Happy Holy Week!

I didn’t grow up gardening and so I don’t even know how to do a normal garden!  I started my gardening journey by tilling up an area of our yard-well, my husband tilled it for us and then we just planted seeds and plants. This kinda worked and we got some produce from it, but I could never keep the weeds under control as we have full lives and a cabin we would go to every week and family camp for 10 days over the 4th of July.  I had to make some changes or I wouldn’t garden at all.  I had to keep it simple or I would be overwhelmed and would quit gardening.  Everything I do, I tweak into simple systems and this goes for gardening too~it has to be simple for me because our lives are very full!  I don’t like to spend alot of time in the kitchen cooking and I don’t like to spend alot of time in the garden weeding either~I have grandkids to enjoy!!!!!!  

If you live in the city, apartment, or are a suburban homesteader, you can plant your garden in pots or raised beds in a small area and just start out with a few items that you eat often just to learn how to garden.  You can always add more and this will keep you from getting stressed out and overwhelmed with gardening.

If you are having trouble with growing food, one of the first suggestions I would say is to get your soil tested.  We had very sandy soil, so we had to add alot to ours for it to grow better.  I actually started vermicomposting several years ago as well and that has been so much help for our garden.  Vermicomposting is something you can do in a suburban area, city or apartment as it doesn’t take up much space.   

Let me know if you want more information on it, but listen to episode 32 to start with!!!!  It is so simple and important for your garden!  I’m going to order more worms and expand as I have a much larger garden space at our new home.

My 2nd tip is if you want to keep critters away, we sprinkle blood meal around our garden and a small amount around our plants and nothing goes near them.  I do this also for my flowers that the chickens might attempt to eat.  I actually now have my flower beds away from the chickens, but this also keeps the deer and rabbits away which is nice because they used to eat all my hostas and other plants just as they were coming up from the ground! I used to make a natural deer and rabbit spray with eggs and spices, but every time it rained I had to reapply and the animals seems to beat me to the plants, so the blood meal has been nice as I only usually have to spread it a couple times all year and you use such a little amount.

And lastly, this year I am going to try the no dig garden as it is supposed to be much better for the plants so I don’t know if I am going to need to do this or not, but in the past, we got smart with the weeds and layed out fabric and burnt holes in it to plant seeds or plants and we rarely had to weed.  This worked amazingly for us and our garden was very plentiful.  I posted a video of our garden in our facebook group if you want to see what it looked like.  We would have a few weeds here and there, but most of it was covered so the weeds couldn’t get through.   If you want to see these videos and be a part of our community, the link will be below!  

And here is a bonus tip if you are able to do this.  Set up an automatic watering system.  Our last home was on the river, so we drilled in water lines to the garden and then had hose to each plant and had it on a timer, so I never had to worry about the garden getting watered if

we were away for an extended period of time and this was a life changer~especially during the summers when we got very little rain.  I’m not sure how exactly my husband is planning on setting this up at our new home, but he probably has a plan as we have a hydrant close to one of the large gardens and he will most likely drill another line into the other one to keep everything running smoothly and without alot of hands on work.  It does take time to set up simple systems, but once they are set up, it all runs systematically and is much less work!

I would love to know any simple tips to help keep your garden abundant and stress free!!!!!!  Send me an email or join our community at the link below and let me know!

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Happy Easter!!!!!

Monica

Hello

I know you want to be doing all the homesteading things you see on instagram and social media, but the truth is, you are going to get burnt out trying to do it all.  I want you to stop and think about what is important in your life.  I know that when my kids were young, there is no way that I would’ve been able to do all the things that I do now that I have teenagers that are able to help out and are also independent and that makesa big difference. Littles need so much from you, so enjoy them while you can-they grow way too quick.  I am so excited to be creating a program for you so you can learn how to do some of the homesteading skills you want to learn without feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.  I want this to be a sustainable lifestyle for you!  Join the waitlist at the link below so you get first dibs on the discounts I will offer to email subscribers only!!!!  Everything I teach is simple and whether you work full time or are a busy full time Mom, you will be able to learn step by step just how simple it is!  

