Well, well, well…hello! It’s been about two months since I’ve posted anything and if that isn’t any indication that I have been so busy, then idk what is!

Summer has now come to an end and my favorite season is now, fall. Yes, I’m one of those! Bring on all the fall things because I LOVE it all. It’s also the time of year I decide to do family pictures. So, that is what we did yesterday. The boys and I loaded up and headed to the farm in our matching outfits. You know that super cliche quote, “my kids saved me”? Yeah, I’m here to say that is the Gods honest truth.

I was in a really horrible relationship for years and I’ll be honest and real with all of you, I contemplated taking my life a few times. That’s the power he had over me. I know that’s horrible to admit but it’s the truth. I visualized running my car into a pile full speed, until the day I found out I was pregnant. Then it all changed. I didn’t care how miserable I was there was no way I was going to lose my child and I definitely was not going to leave him behind. I knew that he needed me.

Now, here we are 4 years later and that feeling has never crossed my mind again. Instead, I am filled with love every single day I wake. Even though I’m a single mom I still feel loved. I have everything I need right now. I’m not saying it’s easy, it definitely is difficult but it’s all worth it.

So, as I sit here and watch them play after a day filled with fun I am reminded how truly blessed I am and I think how different my life could have been and frankly, I can’t imagine a world where I am not their mama. They truly saved my life and now they are my very existence and why I work so hard to give them the life they deserve.

Keep sticking with me! I promise I won’t take another hiatus! Plus, I’ve been working on some other exciting things!

Our county fair is right around the corner. I want to share a little about what the fair means to me and to others like me. Some may think the fair is just a bunch of rides, food, and activities. To me, the fair is so much more. I spent 20 years of my life attending every day every year, getting there before the sun came up, and leaving after the sun had gone down. You see, I was an exhibitor, a member of 4-H, a farm kid. I started showing when I was barely walking, in open class. I remember the long days as a child, even now in my adult life.

I hadn’t realized then what it taught me, but I do now. It started with chickens and then progressed to larger animals. By the time, I was a 4-H member and no longer a Cloverbud (the youngest age group) I was showing hogs and cattle. Particularly dairy cattle as I lived on a Jersey dairy farm.

4-H taught me a few things—it has taught me unbelievable hard work, compassion, responsibility, humbleness, humility, and grace. You see, you don’t attend the fair as an exhibitor for the sole purpose of winning, because let’s face it, there is only one winner and there are hundreds of exhibitors. For me, it wasn’t the winning, it was everything else that I loved. Knowing that after a long and grueling year of getting up before school and coming straight home after school and working on my project to end it with something to be proud of.

There is something else I gained from that long week, life-long friendships. There are people to this day that I know, care for, and have a relationship with and when people ask how we met; “oh, we showed together”. A language only a fairgoer would understand.

Us farm kids, get a lot of bad rep, because people believe what we do is wrong but the next time you’re at the fair on sale day; take a look around. There are tears falling, not just because were mourning the loss of a beloved animal that we cared for, for months and created a special bond but because of the overwhelming feeling that is all over now.

Our fair marks the end of summer, and a new school year is about to begin. I am writing this to ask you, this year when you attend our fair— if you don’t already— take a moment to walk through the barns and admire the hard work these kids have put into a project that they are unbelievably proud of, they deserve the recognition.l

When I tell y’all, it was a rough week, I mean it was a rough week! It started out where I ended up working 12+ hour day, on a Monday—of all days—which meant that I got a grand total of about 30 minutes with my kids. That beats me up inside so much because it is so little time in their giant day that I get to love on and play with them. I know there are some mamas out there who do that every day and honestly, I am so sorry that you must do that. I am accustomed to at least a couple hours each day, a little in the morning before I head off and then I usually get a little more after work between making dinner and before they go to bed. So, already in a grumpy mood, from a long hot day at work walking some property, knowing I only am going to get a short amount of time with the boys and when I get home, I found my dog was accidentally locked in my room for a bit and she DESTROYED the carpet, like need to replace the whole room destroyed, picture below… not only this but she also destroyed a set of blinds above my bed. I lost it y’all, broke down crying, screaming at her, just mad at the world type of situation. The boys, so confused on why I was crying as I try not to let them see me cry or break down just kept saying “Why you sad mama?” through my sobs I explained to them about my hard day and how I didn’t get any time with them and mama works really hard and always feels behind. Of course, my oldest jumps in with a “we’re sad too because you work a lot”. Great, rip my heart out some more kid! Sometimes it feels like the world is out to get you and I know everyone has felt that one time or another.

