Hey ya’ll, I’m Jess from Roots & Refuge Farm
Welcome to a place that feels like home. A small farm with a big family. We hope you’ll pull up a chair, grab some coffee and visit awhile.
There was a time that all I wanted in the world was a little farm where I could raise my family and grow our food. Now, that is exactly what exists outside my door. In watching it unfold, a new dream was formed in my heart – to share this beautiful life with others and teach them the lessons we’ve learned along the way. Welcome to our journey, friend. I am so glad you’re here.
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WHERE TO FIND US (Some of the links here are affiliate links. If you purchase through our links we’ll receive a small commission but the price remains the same – OR BETTER – for you! Be sure to check for any mentioned discount codes.)
– Our Website: https://rootsandrefuge.com
– Sign up for our newsletter: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-signup
– Join our Patreon to get early access to podcasts and other information, plus monthly LIVES with me and Miah: https://patreon.com/rootsandrefuge
– Abundance+ (Grab a FREE 7-day trial): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-wilder-still
– Shop our Stickers & Shirts: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-shop
– Order my first book, “First Time Gardener”: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ftgbook
– Order my second book, “First Time Homesteader”: https://rootsandrefuge.com/first-time-homesteader-yt
– Instagram: www.instagram.com/roots_and_refuge
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootsandrefugefarm
– Email Us: rootsandrefuge@yahoo.com
– To drop us a line:
PO Box 4239
Leesville SC 29070
– To have a gift sent to our house from our Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SFA0IZHZRCOZ?ref_=wl_share
– To support us through PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/jessicasowards
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PRODUCTS WE LOVE – You’ve probably heard me talk about these things a million times, so here’s where you can order them (and get a discount with my code!):
– Greenstalk Vertical Gardens (Use code “ROOTS10” for $10 off your order): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-greenstalk
– Squizito Tasting Room (Use code “ROOTS” for 10% off your order): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-squizito
– ButcherBox: https://rootsandrefuge.com/butcherbox
– Growers Solution: https://rootsandrefuge.com/growers-solution
– Neptune’s Harvest Fertilizer: https://rootsandrefuge.com/neptunes-harvest-fertilizer
#rootsandrefuge
37 Comments
Lesya are labeled heart shaped. Yours are perfect ❤
I have to say, your philosophy on raising your boys is excellent. If you can guide them into being good men like Jeremiah, you have done your job well.
Your videos in the garden are my meditation. Thank you
I had a cucumber and many Black Cherry tomato plants volunteer this year. I've also had a seed mix-up. I planted lemon basil and two plants were something else, they tasted like licorice. I hate licorice! Yes, I yanked them out and fed them to the chickens, I think they didn't like them either. Funny, but that has been the two most exciting thing happening in my garden this year other than a bumper crop of Okra.
Jess, I'm so inspired by you and your faith. 5 days ago our garden was decimated by hail and it broke my heart. I'll live through your garden and pray God has purpose for that happening. Thank you for being you and sharing your life, family and faith. ❤
I agree with the go with what you’re blessed with attitude in my garden! Sometimes the plants you started from seed just don’t meet expectations or even get a chance to! My super vigorous volunteers are always showing up and allowing me to have a harvest I was not expecting! So here’s to volunteers and gardens that just want to grow! 🙌👍👍😉
My daughter used to tell her kids “Go outside and play hunger games! I’ll see one of you in an hour!”😮
So true…teach them to be strong but gentle. I have two boys and they have always had knives and sticks since they were young. They have learned respect for all possible dangerous implements, and they will pass those ideals onto their children.😊
A couple of years ago, we bought what we thought was banana peppers and they were gorgeous. Picked them and started to get them ready to pickle and can b/c we love them in salads. Well, all of a sudden my hands started burning like crazy, eyes watering and snot running. Good grief, those things were hotter than fire. Called my son who is a pepper freak and sent him a picture. He said "Mom, you got Hungarian Wax peppers". They were so hot we couldn't eat them. I don't know what happened, but boy that is when I was "assaulted by a pepper in my kitchen". LOL. We have some friends that love those hot things and we gifted them to them. All was well.
I recently made a lemon cake, that called for a glaze. I substituted lemon juice for the water called for and the glaze tasted like Lemon Head Candies.😋😋😋
I know you have sometimes mentioned different seed companies that you've worked with, but would it be possible for you to give us a list of the ones you like and would recommend? Thanks!
Great message. More should teach their children life skills. How to do and make things. Ok, so on another note… that dress is just precious. Modest and made for summer.
I have to agree with your closing comments about gardening disappointments. My garden became a half eaten hot mess and yet so lovely and beautiful. A young doe chose my garden to have her twin babies. She ate down my peppers, sweet potatoes and strawberry plants not once, but twice! Everything grew back and I will get some harvest, but it was a joy having such beautiful creatures share my garden. Some things I planted, not expecting them to make it, produced beyond what I could have hoped for. I had drought and scorching sun, but it was a great gardening experience. I am thankful!