First, you need to take an inventory of where you are spending your time.  It may be shocking to you where you may be wasting time.  I really encourage you to track this for a week or two.  If you don’t pay attention, days, weeks, months, and then years are just going to pass you by and you are going to say…..I wish I would have done this or that and you can’t get that time back.

Next, if you want to stop feeling overwhelmed, you need to just focus on one thing first and then build on that.  You only take on what you feel is simple and doesn’t cause you stress.  If you are getting frustrated making sourdough bread, then just make some homemade bread with yeast~you friend, don’t have to do what everyone else is doing.  Just by taking that one step, you will improve your family’s health by so much.  Once you are in a routine of that every week or every month, then add one more simple skill.  Maybe you decide to make all your own hand soap~remember, it is just as important to change the ingredients you are using on your skin as the food you are eating.  It doesn’t make sense to eat healthy if you putting toxins on the largest organ of your body, you have to think about natural living as a whole.  If you changing everything right away, you are most likely to fail, so little by little~there is no hurry.

Lastly, build your community of like minded people.  If you don’t have any people around you, then find your people online. Living in a small town of 500 people, I understand this completely!  Trying to explain to people that you are a podcaster or have an online business is foreign to them and they can’t fathom making money without going to a physical job to trade hours for dollars. As nice as it is to live in the middle of nowhere, it is so beneficial to have a tribe with similar values online too!  We are really grateful to be surrounded by a community of homesteaders that we hang out with often, but sometimes it is hard to find your people locally! You need to find your people and you will feel less overwhelmed when you can really find people you resonate with. 

Even online, I make sure that if I am watching or following someone, they are aligned with my values and my Christian faith.  I just heard someone recently say that they thought they hung out with all Christians until they became one and then they realized all the ones that they thought were Christians really are not!  I could relate to this so much.  I remember someone telling me years ago that just be a good person and you will go to heaven.  That is not correct at all!!  You have to have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior-it doesn’t matter what you have done, Jesus loves us all and He wants to have a relationship with you!  If you have any questions about this, please email me!  I would love to chat.

Love ya!

Monica

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Hey Friend

Now that we will have 100 laying hens, people always ask what we are going to do with all the eggs!  Just for your information, we will not be keeping this amount of chickens, we are raising some to about 12 weeks for friends, 25 of them could be roosters or hens, so the roosters we will be butchering because we have our one and only gentle rooster named frank sinatra that we love so much and don’t need another rooster at this time, so we could be less than 75 before we know it! 

My teenagers sell the eggs and this is a really good gig for them since we pay for the feed and they make the money on the eggs!

We boil at least a dozen or two boiled eggs during the week.  It is a great grab and go snack for the whole family.  Sometimes we will make deviled eggs out of them  for a snack depending on if we have extra time.  

One of my favorite ways to use a dozen at a time is to make egg bakes and freeze them.  I usually will make 4-6 at a time and then we will take them out of the freezer the day or night before and let them thaw and bake them in the morning.  We love to have egg bakes in the fridge all week-not only for breakfasts, but if we need to heat a quick meal up in between sports or an event.  If you go to my website below and go to the blog, you will see our favoirite egg bake recipe.  Everyone raves about this one and we have been using it for over 20 years along with a few of our other favorite ones.  

We will scramble up dozens of eggs and cook them, cook sausage, and brown hashbrown and make breakfast bowls and freeze them and our family loves these as well.  

It is really important to me that my kids get a nourishing breakfast every day before school with protein, fat and healthy carbs to sustain them.  It has been many many years since I have bought breakfast cereals and items from the store. There is always something in the fridge they can access within a few minutes to make it convenient.  These are our convenient foods!  No package needed, nutritious, simple adn cheap!!!!

We like to make omlets and quiches, egg salad sandwiches, potato salad.  There are just so many ways you can use eggs.

I will take a day and make months worth of sourdough noodles which take alot of eggs-the amount just depends how big I make the batch.  

There are so many ways we can use eggs up in our house and it makes for simple and easy meals if you want something quick.  

