I was standing at the sink washing an egg for my breakfast the other day. We’d had rain the day before, and the egg was covered in mud and poop from chickens climbing into the nesting box to lay. Washing eggs is a daily task for me as a homesteader with chickens. This, along with daily sweeping of the dust and dirt that inevitably gets tracked into the house from the kids, cats, and dog, is part of my routine. Most of the time, my kids are barefoot. They go barefoot everywhere on our farm—the backyard, the veggie garden, the goat yard, and the pasture to visit the pony. They sometimes forget their shoes when we go on an errand, and I have to double back to grab them. I often forget how relaxed we are compared to other families with a less rural environment about the dirt and dust until someone visits and points it out. Talk of germs usually follows at some point, and I lament the challenge of keeping things clean.
This is the reality for most homesteaders and farm families, especially those with young children. Dirt, dust, muddy shoes, and boots are shrugged off as we happily care for our animals that serve us by providing food and companionship. It turns out, however, that this exposure to dirt and dust is actually good for us, especially for children.
The immune system is developed, in part, via exposure to the world around us and is the body’s defense against all manner of infection. It plays an important role in how our bodies cope with allergies as well. Within the immune system are three different types of immunity at work: innate, adaptive, and passive. Innate immunity is the immunity you are born with and includes the skin and other natural barriers to infection. Passive immunity is taken on temporarily from another source, such as breastmilk.
Adaptive immunity continues to develop throughout one’s life as the body gets exposed to various pathogens and as the body’s defenses are strengthened. Living on a farm gives kids an edge in the area of adaptive immunity. This edge is called the Farm Effect. Turns out the combination of microorganisms found in hay, straw, and animal dust are actually helping stimulate the immune system, thus reducing the incidence of allergies and asthma in children who live in this type of environment. A 2012 study found that “protection from asthma and allergy is strongest when exposure occurs in utero or early in life, but the protective effects can persist into adulthood.” A 2023 study of farm children strengthens this conclusion and found that farm children had half the risk of non-farm children of developing hay fever, with continuous exposure an important variable.
Consumption of farm milk also played a part. Results of the 2023 study emphasized that “the continuous consumption of farm milk from infancy up to school age was necessary to exert the protective effect.” Consuming raw milk, referred to in the study as “farm milk,” is controversial and actively discouraged by various medical groups. However, raw milk that is produced for human consumption is collected with standards of cleanliness and immediate refrigeration to insure that milk is as safe as can be. I’ve had the opportunity to witness this firsthand after our daughter’s goat gave birth back in March. Bonnie, the mama goat, is milked daily, and the raw milk is so fresh and delicious. My daughter even made fresh cream for our coffee from the milk fat. It tasted amazing!
Most families are not farm families, so most children will not benefit from the unique conditions living on a farm provides, but there are some practical suggestions for the average suburban family that can help.
First, get kids outside and let them get dirty. Turns out my grandmother was right in sending me out into the backyard, barefoot, with the command to not come in until lunch. Playing in the dirt is good for our health!
Second, and related to the first, is that a perfectly clean house isn’t necessary. I love the old saying: “This house is clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy.” I’m glad to know the dust and dirt my children and I track in isn’t only not harming us but could be helping.
My children’s ages ranged from 12 years old down to 1 year old when we bought our hobby farm. While the youngest will benefit the most from our decision to embark on this farm adventure, I’m glad to know homesteading has benefits beyond the deeper connections to nature, the joys of planting and growing food, and the teaching of responsibility as they learn to care for and connect with our animals.
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