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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#rootsandrefuge
50 Comments
Pam here…. What glass is in greenhouse? De the windows have UV coating? Blocking the rays that benefit the ‘greening’ process?? Old vintage windows probably fine..but if were made after certain date. Could be be some UV blocking in the glass??
Have you thought about using hot water pipes on the under side of the shelf? I’ve seen a few bigger green houses that circulate hot water through for the extra heat.
I had never experienced cicadas until moving to NC 2 years ago – OMG they get loud! I think the reason their sound is a bit unnerving is because, to me at least, it is just like the sound effect used in old sci-fi movies when the aliens are about to attack.
I've had pretty good luck with seed starting this year except for my tomatillos and ground cherries. The germination has been slow (brand new seeds) even on a heat mat and they're just not doing well once they finally do sprout. I think I'll end up planting them directly in the garden in a few weeks (zone 7b) rather than up-pot them. And there's always next year.
You should get a FLiR Infrared camera for Miah and point it at the greenhouse at random times to see if you have any temperature variations.
I agree, Jess! My hubby started tomatoes and peppers inside, in a "grow box" he built. The grow box maintained a consistent temperature and timed lighting. And he moved his plants outside as the weather began warming up. I began my tomato and herb/flower seeds in our "greenhouse" (just an 8×8 base with an arch made from cattle panel, covered in 6 mil clear plastic) and only brought them inside when temperatures were supposed to drop below freezing. The night temperatures dropped routinely around 40 degrees (F) and sometimes, even with the door open, the greenhouse would get to 100 degrees. My husband's plants are large and healthy, ready to transplant and mine (started later) look stunted and have been slower-growing. Yes, some of the differences could be the time difference between one planting and the other, but I am seeing much slower growth from my plants. I had an added possible issue with mine, and that is I started my seeds in reused seed trays that I did not wash before filling them with damp soil and planting in them. So. Everything gets washed with soapy hot water once emptied now. (I also had a large number of failure to germinate.) AND we are planning on adding seed mats to our greenhouse next Spring.
The cicadas make me homesick for the south. I always found it soothing.
My system is clear shower curtains + heat sink. I have a blue water container with an aquarium heater as the heat source in my green house. Both from Walmart online. That way usually the water is heated by the sun, but if not the aquarium heater automatically turns on.
I heard somewhere that the hatch of cicadas is going to be one for the record books this year. Something about multiple hatch cycles that all converge this year 😢. Quick question also, when will the next t-shirt launch be?
My seedlings seem to have stunted… Im in Central FL so my stuff is now in the ground but we have had a cool spring this year. Hoping things kick into gear when the warm weather sets in.
Horses are the same way. We have 14 on the farm and I feed and turn in/ out in the same pattern at the same time every day. They love routine
I feel like you may be on the right track with the seedlings. I live in the flagstaff area and we have a very big temperature variance and often have the same looking seedlings.
The goats said come back come back definitely routine was messed up 😮😂those strawberries looked scrumptious 😊
My seedlings have struggled this year too. They are weak and lanky. Last year they were healthy and strong.
You are amazing!! Your videos are the highlight of my day! Thank you for bring us into your life❤️🌻
Those poor goats – "Mama don't leave me."
It’s definitely the swing in temperatures. It knocks them back kind of like 2 steps forward 1 step back ❤🇬🇧
Bottom watering is a remedy for cold spells.
Omg 😂 I just relived the first day of kindergarten! I’m having the completely opposite issue with my seedlings. They are monsters!
Mmmh, I’m so excited for our fresh strawberries this year! 😍
Thank you for clarifying 'flight', for a moment I was very concerned!🤣
Taylor is a having a baby! Aw! Congrats!
Thank you for sharing the sound of my childhood. We moved to my husband’s childhood cotton 0:15 farm in South Texas and there are no trees, so no cicada’s.
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The three drama queens….too funny! I guess you will find out next year if you are right about the heat – although it does make some sense to me. Perhaps attaching plastic above the shelves so that you can drape over and then put electric heaters on the floor under shelves. Good video.
Nubians are always melodramatic! I found Alpines to cope better. The Nigerian Dwarf goats, were great, I just could not milk them.