I just ordered a refurbished freeze dryer, so that is another way we will be able to preserve them for 20 plus years if needed!  I can’t wait!  I’m really going to have to get that you tube channel up and running for you so that you can see all my wins and failures as I test out so many food items.  

Chickens are really worth getting because there are so many ways to use the eggs!  

Happy Homesteading Friend!

~Monica

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I really do beleive that alot of it has to do with the food we eat.  There are so many hidden poisons in packaged food that are banned in other countries, so I believe diving into food labels and simplifying our choices can have a profound impact on our health and well-being. This topic is close to every homesteader's heart – we all want to deciphering those food labels and embrace the beauty of minimal ingredients.

Picture this: you're standing in the grocery aisle, scanning rows of products, each has an array of ingredients you can barely pronounce. Sound familiar? It's time to reclaim control and return to simplicity!

Why should we care about those tiny print labels? Well, they're like treasure maps, guiding you to the healthiest choices. By adopting a "more is less" approach – aiming for foods with less than 2-3 ingredients – this will help you not just simplify your shopping trips, but also nourish your bodies with wholesome goodness.

So, what's the secret sauce to deciphering these labels? It's all about prioritizing quality over quantity. Look for real, recognizable ingredients – think fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Skip the lengthy chemical compounds and opt for foods that Mother Nature herself would recognize. When it says other natural ingredients, that should be avoided as well as you don’t really know what that is. 

Look at your bread you have right now if you get it from the store.  I looked at a loaf the other day when I was grocery shopping and there were about 15 ingredients in it!  Bread is flour, water and yeast.  If you don’t have time for sourdough, you do have time for regular bread-I have a recipe that takes less than 10 minutes plus bake time and you can make multiple loaves at a time.  I make mine in bulk, so I only have to make it 1 day every 5-6 weeks and that gives me peace of mind that I am helping with my family’s health and wellbeing.  

If you have not already, please get on the waitlist for my program that is going to help you start making simple swaps from the store step by step so you can fit this into your life no matter how busy you are.  I am the queen of simplicity and I love teaching others to do the same!  The link to my website to sign up will be below!  

I  get it – life gets busy, and convenience is king. That's why i’m not suggesting you ditch all pre-packaged foods entirely. Instead, just get savvy with your selections. Seek out brands committed to transparency and integrity, with short, sweet ingredient lists you can trust.

And let's not forget the joy of homemade food! Channel your inner homesteader and whip up your own pantry staples – from creamy nut butter to zesty salad dressings. Not only do you control what goes in, but you'll also savor the satisfaction of creating something from scratch.  You won’t ever want to go back to store bought items after you see how simple they are to make and how you can save money!  

So, dear friend, let's make a pact to simplify our plates and nourish our bodies with foods that speak the language of simplicity. Remember the journey to wellness begins with just 2-3 wholesome ingredients. 

Until next time, keep claiming simplicity in every aspect of your life friends!

~Monica

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Hey Friend

As you know, I’m very passionate about personal development and growth mindset and I want to give you some simple tips today to help you get out of the scarcity mode and start living your dreams of a stress free simpler life!

Imagine your mind is like a garden. In this garden, there are two main types of mindsets: fixed and growth.

• Picture a garden with rigid, unchanging plants. People with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities, intelligence, and talents are set in stone. They might think, "I'm just going to stay doing what I’m doing because it is comfortable even though they don’t love it," or "I'll never be able to learn that or do anything else

• Now, envision a garden full of thriving, flourishing plants. Individuals with a growth mindset understand that their abilities can be developed through dedication, effort, and learning. They see challenges as opportunities to grow and improve. Instead of saying, "I can't do this or I’ll stay stuck doing what I’m doing," they think, "I can't do this yet, but with practice and perseverance, I'll get there."

In essence, a growth mindset is all about embracing the idea that our potential is not fixed or limited. We have the capacity to learn, adapt, and improve throughout our lives.

Here are a few key points to remember about growth mindset:

• Instead of avoiding challenges, people with a growth mindset see them as opportunities to learn and develop new skills.

