Jess, you must have a sign made and post it proudly in front of the newly-named "Pig Poop Pumpkin Patch!" It's alliterative too which fits into your poetic sensibilities!
My youngest brother (13) just lost his mother yesterday. I can’t imagine his pain. I don’t know why I’m posting this here other than I know there are some great prayer warriors in this particular comment section and I know he needs all the prayers over him he can get. Thanks for creating such a beautiful community, Jess ❤
“If you bit off more than you can chew, spit it out honey. You don’t gotta choke on it” whew 😅 I needed that so much in this season. Love you, Jess. Thanks for climbing the mountain because I sure appreciate all you do. Hang in there 🫶🏻
❤ I had plans to make blueberry muffins and ended up with breakfast cobbler. I had plans to make bagels and ended up with a loaf and a few biscuits. We can make all the plans we want, but in the end if we can’t embrace other options when needed life won’t be as prosperous. Go with the flow! 😊 We ate all the green beans before they came in the house. The baby bunnies under the pineapple ground cherries (whose momma realized 4 dogs can’t fit in the garden fence) are God’s creatures so I’ll give it to them this year. 😂 The house isn’t sparkling clean, the car has dirt/dead leaves on the seats, there are weeds in every garden (not too bad) - but we survived a 4 week heatwave with no AC. Thank you God for giving us more grace than we give ourselves!
Seeing all the comments within just the first hour, reminds me what community is all about. Y’all, we have got to stick together, hold it together, and just keep loving each other.
❤ - coming back after a heavy one reminds me of when i got sober (meth coke etc etc). The hard stuff is there and we gotta keep walking - there's resurrection in the process.
Wow congratulations on kicking all that. I know it’s not easy. My brother and sister r both drug addicts and they just won’t stop. One is in prison now. The other is in government housing and keeps having strokes caused by drugs. I feel like it’s hopeless for them. They’ve been in forced rehabs over and over. What could help them get off drugs for good?
I was a victim of bad soil this year 😢 both from the landscaper service I've used in the past and bagged soil and compost. Volunteers saved my garden. Humans plan, God laughs... joyfully.
My dog is growing a cherry tomato garden in my yard. I couldn't figure out why I had tomatoes coming up everywhere in the yard then I remembered how I couldn't keep my dog out of the cherry tomatoes last year. I've been putting cages around the tomatoes and they are producing in the middle of the yard. She pulls them right off the vine to snack on.
I feel a bit better after listening to you this morning. I had been SO looking forward to blackberries this summer & bugs got into them; the extreme heat is messing with the veggies & I've been pretty darn discouraged. It did my heart good to hear you talk about biting off more than we can chew . . . & to not let it get us down. I'm going to rip out an experiment I did & plant something that still has time to grow. Also going to move ahead with trying to build a cold frame for fall veggies. Just needed that little bit of smile over disappointment & discouragement. Thanks!!
I feel this! I went a whole year without filming because life got heavy, and I found myself in a slump. The longer I went without filming the more impossible it seemed. When I get in a slump I think of Suess, "When you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done." Fortunately for us, you can do hard things.
About 36 years ago, my ex and I raised 2 pigs. After we had them slaughtered, we got alot of volunteers in the area that we kept them. I love volunteers as well. Boy, do I understand the biting off more than you can chew. Sometimes I beat myself up because I want more. This is my first year on my own and I am no spring chicken (62). I dealt with leaking pipes in the basement, replacing the hot water heater, new insides for the toilet and replacing the water hose to the tank because it broke, to having to replace the well pump that is 140 feet down. I got a late start with my garden with everything else that happened. There is next year. Thank you for this message.
Consider asking if known volunteers (example church group) if they would be interested in gleaning garden extras for the local food bank. Let instructed volunteers pick up the low end.
My small word of advice would be to delegate your duties so you have more time to do all the things. Don’t grow less food but maybe hire someone to help preserve it. Hire someone to edit your videos so all you have to do is shoot. You have will helping you with the garden and growing the food but a lot of time goes into saving the harvest too. You could always make it a group event or teach canning classes so that it’s something you enjoy doing with people you enjoy doing it with.
Second one!! 😂 It’s so good to have a new video today. Just had a hip replacement surgery a few days ago, so watching you is just what I wanted and needed!!!
Yes, girl! I am a single mom with 3 jobs. I do great just to grow my garden! I have zero time for preservation. My goal is succession sowing to have edibles year round. I did can some green beans and I am drying herbs. I have a small garden that I built from free stuff I gathered from FB. I'm renting and don't have the funds to invest in a garden, so I just gathered a bit here and there. Now, 3 years in, I have something edible available pretty much year round! I've been meaning to make a video about how I built this amazing space for basically free... But anyway, I'm all for the succession sowing for year round food! I'm in Central TX zone 8a/9b. I've pretty much just been following your planting for the last 4 years. I figure, even when you were in Arkansas, you were close enough to me that the planting dates are within a few weeks of mine so 🤷♀️. I'm excited to see what we are planting for fall! #GrowSnacks 🤠
Jess, I love that you said, "food wants to grow, you can be a gardner." Maybe there's hope for me yet.😁 Absolutely, "let the low end drag!" I love that so much!❤ I used to think (everything) had to be perfect. I realize now that sometimes doing things so so is good enough. 😊
Great thoughts on biting off more than you can chew. Every worthwhile venture has the possibility of failure, and if you embrace the learning that comes with finding your limits in time, resources, knowledge, it just comes down to learning how to forgive yourself for when things didn't go as planned. You know more now, it will be better next time or you know not to do that thing again. You learned and that is what is important.
