open door policy when it comes to going outside. My kids are free to go in and out of the house. You know, they're tracking in the mud and the salt and the dirt and the snow, but I wouldn't have it any other way. And I think that's it's exactly what you said of letting it not be something that we check off, but the more that we do it, it just becomes a part of our daily rhythms and that it is and teaching our kids young too. I love that language. It used just teaching our kids that this is it's nourishing to our bodies and to our souls.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (06:48)
love that.
you
Hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (07:10)
to feel the ground in our bare feet.
I love that. That was such a beautiful picture that you painted.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (07:16)
Yeah, and you know, I think too, like not being afraid to put on the winter gear and do it with our kids, you know, I have so many great memories. We have a really big hill on our property in Minnesota and we have so many great memories. The kids actually talk about that. Mom, I miss sledding with you. I'm like, guess what? I swim with you instead. hey, we can make the best of it, right? we get to go to the beach instead of sledding down the hill, you know, like we still get to enjoy our time together, but
Julianne Nienberg (07:22)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (07:42)
We have videos of us just, you know, going down the hill together and screaming and laughing and, having a chicken on our lap. And you know, it's all about like doing it with them and not being afraid to be a kid, you know, to be a kid with our kids. think sometimes as parents, we're so stuck in the, in our to-do list of what needs to get done. And it's like, let's send the kids out side so I can get this, this, and this done. And I think it's a balance of both, right? Let's send the kids outside so you can get some productive time. Cause we all need that.
Julianne Nienberg (07:54)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (08:10)
Desperately desire
that and honestly crave it. You know, it's like my gosh, I need a break but also think about the joy that comes from experiencing it with them the laughter and the memories and just your own need for the outdoor and the fun and so I just do want to encourage mama's like I've
Julianne Nienberg (08:14)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (08:28)
I've been in that place too where it's like the kids outside means I get stuff done and it can be a balance of both. It's like, Hey, go outside for 15 minutes and it puts you in a place of like, okay, I got 15 minutes to get my stuff done and then I'm going to go outside and be a kid with my kids and get the best of both worlds. Right.
Julianne Nienberg (08:44)
Absolutely. in the depths of winter, I have that internal dialogue with myself just about every day. And so I will do the same exact thing. I'll set, said, listen, you know, give me 15 minutes. I'll wrap things up here in 15 minutes. And then I want, I want to go outside and play with them. You know, like I want to be sledding down the hill. It's so funny. We have a hill too. it's, it's just like the perfect slope hill enough to do some like epic sledding in the winter time. And that's what
Holly-Elderwise Organics (08:55)
Yeah.
Yes!
Julianne Nienberg (09:09)
You know, my hope and my desire is that my kids grow up and remember those slow winter days that we were just sledding all together as a family. My husband goes out there and he just rocket launches them down the hill. And there are just some beautiful moments that we've had out there where I'm just lying like on my back, staring up at the blue sky. You know, it's just snowing all around us. in those simple moments, I just remind myself, this is what I want my kids.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (09:12)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Love it.
Hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (09:34)
to learn
to enjoy and to learn to love, right? Because they will learn to love the things that we love if we show them and model it.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (09:37)
Yeah.
Absolutely. Yes, and
I was just gonna say those simple moments. Like I think sometimes in my experience in motherhood, I can get caught up in having to make these grand experiences for my kids, right? And even ones that are costly, you know, going into like our budget and saying like, but I think the kids would have so much fun when in reality, like a lot of times.
Julianne Nienberg (09:45)
Mm-hmm.
Yes.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (10:03)
What they really want is just us to be doing everyday life with them, right? We don't have to get so focused on like creating these big wild experiences for our children when really they just want the sweet connection and it can be just as good. You know, it can be just as
fulfilling and just as memorable and just as special to be doing things at home in your own backyard or finding a state park to go to or finding, you know, a local park to go and hike and enjoy and some of our favorite
Moments have been just like camping in our own backyard and I know that that's not possible for everybody But it's it's like just putting up a tent in your backyard. You don't even have to sleep out there Just be in your outdoor space, you know in in a little $10 tent that you can get out of garage sale You know you eat it we can be resourceful and we can still enjoy and create epic moments Outdoors without even having to leave
Julianne Nienberg (10:55)
Those are great ideas because I think you're right. So many times we as moms and you know, I do believe that social media has created this, curated experience buffet where we see the best of the best. And it's like, my gosh, you know, well they get to go out here
Holly-Elderwise Organics (11:03)
Mmm.
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (11:09)
My kids have learned the 10 commandments at school, one of the things they learned it in a song and it's like not to covet, if your neighbor has gone to Disneyland or Disney World 10 times and I forget exactly how the song goes, but the same applies for adults too. And I think when we allow ourselves to be exposed to the constant showing of everyone's highlight reel, right? We're not seeing
Holly-Elderwise Organics (11:13)
Hmm.
Yeah.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (11:32)
the mess and the ugliness behind all of it. We're just seeing like, that person gets to go on really great vacations or they're going this and that. They're making, amazing family memories. I'm like, sometimes my kids tell me the things that they remember are me snuggling up with them on the couch. Or if I did, if I made a funny face or a funny noise when we were running around outside and that's what I want them to remember. Right. And so I love that you are, you know, that you encouraged moms to just
Holly-Elderwise Organics (11:53)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (11:57)
to just kind of step back and just remember that all our kids want, especially when they're younger, is our time, our undivided attention and our time. And to be honest, especially if you have little ones, they want us to be physically near, right? And I think we all know our kids, certain love languages, like a couple of my kids, I mean, I think all of my kids, they love physical touch and they want me to be near and...
Holly-Elderwise Organics (12:05)
Mm-hmm.
Y-yes!
Hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (12:20)
It is, it's sweet. I always remind myself like this is a season and there will be a time when they are going to have more independence. So I, I want to soak this up and those memories, those precious memories can be made in the simplest ways. Like you said, right? Like pitching a tent in your backyard or some of the things that I love to do is I will challenge myself to have a no spend day with my kids. I'm like, what can we do and what, how can we be resourceful and just go out and experience things.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (12:33)
Yes.
Hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (12:46)
find the free state parks or find a beach somewhere, a public access beach and we'll pack our lunches, we'll bring our smoothies, whatever it is, and we'll just go out and be together. And it doesn't have to be about creating a grand experience or spending lots of money. There are so many things that we can do outside and enjoy with our kids that require little to sometimes no money at all,
Holly-Elderwise Organics (13:07)
Mm-hmm. Yes, and I do want to say like I get that there are days in Minnesota or Midwest whatever those cold days where it's like going outside is not an option and I think you know We can we have the gift of being able to look at the forecast and be like it's gonna be negative 20
for three days in a row, like we're not going outside. And something fun that we used to do, because we dreamed about being able to come to Florida, is we would bring Florida to us. We would bring the tropics to us. And so we would make our own tropical smoothies, and we would color as if we were going to throw a luau. And we got super creative, because I had to do that for my own mental.
Julianne Nienberg (13:25)
Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (13:44)
And my kids thought it was the greatest thing ever. I'm like, hallelujah, because I want to go to Florida right now and I cannot. And so, you know, we would lay in the sun in the house and put out a towel and pretend like we were at the beach and like, we had so much fun with it because I was needing that. you know, it was, and I made it something fun for the kids. So rather than being like, I wish I could be somewhere, do it.
Julianne Nienberg (13:46)
Mm hmm.
Right.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (14:10)
bring it to you because
there are times where going outside isn't an option and I get that. I mean, it's not like I haven't lived through cold, harsh Minnesota days with babies, you know? So it's like, you can get creative too and not feel this like, we didn't go outside today so I did a disservice to my children. It was like, guess what? We brought the outside in today. We brought the sunshine inside and we made our own party. And so you can get real creative with that and it doesn't even have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as like, guess what?
Julianne Nienberg (14:25)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (14:36)
I wish that we were drinking, you know, coconuts on the beach today. So we're going to open up a coconut water and pretend that they're from coconuts or get those little dollar store ones, you know, go on Amazon. Amazon has everything these days. It's just from going to like no spending, but then also like finding a way to get creative with it. And you can, do so many fun things that doesn't have to be, we can't be outside because it's so cold.
Julianne Nienberg (14:45)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (14:58)
but rather like what can we do inside that's warm and fun and different, you know, and making it an experience for your kids that they'll probably remember. My kids still talk about that. Remember when we used to pretend that we were in Florida? Like, yes, I do. Now we're here.
Julianne Nienberg (15:13)
And now you're in Florida, but I think you're right. It's just that
simple mindset shift or a shift in your perspective to say, know, like, what have we got going on today? And sometimes you're right. It's like sometimes we can bring the outdoors in or, know,
Holly-Elderwise Organics (15:18)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (15:26)
My kids, tell my kids, know what winter is like we slow down and I know I'm okay with us like just being cozy or doing kind an indoor activity because I know that when summer comes like we go bananas we go hard in the summer because we know as Midwesterners like we have been waiting for these days. So I'm okay. Like you said, I I don't see it as a disservice either to have our kids inside but
Holly-Elderwise Organics (15:36)
Yes!
Julianne Nienberg (15:48)
After too many school cancellations, I start to get a little bit like, okay, we need to get out of the house or we need to go outside or do something. But yeah, I totally agree. Sometimes it's just that simple mindset shift as to how can we do something that we enjoy that might be in warmer weather, but how can we bring it inside? And it's just about getting creative. I loved your ideas. So tell me, mean, now that you have lived life in Minnesota,
Holly-Elderwise Organics (16:07)
Yeah.
Julianne Nienberg (16:12)
And in Florida, what are your favorite things about each and what are your family's favorite things about both places?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (16:16)
⁓
my gosh, there's nothing like a Minnesota summer. It's just beautiful and fall. That's why we're there for it. You know, the Minnesota summers, it's just the lakes are so beautiful. We love having our acreage and just being able to enjoy, you know, walks in our backyard and just getting up and seeing the trees as our background. And we love going to the lake. The kids are outside all the time. They build forts. They, you know, have their little tree house and
Julianne Nienberg (16:22)
Yes. Yeah.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (16:45)
They're they have their trampoline. They build forts in the trampoline. I mean, it's just that they're outside all of the time. I'm also a trail runner and so the trails here are very different. They're very sandy and they're very flat. So in Minnesota I love love love to run the trails there. They're just they're epic and amazing and I'm a long distance trail runner so I really love doing that.
Julianne Nienberg (16:55)
Hmm
Holly-Elderwise Organics (17:05)
And you know, my husband is not as much of an outdoor enthusiast, but he is such a go-getter in the aspect of he toughs it out and is like, okay, I can do this for an hour. It's fine. Like anything with bugs and he's out. And I'm like, babe, they make bug spray now all natural. Like I'll spray you down with it. You know, you'll be good. But he, he loved the reason he loves it is because he loves the joy that it brings.
Julianne Nienberg (17:10)
Yeah.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (17:29)
to all of us and that I think has been so helpful for him. So if you do have a partner or a husband who isn't necessarily thrilled or in love with being outside, I'm telling you, just continue with it. Just continue encouraging
Julianne Nienberg (17:30)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (17:44)
it. Like, hey, we're going on a walk. Do you want to come with? And sometimes he says no and sometimes he says yes. And here in Florida, it's a way more of a yes because it's not so buggy and outdoorsy of it is in Minnesota. But honestly, he has been
loving it. I would say in the past four or five years, he's really become way more into like, I love this. I've been missing out, you know, I love being out here. And so it also takes a perspective shift to see it as like an encouragement of hey, we'd love for you to come with the kids have so much fun when you're with, rather than being like, why do you never come with us?