•  Rather than feeling discouraged by criticism or feedback, individuals with a growth mindset use it as valuable information to guide their improvement.

Growth mindset is like tending to a garden of possibilities. By nurturing our belief in our ability to learn and grow, we can cultivate a more fulfilling and enriching life journey.

Start your growth mindset with these practical tips.

1. Practice gratitude journaling, reframing negative thoughts or setting realistic goals.

I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and get out of the scarcity mindset so you can do what God has called you to do and live with less stress doing what you love!

Love ya friend!

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Hello!

There are so many health benefits to eating nutrient dense foods and our family has really prioritized health the last few years as we have become aware of what is in store bought food more and more.  If there are more than a couple ingredients in anything you plan to buy-stay away from it and find an option to make it yourself.  I just heard a dentist say on a podcast that more kids are having tooth decay from goldfish crackers than candy!  I remember when I thought they were a good option to candy, so that was quite shocking to me!  Look at your ingredients! Here are just a few benefits:

•  Nutrient-dense foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and other essential nutrients that your body needs to function properly. These nutrients play crucial roles in various bodily processes, including metabolism, immunity, and cell repair.

• phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains have protective effects against oxidative stress and inflammation, which are underlying factors in many chronic conditions.

Here are some simple habits to nourish your body with nutrient dense foods.

1. Make sure you start your day out with something packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber like leafy greens-they are great to add to smoothies or eggs in the morning.  You can add berries which are rich in antioxidants and fiber, nut milk or flax seeds provide healthy fats, protein and essential nutrients, and that is an easy way to stay filled up so you don’t feel like you have to snack often and raise your blood sugar.

1. yogurt with raw milk which is high in protein, calcium and probiotics, we make our own granola with rolled oats because they are rich in fiber and antioxidants and can help support heart health and provide sustained energy.  We always have a bowl or 2 of boiled eggs because they are simple to grab and go and are high in protein, vitamins and minerals like b12 and selenium.  Deviled eggs are another great source and our family loves them.  

Some other foods that are easy to add into your diet are avocados which are a great source of healthy fats, fiber, potassium, and vitamin E and C. Legumes such as beans, lentils and chickpeas are excellent sources of protein, fiber and various vitamins and minerals.  Cottage cheese is high in protein and calcium and

makes a filling snack option.  Bell peppers are high in vitamin C and are great to add to many dishes such as eggs bakes, fajitas and such.  Cauliflower is great to sneak into any dish as well, i add riced cauliflower to smoothies, eggs, cheesy potatoes, and most dishes you don’t even know it is in there, but it is great for digestive health.

Some simple ways to prepare nutrient dense foods would be roasting, steaming, grilling, sauteing, raw, blending, and salads.

These simple cooking methods can help you prepare nutrient dense foods in a delicious and enjoyable way.  Experiment with different ingredients and flavors to find combinations you love!

Overall, incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense foods into your diet can contribute to better health outcomes, improved energy levels, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases. So Aim to fill your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and other nutrient-rich foods for optimal health and well-being.

Blessings Friend

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Hey Friend

I have been making my laundry soap for years because it is super simple and cost effective, but I was so excited that I just learned how to make my own washing soda and that is just as easy, so I wanted to share that with you along with several uses for it.

I made laundry soap over 20 years ago and I had to quit because it was gunking up the hoses, so my husband didn’t want me making it anymore until I found a good recipe that didn’t use the shredded bar of soap, so I found a recipe that didn’t use that and I have been using it for quite a while and it seems to work well, but this one is a powder and not a liquid like my other recipe.  It is just……1/2 cup epsom salt, 1/1/2 c aluminum free baking soda, 1 ½ c washing soda, ¼ c sea salt and 20-25 drops essential oils and I store mine in mason jarsd which works well.

And now to reveal the simple washing soda recipe!  It is just a layer of baking soda on a shallow baking dish or pan, put in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes, cool and store in an airtight container.  Can you believe that is all it is?  Me either-I could’ve been making this for several years.  I like to buy baking soda in bulk because it has so many uses in the house and we also use it for the goats. 

