How Long Can We BARE It?We are taking off our shoes and putting our bare feet down for what we believe in - our next documentary, Goshen. We won’t stop walking barefoot until we reach our goal of $12,000! Until we reach our goal, we will be posting a new video each day at 5PM (Pacific Time) highlighting our barefoot experience throughout the day.
We’re taking a walk on the wild side so please, don’t drag your feet! WATCH and SHARE our fundraising video and DONATE to Goshen! *ALL DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
DAY 1: IS IT LEGAL TO WALK BAREFOOt IN PUBLIC SPACES?
Since it is not our intention to create health hazards for ourselves or others, we decided to do a little research before walking into any public place barefoot. Is it legal to walk barefoot in public spaces?
Unfortunately, we have removed* our video that shared what we learned from our local county, city, and state Environmental Health and Public Health Departments! *It IS illegal to record a phone conversation without "all parties consent." However, here are our findings after numerous hours of research. There is not a local county, city, or state law that requires the wearing of shoes or other footwear in public places where we live. However, any private property owner has the right to create restrictions on their property; including businesses, restaurants, etc. The obvious known common restrictions are no smoking, no animals, and "no shoes, no shirt, no service." A sign is not required to inform people of any restrictions. Therefore, we are staying out of privately owned, public places, today and are asking YOU for your ideas for alternative ways to be "barefoot" in public spaces! We are going to take the best idea and head into town soon! 
Day 2: Cooking up a Storm...OUTSIDE!
We realize our barefoot campaign may be a little confusing to some, so we are going to make a few things clearer:
1. We ARE 100% encouraging walking, running, dancing, and gardening barefoot! We believe in the health benefits and will continue to promote being barefoot throughout the production of Goshen. 2. We ARE in the middle of Winter! Yesterday's high was 44°F, low was 30°F. 3. We ARE cooking all of our meals in an outdoor kitchen (by necessity) and our feet ARE getting cold! This is our URGENCY for your support! Helps us get our barefoot shoes back on for the Winter to keep our feet warm! DONATE to support the production of Goshen today: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 3: Barefoot Visit to the Post Office!
We have done our research and are now STEPPING into public spaces barefoot, starting today. We are taking the risk of being kicked out of buildings based on owners restrictions. We will only enter buildings that do not have any sign informing no shoes restrictions and if we are asked to leave, because of being barefoot, we will!
Not only is the ground cold now, but pretty filthy to walk on in some places! So, please help us get some protection back on our feet, we won't stop the barefoot-a-thon until we reach our goal of $12,000 towards making Goshen, our documentary feature film! Click here to DONATE: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 4: Grocery Shopping Barefoot!
Today was the first time either of us experienced going grocery shopping in bare feet! Unfortunately, the grocery store we normally go to had a sign saying, "Please do not enter the store without shoes." Fortunately, we found another grocery store that did not have any such signs. Since we had discovered in our research that we could legally be asked to leave the grocery store for not having shoes on, even if there isn't a sign, we were pretty nervous about this endeavor. So we moved as discreetly as possible throughout the store thinking maybe we would go unnoticed.
We quickly realized that would be a miracle. The expressions on people's faces were as varied as the shoes they wore on their feet. From side to side nods of the head in disapproval to out loud laughter, it seemed as if people had never seen someone barefoot in public before. Although somewhat embarrassed, we were able to purchase all the food we needed for the week and thankfully, we were not asked to leave! PHEW! Day 5: Gardening Barefoot!
As filmmakers of Back to Eden, a documentary sharing a revolutionary organic gardening method, we are avid believers in growing our own food year-round! Today, we tended to our garden in our bare feet. Unlike gardening in the dirt, the wood chips covering the soil, have absorbed all the moisture from the heavy rain... so it was not muddy for our feet! Many people swear by the benefits of gardening barefoot, claiming that they feel more "grounded."