Julianne Nienberg (18:04)
Hmm.
Mm hmm. Right.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (18:19)
I wish that you came with more, you know, it's all about how you word it and phrase it and in making it an invitation. So we love being outside as a family, but I will say me and the kids love it more. Zach loves seeing us love it. And so that's why he
enjoys being with us outside.
he isn't gonna be the first one to be like, let's go on a camping trip. But if I plan it, he's like, here we go, babe, like, let's do this thing. And he's such a trooper about it, you know? But when we're in Florida, we do love going to the beach. We also love just being able to have the conveniences of like the local parks, because that is something with living in the city here in Florida, that is a huge total difference compared to living.
Julianne Nienberg (18:39)
Yeah.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (19:01)
in more of the rural area in Minnesota. So we do enjoy that going to the football field. My kids love to play football. They both play. We
love being able to go and play basketball and you know, just being a little bit more involved with other people doing those activities to inviting people and and getting together and doing it in groups. think that there's so much power in that too, especially as a young mama with kiddos. When my kids were younger, it was always like.
Julianne Nienberg (19:08)
Okay.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (19:25)
How can we meet up? How can we meet with other families? Because the kids just play so well together, you know, and just have so much fun. And so I think that there is quite a bit of difference in our lifestyle with Minnesota and Florida, but still both
of the.
both of them are enjoying the outdoors in different capacities, you know, and just being able to appreciate what each one has rather than, I wish we were having this, this and this right now. Well, we get to enjoy that while we're in Florida, you know, and so we don't have much of that anymore because we've really talked it through with the kids of like, you know what, really enjoy your time while you're here.
rather than wishing it was different. And I will say that with whatever capacity, let's say you go on vacation, it's like, let's just soak it all in and get as much as we can from it because we know that we're going to be going back to a totally different, you know, experience and landscaping and all of that. And so it really challenges us to be fully present in the moment because we know that it's gonna change.
Julianne Nienberg (20:18)
Absolutely. And you I love that you brought that up because there are times, that
your spouse might not be, you know, you're, two different people and what you're interested in, like before we were married, I would plan our vacations cause I loved to plan vacations and, just, know, even just trips and my mentality was go, go, go see as much as we can. And my husband, he works a very stressful job and he's more laid back. Like I want to relax. I want to take it slow. I don't need to see everything.
And so, know, when you get married, there's a lot of compromise and meeting your partner in the middle. And for someone like me who wanted to see everything, was, you know, it was a lot to say, okay, I need to recognize what my partner needs. And for some women, it's a partner who, like you said, might not necessarily enjoy the outdoors as much as you do. And, you know, my husband sounds very similar to your husband. Well, he...
Holly-Elderwise Organics (21:10)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (21:13)
In the summertime, he'll come out and join us. And it's usually him like doing work. think he associates like the outdoor time with being productive in the yard and like mowing and tending to everything. But he's glad to join us up at the beach when he has some downtime. But to your point, it's like just inviting them to come along, like you said, kind of just shifting our framework to say.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (21:32)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (21:34)
you know, hey, we're going on a walk or hey, I'm taking the kids up to the beach. Do you want to meet us there for dinner? And then like being able to enjoy it together as a family. But yes, sometimes, you you might have a spouse, you might have a partner who isn't really gung ho. And how can you continue to
to invite them to join you. And eventually, like you said, like he comes out and he sees how much joy it brings you and the kids and just how much fun the kids are having outside. I always plan like the camping trips and my husband is, he's outdoorsy by nature. Like he, if we were stuck on an island and I, as long as my husband was there, you know, I would have full faith that like we would be okay. Like he would, he's, you know, he's very, he, I...
Holly-Elderwise Organics (21:57)
Yeah.
Same girl. Mm-hmm. Like resourceful.
Julianne Nienberg (22:15)
Resourceful, yes. So I'm so
Holly-Elderwise Organics (22:16)
Yes. Yes, mine too.
Julianne Nienberg (22:19)
grateful. I'm so blessed that he is that way. Because I look around our house and he does so many things around the house that I ask him, like, how did you know how to do that? goes, you know, I didn't know. I just started doing it and figured it out. And he, you know, he's very skilled with his hands. So I'm very grateful for that. But yeah, when it comes to camping, I've learned, like, I sometimes would like to go to a few different spots to camp. And my husband's like, no.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (22:30)
Yes.
Julianne Nienberg (22:42)
Let's just post up somewhere, enjoy it. And I love that he brings that to the table because it reminds me to, you know what, slow down and savor, savor what it is right in front of us. Cause I think there's a part in so many of us and so many moms that are just, you know, more, more, more. Like when we have downtime, it's like we're caught in between the struggle of like, do I relax or do I, what are all the things that I need to do? So I appreciate that about him. And I think it's just a lesson that we all can.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (22:53)
you
Julianne Nienberg (23:11)
can appreciate is how do we savor this time that we have together and how can we invite our spouses, our kids to enjoy just nature simply, So speaking of nature and simple and the things that nourish our bodies and the way that the sun nourishes our bodies, I have loved going through your website, through ElderWise Organics and just seeing
Holly-Elderwise Organics (23:22)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Thank you.
Julianne Nienberg (23:35)
the depth of products that you have and also just like the quality of ingredients. I can tell that you take pride in the way you source your ingredients for your different products. Talk to me about how did elder wise organics begin? Like walk us through the story and were you always this passionate about holistic health?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (23:39)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
Hmm. That is, that is such a great story. And it is, it is something that spurred from my own health journey. I have had seven knee surgeries and a heart surgery. And, um, in 2011, I had three knee surgeries and a heart surgery in a three month period. So my first surgery was when I was eight and I had four of those surgeries, you know, throughout my adolescence. And then in that one year we had, I had four of them.
