You know it’s summer on the farm when the inside of the house starts looking like a crime scene, and frankly, I have zero regrets. Every year, when the weather warms up, priorities shift. Suddenly, it’s not about sparkling floors and neatly folded laundry—it’s about getting things built, planting things in the ground, keeping animalsContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Summer Chaos—Why My House Looks Like It’s Been Abandoned”
Category Archives: Farm Table Talk
Farm Table Talk: The Great Fake Speaking Gig Scam
If there’s one thing that simultaneously excites and enrages me, it’s emails like this—ones that dangle a dream opportunity just within reach, only to reveal themselves as yet another cut-and-paste scam designed to prey on hopeful professionals. Take this gem: “Hey Traci, My team sent your LinkedIn profile over and I was impressed! Would youContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Great Fake Speaking Gig Scam”
Farm Table Talk: The Hypocrisy of Freezer Camp—Or, Why Hedwig Gets a Lifetime Pass
There’s an unspoken rule on the farm: everything has a purpose, and when that purpose is no longer fulfilled, freezer camp is the logical next step. Simple, right? Ruthless efficiency. No room for sentimentality. Except, apparently, I am a liar. See, I told the Mister the same thing I tell myself: if an animal isn’tContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Hypocrisy of Freezer Camp—Or, Why Hedwig Gets a Lifetime Pass”
Farm Table Talk: Degrowth—Reckoning with the GDP Treadmill
Let’s start with the obvious: the word “degrowth” doesn’t exactly inspire warm fuzzies. At first glance, it sounds like the worst sales pitch imaginable—“Would you like to tank the economy on purpose? Welcome aboard!” No wonder people’s initial reaction is usually something along the lines of, “Uh, hard pass.” But here’s the twist: degrowth isn’tContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: Degrowth—Reckoning with the GDP Treadmill”
Farm Table Talk: The Copy/Paste Nonsense of Cold Emails
Nothing makes my eye twitch quite like a copy/paste cold email that pretends to be thoughtfully researched when, in reality, it’s just lazy mass messaging blasted into the void. I get them constantly—shipping companies, AI firms, random B2B services all pretending they’ve done some deep investigative work into my farm, when one quick glance atContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Copy/Paste Nonsense of Cold Emails”
Farm Table Talk: When Your Work Is Dismissed as a Hobby
There’s a special kind of frustration that comes from pouring every ounce of sweat, intelligence, and strategic planning into something, only for people—especially family—to wave it off like it’s some whimsical pastime. For me, it’s the farm. To some, it’s just a fun little hobby—a side project, a distraction, something quaint but not serious. NeverContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: When Your Work Is Dismissed as a Hobby”
Farm Table Talk: Let It Grow—The War on Pointless Lawn Standards
There is a battle raging in my yard, and it is not between pests and plants, rabbits and predators, or ducks and mud puddles. No, this war is far more ridiculous—it’s a war over grass. Specifically, whether or not it should be mowed. My mom, bless her heart, thinks the answer is an emphatic “yes.”Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: Let It Grow—The War on Pointless Lawn Standards”
Farm Table Talk: The Mystery of the Chinchilla Kit—Or, When Genetics Slap You in the Face
You ever have one of those moments in farming where you stare at an animal like it personally betrayed you? Because that’s exactly where I was this spring, standing in my rabbit barn, looking at a chinchilla kit that should not exist. See, last year, I bought a New Zealand Black buck from a breederContinue reading “Farm Table Talk: The Mystery of the Chinchilla Kit—Or, When Genetics Slap You in the Face”
Farm Table Talk: When a Barnyard Mix Costs More Than It’s Worth
Listen, I’m all for paying top dollar for high-quality breeding stock—birds bred to the Standard of Perfection (SoP), with genetics meant to improve a breed rather than just pump out eggs. If that’s what I’m buying, then sure, $25 to $50 makes sense. These birds are an investment, not just random additions to the flock.Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: When a Barnyard Mix Costs More Than It’s Worth”
Farm Table Talk: Industrial Farming—The Warm, Wet Illusion
Let’s paint a picture, shall we? It’s freezing outside, and you’re desperate to stay warm. In a moment of irrational panic, you… piss your pants. Immediate warmth floods in (sorry for the mental image), but how long does it really last? Not long enough—and now you’re colder, wetter, and way worse off than before. That,Continue reading “Farm Table Talk: Industrial Farming—The Warm, Wet Illusion”