Jess, you are doing the best thing right now, spending precious time with your growing family. You will never be sorry about that, Thank you for sharing because we all of us get overwhelmed with life and have to make a choice of what is the most important. God bless you.❤️✝️🙏🇺🇸
Oh! I needed this! We spent 2 weeks in Europe. Came home and moved out our kitchen to start mold remediation and a kitchen Remodel. Got sick after the remediation. It's been a crazy 3 weeks. I needed this message so much I immediately hit replay when the video ended. ❤
This week we are moving out of our home in order to do remediation and remodeling in our kitchen too. I’ve been sick for a while and at least now we know why.
@@amberdavies3178 it's really helped me to work with functional medicine doctors to help me heal in the process. I work with one that does virtual visits if you are in search of a doctor for mold illness.
I SO APPRECIATE THIS VIDEO!!!! I have had the same exact type of Spring/summer. And the last four months, my family has caught up on LOTS of precious, sacred time together after the pandemic. I have devoted lots of time and energy to hosting family events, attending family vacations and get togethers and navigated a fair amount of family drama and urgent matters as well. AND have stepped into a new side hustle. It has been so worth focusing my time and energy in those areas! I observed at one point this wasn’t going to be my most prolific canning/preserving year. I got wistful about that a few times, then realized that it’s OK to let that low end drag! I will change it up this season feel satisfied. I will have what I need to take us through the winter without the drama and stress related to squeezing one more canning/preserving project in when I have neither the time nor energy. Thank you again, Jess! You are a blessing to us an all. I BLESS YOU!🙏❤🙏
As always, thank you so much for sharing your life and love with us. It's not always pretty and neat, homesteaders know that more than anyone I think. Remember to speak and be kind to yourself as well. May you always be blessed and hungry for life!
Love this, I have had watermelons spontaneously grow. This year I was so blessed because I was almost a month behind in getting my garden in. I lost 40 % of my starts and when I saw them growing it was like a hug from God, The year before I was blessed with not one but 3 mulberry trees that appeared on my property. I prior endured a sad disappointment of one I was going to be gifted had been destroyed. The little things that surprise us some times are the sweetest memories .
Letting the low end drag, I never heard before. I’m 78 and for me sometimes if you have a stressful day or month you just have a good cry. Makes everything much better, then you get your self up and go on.
I have been patiently awaiting to see how you are. My day is now made to be able to watch this vlog. Thank you friend for always sharing. You make my days brighter always.
Something funny to share, well to me anyhow. I found a bag of potatoes that I harvested last year in my dark basement. (1st time for me) They all have grown at least 12in tall stems? all while inside, in a brown paper bag. I have never seen anything like that before, but I do believe they are begging to grow, So I will plant the little beggers and we shall see what happens!
Thank you for sharing your property. Love seeing your pig poop garden. Hope it keeps producing for you and them. Hugs and flowers coming to you from Southern California. ❤️
Hello Jess, hello from the Czech republic, central Europe. We deal with a lot of rain this growing season. I'm losing all my tomatoes due to fungal disease. You helped me a lot - I took some healthy looking cuttings and will try to get some later fruit. We don't have long growing season but I want at least try. And as you say - there is always next year. Thanks a lot.
As is often the case your videos speak to current issues for many of us. Thank you for reminding us you want to quit every year. I've never really felt that way before but yesterday I did. And I remembered that it is pretty normal. And then I started to plan fall crops.
Thank you for sharing your poop garden with use and the message. Truly a fine example of stewardship to what you have been blessed. I am blessed and highly favored to have your knowledge and wisdom. A blessing of love and light to the world. Thank you for being you. 🙏❤️
I am spread super thin right now ; so ready to give up some days-frustration and overwhelming anxiety dominates…so needed to hear this from a person who inspires me and I can relate to. This vlog came in perfect timing for me….thank you 💗
This was my favorite of your videos cause you hit the nail on the head! We plan and sow and start all the things then we have to open those hands and let some stuff drop so we can hold on to the most important things!!! Faith, family and friends are priority then all the other stuff as time and energy permits!
I really appreciate that you put in the effort and always when you talk about temperatures, you also say in Celsius. I follow many gardeners and I learn something from everyone, but you certainly taught me the most, and not only about plants 💚
JESS I finally started my TH-cam channel!! I met you in October at the Farm Where You Live event last year. I have been watching you since 2018, and I've been saying for years. That I was going to start one. I finally got up enough courage to do it!! 😂❤ Love y'all and your videos as always little darling!!!
Homesteading must all for the seasons of life. Half of my tomatoes were diseased by July so I just planted out another round. I am thankful because my summer has been too busy to can them. Now they will come in closer to fall and I will have the time to can them. Pondering what you said about eating fresh.....and lots of low ends dragging right now! No worries there is always next year. Have a blessed week as you process life.
Never before heard the "If you bite off more than you can chew, don't choke on it, spit it out honey!". I about choked on my coffee..lol. So true though. Being you can grow food all year round, I can understand where you are coming from. However, a hail storm or a quick freeze can wipe that out quickly. So I like that you said you are not putting all eggs in one basket. I found it interesting to hear you figure out your breeding schedule. In the north the end of March is the earliest I ever wanted lambs as they put on growth before grass was ready. However I understand your thinking. But I wonder why do all the does have to be bred at once - keep milking one or two (no breed) and dry off the others prior to breeding. Throw the dried off doe in with the buck while you milk the others (no stinky cheese and no tracking cycles) and then next fall breed the other two while you keep milking the one you bred this year. Now 4 goats would maybe work better for this to ensure consistent milk, but it could work I am thinking.. Or breed the three in succession as they kid - that way you always have 2 in milk. Good video!
This year with the quality of the potting soil, even organic, i have struggled to get plants to grow and fruits to be produced. We also had drought conditions, now rain..! Every year i start out hopeful, but yet to have an amazing harvest… not giving up.
Me, too. It's so disappointing. I'm thinking about trying a worm farm so I can get affordable "castings" for compost tea. Maybe that could be a work around? Cheering for you on your next try!