Julianne Nienberg (24:06)
Mm.
Wow.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (24:23)
And my body just really hit a place where it couldn't function anymore. And understandably so, you know, between all of the pain meds and all of the medications that I was put on just to be able to go through the surgery and the dyes that they injected, like my body just kind of hit overload. And at the time I was also just...
Julianne Nienberg (24:31)
Hmm.
you
Holly-Elderwise Organics (24:41)
new to health and I wasn't eating properly and I wasn't taking care of myself the way that I do today. And so, you know, there was so many things within me that were happening. And so I went, down the continued down the route of the, the medical system. And for three months, I was very much bedridden and, know, trying different medications, antibiotics and steroid creams and all sorts. My body was just covered in hives. couldn't eat anything without being sick.
Julianne Nienberg (24:42)
Okay.
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (25:08)
I was super inflamed and it was just, it was really uncomfortable. And I found myself in a place where I felt more like a prisoner in my body than anything. And, know, with them saying that you needed to live a sedentary life, like I was used to being outside all of the time and being active and not necessarily a runner by any means. but I was active, you know, hiking and biking, and I've always been an outdoor enthusiast. so after three months of doing it that way,
Julianne Nienberg (25:15)
Mm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (25:38)
I decided something needed to change and I wasn't going to live like this anymore. And this was back in 2011 and we're in 2020, 25 now. So we're talking years before we had all of the resources that we did. So I was old school and I went to the library and checked out books
Julianne Nienberg (25:42)
Wow.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (25:52)
and I learned how to heal my body and I did it all holistically and Zach and I were very poor at that time. We were actually on food stamps. We were very, very poor. And so I was having to be resourceful with very little.
And so I was eating very, you know, clean and healthy, but also like not flavorful and it's very different than what we have available today in the Whole Foods store. Okay, it was very much like chicken and fish and some, you know,
Julianne Nienberg (26:12)
Mm hmm. Mm
Holly-Elderwise Organics (26:17)
quinoa and steamed vegetables and once in a while fruit like my body just wasn't doing well with a lot of things and
Julianne Nienberg (26:23)
hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (26:24)
so I didn't go to a holistic doctor we didn't have money for any of that it was literally just me doing the hard work and taking time to listen to my body and after I ate something how did I feel and you know really connecting with myself I didn't use those words at that time I had no idea what I was doing I was just absolutely desperate to have life within me again and not feel so miserable and so one day
I was driving home from the co-op and I saw it was like the little co-ops that you walk into and it smells like essential oils and body odor like that. That was it. Okay. So it was this tiny little hole in the wall. I know you do girl. And I'm sure a lot of your, your mama's aunt listening due to
Julianne Nienberg (26:56)
I know exactly what you're talking about.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (27:01)
it's like one of those places where I'm like, gosh, I just love this place for so many reasons, you know, and they loved me and we, and they were such a big part of my journey. They were just sweet people. and so
Julianne Nienberg (27:05)
Yeah.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (27:12)
I was driving home and I saw someone running and she radiated joy. Like I looked at her and I was just like, there must be something wrong with her cause she's running and she looks happy. You know, I've like, what, what is this? And I remember just saying to the Lord, like, man, I wish I could run. Actually. I wish I could just be happy. And he said, why can't you? And I was just like, you're right.
Julianne Nienberg (27:18)
Hmm.
Hmm.
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (27:38)
And in that moment, I realized the only limitations that we have are the ones we put on ourselves. And I've realized that so many times throughout my life. And so I went home and put on my shoes that I probably got from the thrift store and I went for a walk. And the next day I walked a little farther and the next day I walked a little farther and next day I walked a little farther. And mind you, I've been bedridden ever since my first surgeries, which were back in July. And this was all the way forward to March. So I started to run.
Julianne Nienberg (27:42)
Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (28:05)
and I ran a little farther. I didn't have a coach. didn't have a plan. I didn't have anything. I didn't have the 5k to, you know, couch to 5k like nothing. I don't even know what stretches or anything I did to be honest with you. I just ran because I didn't know anything
different, right? I think that that's something that keeps us stuck sometimes. If it's not the enemy telling us that we can't do it or our own mindset of like, I can't do this. It's paralysis by analysis because we look around and we're like, I don't know how to start. I don't know where to start. Everybody says something different. So which one do I even do? I don't know which one to do. I'm just not going to do it.
Julianne Nienberg (28:26)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (28:33)
And so, you know, I just did it. Same thing with my health journey. I was just like, I don't know. I'm going to read a book and figure out what to eat
because I'm just used to like meat and potatoes and steak and, know, growing up on a farm, like that's, that's all that we ate and not that that's not good, but in that time, that wasn't good for my body. My body needed something else. And so I started running and, in six months I trained and ran my very first half marathon. So it was a year after my heart surgery, September. Yeah.
Julianne Nienberg (28:50)
Wow.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (29:01)
It's a it's a testimony to what our bodies are capable of if you create a thriving Environment your body will heal itself your body was made to heal God made our bodies in such a beautiful way and so that is what sparked my Desire for holistic health and so I had to
Julianne Nienberg (29:04)
Mm-hmm.
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (29:17)
unmedicated completely natural pregnancies, which was something they said I wasn't gonna be able to do. And I just wanna take a pause and say, I believe that the medical system is beautiful. I have family in the medical system. I am not saying that there is not a time and place for it. I just believe that
Julianne Nienberg (29:22)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (29:33)
we have become too much into the business of silencing our bodies rather than supporting them. And they need to be supported.