The week continues and I felt like I was in a slump the whole time, very irritable, and felt like I was killing myself for nothing. Then, a friend sent me a book and let me tell you, I listened to the whole audio book in one day. Granted it wasn’t long and it was an easy read, but one day and I felt a new uprising in me. I listened to “The Energy Bus” by Jon Gordon. I knew I was having a rough week and all I was doing was let it get me down. My week didn’t really perk up either. All week little things kept happening, ending the week in an argument with a friend, that made me feel like a bad mom. I didn’t hide my emotions well from the boys and they knew all week it was rough. I felt bad and confided in a relative and close friend and mentioned that I was upset I let my emotions get away from me and I poured them all out in front of the boys and she reminded me of something. Kids are just tiny little adults who have a ton of emotion, tantrums, crying, not listening, or just being turds basically is how they relieve their emotion. Where in the world does it say that a mother or father must always have their emotions under control or out of sight from their kids? She reminded me it was okay that I showed emotion in front of them because it’s good for them to see. Eventually, I started to feel better after the book and after spending some time with the boys, and I’ve decided that even when life throws rocks at me, I’m going to use them to build an empire. As should each and every one of you!

Life is hard, being an adult is really freaking hard, and when things don’t work out as you expected try to find the lesson in it all. I know that sounds cliché and like a million other people have said it but there is a certain truth behind things. 

Everyone is going to have a rough day or a rough week or even a year (like my little Friends reference there?). I understand completely, and I feel like I have been on this constant roller coaster my entire life but after realizing it’s okay to have emotions and it’s okay to have bad days but to stand up taller the next day and use that emotion and energy towards something greater. So, here is my piece of advice, if you’re having a rough day and feel like it’s all falling apart, take a minute and do two things. 1. Take a minute to reflect on an accomplishment you have made, it doesn’t have to be a big one or it can be, just something you truly feel proud of yourself for, write it down if it helps. 2. Now think of a goal you want to achieve and let it fuel you! I promise it helps and that’s what I did this weekend. My life has changed so much in the past couple of years, and I am so proud of how far I have come. My goal, to build a better life for myself and the boys. I know that sounds like a giant goal, but I make a small step every single day and so can you. Feel blessed my friends, we all deserve it!

With what our country is currently going through and this inflation, I wanted to take some time to discuss some cost saving tips. Specifically, in our food system. How often do you and your family dine out? I understand the ease of running through the drive through on those busy nights or just for convenience. I do it to, but I have been really trying not to for a couple of reasons; 1. Those foods are filled with unnatural preservatives, and they are not healthy for you or your family, 2. It can get expensive quickly, and 3. There are better options!

I know many of those restaurants advertise, “all natural” or give a healthy menu. In reality they are still products shipped long distances and most likely frozen. I will not get into this who impossible meats or plant-based meats right now, maybe another day.

Someday soon I will jump into labels and how marketing has made them hard to understand and misleading. For now, I am keeping it simple. On average, an American household spends $3,000 a year dining out. If you eat out to lunch Monday-Friday spending about $10 a meal that’s $50 a week. Most Americans eat out on weekends, on a Saturday night you could spend around $50-100 just for your family, add it donuts on Sunday morning or coffee 6 days a week and the money just keeps increasing. Imagine having a larger family and see how the number just keeps growing. I know what you’re probably thinking, “oh, she knows it all and her family never eats fast food or doesn’t go out” I am no hypocrite, I fully admit my kids will get chicken nuggets on some days and of course I enjoy a night out as well. No one is perfect!

What if I told you, you could spend $5.99 on a whole rotisserie chicken and end up with a couple of meals plus broth? It sounds unreal but you can pick one of at your local grocery and of course gives you a meal right away but save all the leftovers, make chicken salad with what is left of the meat. If you’re looking for a healthier option for chicken salad, I have one posted on my TikTok and in the recipes section! I am picking up a rotisserie chicken today for dinner tonight! Then take all the bones and fat that you have left and throw it in a baggie in the freezer. You’re probably wondering what on earth am I going to do with that? Chicken broth is pretty simple to make, but if you make a large amount and need to preserve it, you’ll need to either pressure can it or freeze it for future use. I actually just got a new pressure canner so maybe if things go well, I can do a step-by-step video of how to make chicken broth in the future, hang in there with me for that!