I literally laughed out loud at "sometimes you bite off more than you can chew. You don't have to choke on it....spit it out!" LOL!!!!! I can totally relate to overwhelm, especially when it comes to weeds in the garden. That is what is I've been choking on lately, but I'm spitting it out.
Goat meat is incredible and easy to process on farm, exactly like a deer. Thats a viable option for needing a milk freshen and not knowing what to do with the babies. In some areas baby goats don't go for more than $50 and they are truly worth more in the freezer to offset the cost of meat from the store.
You are fortunate to have an option of growing vegetables and container grown fruits in your glass greenhouse in the depths of winter if you need or if you just desire.
It's so good to see you back and smiling after the weight of recent events. My 2 cents on food preservation: you don't need to make a decision to change things every year. Make the change for this year and re-assess next year. You can take extra stuff to your market, or you could invite friends, family, church, etc to come and do a "you pick" event. I have a few friends who do picking opportunities and it has been wonderful for everyone. They put up what they want and then invited others to come out and pick what was left. Last year I paid $1 per pound for organic fruit, which I was not growing.
I am going to adopt that saying. This time of the year I find a lot of stuff “dragging”. A couple of days ago I went to pick my garden. The grass and weeds have taken over, the bugs are terrible… they are eating my tomatoes faster than I can pick them. I have more okra than we can eat in 2 years, it’s hot and humid (8a NC). I am exhausted and for the first time admitted I am overwhelmed. I turned my chickens out into my garden. Alright girls get it cleaned up, fall planting is right around the corner.
I’m with you on the eating fresh from the garden seasonally. I’ve been on the same wave length this summer. I’m not killing myself to preserve a lot this summer, green beans and tomatoes mostly. We get enough harvest daily to have a meal each day. I love going to the garden to see what’s for dinner and thinking up different ways to prepare the food. Side note: we do have food stored/stocked to cover us about two years if we need it.
Sweet Jess, Sometimes you just have to say it will get done when it gets done, and just let it (the project, or task) roll off your back. As I get older, I've learned I can no longer keep doing everything I used to do in one day. I do the urgent things, and keep on trucking until I can't deal with the sun (heat). Happy Belated Birthday Mikayla (sp?)!
My low end has been dragging so much I could rename it a tiller and sow a fall crop! Lol I, too, only want to put the milk in my coffee! I have found that the breeding period last about 2-3 weeks- I still milk, and use that milk to feed other animals or plants. Once bred the male goes back to his pen and milk gets back to normal fairly quickly!
I'm breeding my Alpine's for mid to take January/early February. I'm putting my does with the bucks around August 15th. They will stay till early Oct. I have never had goated testing milk being with a buck. Thank you Jess for sharing till next time God Bless.
OH Jess how wonderful to see Mikayla she is what you need at the moment- another gorgeous woman around you for Girlie stuff talk. Stuff boys don't talk about you know !! Cheers Denise- Australia 🥰🥰( sorry probably spelt her name incorrectly)
I SO feel you on stinky goat cheese! It is the one food I can’t stomach. We used to have goats and that buck scent is EXACTLY what I experience every time I smell, much less taste, goat cheese. Gag. 😂 Love your random light and heavy content. It’s the reality roller coaster of life and I’m here for every minute of it. ❤
I'm curious, do you have a cat begging for a bit of milk while you are milking? Just curious, I remember that from my youth. If this were before my major illness hit (20 years ago), I would have had a huge garden and a better kitchen so I could have food when I want it. As someone over 70 who has a lifelong illness, I miss my days in the yard growing flowers and food. You and others I watch give me hope that America is not all lost. Thanks for the uplift, Jess. Stay safe. Virginia in TN
I have had to surrender my garden this year. I am thankful for what I get. For all of June, my garden was under water. Zero zucchini, no pumpkins, potatoes eat. Lots of fruit and herbs.
I totally agree Jess I don’t drink stinky Goat milk or eat stinky goat cheese 👍🏼My milk is fresh and great! Although, we just had a double loss, just as we are getting goats after a necessary dry spell ( pun intended) a goat breeder in Eastern NM cheated us and we had to put down two does that he flat out lied to us about. It was sad and then my cousin just blessed us with a doeling (1 year old) from our former herd! Now I need to find a buck in our area here in Albuquerque which is going to be quite the challenge! Jess there are so many times I wish I could just pick up the phone and tell you about events and experiences that seem to parallel our lives. Anyway thank you for being you😊❤
Lol the goat cheese thing, I totally get that! Have you tried the cinnamon/cranberry goat cheese from aldi? It might be the exception outside the homemade. 😅
So needed to hear this today! Our deep well pump failed last Wednesday and the company that said they could only take care of it on Friday didn't, they said they'd replace it today (Monday) within 2 hours but the only got it out then didn't replace it then they floored me with an estimate that was 5 times what it cost to replace 7 years ago. I was so exhausted today after watering my most precious vegetables in my gardens with a bucket at a time in 100⁰ F .I let the lawn go brown, etc. Today was the 5th day of hand watering and I just cried of exhaution. Next year's garden will be reduced by at least 50%. Anybody wanting to homestead and doesn't have one yet, come help me and I'll teach you what I know and give you half the harvest.