Julianne Nienberg (29:37)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (29:40)
If we have a symptom, our body's trying to tell us something. It doesn't need a medication to quiet it. It needs something to rise up within it and support it. And that's the belief that I have because that's the experience that I've had. And so when my children were starting to get the cold and the sniffles and all of that, when they were, you know, younger, I'm like,
Julianne Nienberg (29:43)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (29:59)
how do I support their bodies? Because
Julianne Nienberg (30:01)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (30:02)
to me, it's like the chicken noodle soup and all of that was what we grew up with. And it's like a yes and, right? And that was when blogs and things were starting to become a lot more popular. And so I remember going on Wellness Mama and reading about elderberry syrup. And so I made a batch. And I'm like, my gosh, this is amazing. Because we were also not.
Julianne Nienberg (30:04)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (30:21)
in a place to be able to buy pre-made elderberries or up to buy it for, you know, $30 for a bottle. was like, well,
that's like half of our groceries for that week. That was also when groceries were affordable. So this was a long time ago. Okay. And so I made it myself and it was amazing. It worked great. And then I was in a little, mop mops group and the moms were like,
Julianne Nienberg (30:42)
Yes.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (30:43)
how come your kids are never sick? Like you can go to all the play dates and your kids show up and they don't have snot running out of their nose. Like what gives? And I'm like, I just make them elderberry syrup. And they're like, can you make me some? I'm like, absolutely I can. So I start bringing these jars to mops and pretty soon my husband's like, babe, we don't have extra money for you to be giving this away. Like you, you have to charge people for this. And I'm like, what? I don't want to do that. And he's like, well, if you don't, then we're not going to be able to like keep affording groceries and stuff. I'm like,
Julianne Nienberg (31:11)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (31:12)
Okay, well how much should I charge them? And he's like, I don't know how much does it cost you to make? I'm like, I don't know. So there was like entrepreneurship 101 from my husband was like, okay, let's sit down and figure out your cost analysis. So otherwise organics began with a baby on my hip, a toddler at my feet in my kitchen, just simply making things for my own family and other people noticing it and saying, Hey, I want some.
Julianne Nienberg (31:14)
Right.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (31:36)
And pretty soon people were showing up at my doorstep. I had to get licensed as a cottage food to be able to do it legally from my home. And it grew and grew and grew to the point where we had to figure out a different way to produce because we were out, we were outgrowing what we were able to do.
And I came to my husband one day with a little baggie, a Ziploc baggie, because somebody said, Hey, can you ship it to me? And I'm like, I can't, I can't because I want to put it in glass, not plastic.
Julianne Nienberg (32:02)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (32:03)
and it freezes in transportation because it's negative how many degrees out. And I don't feel confident with the shipping aspect of things. And they're like, well, do think you could just send me what I need to make it? I'm like, oh yeah, for sure. I'm like, I'll just write out the ingredients or the
instructions. And it's easy peasy. I'm like, just boil it, you squeeze it, squash it out.
in a strainer and then you sweeten it like it's easy and she's like, okay, great. I'm like, plus is way cheaper. Like I don't have to put the honey in it and I don't have the time of making it. Yeah. Like all of the stuff. And so I sent it to her and I bring it to Zach and his Ziploc baking. I'm like, can you, can you send this in the mail? And he's like, what's this? And I was like, it's all the ingredients. He's like, why are we not selling this? And I was like, because I don't think there's a lot of moms who are going to want to make it. And he's like, well, you want to make it. I'm like, that's cause we're poor.
Julianne Nienberg (32:36)
Mm-hmm. The glass, right?
you
Holly-Elderwise Organics (32:56)
And he's
like, okay, yeah, but also, know exactly the local honey that's used. You can leave it unsweetened for Colton, you know, because our son was quite a bit younger and I didn't wasn't in the place of like giving him honey and stuff like that yet. And, and he's like, plus, you know, the quality of water, like, don't you think there's other moms who would want that too, that they know that there's not tap water being used. And I'm like, that is a really good point. And so he's like, let's start selling this. And so
Julianne Nienberg (33:02)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm
Holly-Elderwise Organics (33:23)
that's how we grew and expanded into that space and all about the quality, right? Like it was so important to me that we used only organic ingredients and then I started adding Echinacea and rose hips and you
Julianne Nienberg (33:29)
hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (33:36)
know the ginger and the cinnamon and the cloves all of that to really give a benefit you know for the taste palette for kids but also
Julianne Nienberg (33:39)
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (33:44)
for the immune boosting support. So as we've grown, we've, we then went and did an allergy blend. So we put stinging nettle in it instead of echinacea. We did one with goji berries just to create a little bit of a different, you know, blend and feel. So we've expanded that way. And then one day Zach was online and on Instagram and saw hashtag sea moss and few or elderberry infused sea moss.
Julianne Nienberg (33:50)
Mm...
Holly-Elderwise Organics (34:06)
And he's like, babe, what's the Seema stuff? I'm like, I have no idea. He's like, what? You're the crunchiest mama I know. Like, how do you not know about Seemas
yet? I'm like, I don't know, order some so I can learn about it. So we ordered it and made it and we were like, wow, this stuff works. And so then we started, you know, we made connections with one source first that ended up being not a great experience and taught us a very hard lesson of who you work with matters. And from that moment, I'm telling you, Zach and I could have quit because of the
Julianne Nienberg (34:23)
Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (34:36)
experience that we had of losing money and just it was a it was awful. The sea moss world is is a tricky one. And
so especially because it's, you know, grown and sourced in so many different ways and the quality of it really matters. So when you go on Amazon and you search for a sea moss, you'd better make sure that it's a quality one because they can come from the China seas and you have no idea or they're from a farm. So they're farm grown and grown in a pool.
Julianne Nienberg (34:58)
Right. Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (35:03)
rather than actually being wild crafted. So we worked directly with the islanders in St. Lucia. We went to St. Lucia and swam in the waters and touched
the sea moss and got to see how it was cultivated, how it was harvested, and how they harvested is so important because a lot of these companies are going in and just wiping out the whole seabed and not being respectful to the environment.