We had municipal soil and two containers were stunted because of persistent herbicide. All the other beds were fine. 😊
Try noise cancelling earbuds to mute the cicadas?
My grandmother trained her goat to stand up and dance . Oh, how she loved her goats, my grandmother was a farmer's wife, she also made goat cheese , there's so much to learn about farm animals , I have chickens and they keep me busy, keeping them clean and healthy , it's hard work , I only have chickens right now, but I would love to get a goat some day , but I'm still learning like everyone else ❤
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I know you plant more seedlings than I do but last spring I setup a small flimsy greenhouse inside of my large greenhouse. It does need to be opened soon after the sun is out or they will overheat quickly but I have been able to start some seedings much earlier in the season this way. We have very drastic temperature fluctuations. I normally start everything indoors but hate the hardening off process. I'm sure if you can setup your shelves in a way that will simulate another greenhouse you should have no problems at all. Good luck! Love your videos ❤ from New-Brunswick Canada 🇨🇦
Anyone else notice Jess's skin looking more radiant than normal the last few videos?!
Is it the Spring time Vitamin D or have you changed something in your regimen?❤❤❤❤
Cut some branches from the woods for the goats. They will love the leaves and twigs.
The weather up here in northern vt has been rough for starting. It is snowing today. I have a ND goatie mama due 4/29
I think you may be right about the seedling thing, but it still almost doesn't add up…why some plants and not others of the exact same type? Yes, managing temp fluctuations in that big space is a problem, so maybe add a wall across the middle and maybe even a "ceiling" of plastic as well so the heat stays closer to the plants at night. My greenhouse is similar to what you say your old one was, it's 8×12 with a gable roof and 6 foot wall height, and sits in the best sheltered spot we can find here. That's the patio, on the south side of our shop, which also has lilacs on the west and south sides (but doesn't shade it out). We have had quite a few nights below freezing still, and while I only have cold tolerant seedlings out there, I only added row cover to them on the coldest nights. By morning it's still actually comfortable in there and I have only had a couple small spots of frost damage.
Chelated Iron
Goats are SUCH drama queens😂😂😂
Those poor goats! That is so sad
The goats are hilarious with their drama!! 😂 I am having the same problems but my seedlings are outdoors. With that same fluctuations in temps. So I agree!!
I agree with you Jess. I also had a greenhouse-unheated or cooled and it is difficult to maintain consistent temps. I feel like the wide range of temps is hard for seedlings. That is why they usually do better when they are transplanted out. No real answers but in agreement.
Nice video ! I really enjoyed the goat content. Jess you look so pretty today 😊
the goats running after you very much gave the feelings of a toddler when you walk away lol "MOOOMMM!! DON'T GO!!" – Which I think is also a great testament to how well you've been treating them 🙂 They trust you to help them
I started 8 different varieties of tomatoes this year…same containers, same soil. Every single one of the “New Girl” tomatoes just look horrible. All my other tomatoes are big and healthy. I pulled a few of the New Girls out of their cups to investigate and it was like they were just not growing any roots.
Could the problem come from of the temperature of the water? The bigger the plants are, the more water they receive and if it is extremely cold, it can give them a shock, especially when it is very hot inside. Try watering a tray with water that has sit inside for awhile.
What if you get on your hands and knees and pretend to eat the grass. Maybe the goats will start to eat it too🤷🏻♀️
Hey Jess have you watched that Temple Grandin movie? You seem to understand prey mentality and might find her insights into the ethical processing of cows (that revolutionized the country) interesting.
What kind of glass do you have in the windows of the greenhouse? Is there a chance that there is some kind of coating on the glass? (UV protection etc.) That can have a big affect on plants.
I swear the goats are literally screaming out, "MUUUMMMM!" 🤣
"It's Time to be Goats" should be on a sticker or shirt 😂
When you plant your tomato seedlings out in the garden and you add an egg to the bottom of the hole, do you leave it whole or break it?
Yes the temperature fluctuations are the cause. Seed lines must have multi generational adapations to be less effected. (More generations the better.)
You can add N and K nutrients to buffer them (ash and blood for example)
It may benefit to form "mini greenhouse containers" to use within the greenhouse for exceptional cold.
Love the hosts to me it sounded like they were saying mom, mom, wait for us…lol
Thank you for sharing all you do. God bless