Those eggs look like turtle eggs. Your pond isn't far away. We had a box turtle lay eggs in our compost pile this year! had baby turtles crawling out of it. I found the eggs and left them alone and we took the baby box turtles down to the little stream in the back of our property. :). The Mama came out of the ditch across the road and we took her down to the stream too. It's not far away. You are so right about letting the low end drag. We let our garden go completely fallow last year b/c I still had enough canned food to get us through this year. It is only my hubby and I at home now. Our kids and grands live close, so I give them a lot of produce and we fix big meals when we get together, but this year, we only grew a hand full of tomato plants, a few peas, radishes, and lettuce. I cut way back on green beans and we have three winter squash plants (one is a volunteer I was excited about) and we grew 3 cucumber plants and just about 15 ft. of beets. I am pickling the beets tomorrow, making pickles tomorrow and starting on tomatoes the rest of this week and into the next week, then our garden will be pretty much done except for our onions and I will b harvesting them in probably another 2 weeks. We found out that we don't need to can enough food to feed the entire county! LOL. I am in my mid 70's and at the end of a canning day, I am done in. So, that being said, I love my garden and I love eating fresh and canning, but for the first time in decades, we have pared back and it feels right. It feels good. Hubby and I have some time to just relax and have a cup of tea on the porch and visit w/the kids and neighbors when they drive down the road. :)
You're so funny. I can just hear your goats 'chatting'. "She thinks we are going to kid in January?? We'll show her and hold our cycles till October....."
Hi Jess! Thanks for sharing your wonderful wisdom with us today. Sometimes we need to hear to spit it out if you took too big of a bite. LOL!! That made me laugh and realize, yes you can do that. Why not keep a buck and weather him to be your alarm when the girls cycle.
I also live 7 here in he Pacific NW near the water and we have the freezes and cold weather but I love eating year round in the winter and would be so HAPPY to see how you planned it ! Your tunnel makes inspires me to get one for that purpose as well❤️❤️❤️
I have not canned anything yet this year. I just keep roasting tomatoes for tomato soup. I love tomato soup and love eating it in the winter so that is what I am going to focus on, freezing tomato soup base. I still have so many canned tomatoes and sauce from years prior so soup, it is. I picked three wagon carts of tomatoes just last week and I have given more away than I ever have. 😅 I have peppers coming out of my ears. I definitely relate to giving up in July. The aphids are out of control, my beautiful flowers aren't so pretty anymore, the tomato plants look sick...it is refreshing when someone else feels the same way. But I am making notes for 2025's garden and there is always next year! Thanks Jess! ♥
I’ve been a bit chaos gardening this year due to minor hand surgery a couple of months ago. Now I have volunteer tomatoes, squash and a slew of sunflowers. Borage and bee balm have both gone wild as has my blackberries. I love his chaos but it’s starting to get busy‼️‼️🇨🇦
This area should probably be your pumpkin patch. My volunteer vines are flowering now. I can tell that I have a watermelon, and some squash and pumpkin vines that volunteered in my compost pile this spring. I planted them in my garden bed and they are doing better than the other vegetables I planted. I am with you on the stinky goat cheese thing. You make me laugh so hard. I am glad you are doing a bit better. I will keep praying for you. I am excited about your wide ewes. I love lambs. Enjoy your kids, they grow up fast. I bless you. Until next time.
Letting the low end drag, perfect way to describe it. Especially for those of us who try to do too much all of the time. I garden year round in zone 9, but very limited on what will grow right now. Fall garden is the most productive and can grow the biggest variety of things.
I’m still super new to gardening and coming across your page has been an absolute blessing … i keep trying to follow the best advice of “ best soil” but you gotta keep it at this ph level and mor advice from TH-camrs and everywhere on the internet trying to keep the soil not soaking and worrying about the bugs getting to my single bean plant… and your advice of “ try again and just have faith” is the most refreshing thing ever and to remind myself to just start small .. thank you!!!
Omgosh I literally busted out crying when you said " If you bite off more than you can chew, then spit it out". Clearly I needed to hear that.
Sounds like a good quote for a shirt.
My favorite statement of all time.
@@dawnhood3666💯
This vid hit hard. That statement resonated hard! Thank you for such simplicity and profound words.
Jess, you must have a sign made and post it proudly in front of the newly-named "Pig Poop Pumpkin Patch!" It's alliterative too which fits into your poetic sensibilities!
My youngest brother (13) just lost his mother yesterday. I can’t imagine his pain. I don’t know why I’m posting this here other than I know there are some great prayer warriors in this particular comment section and I know he needs all the prayers over him he can get. Thanks for creating such a beautiful community, Jess ❤
Prayers!
Prayers going out.
Praying
I plead the blood of Jesus over your brother for comfort and peace.
Praying for him. 🙏
“If you bit off more than you can chew, spit it out honey. You don’t gotta choke on it” whew 😅 I needed that so much in this season. Love you, Jess. Thanks for climbing the mountain because I sure appreciate all you do. Hang in there 🫶🏻
We need this on a shirt ❤
@@MegFryer-ip2jv fantastic idea!!
❤ I had plans to make blueberry muffins and ended up with breakfast cobbler. I had plans to make bagels and ended up with a loaf and a few biscuits. We can make all the plans we want, but in the end if we can’t embrace other options when needed life won’t be as prosperous. Go with the flow! 😊 We ate all the green beans before they came in the house. The baby bunnies under the pineapple ground cherries (whose momma realized 4 dogs can’t fit in the garden fence) are God’s creatures so I’ll give it to them this year. 😂 The house isn’t sparkling clean, the car has dirt/dead leaves on the seats, there are weeds in every garden (not too bad) - but we survived a 4 week heatwave with no AC. Thank you God for giving us more grace than we give ourselves!
This☝️!!
Seeing all the comments within just the first hour, reminds me what community is all about. Y’all, we have got to stick together, hold it together, and just keep loving each other.
Amen to that!!! ❤
Amen!
❤ - coming back after a heavy one reminds me of when i got sober (meth coke etc etc). The hard stuff is there and we gotta keep walking - there's resurrection in the process.