Julianne Nienberg (35:22)
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (35:26)
into our ecosystem and you need to regenerate, know, regenerative harvesting and regenerative practices. And that's just not their mindset when they're just all about the bottom dollar and how can I make the most amount of money and move on to the next seabed? And ours do it so differently and it's marine protected, all of the things that were important to us, right? And then we carried that practices into sourcing our matcha. We went to Japan last year.
Julianne Nienberg (35:29)
Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (35:50)
and we got to source it and we know the people who pick the leaves, it's hand picked and it's the spring harvest. So it's the first leaf, so they're not bitter and it's stone ground versus commercially ground. So when it's commercially ground, it's packed and it's done so differently and it's gritty and it doesn't dissolve where this one is like poof, you mix it once and it's done. And I sit down to this tea tasting ceremony and I take a sip of it and I'm like, what have I been drinking?
I have not been drinking matcha. Like
Julianne Nienberg (36:19)
Right.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (36:19)
I am just, I was amazed. I literally sat there with my eyes closed. So I think for like a minute because I was just like, I felt like the world stopped and I was just in a moment cause I'm like, this is the best match I've ever had in my entire life. And I've had a lot of matches, you know? And so I'm like, how do I meet this farmer? And so, you know, Zach and I have just such a passion for only the best. It's the same thing with our mushroom coffee. Two years ago, we went through a stint where
Julianne Nienberg (36:31)
Mm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (36:45)
The mushrooms weren't producing. And you know, of course in our mind we were without mushroom coffee for over three months. That's a huge hit on our end. But our customers know that we will not waver in the quality. We could have easily, absolutely easily just found a different source and kept packaging.
But Zach and I, the quality and the level of integrity that we have, we source everything personally. We know exactly who does everything and what they do and how they do it. And it's all tested. So the amount of time that it would have taken for me to find somebody new, develop a relationship with them, have the trust with them, go through all of the testing for it, they would have been grown and ready to go. So we just had to wait. And I think that that's something that we don't acknowledge enough in the manufacturing world and in the product world is like,
it's just moving on to the next and how can we make the most money and we can't be without a product because of nature. You know, they were going through too much rain. It was too wet or
Julianne Nienberg (37:33)
Mm-hmm. Mm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (37:39)
too dry, whatever the situations are. nature is what provides us the gift. And if we don't honor nature back, how are we going to continue growing and receiving and being able to be, you know, energized and nourished from
Julianne Nienberg (37:48)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (37:59)
Nature, you know, I think we've gotten to a place of like nature is here to serve us when in reality it's supposed to be a two-way like the way that God created it like we're supposed to honor what he's given us and I think too often we're just in the take mentality and so, you know our customers we we've become known as the trusted superfoods company because our
Julianne Nienberg (38:04)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (38:17)
customers know that first of all We're not just gonna put any old product out there the ingredients mean more to us than than anything, you know and
I think too, sometimes people see, you know, products and the marketing is everything. And I'm like, well, what's the quality then? Because if you're able to spend that much on marketing, how much are you actually spending on ingredients? know, and Zach and I do things differently. We don't run ads. We're not into that space because if people love our products, they tell other people. And that's how our company has grown because people love us and trust us and they know that we only put the best in and they want the world to know about it.
Julianne Nienberg (38:46)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (38:54)
And we appreciate that we keep the product cost low because we don't do all of the, you know, marketing component because I would rather put those savings back to my loyal customers. And, and we do that in a way that's so different than the world. And you know, the,
Julianne Nienberg (38:54)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (39:13)
voices are so loud. Trust me, we get, you know, emails and things all of the time of like, we should do your marketing. We should do your marketing. And Zach and I are like, no, thank you.
Julianne Nienberg (39:20)
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (39:22)
We keep our product costs, you know, low because we put the quality in that way. And our customers appreciate that we do things differently and I'm fine with it. You know, I love it. It's what makes us us.
Julianne Nienberg (39:27)
Hmm.
Yeah.
What a beautiful story of how you took a season of life that, you know, it's a common thing that I hear about when moms or women start to create, they start to create businesses or they start to create a movement or they start to create a ministry or something. But a lot of times it is born out of, I almost want to say it like desperation, right? Because what I heard from you is that you were
Holly-Elderwise Organics (39:57)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (39:59)
almost you were kind of at a low in life and just the way that your body was not, was not working well, right? And I have, I've had a similar story with, chronic illness where you're like, will my body ever be the same? And I had a similar thing I think I actually was exposed to mold, like in my college years and the way my body was reacting was also just chronic hives all the time.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (40:06)
Mm-hmm.
Mm.
Hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (40:22)
And I was, I was a college kid. like, I didn't have money to go seek like functional medicine. And I had one test done and told me I was allergic to soy. And basically anytime I ate soy byproduct, I would break out into like full body hives. And you know, you get to a point where you're just, like, it's just born out of desperation that you desire a change. And so many times I hear from moms that it's that desperation that spurs them to take action.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (40:49)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (40:49)
to create
something, to educate themselves. this is like before the rise of the internet and before we knew what all the internet had, In terms of information. And so I love that you started running, like you didn't follow a plan. You didn't have a couch to 5K plan. You started running. You started educating yourself. there is so much information and
I'm also of the same regard for the medical community and modern medicine. I do believe that there's a time and a place. Like my daughter was hospitalized last spring. And I know that that was something that we had to do. We had to walk through because I tried at home to do everything that I could in my power and in my herbal tinctures and all of my holistic things. And she just wasn't getting better. And I was like, you Lord,
give me the wisdom to know when I need to seek others and when I need to seek counsel on this. But what I think is lost sometimes is that moms have, I almost forgot what it was like to listen to my intuition and to listen to that feeling or to that nudge in my heart from the Lord that there is something here and I want you to look deeper into it. Instead of just taking them to the doctor all the time, I think there's so much power in learning about
How can we nourish our families with foods, with herbal tinctures or herbs that have been around for years and years and years? And this is the way that our ancestors, our grandparents, they nourish their bodies and they took care of their bodies. I'm seeing now, I think, a movement back towards reconnecting with traditional wisdom, with the plants that we know nourish our bodies.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (42:20)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (42:26)
what advice would you give to families, to parents? Because there is a lot of noise. There's a lot of noise around nutrition. You know, there's a lot of noise around holistic medical practices. You know, there's just so much out there. And like you said, it's analysis paralysis. Like you search on the internet, you're like, OK, I'm not supposed to eat eggs, but now eggs are good. And it's just constantly, you know, a little bit of that I know is marketing and things like that. But what would you say to moms or parents who
Holly-Elderwise Organics (42:30)
Hmm.
Hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (42:51)
want to simplify things, they want to nourish their families, and they believe that there's something else out there, there's something else that they can be doing to help heal their families, to help heal their kids, to nourish them. What's one piece of advice you would give them?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (43:07)
Hmm. I love that. That's a great question. Honestly, I would say don't be afraid to do it different because I think sometimes we look around and we're like, but I'm the only one doing this or why? Why is somebody else not doing it? Well, it's not their journey. It's yours. You know if I would have waited to see somebody else doing I mean I did I saw somebody running but that was different. I didn't start running. I just started walking and who knows how long she had been doing that, you know, and I think for me like I left the the doctor's office that day and just said like
Julianne Nienberg (43:13)
Hmm.
Okay.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (43:35)
This can't be my life. It has to be more. And so you have to ask that question for yourself. Is this what I actually want? Do I want my kids chronically sick? Do I want to feel chronically sick? Do I want to feel like this every morning? okay. I don't. Then I have to take the change. I have to be willing to take responsibility for my health and I can do it in simple ways. You don't have to do an overhaul. I had to because my body was chronically failing. Like I was sick and I couldn't function. But if you're in a place and maybe you are in that place and you do need to
Julianne Nienberg (43:38)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (44:04)
take massive steps, but a lot of times it's just simple steps like
elderberry syrup to boost your immune system. And sea moss has 92 essential minerals in it. I meet so many people who are so frustrated because they feel like they're taking all of the vitamins and they're not seeing any results. And I like to say, well, it's like baking a cake with only dry ingredients. You need the wet ones too. It's vitamins and minerals.
Julianne Nienberg (44:14)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (44:26)
So the minerals are so key and especially for children, their bodies are growing and developing. And when they're not getting those essential minerals that we absolutely
cannot get anymore from our fruits and vegetables because the soils are so deplete, right? That we are wanting these certain expectations without doing the work that it takes. And it doesn't have to be hard. It can be simple getting out in the sunshine and being able to have fresh air and not.
Julianne Nienberg (44:37)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (44:54)
Feeling so pressured and stressed. I'm telling you the chronic stress that so many people operate under is worse than you trying to eat a whole plate of vegetables like you can sit down and eat, you know a healthy meal, but your anxiety and all of these, you know emotions that are running through you and so I think that you know, the simplest thing is take responsibility for your health and recognize that you want to make a change and then do it.
Julianne Nienberg (45:00)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (45:19)
And you don't have to have it all figured out just one step at a time. And I think sometimes we get so intimidated with the mountain that we have to climb that we don't even start. And it's
Julianne Nienberg (45:20)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (45:27)
like, sweetie, just take a step. What's your one step today? Is it to have tea in the morning instead of coffee so that your cortisol levels aren't jacked up? Great. Wait for your coffee until you've, you've been awake for an hour or two. And I think to some people they're like, I could never do that. I'm like, well, then you're probably going to keep feeling the way that you do. And if you're okay with that, then that's fine.
Julianne Nienberg (45:29)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (45:46)
But you have to make that choice of I'm going to change. I want to change.
Julianne Nienberg (45:49)
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (45:50)
And it's not that I can't have those things. It's that I'm choosing something different now. I'm choosing something different and I want that. That's what I'm going for. I'm going for longevity. I'm going for feeling better and trusting that your body can do that, that it's made to heal. It can do that. It doesn't have to be chronically sick. It can do something different. I was chronically sick and look at what I was able to do because my body was
Julianne Nienberg (45:58)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (46:13)
Create it was put into an environment that it was made to thrive and so if
you create a thriving environment and nowadays there are so many resources out there that you can learn What is paleo? mean chat GTP alone will tell you if you don't want to have to find something like just ask chat GTP I want to be paleo. I want a clean diet. Give me you know 15 recipes
Julianne Nienberg (46:24)
Okay.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (46:33)
to make this week and I have sweet potatoes and this and this and this. give it what is in your pantry. Give it whatever is in your fridge. Like I'm telling you the resources that we have today, I'm like hallelujah. Let's use it for good, you know?
Julianne Nienberg (46:40)
Yes. I know.
I ask it to meal plan for me all the time. Like here's what I want to focus on protein and vegetables and nutrient dense. Like make a meal plan for me where I only cook three times and then I'm eating those things. But I love what you said, you know, and something that I took away from what you were sharing is just
Holly-Elderwise Organics (46:47)
all the time.
Yes.
Julianne Nienberg (47:01)
That hard doesn't mean bad. Different doesn't mean bad, We have to decide on what it is that we want. And I think for a lot of families now we're seeing, you know, of course with all the information that we do have accessible, we're seeing a movement towards parents and moms wanting to know what's in their food, what's in their soil you mentioned. I had a really great conversation yesterday
with a woman who is going to be on the podcast. And she was talking about soil quality and how important it is. And now we're, kind of waking up to all these things that we're looking at our life and saying, you know what, I want more for my family. I want to nourish my family. Why do you think that, reconnecting with traditional wisdom and getting back to nourishing our families with whole foods, why do you think that's resonating with so many families right now?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (47:26)
Yay!