Reflexologist, Stephanie Slon, describes why this is true: Our bodies are made up of about 60 percent water, which is great for conducting electricity. The earth has a negative ionic charge. Going barefoot grounds our bodies to that charge. Negative Ions have been proven to detoxify, calm, reduce inflammation, synchronise your internal clocks, hormonal cycles and physiological rhythms. The best places to get some negative ions through your feet are by the water. Everyone knows how good it feels to be barefoot on the beach – now we know why! Being in the garden is always a mind clearing and rejuvenating experience but we must admit, we felt more grounded and connected to the environment being barefoot in the garden! We encourage you to try it out and let us know what you think! Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm 
Day 6: Communal Eating
In addition to maintaining an active lifestyle, the film will address how sustaining a healthy diet is key to the prevention of modern diseases.
We recommend reading The Jungle Effect: The healthiest diets from around the world by Daphne Miller, MD. In her book, she lists key components to why indigenous diets are exceptionally healthy. One of the key components that stuck out to us was not about what indigenous people eat, buy how they eat. One of the indigenous diet key components is food traditions including:
Our film, Goshen, displays how forming community, including sharing resources, land, knowledge, and even meals, can create a healthier body, mind, and spirit. We encourage you to eat in a group setting this week and see if you notice any differences in the how you eat and how you feel after the meal! Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm DAY 7: EAting Local and Fresh Foods
Another one of our favorite indigenous diet key components from The Jungle Effect is to eat foods that are local, fresh, and in season. Every week we go to the local farmers market to purchase fresh, organic, and in season local produce (this week we did it barefoot for the first time). We believe the increasing production of processed foods poses a threat to our health. Goshen reveals how a local, fresh, and organic diet can benefit your health.
Our previous documentary reveals how to grow organic food. However, the increasing production of GMO seeds poses a threat to our ability to provide food ourselves. Goshen focuses on how to save your heirloom seeds as a means of food security. Additionally, it addresses agricultural diversity as a practice that is necessary to survive in the future! Today, we shopped for local ingredients and harvested fresh veggies for a special recipe. Stay tuned tomorrow for an authentic Tarahumara recipe and meal! Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 8: Cooking an Indigenous RecipeOur last favorite key ingredient to eating an indigenous diet is recipes passed down through the ages. Goshen shares the health benefits of eating organic food; focusing on how to pair, prepare, and partake of your harvest.
Three common foods in the traditional Tarahumara diet are corn, beans, and squash. During her time visiting the Tarahumara, Daphne Miller, author of The Jungle Effect, found that the Tarahumara call these three ingredients, when combined, the “Tres Hermanas” or Three Sisters. All three of these foods are slow-release foods meaning foods that have a high a fiber level which release sugars and nutrients slowly and steadily rather than in a spike as in many carbohydrate, low fiber foods. The Tres Hermanas are valued for the following health benefits: Corn: Rich in nutrients including niacin. When eaten with beans, the digestion rate is slowed to release nutrients over a longer, more absorbable, period of time. Beans: Help control blood sugar and insulin levels, are low in calories, high in fiber and exceptionally filling, even in small portions, beneficial in nutrients and protein. Squash: Excellent source of potassium, fiber, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin C, and beta-carotene (if orange or yellow). Today, we cooked (barefoot in our outdoor kitchen) an indigenous Tarahumara recipe using the Tres Hermanas! 
We feel an urgency to document the Tarahumara people before industry and modern society further encroaches and eliminates their ancient traditions; including their indigenous recipes. You can expect to find out more about beneficial recipes in Goshen!
Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm |
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Day 9: Eating at a Restaurant...Barefoot!
As of today, January 10th, we have 12 days left to reach our fundraising goal! So far, we have raised 64% of our goal!
When we decided to start our “How Long Can We BARE It?” fundraising campaign, we were under the impression that people would want to help us put back on our Vibram Five-Finger shoes. Surprisingly, we were wrong! However, this fundraising campaign has opened many unforeseen doors, reaching new audiences of barefoot enthusiasts from around the world; many of whom are encouraging us to keep our shoes off after we raise the $12,000! For those barefoot supporters out there, here is another barefoot video you have probably been missing! Today's video highlights our first experience going to a restaurant barefoot! It is a very rare experience that we eat out. We believe the more you eat in, the healthier your plate is going to be. "Nutritionists are calling for Americans to reduce their risk of cancer and other diseases by cooking at home more and eating out less. People consume 50% more calories, fat, and sodium when they eat out than when they cook at home." - Rachel Brandes; American Dietetic Association We have noticed differences in our bodies because of the reflexology benefits of going barefoot BUT we also notice a difference in our health when we cook at home versus going to restaurants! CHALLENGE: Don't eat out for a week! The more your body becomes accustomed to eating good, healthy foods, the more you will notice your bodies resistance to unhealthy foods - just like the more we have gone barefoot, the less appealing it sounds to constrain our feet in shoes! Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 10: Barefoot at the Beach
Today, we went to the beach - the best place to go barefoot! Walking on the sand felt like getting a free pumice buffering - any dry skin we had was cleaned up! It was rejuvenating and seemed to heal any ailments from the past 10 barefoot days! We also believe that it did our bodies good in many ways we cannot see with our eyes!