Enjoy the tips and join our Facebook group for more!

Monic

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Hello Friend!

Are you tired of spending hundreds of dollars at the grocery store each month?  Since we have been gardening and growing our own food for several years, I was shocked at the cost of food at the grocery store! I had to buy more food this year because we moved and I wasn’t able to have a garden last year.  It is no wonder why families can’t afford healthy food from the store.  Not only is it so much more expensive, but even buying organic doesn’t guarantee that your food is toxic free.  When you grow your own food, you know how the food is grown and guarantees that it wasn’t sprayed with anything toxic if you want organic food.  I like knowing what seeds I have and the process that is used to grow our fruits and vegetables.

I am encouraging you to start a garden this year whether it be pots in a window in your apartment or your suburban homestead.  You don’t need any special equipment.  Many times you will find free pots listed on marketplace or garage sales and it doesn't even need to be pots, anything you can put soil in and plant is going to get you started on your journey.  They have bags you can plant a garden in, we have used 50 gallon barrels cut in half and made raised beds, but those we had to put items with shallow roots as tomatoes needed a deeper raised bed.  If you are overwhelmed thinking about growning a garden, I challenge you to just take some money from your food budget to buy a few seeds and try to grow just a few items that you and your family eat often and learn how to grow and preserve that item and then next year, add a few more.  Just growing a few items can save money and stretch your grocery budget much further.  Think about tomatoes-even if you don’t want to start them from seeds, get a few plants-you can preserve tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato soup, crushed tomates, diced tomatoes, tomatoes paste, pizza sauce and then if you buy or grow a few other items like peppers, you can also make spaghetti sauce, marinara sauce, salsa, rotel and the list goes on and on.  

I am going to teach you how to can and preserve some items in my program coming up, so get on waitlist if you haven’t already, so you are the first to know when it is released with special offers!  I am so excited to teach you simple cooking from scratch, replacing simple grocery store items to save you money and also eliminate unnecessary ingredients that are making your food unhealthy.  If you are busy, this program is for you.  It is bite size, step by step videos in a short amount of time, so you can be confident in creating food from scratch in your home quickly!

I will reveal my list of seeds I will be growing in the facebook group, so join us there!  Link is below! 

Have a great week!

Monica

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Hello!

Decluttering changed my life so many years ago.  I used to think that I didn’t want to get rid of something just in case I would need it again, but that is not the case.  If I have something that I havent used in years and it would be less than $50 to replace, I donate it because I know how much energy it takes to keep that item, but honestly I haven’t missed anything other than a few weeks ago I was missing my heart pan to make pizza on or a big heart cookie for valentines day, but that wasn’t something I was going to buy again.  Usually I can get away with using something else instead of that item-even though sometimes you have to get creative. 

I love that living with less gives you more freedom mentally and more time to do the things you enjoy and that you value.  Time is a resource that you will never get back and you don’t want to have regrets.  

Because of the choices we have made in our life, I am able to be available to kids, grandkids and friends because my life is so much more flexible than it was when I was working for an employer building their dream.  

I want you to think of this:

If you don’t simplify your life and don’t declutter, it can prevent you from acheiving financial freedom, it will keep you from spending quality time with people you love and possibly missing events with family that you will regret later, it will deny you the opportunity to pursue your own dreams, and it means your priorities are in the wrong places when you have too much stuff which will affect your faith as well. 

Decluttering will reduce stress and overwhelm and help you focus on the true meaning in this world.  You are a pebble that can make a ripple in so many areas, so I encourage you to simplify, so you have the time to make a difference in the lives of others.  You don’t want to be to busy doing things that don’t really matter.

Remember, focusing on eternal rewards is far better than any item on this earth will offer us.  Once again, we can’t take our possessions to the grave, so stop stiving to keep collecting stuff.  We are on this earth for such a short time, don’t waste your time on achieving money to buy things that your children will have to get rid of when you are gone.  Your family won’t remember the things you bought them, but they will remember the time you spent with them.