Remember that coffee I mentioned? Making coffee at home, yes even those fancy drinks you think can only come from a fancy coffee maker can be made at home. If you’re a chai Tea Latte kind of person, like me. Go check out my TikTok, or my recipe page to see how I make mine at home with homemade coffee creamer too!

Remember the best option is to support a local farmer and purchase chicken directly from them and you can easily roast a whole chicken yourself in a crockpot or a roaster pan! I actually have my order in for some chickens and hope to have them by the end of the month! I am so excited to finally have somewhere I can get local, pasture raised chickens in my area and can support our chicken needs for the year without purchasing from a chain grocery store.

Just some food for thought for your week!

Well, I wrote this last night as I awaited the coming of my 30^th birthday. I can’t help but think about how much my life has changed in just a short amount of time, although, I feel like it was an entire lifetime ago. I have never really never been a big fan of my birthday, but I love to celebrate others, especially my boys. However, that usually makes me a little sad too because that means they are growing but I love to watch who they are becoming.

As yall know, my past has been a little hard. I have had some hard times and I was once told “it could be worse” or “at least it’s not…” Then I would feel guilty for feeling the way I did. This is where it all begins. Stop saying those words to someone, let them feel the way they should and how they want. No other person has a right to tell another how they should or should not feel. Everyone processes feelings and emotions differently. Over the years, I dealt with some trauma and pain and I’m not ashamed of it, in fact every event has made me stronger as a person and I am proud of where I am and how far I have come.

Someone once told me, “Find 5 things you like about yourself”, over the years I had a hard time finding those things but now, I know who I am, and I want to share some of those with you. The first thing I love about myself is that I have a big heart, I know deep down in my soul that I will go out of my way to take care of people. I love whole heartedly. Another thing I like about myself is I am strong. I have feelings and emotions and I hurt just like everyone else, but at the end of the day I will always pick myself up and say, “I will figure it out”.

I have a lot of things about myself that I don’t love, and I have bad habits I want to kick, and I notice myself doing some of them pretty regularly and if you’re a friend of mine and I get way too excited about something and start interrupting, I apologize, I am working on that. I’ll be honest, most of the time my excitement is something about agriculture… so of course, not everyone has that same passion. I also dislike the fact that I lose my patience way too often, with everything and everyone.

Every day is another step, a step towards a future, a step towards growth and I love every step of the way. I guess what I am really trying to say is although it’s another year, another birthday, when I look back on my life, I am proud of how far I have come. Life is a journey and so many of us take it for granted, we live for tomorrow. Focusing on one day at a time. I refuse to believe the “Life is a bitch, and then you die” if that’s truly how you feel, then make a change and live.

Again y’all, I am so sorry for my absence! It is such a crazy time of the year!! So, that also means it’s garden time! It’s definitely warmer outside and everything is ready to be planted.

I know some of you may be having a little does of anxiety because you’re not ready yet! That’s okay you’ve still got time. I’m not totally finished yet either so I understand.

Some of you may also be thinking you don’t have room for a garden to even get started. Follow me on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to see how my container garden is doing. I’ll be posting videos and pictures over there! The links to my socials are below or you can use my link tree link to access them all! https://linktr.ee/RusticRidgeMama

Containers are great because they can be moved if you’re not in a permanent place, they also are great if you do not have the space for a large in ground garden.

Good luck to everyone and I promise to be more interactive as planting and garden season continues! Follow me on socials to keep up with videos and pictures!!

It’s springtime!!! Guess what that means? Time to a. start gearing up for your spring planting and b. get your early spring plants or seeds in the ground! Some of you may be thinking it is still early or way to cold. Some plants prefer the chilliness over being too hot. Peas for example are a great early spring plant because they do not like the heat.

Not sure what you should be planting or when? Wanna know my secret? Clyde’s Garden Planner-Vegetable Planting Sliding Chart. This thing is so great when starting your garden. It is super easy to use, you just slide it to your last estimated frost date, and it tells you when and what you should plant! The best part, it’s only $7 on amazon 😉 You can thank me later!