"The solution for chronic inflammation has been identified! And it is not blueberries. It is something right beneath our feet-the Earth itself!" -Earthing Going barefoot has been shown to reduce inflammation. According to many new studies, "inflammation is the number one cause of disease in the 21st century (from allergies to Alzheimers, arthritis to Autism, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, asthma, anemia, lupus, MS, and more are ALL related to inflammation). One possible solution may be grounding or earthing, the process of reducing inflammation by walking, standing or even sitting barefoot on the ground." -Run Bare.com In the coming months, as we begin filming Goshen, we will be interviewing specialists - doctors, authors, runners, and more - who will share the benefits of being barefoot. If you want to help us inform the world of the life-saving benefits of being barefoot, then DONATE to Goshen today! Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm |
Day 11: Preparing Chia Seeds
Chia Seeds (known as "The Running Food") are a high energy, endurance seed that are a staple food in the Tarahumara diet. Chia seeds are a super food. They are a complete source of dietary protein, providing all the essential amino acids.
Today, we made a small batch of chia gel. The capacity of chia seeds to absorb and retain many times their weight in water is amazing! The small seeds absorb liquid extremely fast, usually in 10-15 minutes. You can make a basic gel by adding 1/4 cup of seeds to 1-2 cups of water. Stir to avoid clumps. Then you can leave it in a jar with a lid and eat a spoonful whenever you want. We like to add honey for flavor! The gel provides all the beneficial nutrients in chia seeds, including essential fats, protein, complex carbohydrates, soluble fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. The gel formed when chia seeds are eaten creates a physical barrier between carbohydrates and digestive enzymes that break them down, thus slowing the conversion of carbohydrates into sugar and extending endurance. This is probably one of the many reasons the Tarahumara use chia seeds to sustain themselves during long periods of running. Interestingly, the gel forming property tends to slow digestion and sustain balanced blood sugar levels, which can be helpful in preventing or controlling diabetes. The health benefits of eating like a Tarahumara will be explored in more detail in Goshen! Stay tuned because in the coming days we will see how well the chia seeds work to sustain us on a barefoot run! Click here to FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 12: Visiting the Aquarium
Have you ever seen a jelly fish up close? There have been numerous times at the beach where we have both almost stepped on jelly fish barefoot. Being barefoot at the aquarium was a completely different experience! We could simply be dazzled by their beautiful colors, shapes, and sizes without the fear of being stung.
Everywhere we go, it's hard for us to not constantly be thinking about filming Goshen in Mexico this March. In this case, we were thinking about the sustainability of eating fish. The Tarahumara's diet is largely plant-based. Although they occasionally eat meat, fresh water fish is a more regular supplement to their diet. Although the Tarahumara do not eat a lot of meat, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that, "their diet exceeded the UN's recommended daily protein intake by more than 50%." This is believed to be due to their protein rich plant based diet; specifically eating a diet full of beans, squash, peppers, and wild greens. In conclusion, Goshen will share the health benefits of eating a primarily plant-based diet. However, if you want to eat fish sustainably, we recommended checking out the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Sustainable Seafood Watch Pocket Guide. Click here to FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 13: Running Errands
Common fears related to going barefoot are associated with the cleanliness of going barefoot. Are these health hazards fact or fiction? Since taking our shoes off, we have done some barefoot health research and also come up with some personal conclusions based on our experiences.