Instead of buying stuff, why don’t you donate money to kids or family in need, take a mission trip, or something to help someone else.  We are here to love others and make a difference.  Simplify your life and ditch the clutter so you aren’t bogged down mentally and physically and be the change in this world.

Talk soon!

Monica

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Hello!

Do you want to learn how easy it is to raise chickens?  I'll take you through the simple steps of beginning with chicks and what you need to know to get started with raising chickens in your backyard or homestead. They are the gateway to more sustainable living and most likely you will get goats next!!!!!!

I know you have concerns about keeping chickens alive, but it is pretty simple.  It is quite easy to spot a sick chicken, but we have rarely had anything happen in all these years, but we also let our chickens free range all year besides winter so I’m sure that helps. I open the coop door in the morning and then they go back in there in the evening to roost, and I close the door at night so nothing can get into the coop. We have had a few chickens drop over but those were also chickens that were quite old.  

I would suggest you get chickens that are ready to lay eggs or are laying when getting started because the only care they really need is fresh water, chicken feed, nesting boxes and a place to roost.  None of this has to be fancy-in our coop, we have some branches my husband cut down and then has those across the coop for them to sit on at night.

If you are going to get baby chicks, here are some tips to getting started.

First, you will want to prepare a brooder box.  That is just a clean, draft free container or large box to accommodate the number of chicks you are planning to raise.  You can use a cardboard box, plastic tub, wooden crate, or what we use is an old water tank because it has rounded corners which lessens the chances of a chick getting

trapped or wedged in the corner.  When chicks are cold or scared, sometimes they will huddle up in the corners, so we try to prevent that.

Next, you will want to have a reliable heat source the first week such as a heat lamp, infrared bulb.  My husband has a cover he made out of some old scrap wood and chicken wire and he puts that on top of the tank and hangs the lights from that.  Gradually reduce the temperature each week until the chicks are fully feathered.  We will start out with the light hanging lower and them just adjust it higher as they get older.  We don’t ever suggest spending alot of money on this because it is a very short time the chicks will be in here.

You will want to add some safe bedding materials for the chicks such as pine shavings, straw, or even paper towels to provide a soft and dry surface for the chicks to walk on.  Avoid newspaper as it is slippery and can lead to leg problems and don’t use cedar chips as they have an aromatic oil that can be harmful to the chicks.

You will want to buy chick starter feed and ensure it contains 18-20% protein to support healthy growth.  You will need shallow waterers to prevent drowning accidents.  You can add smaller rocks in there to make it easier for chicks to drink without getting wet.  Make sure to keep the

water clean and fresh to keep it free of contaminants and monitor water levels to prevent dehydration especially in hot weather.

Monitor chicks for signs of illness, injury or distress.  Healthy chicks should be active, alert and curious. Try to minimize stressors such as loud noises and overcrowding as stress can weaken their immune systems.  Avoid excessive handling during the first few days when they are most vulnerable.  And my favorite tip for chicks is to talk to them so they become accustomed to human presence.

When chicks are around 6-8 weeks and fully feathered, you can gradually introduce them to their permanent house but don’t let them be in an outdoor area unsupervised.

These tips will provide them with the best possible start in life and help them transition into healthy chickens.

Now I want to talk about basic care requirements for all chickens:

They will need shelter and the chicken coop should provide protection from predators like foxes, raccoons, owls and large birds. It should also offer adequate ventilation to prevent moisture  buildup and respiratory issues, but it doesn’t have to be fancy or cost alot of money. You will want 2-3 square foot coop space per chicken plus an outdoor run or free-range area where they can peck, scratch, and dust bathe.

Chickens require a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Commercial chicken feed comes in various formulations tailored to different stages of life (starter, grower, layer) and specific dietary needs.

Just like with the chicks, clean water should be available at all times, preferably in a gravity-fed or automatic waterer to minimize contamination. I like to put a splash of Apple cider vinegar in their water about once a week-its good for everything, right?

I have no doubt you will enjoy keeping chickens, they really are fun to observe!  If you have any questions at all, join our Simple Homesteading Group and ask me anything!

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