Congratulations 🎉🎉🎉
Wow. What an accomplishment. You should be so proud. I'm proud of you. 😊
Wow congratulations on kicking all that. I know it’s not easy. My brother and sister r both drug addicts and they just won’t stop. One is in prison now. The other is in government housing and keeps having strokes caused by drugs. I feel like it’s hopeless for them. They’ve been in forced rehabs over and over. What could help them get off drugs for good?
I was a victim of bad soil this year 😢 both from the landscaper service I've used in the past and bagged soil and compost. Volunteers saved my garden. Humans plan, God laughs... joyfully.
So sorry bad soil is such a heartache
My dog is growing a cherry tomato garden in my yard. I couldn't figure out why I had tomatoes coming up everywhere in the yard then I remembered how I couldn't keep my dog out of the cherry tomatoes last year. I've been putting cages around the tomatoes and they are producing in the middle of the yard. She pulls them right off the vine to snack on.
I'm crying you literally don't know how much I needed this today. Life has been so so heavy. So today the overwhelm was so heavy.
Me too
I feel a bit better after listening to you this morning. I had been SO looking forward to blackberries this summer & bugs got into them; the extreme heat is messing with the veggies & I've been pretty darn discouraged. It did my heart good to hear you talk about biting off more than we can chew . . . & to not let it get us down. I'm going to rip out an experiment I did & plant something that still has time to grow. Also going to move ahead with trying to build a cold frame for fall veggies. Just needed that little bit of smile over disappointment & discouragement. Thanks!!
Jess… thank you for this!!! I just posted a video and felt like I was whining the whole time :( I needed this more than you know 🌱🌱🌱
I feel this! I went a whole year without filming because life got heavy, and I found myself in a slump. The longer I went without filming the more impossible it seemed. When I get in a slump I think of Suess, "When you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done." Fortunately for us, you can do hard things.
About 36 years ago, my ex and I raised 2 pigs. After we had them slaughtered, we got alot of volunteers in the area that we kept them. I love volunteers as well.
Boy, do I understand the biting off more than you can chew. Sometimes I beat myself up because I want more. This is my first year on my own and I am no spring chicken (62). I dealt with leaking pipes in the basement, replacing the hot water heater, new insides for the toilet and replacing the water hose to the tank because it broke, to having to replace the well pump that is 140 feet down. I got a late start with my garden with everything else that happened. There is next year.
Thank you for this message.
Consider asking if known volunteers (example church group) if they would be interested in gleaning garden extras for the local food bank. Let instructed volunteers pick up the low end.
My small word of advice would be to delegate your duties so you have more time to do all the things. Don’t grow less food but maybe hire someone to help preserve it. Hire someone to edit your videos so all you have to do is shoot. You have will helping you with the garden and growing the food but a lot of time goes into saving the harvest too. You could always make it a group event or teach canning classes so that it’s something you enjoy doing with people you enjoy doing it with.
Pig poop pumpkin patch! Love the alliteration! 😆
If you have enough pumpkin to sell at your farmers market, you can have banner made calling them “PPP Pumpkins” (Pig Planted Patch)
Second one!! 😂
It’s so good to have a new video today. Just had a hip replacement surgery a few days ago, so watching you is just what I wanted and needed!!!
🙏 for speedy recovery
I just recently found you… and I could literally say I love you. lol you are so real and honesty and all I see is good… thanks for being you!
I've been blessed by her since 2018 and she has literally changed my life. I still go back and binge watch her old playlists.
Yes, girl! I am a single mom with 3 jobs. I do great just to grow my garden! I have zero time for preservation. My goal is succession sowing to have edibles year round. I did can some green beans and I am drying herbs. I have a small garden that I built from free stuff I gathered from FB. I'm renting and don't have the funds to invest in a garden, so I just gathered a bit here and there. Now, 3 years in, I have something edible available pretty much year round! I've been meaning to make a video about how I built this amazing space for basically free...
But anyway, I'm all for the succession sowing for year round food! I'm in Central TX zone 8a/9b. I've pretty much just been following your planting for the last 4 years. I figure, even when you were in Arkansas, you were close enough to me that the planting dates are within a few weeks of mine so 🤷♀️.
I'm excited to see what we are planting for fall! #GrowSnacks 🤠
Hi sweet Ben in the treehouse! 👋 it was great to hear from you! 🤗
Jess, I love that you said, "food wants to grow, you can be a gardner." Maybe there's hope for me yet.😁
Absolutely, "let the low end drag!" I love that so much!❤
I used to think (everything) had to be perfect. I realize now that sometimes doing things so so is good enough. 😊
Great thoughts on biting off more than you can chew. Every worthwhile venture has the possibility of failure, and if you embrace the learning that comes with finding your limits in time, resources, knowledge, it just comes down to learning how to forgive yourself for when things didn't go as planned. You know more now, it will be better next time or you know not to do that thing again. You learned and that is what is important.
I can just picture the horses being like "where you going, little man?" and Whit being like "I have a date!"
Jess, you are doing the best thing right now, spending precious time with your growing family. You will never be sorry about that, Thank you for sharing because we all of us get overwhelmed with life and have to make a choice of what is the most important. God bless you.❤️✝️🙏🇺🇸
Oh! I needed this! We spent 2 weeks in Europe. Came home and moved out our kitchen to start mold remediation and a kitchen Remodel. Got sick after the remediation. It's been a crazy 3 weeks. I needed this message so much I immediately hit replay when the video ended. ❤
This week we are moving out of our home in order to do remediation and remodeling in our kitchen too. I’ve been sick for a while and at least now we know why.
@@amberdavies3178 it's really helped me to work with functional medicine doctors to help me heal in the process. I work with one that does virtual visits if you are in search of a doctor for mold illness.
