The Hippie Farmer

Has anyone else jumped on the copper water cup train? 🙋‍♀️

Because I have to admit… I love them. But cleaning them? That’s for the birds. 😆

Of course, in my house, every child apparently needs a different cup for every sip of water they take. We are actively working on this life skill. Yet somehow, here I am cleaning SIX copper cups today.

And naturally, nobody rinses them out. They all sit in the sink until they turn that lovely blackish, tarnished color that makes me question all my life choices. 😂

But if you’ve got copper cups—or you’re thinking about getting some—here’s the easiest way I’ve found to bring them back to life:

🍋 Cut a lemon in half
🧂 Dip it in coarse sea salt
✨ Scrub the copper
💥 Watch it shine like new

Now, whether you believe all the benefits or not, copper has been used for centuries. Many people drink from copper cups because copper naturally has antimicrobial properties, and some believe it may support digestion and overall wellness.

And let’s not forget copper cookware. Copper pots are prized because they conduct heat incredibly well, giving you more even cooking and better temperature control.

Me? I just think they’re beautiful… when they’re not sitting black and crusty in my sink. 🤣

Anyone else using copper cups? Love them or regret them?

Let’s talk about that last baby you have.

You know… the one who kind of gets lost in the hustle and bustle of all the older kids.

I have four children ranging from 22 to 4. My husband even has children pushing their 40s. We’ve done the baby stage so many times that somewhere along the way, all the baby stuff just became background noise.

The toys have been played with, passed down, broken, donated, and forgotten. Life gets busy. Older kids have bigger problems, bigger schedules, bigger conversations.

But today we stopped at Ocean State, and my youngest picked out a little inflatable baby pool.

A baby pool.

And I had one of those moments.

I looked at him and thought… wow. He’s still a baby.

Somehow I forgot.

He’s still at the age where a $10 pool is the greatest thing in the world. Where he wants Mom and Dad to sit in it with him. Where splashing around on a hot day is enough to make a perfect memory.

So here we are, all squeezed into a tiny baby pool because he wanted us in there with him.
And yes buddy… that well water is COLD. 😆
A little reminder to myself that while the older kids are growing up, this last baby is too. And these little moments won’t be around forever. ❤️

And I’m not crying. Your crying. 😭😭😭 Also… farmers legs!! 😝✌️

My top 3 non-negotiable grocery store items that I simply won’t buy anymore…

🥖 Bread.
The flour. The additives. The soybean oil. The ingredient lists that read like a science experiment. If we want bread, I make it. Sometimes it’s sourdough, sometimes it’s a quick yeast bread for hamburger buns or hot dog rolls. Either way, I know exactly what’s in it.

🥚 Mayonnaise.
This one is so easy. Oil, egg, salt… done. I make a fresh batch almost every week. Once you start making your own, it’s hard to go back.

🐔 Eggs.
Raise your own chickens. Seriously. Most families don’t need a huge flock. Even 6-8 bantams can keep you supplied with plenty of eggs. You know what they’re eating, how they’re living, and where your food is coming from.

I’m not saying you need to change everything overnight. But pick one thing. Just one. Learn how to make it yourself. Grow it. Raise it. Take back a little control over your food.

Small changes add up to a completely different lifestyle.

We’re considering making available an established herd of registered Nigerian Dwarf goats and wanted to see if there is any interest.

This herd would include:
🐐 1 Registered Buck
🐐 3 Does

They’ve been a wonderful part of our farm, but as we continue evaluating our herd goals and workload, we’re exploring different options.

If you’ve been looking to start or expand your Nigerian Dwarf herd with quality animals, send us a message for more information.

Serious inquiries only, please. Will not hold and first come.

Farming is tough in ways most people never see.

Today we said goodbye to three goats. Sheila, Gypsy, and the hardest one of all… Special.

Special was my kids’ favorite. Born here, raised here, loved here. The kind that becomes more than just a goat. The kind that becomes part of your daily life and your memories.

But farming teaches lessons that aren’t always easy.

Sometimes loving your animals means making decisions that are best for the entire herd, the farm, and the future. Not every animal can stay. Some go to wonderful new homes. Others serve a different purpose. That’s the reality of raising livestock.

Our children are learning that stewardship isn’t the same as ownership. Animals have a purpose here. They deserve good lives, green pasture, kind care, and respect from beginning to end.

There were tears today. There were hugs. And there was gratitude for the time we had with them.

It may not be a life everyone understands, but it’s one that teaches responsibility, resilience, and appreciation for every animal that passes through our gates.

Goodbye Sheila, Gypsy, and sweet Special. You were loved more than you’ll ever know. ❤️

First and foremost, we are a homestead.

Our animals have a purpose here.