"Bare hands spread germs and disease and are far more hazardous than bare feet No, going barefoot does not lead to fungal infections." A common myth is that going barefoot can lead to getting foot fungus. "The best way to cure athlete's foot and toenail fungus is to go barefoot. This is not just my opinion, it is the position of the American Academy of Dermatology. Shoes are incubators that create warm, dark, moist environments - perfect for growing fungus. Going barefoot keeps the skin on your feet dry and strong and exposed to microbe-inhibiting agents like wind and sunshine. Bacteria also thrive in shoes, especially Pseudomonas bacteria. Because of this, even stepping on a nail is safer barefoot than in shoes, as research proves that shoes significantly increase your odds of puncture-wound infection (this research is discussed in The Barefoot Book). Finally, the risk of parasite infection through the feet in the United States is virtually zero due to clean water and sewage systems." -The Barefoot Book; L. Daniel Howell PHD Our personal bare-footing experience has been that we have felt the need to wash our feet thoroughly each day, more so than we would when wearing shoes. Actually, our feet have probably been much cleaner at the end of the day because of this. I never had considered the inside of my shoes could be as dirty if not dirtier than the street in town, the floor of a grocery store, or a dirt path. Considering the research above, this makes sense! In conclusion, the inside of my shoes and the soles of my shoes are most likely carrying a lot more dirt and bacteria than the soles of my bare feet. We think that socially, being barefoot in public spaces is an issue that we all should become more informed about and as a result will feel less concerned about any related cleanliness issues and more inclined to understand with the health benefits. In the coming months, as we begin filming Goshen, we will be interviewing specialists - doctors, authors, runners, and more - who will share the benefits of being barefoot. Goshen will additionally focus on other health related subject matter including seed saving, food security and survival skills. If you want to help us inform the world of life- saving health information, then please FUND GOSHEN! Thank you for your support! Click here to DONATE towards Goshen: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 14: Running Barefoot
Does not wearing shoes actually strengthen your muscles, increase your feet's arches, decrease injuries, and improve your health? YES!
Today, marking two weeks into our bare-foot-a-thon, we ran barefoot as a tribute to the Tarahumara and Goshen. Many of the Tarahumara people wear "Huaraches" - a minimal sandal made from discarded tires and leather straps. In an evaluation of the huaraches, Dr. Steven Robbins says the sandals are of "recent origin and are used at a cost to foot health and running performance." From our experience, running barefoot is immeasurably more intense than walking barefoot because of the amplified impact with the ground. Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, we will be able to interview the famous Tarahumara runner, Arnulfo Quimare (photo above), who will be featured in Goshen. We look forward to documenting the way Arnulfo runs and about his opinion concerning the health benefits of being barefoot. With 7 days left, we have raised 75% of our goal! Goshen is not possible without YOU! Please share our fundraising campaign with your friends! FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 15: Barefoot in a Hail Storm
Today we experienced a sudden hail storm that we felt was a perfect opportunity to test the limits of our barefoot cold weather endurance! There are only 6 days left to contribute towards the making of Goshen film. January 22 is when our barefoot-a-thon technically comes to a close. However, people seem to be asking us from a wide variety of opinions, "what are you going to do when the barefoot-a-thon ends? Will you continue to go barefoot? Why won't you just put your shoes back on already!? What barefoot minimalist shoes will you put back on? Will you put shoes back on?" We have been pondering these questions over the past weeks, listening to our feet and our hearts...We are pretty certain of our conclusion at this point. On the last day of our campaign we will announce our conclusion to these questions.
No matter if you are "Pro" or "Anti" barefoot walking, running, cooking etc., we feel that you all will find the information shared in Goshen inspiring and informative regarding many beneficial solutions to maintaing health from head to TOE! So please, support the production of Goshen so you can truly draw your own conclusions from the final film! Stay tuned to find out our final barefoot announcements! FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 16: Preparing a Tarahumara Recipe
Today, the sun came out which made us crave a summer salad. Thanks to The Jungle Effect we were able to prepare a Jicama-Orange Salad; an indigenous recipe from the Tarahumara of the Copper Canyons, Mexico. Watch our video to learn the recipe! Enjoy!
With 5 days left, Goshen film is 82% funded! FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 17: Planting Seeds...Barefoot!