Volunteers always grow the strongest and most productive.
I think boys are more 'wild' rather than aggression. 😊
From one boymomma to another.. I second that! 🥰 I have 4 boys too 💙💙💙💙 the energy is real!
I grew a certain variety of tomatoes for 2 years and they did awesome (big and bountiful). Ran out of seeds. Ordered the seeds from another company. I dont know if it was the seeds or where I planted them. But they were smaller plants and smaller tomatoes.
Those look like the pickled peppers that my daughter-in-law whose from Brazil just gave me tonight! BTW: my sweet peppers turned out to be hot in my Sunday dinner salad and she was the recipient😮. Other folks are saying that the peppers have been extremely hot this season. Mine were from seeds that I bought from Baker, MI Gardener, Botanical Interests and Johnny’s.
I had a Swiss Army knife when I was in Girl Scouts. They taught me how to use it in day camp.
(I also take my aggression out on my yard work and exhaust my energy)
I have 2 sons, who are now 40 and 37. I love, love, love being a boy mom! They are strong but gentle and I absolutely love watching them with their children now! One has a son and a daughter and the other has a daughter. They are wonderful dads; I am amazed to watch how they play with their son and little girls. It is so important to let them be kids and lead by example. You and Miah remind me so much of the life we instilled in our boys. I love your channel Jess, but I thank you so much for sharing your family with us as well.
Beautifully put! I love the surprises in the garden the most. I tried forever to grow my favorite plant (kniphofia) in a particular spot. Grew it from seed and bought it from the store alike. Nevertheless, it fizzled out each time. But, as soon as I made peace with it, another one popped up completely on its own in another part of the garden that was even better than the spot I had planned. I don’t understand the concept of zen, but I experience it in gardening (and in life) every single day. You must take the bad with the good, and accept that you are NOT in control, that you never will be, and that there’s no need to be. You and your channel are such an inspiration and I thank you sincerely ❤
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Beautiful Garden! yeah i had watermelon seeds that turned out to be a sunflower which didnt even grow fully.. so yeah, things happen…
My kids were just commenting that if they'd had their second son first, they wouldn't have had a second! But that baby has just got more spice in his being than his older brother. He's going to be the salsa that brightens up their days, while the big brother is going to be comfort food. They're both wonderful.
Lesya does have a slightly strange shape with that point at the end of an otherwise "fat" pepper. Mine did not do well so far this year – last year was my first growing them and I liked them a lot. Maybe they will come on strong this month.
Loving your parenting advice….and being a boy mom, you're right on!!!
Your authenticity and honesty continues to inspire me. Makes me wanna start a channel and be brave 😊
my husband was raised younger in Bishop California, it was all ranching and fishing . Little boys would walk the streets with loaded 22 and no one thought a thing about it. Those were the days that made sense, the boys loved hunting and fishing all day long. The rodeo was the high point of the year. It was very rural and I think relating to gun with respect and knowledge is so important. Its the country folks.
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today the 15th was much more pleasant today our high was 96 here in Deep East Tx. Despite the triple digits, my hubby said the highest so far was 115 actual temp. Thnx Jwss for sharing I always enjoy your garden tours so much. You are blessed to have Will. He works so hard.
Can you possibly do a video reviewing the various varieties of each vegetable you grew this summer – and let us know whic you loved and which you didn't? 🌶🥒🍅🥦🥕
total encouragement again , this is why I always watch your volgs !! always learning !!!
Perkebunan yang sangat subur
The last segment, where you talk about not holding rigidly to one's plans but learning to find joy in what comes, may have been specifically about gardening but that's basically what God's been teaching me this summer about life. I'm 38 and have struggled with disabling anxiety and agoraphobia since I was 15. It caused me to withdraw from school, friends, family, and life. That's led to so much pain- missing out on dating and marrying and having a family of my own; of higher education, of working and being able to support myself, to buy a home instead of relying on subsidies (which greatly limits one's options in housing, for example). I've been working on fixing many of those things these past four years, but God has shown me that I've let the pain, regrets, disappointments, and fear of future pain, disappointment and regret keep me from letting go of my wants (even if they're not bad) and leaning into and trusting Him and His will for me. Which has kept me stuck in relationship with Him, then doubting Him, etc. I've been doing a Bible study called From Fear to Faith, and that's one of the big things I've realized about myself. Once I started to release some of the physical items I'd been holding onto tightly for "someday when…" in order to declutter my apartment and make room for what is instead of all the "hopes", it's been freeing psychologically, too. Not that it was easy to let go of some of the things, but I am glad I have the space and am trusting God to bring in what I need, when I need it.
I've been saying, "It's so hot out, it feels like hate", for many years.
Piquino
Tiny
Peppers
We are all so concerned about making our daughters strong and safe, but forget to raise our boys strong and gentle, knowing they will treat someone else's daughter with respect