So, I know what some of you are thinking. I don’t have space for a garden, that’s okay! You don’t need a ton of space for a garden, of course if you do and you choose to that’s great too. I use mostly containers for my garden. You can utilize that method too. You can use any kind of pot or large container of your choice. They also make these great things called grow bags, which you can also get off amazon or a local hardware store. That way if you live in the city and only have a balcony, you can have a garden too.

You may also be thinking, I do not even know where to get started, that’s okay too. My goal is help you through your first year! I am here to help and will always takes questions if you drop them in the comments!

Your nutrition is so important to your well-being, and let’s be honest, our food system in the U.S. is awful and I think it all started back in the 50s when we discovered convenience and let go of nutrition. Growing your own garden is a great way to know where your food comes from, and I am going to show you how to preserve it and love doing it in the process. I think Covid brought us one good thing, the awareness we needed to see how the food system works and how it can all collapse quickly. We rely heavily on important and transports and when that was all limited so was our food products. We will walk more about this later on though.

So, get ready to jump into this with me and learn how to provide a fresh and healthy diet for yourself and your family!

Hey everyone!

I am so sorry I have been MIA for a while! Life is just crazy right now and I barely have time to breathe let alone keep up with all of you, so thank you for hanging around and waiting on me.

I am going to get a bit personal again tonight. It’s almost 11 pm and I am just getting a moment to myself, with kids and work sometimes I feel like I am just getting by. I want to talk about something that is not often brought up.

When someone gets out of an abusive or narcissistic relationship there are a ton of people behind that person to help them heal and talk to them about how difficult it was in the relationship, but what about the relationship after the abuse? It isn’t really talked about but let me tell you, it should be. The relationship after is so damn hard too. Imagine living in a world where you are constantly criticized and manipulated into thinking you’ve done everything wrong; you are not beautiful; you are always the one at fault and when you finally step up and question something you are made to feel bad about it or called crazy. Now imagine you are in a caring relationship, one where you are treated with respect, this person does everything you have ever asked for from a partner, this person makes you feel beautiful every minute of every day, they make you feel special and appreciated and they do it all by beating down the walls you have built up. They do it because they genuinely care about you. They look at your past and understand it and spend every day trying to erase everything that happened to you. Anxiety? Through the roof. For the right person, it won’t matter, they will care for you anyway and still support you and help you through all of your emotions! Trust issues? You bet, they will answer every question and do it with care and tenderness. For the right person, your past is just your past and what you went through is a chapter in your book.

I have recently started a new relationship; one I didn’t think would ever happen. I have not dated steadily for years and honestly, I was okay—most days. Then, this one came out of left field. I am so thankful for him already. We are still new in our relationship but, I cannot wait to see where it goes.

My advice to anyone out of the hell, be optimistic that someone is out there waiting for you. You’ll learn to care again and one day love again. Take it one day at a time and know there are so many who are rooting for you!

Happy International Women’s Day!

Agriculture has been a part of my life since I was born, growing up on a farm and now in my professional career, agriculture is all around me.

Today is especially important to me because it is a day where we recognize the power of the woman. I will fully admit that I vouch for all females and today I want to take the time to spotlight women in agriculture!

Did you know that 36% of farms in the United States are owned and/or operated by women? As an agriculture advocate and a women, that number brings me great joy and I am glowing with pride. I know everyone has heard the phrase “I am women, hear me roar” but when I think about how far we have come I realize there are still strides to be made. Yes, I believe women have equality when it comes to paper but can we discuss the lack of respect a woman may receive? I have seen first hand how this is a problem. Being overlooked because I’m female, without taking in account the amount of effort, work, knowledge, and money I have put into myself to be the best I can be. There have been times where I have offered agriculture advice to someone and was ignored, but if a male offered the same advice they were praised for originality. Ladies, I know you feel me on this and maybe have had it happen to you.

I’m not here today to bash on men or complain about Women’s rights or equality because let’s face it, we have come a long way! We have more freedom than we have had in the past! I just want to recognize how amazing women truly are!

Y’all know I am a mom of two and let me tell you, it ain’t easy! I work hard everyday. I don’t get sick days or time to myself unless I arrange for a sitter and then as soon as I do, here comes the mom guilt soaring over me like a heavy rain cloud.

I am thankful for an amazing support system, but I know not every mom has that.

I want everyone today to take a moment and recognize a woman who inspires you. Tag her on Facebook! Tag her on Instagram! Make a TikTok! She can be any women who has inspired you! Make sure you tag me! I want to see all these amazing women! @rustic_ridge_mama!