Blog

When the Storms Came (And Kept Coming): Our Farm Bankruptcy Story

Three years of financial losses. Storm damage. Unpaid bills. Equipment sales. Chapter 12 bankruptcy. We willingly inherited this farm, which made walking away feel like admitting we were wrong. Here’s what happened when we finally surrendered instead of fighting.

You’re Not Behind—You’re Just in a Different Season

I used to think I was patient—until I started comparing my Day 1 to everyone else’s Day 1,000. Here’s what feeding cattle taught me about giving yourself grace in the journey.

When the Bank Calls Your Notes: What I Wish Someone Had Told This Farm Wife

The text came while I was feeding chickens. “Meeting with the banker tonight. Pray.” We had cows to feed, no room on the line of credit, and no income on the horizon. Living in limbo—needing to invest but having no funds, needing to decide but having no good options. If your stomach just dropped because this sounds familiar, you’re exactly why I wrote this. Equipment went to auction. Cows went to auction. Neighbors started farming our ground. And somehow, we’re still standing. Here’s what I wish someone had told me when the foundation was crumbling.

How Azure Standard Saves This Farm Wife’s Sanity (And Budget)

There’s a specific kind of panic that hits when you’re out of gluten-free flour and the nearest store that carries it is 40 minutes away. I used to make that drive every other week, spending $300-500 each trip. Then I found a bulk buying solution that cut my specialty shopping trips from 12-24 times a year down to just 4—and saved money in the process.

Farm Debt and Financial Stress: How Simplifying Saved Our Sanity (And Can Save Yours)

Running numbers in your head at 11 PM while you try to fall asleep? You’re not alone. Here’s how simplifying our farm—and finally getting honest about our broken foundation—saved our sanity. And how it can save yours too.

When Farm Finances Feel Like an Uphill Marathon (And What I Wish I’d Known Sooner)

You know that feeling when you’re lying in bed at 2 AM, running numbers in your head for the third time this week? When you’re wondering if you should’ve walked away years ago? I recorded a voice memo about this in July 2022. I tried to publish it in March 2024, right before we filed bankruptcy. I couldn’t—it was too raw. But if you’re in the middle of your own financial storm right now, you need to hear this. Because the storm eventually ends, even when you can’t see how.

Join the Movement: How Farm Wives Are Taking Back Their Food Security (And How You Can Too)
Join the Movement: How Farm Wives Are Taking Back Their Food Security (And How You Can Too)

I watched a friend load up her truck with boxes of vegetables—not to sell at the farmer’s market, but to stock her own pantry for winter. Two years ago, she was like so many of us: standing in the grocery store aisle, calculator in hand, choosing between oranges and apples because the budget wouldn’t stretch for both.
Today? She hasn’t bought a single vegetable in six months.
This friend isn’t special. She doesn’t have magical green thumbs or acres of perfect soil. What she has is something far more powerful: the decision to take back control of her family’s food security, one small step at a time.

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Finding Calm When Your Farm Feels Like It’s Falling Apart
Finding Calm When Your Farm Feels Like It’s Falling Apart

I was standing in my kitchen the other morning, staring at a sink full of dishes while mentally calculating whether we could afford both groceries AND that vehicle repair this week. Sound familiar?

That’s when it hit me—I was doing it again. Letting the weight of everything crush the peace right out of my day before it even started.

If you’re reading this while your toddler tugs on your leg and you’re mentally running through your never-ending farm to-do list, I see you. The financial pressure, the equipment that breaks at the worst possible moment, the grocery budget that never seems to stretch far enough—it’s a lot.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

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Why Gardening Is Easier Than You Think (And How to Get Started Today)
Why Gardening Is Easier Than You Think (And How to Get Started Today)

I used to think gardening was for people with endless time, perfect soil, and Instagram-worthy raised beds. Sound familiar?
Years ago, I was drowning in farm debt, chasing kids around the yard, and choosing between oranges or apples at the grocery store. The idea of adding another thing to my plate felt impossible.
But here’s what I learned: gardening isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about starting small and letting it grow—just like faith.

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Small Garden, Big Security: Growing and Preserving Food All Year Long
Small Garden, Big Security: Growing and Preserving Food All Year Long

Last spring, I stood in my kitchen holding a jar of home-canned green beans, remembering the tiny seeds I’d planted months before. That moment hit me—this wasn’t just about gardening anymore. This was about true food security.

If you’re like me, grocery trips can feel overwhelming when every dollar counts. But what if I told you that a small garden plot could feed your family well beyond harvest season?

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June Gardening in Zone 5b: Simple Steps to Summer Success
June Gardening in Zone 5b: Simple Steps to Summer Success

June feels like that sweet exhale after holding your breath all spring, doesn’t it? The frost risk is behind us, the soil is warm, and everything is ready to grow. But looking at your garden, you might wonder where to even start.
Take a breath. June doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Think of it like tending a good friendship—consistent, gentle care beats frantic catch-up every time.

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Finding Your Summer Rhythm: A Farm Wife’s Breathing Space
Finding Your Summer Rhythm: A Farm Wife’s Breathing Space

Picture this: Fields bursting with potential. Kids are home from school. Harvest preparations brewing. Preserving season is knocking at the door. Your to-do list isn’t just long—it’s practically a novella.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned between tomato plantings and early morning chores: Survival isn’t about doing more. It’s about creating a rhythm that breathes with you.

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As I’ve grown as an entrepreneur, mom, gardener, and livestock owner, I struggled to find a planner that met my needs and kept me organized. So, I MADE MY OWN. You can look at it on the link below and buy it on Amazon.
Don’t want the whole calendar part? I got you! I pulled the gardening and animal care pages out and put them in a book all their own. 
 
Wanting a community to lean into? Join the FREE Thriving Through Farm Life: Wife’s Support Network! In our community, we embrace the challenges of farm life and provide a supportive space for wives facing the complexities of managing a family farm. Whether you’re navigating financial pressures, day-to-day operations, or seeking ways to create a thriving home, we’re here for you. Explore garden and preservation tips for cultivating your oasis, share insights on animal care, and discover practical family budgeting strategies. Together, let’s grow through challenges, flourish authentically, and sow the seeds for a resilient and thriving farm life. Join us on this journey of resilience and abundance! 
                                                                                                                    
Starting a garden doesn’t have to be hard! I gathered all the tips I’ve learned over my gardening seasons and made them into a simple course to jump-start your gardening life. 

Grab the Gardening Basics Course

                
Everyone wants a healthier home with less illness. But how and where do you start? Jump into my free membership, where I share the tips I’ve learned since my journey started in 2016. Tips range from nutrition, herbs, detoxing, natural cleaning, and using essential oils with kids.  
                
I’ve had 3 very different pregnancies. After the first traumatic birth, I learned how to care for my body naturally preventing common pregnancy and birth problems before they arise. This quick course will give you the tools you need to have a natural healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery. My first pregnancy I had a normal Western medicine pregnancy. My second? I flipped to completely natural, no medicine. Bonus: Preventing Preeclampsia Without Aspirin & Healing from Birth Trauma

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Shickley, NE

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