Tomato Cluster Seed Starting: https://youtu.be/Siqd7DVojso?si=4nGEjx4IYmi6wikG
WHERE TO FIND US:
– read my writing on substack: https://jesssowards.substack.com
-Our Website: https://rootsandrefuge.com
-Miah’s Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@miahsworkshop
-My Cooking Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@The_Farmers_Table
– Sign up for our newsletter: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-signup
-Order Coffee & Tea from our roaster: https://www.beulahroastingco.com
-Our Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SFA0IZHZRCOZ?ref_=wl_share
-The Roots and Refuge Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/roots-and-refuge-podcast/id1669328823
-Merch sales: Real Food Comes Dirty Shirts: https://roots-and-refuge-farm-shop.fourthwall.com/products/real-food-comfort-color
PRODUCTS I LOVE AND SUPPORT:
Greenstalk Vertical Gardens: https://rstr.co/greenstalkgarden/roots10
The white beds in my tea garden (Birdies Beds from Epic Gardening): https://shop.epicgardening.com/ROOTSANDREFUGE
BootstrapFarmer Site: https://shrsl.com/3w46t
The Roots and Refuge Shop: https://roots-refuge.myshopify.com
Order our T-Shirts and Sweatshirts https://roots-and-refuge-farm-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/all
Dramm Watering head: https://amzn.to/3Djs9yF
Long neck Dramm watering wand (for more established plants): https://amzn.to/41xxcoH
Heat mats: https://amzn.to/3QCyhVX
Grow lights: https://amzn.to/41yscAd
(Some of these thinks are affiliate links which means I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Using my affiliate links helps me buy seeds and soil and goats, so thank you.)
39 Comments
“That level of moderation is not for me!” 😆. So glad to hear this. I’ve been waiting to see if you were scaling back again this year or if you unleashed. Honestly, so happy you are free to be you this year! 🫶🏼🥳🤣🎉 Seriously though, Jess glad you rested and the overwhelm has passed. We ALL need to take a rest at times. Love you and your message! ❤
Do you freeze dry broth as another option?
So love giggle our dearest Jess! Mom always added vinegar to canning kettle water! 😘
I'm determined this spring. The last few years I have left the seed starting to my son who hasn't had a good success rate. The garden outcome has been even less between the bugs and the 4 legged visitors. We have come to realize that we can't garden like we did in CA even though we are technically the same zone of 9b outside of Tucson, AZ. We realized we need to learn to garden year round and try to harvest before the brutal heat of Aug & Sept.
I started seeds 1/25 and have been adding more each week. My plan is to allow for not all of them making into the garden and hopefully have enough to feed us and the critters. When beds are protected enough to keep out the animals they are also hard to access to work in.
I’m feeling so sad! I had 13 8fx5fx4f deep raised beds with cattle panel trellises between them. I had sooooo much growing space, but over the last 5ish years, the Bermuda grass has gotten so bad that 8 of them are completely unusable! I can’t get a shovel into them. We are two working people making barley more than minimum wage, so we are barley making it as is, no way to replace unusable beds. 5 beds is not enough, but it’s something and I will continue to grow what I can grow until nature takes completely over. At that time… I don’t know! What are we going to do?
So very cold here today 🥶 Vinegar is what you add to canners to help keep your jars stay crystal clear. Thank you for all that you share, you are an inspiration for sure!
A mama Eastern Bluebird has just finished building a nest in their birdhouse. This is the earliest I've seen a nest in there.
We have had some strange weather on the West Coast too. It's been much colder compared to previous years, and Sacramento Valley in Northern California was stuck under a weird cold cap for two weeks back in December. I'm waiting until mid March before anything goes outside rofl
Central Texas here – we've had about two weeks of mid 60s to 80s already. Has been glorious! Not putting out tomatoes yet, but am cautiously optimistic that much of the planting is very nearly here…
Jessica I have always watched you since the beginning, i have not been able to garden for a few years. But I always have volunteers.🎉 Thank you for your videos , I will continue to live thru you.
Plant all the seeds! Then plant more!
I am excited for my garden this year! We’ll see how it goes. Fighting aphids and whiteflies already! 🙄 Trying not to get discouraged! 😊
You need to get a lamenter to save your seed packet infomation instructions. I'm really looking forward to my garden this year because I have seed to start in my new bc raised beds. We normally don't have tomato worms but at the end of last season I found one. It's super cold in Utah this year. Love your videos not matter what the content.
I'm really glad you gave up on moderation, I also tried it.. that mess is for the birds😂😂
I look out my windows and all I see is a massive snowbank. Enjoying spring with you all.
I'm sort of sad for the garden. I have had no luck growing anything the last two years between the high temps and the ant problem. Fingers crossed this year.
Our last frost day is in the 10 day forecast and it is looking promising!!!
Can you create a video on how to identify, the use and benefits of Dandelions? We would be grateful.
Be careful using the vinegar in your canning pot, I used it in mine and it caused little wholes in the bottom. My fix was to plug the holes by using clear nail polish on the outside and it worked.
Wonderful to visit with you & get the garden & farm updates. Stay warm & blessings to all 🤗🇨🇦
My mantra this year is "Bringing life gives me life"… I was diagnosed with Colorectal cancer in the fall and should finish up chemo by early summer. I've started peppers and micro tomatoes and snail rolls of flowers with more planting to commence tomorrow. So yes I'm looking for to spring. I don't ever take it for granted.
Oh the smell of 48 hr bone broth simmering. My son hated it when he was still at home and I made bone broth. He swore it smelled like poop. After many yrs of enduring my broth making he would just say well mom smells like your bone broth is done.
9:24 “manageable” sure, Jess, sure. 😹😹😹
I am very excited to get started. I say 2026 is my golden year for gardening and yes I saw the ducks come back. It was so amazing. They flew in about 7:30pm that night. It was amazing.
Yes….its February 😂
12:12 is my absolute favorite. 😂 Same.
I just started like 15 different tomatoes. LOL
In AR. We’ve always called them False Springs.
Vinager just a couple of splashes
You can out vinegar in your canner water but over time it will start to pit your canner.
I am also VERY EXCITED for this year's garden season. I ordered all new metal garden beds so it will be a lot of work but I will end up with more growing space so that has me excited. I also had a poor tomato year in 2025 so trying to make up for it this year. Planting several new to me varieties so pretty pumped! Your broth is beautiful! 😍
Vinegar. Just a splash to keep jars clean! ❤
All the birds think it’s spring here and the Canadian Geese never left!
The small birds hop into a place where I can see them and demand more food when the feeder empties out.😊
This year is an adjustment to my situation in life and so to get to a place where I can be fulling involved with gardening it will be another year..if the Lord tarried maybe next year I will be better prepared..its like for me owning a pet if I cannot be fully prepared to take care to the best of my ability I decided not to get another one…so this is a year of downsizing and getting my health better,,,maybe a few surgeries this year so yea..maybe another year
Freeze drying that broth is another options that preserves the collagen. In your humidity you might want a desiccant pack as well as an oxygen absorber.
Already potting up seedlings to bigger pots over here:)
Mmm…love the smell of dirt and sunshine.
I am so excited for this year. I am going to actually be able to grow my first real garden in my own yard. The hardest part is holding back and not trying to do it all at once 🤣. This coming pay period I get to go get the lumber and other bits to make runner beds and fingers crossed arch ways. It’s crazy there is this gorgeous lady with the sweetest personality who showed us how to make them 😍😉. Thanks to you and Miah with love the Rice’s (Wilkes county ga)
Harvesting in April! I won’t even get to plant out till May!😂😅