Could I keep them all? Sure. But that’s how people end up with too many animals and not enough resources. Instead, ours get a really good life. Fresh pasture, sunshine, good food, lots of love, and the freedom to do what animals are meant to do.

Then they have one bad day.

And they nourish our family for months.

I was once a vegetarian. But raising my own meat changed my outlook completely. I know exactly how these animals lived, and that matters to me.

This year we raised 30 meat birds, we’re growing quail for meat, have 6 pigs headed for the freezer this winter, and 4 goats happily running around until their time comes. Now we’re just waiting for our 3 sheep to lamb any day!

This lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but it’s the one that feels right for us.

The age of AI is here.

And if I’m being honest… I don’t know how I feel about it.

A few years ago, the internet felt like a tool. A place to learn how to grow food, raise animals, build a garden, make soap, preserve harvests, and connect with people living a similar life.

Now?

We live in a world where we can’t even trust what we see anymore.

Photos aren’t always photos.
Videos aren’t always real.
Comments are bots.
Voices can be cloned.
Faces can be created.

We’re entering a time where truth itself feels negotiable.

Yes, social media helped small businesses like ours reach people we never would have met otherwise. For that, I’m grateful.

But if someone told me I could trade it all tomorrow and go back to a simpler world… a world of front porches, handwritten letters, neighbors talking over fences, and learning from the people around you instead of a screen…

I’d take that deal.

Because somewhere along the way, we stopped using technology and started living inside it.

Maybe I’m old-fashioned.

Maybe I’m just a farmer.

But I trust dirt under my fingernails more than I trust most things on the internet these days.

The garden is real.
The goats are real.
The work is real.
The seasons are real.

And in a world increasingly built on artificial everything, I think real is about to become the most valuable thing we have.

What’s your take? Are we moving forward… or losing something we can never get back?

Everyone keeps saying farmers just need to “adapt.”

Adapt to what exactly?

Feed costs up.
Hay costs up.
Fuel costs up.
Everything it takes to raise goats, chickens, pigs, and grow food keeps climbing.

Now they’re warning of drought conditions. So what does winter look like when hay is scarce and prices go through the roof? What happens when small farms can’t afford to feed their animals anymore?

This isn’t bad luck.

It’s a planned collapse, and most people don’t even see it.

The small family farms disappear first. Then local meat disappears. Then local eggs. Then local milk. Then you’re left depending on whoever controls the food supply.

People think food comes from a grocery store. It doesn’t. It comes from farmers who are hanging on by a thread.

The scary part?

By the time everyone notices what’s happening, it’ll already be too late.

Support your local farmers now… because once they’re gone, they’re not coming back.

Today marks 12 years of marriage for me and my husband. ❤️

He asked me if I wanted to do something special for our anniversary, and honestly… the thing I wanted most was to stay home.

Maybe that sounds boring to some people, but we spent years building a life that we don’t need a vacation from. A life filled with children, animals, fields, projects, chaos, laughter, and purpose. A life we genuinely love.

When we met almost 16 years ago, we wanted the same things. We loved our children (who are adults now!) and dreamed of growing our family even bigger. We talked about land, animals, homeschooling, gardens, and creating a simpler life. Back then it was just a dream.

Now I look around at these fields, these animals, and these little people we’ve been blessed to raise, and I realize we’re living the life we imagined.

Sundays are my favorite days. Slow mornings, chores together, kids running around, animals waiting for breakfast, and the feeling of being exactly where we’re supposed to be.

Each year somehow gets better than the last. I am grateful for this man, this farm, this family, and all of you who have supported us and shared this journey with us.

Here’s to 12 years… and next year is lucky number 13! Maybe we’ll have to throw a big anniversary bash and celebrate with everyone. 🎉❤️

Strawberry season is here… but have you seen the recent headlines about pesticide residues found on conventionally grown strawberries?

It’s one of those things that makes you stop and think.

We’ve become so used to having every fruit and vegetable available year-round that we’ve forgotten what it means to eat with the seasons. Strawberries in June. Apples in the fall. Stored root vegetables through the winter. That’s how food was meant to work.

Instead, many of us are buying berries shipped thousands of miles, grown with heavy chemical inputs, and wondering why our food system feels so disconnected.

Maybe the answer isn’t another label, another regulation, or another study.

Maybe the answer is right in our own backyards.

A small berry patch can feed your family for years. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries… once established, they keep giving. Kids can learn where food actually comes from. You know exactly what was sprayed (or not sprayed) on them. And nothing tastes better than a sun-warmed berry picked five minutes before it lands in your mouth.

The controversial part? We’ve normalized buying food from strangers while thinking growing our own food is strange.

Plant the berries.
Eat with the seasons.
Know your farmer.
Or better yet… become one.
Like Farmer Lui ✌️

🍓🌱