I SO APPRECIATE THIS VIDEO!!!! I have had the same exact type of Spring/summer. And the last four months, my family has caught up on LOTS of precious, sacred time together after the pandemic. I have devoted lots of time and energy to hosting family events, attending family vacations and get togethers and navigated a fair amount of family drama and urgent matters as well. AND have stepped into a new side hustle. It has been so worth focusing my time and energy in those areas! I observed at one point this wasn’t going to be my most prolific canning/preserving year. I got wistful about that a few times, then realized that it’s OK to let that low end drag! I will change it up this season feel satisfied. I will have what I need to take us through the winter without the drama and stress related to squeezing one more canning/preserving project in when I have neither the time nor energy. Thank you again, Jess! You are a blessing to us an all. I BLESS YOU!🙏❤🙏
As always, thank you so much for sharing your life and love with us. It's not always pretty and neat, homesteaders know that more than anyone I think. Remember to speak and be kind to yourself as well. May you always be blessed and hungry for life!
Love this, I have had watermelons spontaneously grow. This year I was so blessed because I was almost a month behind in getting my garden in. I lost 40 % of my starts and when I saw them growing it was like a hug from God, The year before I was blessed with not one but 3 mulberry trees that appeared on my property. I prior endured a sad disappointment of one I was going to be gifted had been destroyed. The little things that surprise us some times are the sweetest memories .
Letting the low end drag, I never heard before. I’m 78 and for me sometimes if you have a stressful day or month you just have a good cry. Makes everything much better, then you get your self up and go on.
I have been patiently awaiting to see how you are. My day is now made to be able to watch this vlog. Thank you friend for always sharing. You make my days brighter always.
Something funny to share, well to me anyhow. I found a bag of potatoes that I harvested last year in my dark basement. (1st time for me) They all have grown at least 12in tall stems? all while inside, in a brown paper bag. I have never seen anything like that before, but I do believe they are begging to grow, So I will plant the little beggers and we shall see what happens!
Thank you for sharing your property. Love seeing your pig poop garden. Hope it keeps producing for you and them. Hugs and flowers coming to you from Southern California. ❤️
I LOVE the thought of if you bit off more than you can chew, it doesn't mean you have to choke on it, spit it out! Thank you!
I love your wisdom Jess. Never stop being you.
Hello Jess, hello from the Czech republic, central Europe. We deal with a lot of rain this growing season. I'm losing all my tomatoes due to fungal disease. You helped me a lot - I took some healthy looking cuttings and will try to get some later fruit. We don't have long growing season but I want at least try. And as you say - there is always next year. Thanks a lot.
“What do you think I’m doing?” 😂. One of the most used phrases around here!
Let the Low End Ride!!!l! I needed these words of wisdom 10 years ago! Love you Jess!!!!
Great visit with you & the animals tonight, with wise words of wisdom! Thanks 🤗🇨🇦
As is often the case your videos speak to current issues for many of us. Thank you for reminding us you want to quit every year. I've never really felt that way before but yesterday I did. And I remembered that it is pretty normal. And then I started to plan fall crops.
Thank you for sharing your poop garden with use and the message.
Truly a fine example of stewardship to what you have been blessed.
I am blessed and highly favored to have your knowledge and wisdom.
A blessing of love and light to the world.
Thank you for being you. 🙏❤️
I am spread super thin right now ; so ready to give up some days-frustration and overwhelming anxiety dominates…so needed to hear this from a person who inspires me and I can relate to. This vlog came in perfect timing for me….thank you 💗
Me too
I found about 1 1/2 pounds of Morell mushrooms in my front yard. I felt like I'd won the lottery! They were sooooo tasty.
great video the farm looks so nice love the talk and watching you milk the goats.
I really enjoyed your last video although there was sadness but you have the joy of the lord is your strength I love your honesty
This was my favorite of your videos cause you hit the nail on the head! We plan and sow and start all the things then we have to open those hands and let some stuff drop so we can hold on to the most important things!!! Faith, family and friends are priority then all the other stuff as time and energy permits!
We love just hanging out with you too! And joining you in all of your chores! Thank you.
Ahh, such a refreshing message during this time of year 😊 Thanks for all that you do!
I really appreciate that you put in the effort and always when you talk about temperatures, you also say in Celsius. I follow many gardeners and I learn something from everyone, but you certainly taught me the most, and not only about plants 💚
Usually a silent watcher, but I needed this today! “Let the low in drag” I love it. Thank you Jess. You do so much more for people than you realize!
JESS I finally started my TH-cam channel!! I met you in October at the Farm Where You Live event last year. I have been watching you since 2018, and I've been saying for years. That I was going to start one. I finally got up enough courage to do it!! 😂❤ Love y'all and your videos as always little darling!!!
You got a new subscriber , many blessings!!!!
@@jenipiechocki6925 aww thank you! I really appreciate it!
@@ChickadeeMountainHomestead 🌄👩🌾💯
Oh wow! You had your shirt on backwards… then you turned it around, not mentioning it! You’re on top of things, the best you can! 😊💖
I thought so too and was just smiling while watching. Been there, done that.
Thank you for another perfectly timed video! Needed to hear what you were saying about overwhelm. 😊
Homesteading must all for the seasons of life. Half of my tomatoes were diseased by July so I just planted out another round. I am thankful because my summer has been too busy to can them. Now they will come in closer to fall and I will have the time to can them. Pondering what you said about eating fresh.....and lots of low ends dragging right now! No worries there is always next year. Have a blessed week as you process life.
Never before heard the "If you bite off more than you can chew, don't choke on it, spit it out honey!". I about choked on my coffee..lol. So true though. Being you can grow food all year round, I can understand where you are coming from. However, a hail storm or a quick freeze can wipe that out quickly. So I like that you said you are not putting all eggs in one basket. I found it interesting to hear you figure out your breeding schedule. In the north the end of March is the earliest I ever wanted lambs as they put on growth before grass was ready. However I understand your thinking. But I wonder why do all the does have to be bred at once - keep milking one or two (no breed) and dry off the others prior to breeding. Throw the dried off doe in with the buck while you milk the others (no stinky cheese and no tracking cycles) and then next fall breed the other two while you keep milking the one you bred this year. Now 4 goats would maybe work better for this to ensure consistent milk, but it could work I am thinking.. Or breed the three in succession as they kid - that way you always have 2 in milk. Good video!