I think it's because people are realizing that something doesn't quite feel right. Something's a little off. You know, it's like, it shouldn't be like this. How come it never used to be like this? Why is it so different now? I think we're looking back at history and saying, this doesn't seem right. We're going in a trajectory that doesn't feel good. So maybe we need to go back to those things because what we're doing isn't working.
Julianne Nienberg (47:52)
Hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (48:11)
So what has worked in the past? Let's go back to that and meet it with what we have today, right? The technology and the transformations and the inflammations that we've made, like it's wonderful. We don't have to throw it all out, but we do need
to go back to our roots. And it's really beautiful for me, like seeing these brand new baby chicks that we get, right? And they already know how to peck in the ground. They already know.
how to roll and take a dirt bath. They didn't learn that from Peyton. Peyton's not out there teaching them how to do that. It's an intuition. It's something that God made them to know how to do. They didn't have a mama. They hatched from an egg and Peyton picked them up and brought them home. So they didn't follow their mama around. So how did they learn that? It was in them. And I've asked that question. I'm like, Lord, how did you design us that we aren't operating in? And so we're trying to be something else and operate in a different way when you created us to operate in a certain way.
Julianne Nienberg (48:40)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Mm hmm. Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (49:03)
And so I just think about, you know, those roots of what we were designed. What are some of the intuitions that we have that we no longer operate from? You know, even just like how we use artificial light so much, you know, we were supposed to use candles after a while when it got dark out. Well, now we're in front of a screen and then we're figuring out trying to figure out why we can't sleep at night. And it was like, well, we were never made to operate
that way, you know? So it's just simple little things like that, that to the world, it's like, what do you mean you don't use lights at night? You use candles. Well,
Julianne Nienberg (49:24)
Mm hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (49:32)
because I don't want to mess up my circadian
rhythm. You know, it's just simple things like that, that, you know, I think the world would be like, you're an extremist. And I'm like, you can call me whatever you want, but honestly, I sleep really well at night, you know? And it's just being able to see things are not going in a good direction. We have to make a change. And what are those changes that we want to make? I think it's looking at how things used to be done and recognizing, they weren't so far off.
Julianne Nienberg (49:51)
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Yes, I agree and I love what you just said about intuition, deep down there is when it comes to certain things, and I think when it comes to a lot of things these days, when it comes to parenting and motherhood, there are some things when we're presented with that information, we're like, hmm.
There's more to this than that. There's a nudge in your heart as a mom. It's called mother's intuition for a reason. I love that you're just encouraging moms to really to listen to those little nudges. Like what is it that you want for your family when it comes to nourishing them and really wanting what's the best for them. As parents, we'd spend so much time. think society tells us to spend so much time on developing their character, which is absolutely important. Academics, like, okay, but also like,
Holly-Elderwise Organics (50:21)
Mm-hmm.
Julianne Nienberg (50:39)
we need to, in order for them to excel in anything, we need to be taking into account what we're feeding into their bodies, feeding into their souls, into their hearts and filling them with all the things that are good and beautiful and true, So Holly, I have loved our conversation. I could chat with you for hours and hours and hours,
Holly-Elderwise Organics (50:42)
Hmm.
Yes! ⁓ girl, I same. I feel the same.
It's been so fun.
Julianne Nienberg (51:01)
for those who are listening, where can they find more information about Elderwise Organics?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (51:06)
yeah, so our website www.elderwiseorganics.com we sell directly on there. Also all of our products are packaged by hand. Like we have our sweet little team in Minnesota doing such incredible work and they're so passionate and so we ship everything directly. We ship for free and you can visit us on that site and then we also sell on Amazon so you can just find us directly on Amazon and Etsy.
Julianne Nienberg (51:15)
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (51:31)
But we would love to connect with you on social media also. So if you can find us on Instagram, we're just at Elderwise Organics. And I love connecting with my customers on there and just people in general, you know, with the questions that they have, we do a lot of education on there. We have so many customers that share their own experiences and recipes and ideas and it's just a sweet little community on there. So
We would love to connect with you outside of this and anybody who is you know those mamas who are like I want to learn more Let's connect because there's so many things that we can learn from each other and just simple things And so I love that you've created this space I absolutely love it and it's been such an honor to be on here and I just I thank you so much for inviting me on and letting me share Just some of my passion and getting to hear yours. It was just such a sweet gift. So, thank you
Julianne Nienberg (52:19)
well, I appreciate you being here too. I was so inspired by just so many of the things that you said. I love how you make nature-based living feel approachable and simple.
and how you're encouraging moms to really get to the root of how we can serve our families well. And a lot of times it's through the things that we put in our bodies, So before we wrap up, I always end each episode with one simple outdoorsy challenge. It's something small that listeners can do this week to get their families outside. What's one thing that you would encourage them to try this week?
Holly-Elderwise Organics (52:51)
Mmm, I would love to see families go outside for a walk and take time to look around and and see differently not just see the tree but see the creation within the tree maybe it's a bird or maybe it's the way that the every leaf is different and maybe it's how the roots are, know sticking up out of the tree like or the clouds maybe the shapes of it like don't just look at
Julianne Nienberg (52:56)
Hmm.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (53:14)
the creation but examine it and experience it because I think that sometimes we miss that we can be out in nature without experiencing it and so just opening your eyes to seeing what's
around you and being able to experience it in a different way.
Julianne Nienberg (53:28)
So if you're listening, your outdoorsy challenge this week is to get outside, go for a walk, but also look at the details, like experience the details. Use all of your senses to experience everything that nature has to offer. So give it a try and tag me on Instagram to let me know how it goes. So Holly, thank you again for sharing your story.
Holly-Elderwise Organics (53:46)
Yes,
Julianne Nienberg (53:49)
For everyone listening, I will include all of the links that she shared into the show notes. Until next time, get outside, nourish your body, and I'll see you back here next week.