On January 7, 2013 at 8PM (PT) we will have a live radio interview on "The American Preppers Radio." What is a "prepper" you might ask? Preppers are "people who are actively preparing for emergencies. They often acquire emergency medical training, stockpile food and water, prepare to become self sufficient and build structures that may help them survive a catastrophe."
Our documentary, Goshen: Seed. Sustenance. Survival., will share how some community's living practices may provide ways we can prepare for the days ahead. One of our main focuses in Goshen is to share how to have food security. Today, we planted seeds in our community garden knowing that 1) Growing your own food is key to being self sufficient;, 2) Living in community is the ultimate way to not just survive but thrive! For example, the severe drought in northern Mexico over the past 24 months has meant that many Tarahumara have no food reserves left. "Fortunately for the less successful Tarahumara farmers, an age‑old tribal custom, korima is still observed. This custom requires the better‑off to share food with the less fortunate in times of need. The poor person visits successive ranchos, collecting small quantities of food to last him a week or two, then repeats this procedure as necessary. No lasting debt is incurred." -www.geo-mexico.com If you are a Prepper, you will want to fund and watch Goshen! FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 18: Hiking Barefoot in the Redwoods!
This week we received unfortunate news that another friend of ours was diagnosed with cancer. We also had a phone conversation with Mexico Missions Aviation pilot, Mark Egolf, who informed us of the shortage of food due to the devastating drought that has plagued Mexico for the last 2 years. Receiving this news confirms our feeling of urgency to document solutions to the growing epidemic of disease and famine. Goshen film and funds will directly impact these urgent issues!
We invite you to join us in our efforts to prevent disease and famine and prepare self-sufficient places of refuge for the days ahead. To reach our goal, we need your support! Goshen is 87% funded with 61 hours of fundraising left! Contribute for a first or second time! Share our fundraising campaign with your family, friends, and community! FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 19: Rock Climbing Barefoot
Today being Sunday, we relaxed at the beach until we decided to do some barefoot activities. It was actually much easier to climb on the rocks with bare feet because they were able to grip so well! Sorry, no video today.
DAY 20: Paying it Forward
Goshen reveals how eating an indigenous diet - recipes passed down from generation to generation - can prevent disease and benefit your wellness. In respect towards my ancestors, I, Sarah, made my Grandmother's secret pan bread recipe that her mother taught her! In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., we felt that today was an especially perfect day to consider how we treat one another in our daily lives.
After having received so many generous contributions and support towards Goshen, we wanted to "pay it forward." Our idea was to make homemade bread and share some with our community as a gesture of kindness. As a gift to YOU, I want to share my Grandmother's pan bread recipe. It is a bread my Grandmother claimed can "sustain you for an entire day." I know that she would love to hear that as my "pay it forward" action, I shared her bread recipe! For those times when you are without an oven, all you need to do to enjoy some good homemade bread is follow this recipe: 1. Mix together the following ingredients:
3. Cook, covered, on low heat for 8 minutes. 4. Flip, cook an additional 8 minutes. 5. Enjoy! 6. PAY IT FORWARD! FUND GOSHEN: http://www.indiegogo.com/goshenfilm Day 21: Meeting our Fundraising Goal!
THANKS TO YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS, WE REACHED OUR GOAL TODAY! Goshen is 102% funded with 12 hours left in our fundraising campaign! It has been quite a journey crowd funding on Indiegogo for the last 45 days!
We began the new year, 2013, barefoot and have posted a new video each day for the last 22 days as part of our Barefoot-a-thon campaign. Needless to say, we have learned a lot from this experience and the audience for Goshen has grown and surpassed our expectations! We are very grateful and humbled by the generosity of so many people. We can’t thank you all enough. With the covering of supportive new Goshen film community members like you, we will surely achieve a miraculous things! We will be posting news updates throughout production on our website at www.goshenfilm.com/news Subscribe to receive email notifications! We invite you to follow Goshen on facebook and follow our tweets on twitter! We are off to purchase our tickets to Mexico and gather new video equipment! The production of Goshen is possible because of YOU! Enjoy watching our barefoot-a-thon highlights from the last 22 days! Stay tuned in the next few days to find out whether we keep our shoes off or put something back on! |
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