This year with the quality of the potting soil, even organic, i have struggled to get plants to grow and fruits to be produced.
We also had drought conditions, now rain..!
Every year i start out hopeful, but yet to have an amazing harvest… not giving up.
❤same but getting fall garden ready
Same here. Very disappointed in the quality of purchased soil.
Me, too. It's so disappointing. I'm thinking about trying a worm farm so I can get affordable "castings" for compost tea. Maybe that could be a work around? Cheering for you on your next try!
People who love and respect you will support you knowing you should spend time on your family❤️
If all else fails i will try to notice and appreciate that at least I am harvesting a lesson from my garden. Thanks Jess!
We have patty pan squash and cucumbers for the second year in a row. Love them.
So happy for a video today, thank you 😊
I literally laughed out loud at "sometimes you bite off more than you can chew. You don't have to choke on it....spit it out!" LOL!!!!! I can totally relate to overwhelm, especially when it comes to weeds in the garden. That is what is I've been choking on lately, but I'm spitting it out.
Goat meat is incredible and easy to process on farm, exactly like a deer. Thats a viable option for needing a milk freshen and not knowing what to do with the babies. In some areas baby goats don't go for more than $50 and they are truly worth more in the freezer to offset the cost of meat from the store.
I’m in that quandary right now.
@@beanblossombaby goat meat is very good..if you need help navigating that my email is in my about section
You are fortunate to have an option of growing vegetables and container grown fruits in your glass greenhouse in the depths of winter if you need or if you just desire.
It's so good to see you back and smiling after the weight of recent events. My 2 cents on food preservation: you don't need to make a decision to change things every year. Make the change for this year and re-assess next year. You can take extra stuff to your market, or you could invite friends, family, church, etc to come and do a "you pick" event. I have a few friends who do picking opportunities and it has been wonderful for everyone. They put up what they want and then invited others to come out and pick what was left. Last year I paid $1 per pound for organic fruit, which I was not growing.
I am going to adopt that saying. This time of the year I find a lot of stuff “dragging”. A couple of days ago I went to pick my garden. The grass and weeds have taken over, the bugs are terrible… they are eating my tomatoes faster than I can pick them. I have more okra than we can eat in 2 years, it’s hot and humid (8a NC). I am exhausted and for the first time admitted I am overwhelmed. I turned my chickens out into my garden. Alright girls get it cleaned up, fall planting is right around the corner.
“PIG POOP PUMPKIN PATCH” say that ten times fast. 🤣🤣
How many people just stopped and did that? 🙋♀️
I literally thought the same thing. 😅
I’m with you on the eating fresh from the garden seasonally. I’ve been on the same wave length this summer. I’m not killing myself to preserve a lot this summer, green beans and tomatoes mostly. We get enough harvest daily to have a meal each day. I love going to the garden to see what’s for dinner and thinking up different ways to prepare the food. Side note: we do have food stored/stocked to cover us about two years if we need it.
Sweet Jess, Sometimes you just have to say it will get done when it gets done, and just let it (the project, or task) roll off your back. As I get older, I've learned I can no longer keep doing everything I used to do in one day. I do the urgent things, and keep on trucking until I can't deal with the sun (heat).
Happy Belated Birthday Mikayla (sp?)!
Always love your videos so interesting hope you have a great week😊
I love listening to you
My low end has been dragging so much I could rename it a tiller and sow a fall crop! Lol I, too, only want to put the milk in my coffee! I have found that the breeding period last about 2-3 weeks- I still milk, and use that milk to feed other animals or plants. Once bred the male goes back to his pen and milk gets back to normal fairly quickly!
I'm breeding my Alpine's for mid to take January/early February. I'm putting my does with the bucks around August 15th. They will stay till early Oct. I have never had goated testing milk being with a buck. Thank you Jess for sharing till next time God Bless.
I love the analogy about the spinning dishes! I'm going to try to remember that when I'm letting myself get overwhelmed
Some great quotes there Jess❤❤
OH Jess how wonderful to see Mikayla she is what you need at the moment- another gorgeous woman around you for Girlie stuff talk.
Stuff boys don't talk about you know !! Cheers Denise- Australia 🥰🥰( sorry probably spelt her name incorrectly)
I SO feel you on stinky goat cheese! It is the one food I can’t stomach. We used to have goats and that buck scent is EXACTLY what I experience every time I smell, much less taste, goat cheese. Gag. 😂
Love your random light and heavy content. It’s the reality roller coaster of life and I’m here for every minute of it. ❤
Love your honesty. Gardens are hard ....:)
I'm curious, do you have a cat begging for a bit of milk while you are milking? Just curious, I remember that from my youth. If this were before my major illness hit (20 years ago), I would have had a huge garden and a better kitchen so I could have food when I want it. As someone over 70 who has a lifelong illness, I miss my days in the yard growing flowers and food. You and others I watch give me hope that America is not all lost. Thanks for the uplift, Jess. Stay safe. Virginia in TN
Blessings Kiddo!🌻🐛🌿💚🙏💕
I have had to surrender my garden this year. I am thankful for what I get. For all of June, my garden was under water. Zero zucchini, no pumpkins, potatoes eat. Lots of fruit and herbs.
So sorry, and thank you for sharing.
I totally agree Jess I don’t drink stinky Goat milk or eat stinky goat cheese 👍🏼My milk is fresh and great! Although, we just had a double loss, just as we are getting goats after a necessary dry spell ( pun intended) a goat breeder in Eastern NM cheated us and we had to put down two does that he flat out lied to us about. It was sad and then my cousin just blessed us with a doeling (1 year old) from our former herd! Now I need to find a buck in our area here in Albuquerque which is going to be quite the challenge! Jess there are so many times I wish I could just pick up the phone and tell you about events and experiences that seem to parallel our lives. Anyway thank you for being you😊❤
Lol the goat cheese thing, I totally get that! Have you tried the cinnamon/cranberry goat cheese from aldi? It might be the exception outside the homemade. 😅
You are such a breath of fresh air. I too loved your comment of spit it out 😂
Thank you
Ive never heard 'let the low end drag' 😂
I feel so vindicated, thank you Jess 🫶
So needed to hear this today! Our deep well pump failed last Wednesday and the company that said they could only take care of it on Friday didn't, they said they'd replace it today (Monday) within 2 hours but the only got it out then didn't replace it then they floored me with an estimate that was 5 times what it cost to replace 7 years ago. I was so exhausted today after watering my most precious vegetables in my gardens with a bucket at a time in 100⁰ F .I let the lawn go brown, etc. Today was the 5th day of hand watering and I just cried of exhaution. Next year's garden will be reduced by at least 50%. Anybody wanting to homestead and doesn't have one yet, come help me and I'll teach you what I know and give you half the harvest.
Those eggs look like turtle eggs. Your pond isn't far away. We had a box turtle lay eggs in our compost pile this year! had baby turtles crawling out of it. I found the eggs and left them alone and we took the baby box turtles down to the little stream in the back of our property. :). The Mama came out of the ditch across the road and we took her down to the stream too. It's not far away.
You are so right about letting the low end drag. We let our garden go completely fallow last year b/c I still had enough canned food to get us through this year. It is only my hubby and I at home now. Our kids and grands live close, so I give them a lot of produce and we fix big meals when we get together, but this year, we only grew a hand full of tomato plants, a few peas, radishes, and lettuce. I cut way back on green beans and we have three winter squash plants (one is a volunteer I was excited about) and we grew 3 cucumber plants and just about 15 ft. of beets. I am pickling the beets tomorrow, making pickles tomorrow and starting on tomatoes the rest of this week and into the next week, then our garden will be pretty much done except for our onions and I will b harvesting them in probably another 2 weeks. We found out that we don't need to can enough food to feed the entire county! LOL. I am in my mid 70's and at the end of a canning day, I am done in. So, that being said, I love my garden and I love eating fresh and canning, but for the first time in decades, we have pared back and it feels right. It feels good. Hubby and I have some time to just relax and have a cup of tea on the porch and visit w/the kids and neighbors when they drive down the road. :)
Girl, I am right there with you. After working at a goat dairy for several years I cannot go anywhere near stinky goat cheese. I simply cannot.
You're so funny. I can just hear your goats 'chatting'. "She thinks we are going to kid in January?? We'll show her and hold our cycles till October....."
Hi Jess! Thanks for sharing your wonderful wisdom with us today. Sometimes we need to hear to spit it out if you took too big of a bite. LOL!! That made me laugh and realize, yes you can do that.
Why not keep a buck and weather him to be your alarm when the girls cycle.
Man it looks amazing out there!!
Just be yourself Jess. That all I ever expect of you. Keep smiling. Mwah.
I also live 7 here in he Pacific NW near the water and we have the freezes and cold weather but I love eating year round in the winter and would be so HAPPY to see how you planned it ! Your tunnel makes inspires me to get one for that purpose as well❤️❤️❤️
Chantrels are my favorite! ❤
I have not canned anything yet this year. I just keep roasting tomatoes for tomato soup. I love tomato soup and love eating it in the winter so that is what I am going to focus on, freezing tomato soup base. I still have so many canned tomatoes and sauce from years prior so soup, it is. I picked three wagon carts of tomatoes just last week and I have given more away than I ever have. 😅 I have peppers coming out of my ears. I definitely relate to giving up in July. The aphids are out of control, my beautiful flowers aren't so pretty anymore, the tomato plants look sick...it is refreshing when someone else feels the same way. But I am making notes for 2025's garden and there is always next year! Thanks Jess! ♥
I’ve been a bit chaos gardening this year due to minor hand surgery a couple of months ago. Now I have volunteer tomatoes, squash and a slew of sunflowers. Borage and bee balm have both gone wild as has my blackberries. I love his chaos but it’s starting to get busy‼️‼️🇨🇦
Wow, I sure NEEDED this one. Prayers for you girl ❤
@4:40 You should totally make a cute sign that says "Pig Poop Pumpkin Patch"!!!
This area should probably be your pumpkin patch. My volunteer vines are flowering now. I can tell that I have a watermelon, and some squash and pumpkin vines that volunteered in my compost pile this spring. I planted them in my garden bed and they are doing better than the other vegetables I planted. I am with you on the stinky goat cheese thing. You make me laugh so hard. I am glad you are doing a bit better. I will keep praying for you. I am excited about your wide ewes. I love lambs. Enjoy your kids, they grow up fast. I bless you. Until next time.
Letting the low end drag, perfect way to describe it. Especially for those of us who try to do too much all of the time. I garden year round in zone 9, but very limited on what will grow right now. Fall garden is the most productive and can grow the biggest variety of things.
Love hanging out with you. God bless your family. ❤
I’m still super new to gardening and coming across your page has been an absolute blessing … i keep trying to follow the best advice of “ best soil” but you gotta keep it at this ph level and mor advice from TH-camrs and everywhere on the internet trying to keep the soil not soaking and worrying about the bugs getting to my single bean plant… and your advice of “ try again and just have faith” is the most refreshing thing ever and to remind myself to just start small .. thank you!!!