Facebook and Instagram Pages...
Hello friends…
Well something exciting happened on the farm since my last post.
Before sharing the news, here’s the back story.
When I’m on Facebook or Instagram, I don’t follow many people on their personal page.
I use Facebook for information, education and inspiration. following pages such as, Raised Bed Gardening, Nigerian Goat Care, Pruning fruit tree, Beginning Homesteading, Raising Chickens, Canning, Growing Pumpkins and the like.
When ever I want advice on a certain topic, I can go on that particular page, and ask my question.
Usually, there are tons of knowledgeable people that will respond with advice and help.
I also respond to questions that others have asked, if I have an answer that will be encouraging or helpful.
You never know...
A couple weeks ago, I was contacted through Messenger (on Instagram) by a gal named “Judith Horvath”.
She introduced herself, gave a brief but thorough story on her background. left a link to her website, along with a few other credentials which included a link to a magazine interview.
Explaining that she had read a post I had written on a Homesteading Facebook page, she looked up my Facebook profile, found my blog and subscribed, then looked me up on Instagram, lol.
The post she read on the homesteading page, was me, encouraging young people to not be discouraged or feel it was too late to fulfil their dream of a farm life…because I started a farm at 64 years old with zero farming or gardening experience, lol!
The Invitation...
I listened to the magazine interview she sent the link for, finding out she had gone from a corporate job in finance…and now was living her dream on a farm.
Judith raises sheep for fiber, goats for milk (making cheese, yogurt and soap), she at one time had over 200 chickens and has lots of other animals too.
Raising a huge garden, canning and preserving food all the while having a successful blog.
She wanted to know if I would be interested in doing a guest interview on her podcast?
….she wanted me to what …on her what?
Honored...
She had set a line up of interviews with all kinds of people.
Here are a few of the examples she gave:
Most are first-generational farmers.
Botanist turned flower farmer, Data science sheep guy, suburbanite homesteader with white collar job, and many more.
Then there was me… starting a hobby farm at age 64, without a clue where to begin, but a motto of “how hard could it be, lol”
I down loaded the app, Spotify, went to her site, listened to a few of her podcasts and decided to accept her offer of being a guest speaker…I really felt honored to be on the “list”!
Pondering...
After chatting back and forth, she gave me three dates and time slots to choose from, telling me the interview would take 1-3 hours.
Picking a date and a three hour window with no dogs barking, grandkids coming in after school or interfering with morning and afternoon chores, was going to be interesting, lol!
She sent a Google Schedule, and a list of topics and questions to ponder.
Out of my league...
The first suggestion and question on the list had me a nervous wreck, lol!
This was the first of almost 50 questions and topics she touched on.
Why did you start farmsteading / farming and when?
Are your reasons today still the same as when you started?
Is it what you expected or different? How?
Do you come from a farm family?
What do your family members think about your livestock and life change?
When I read that last question, I just started laughing to myself, remembering my dear Chicago Suburbs brother wondering if I had “lost my mind, starting a farm at my age…lol”
Then when my brother and I were talking about the chicken coop and eggs, he said “Are you going to eat those things…no, nope, eggs come from the grocery store” hahahaha
Zoom...
So the podcast interview date was set…and the day arrived.
As I reread the prep instructions, I saw the words zoom meeting format.
The interview would be via Zoom, edited and the audio portion would be broadcast online.
OH my gosh!
How could I have overlooked that SMALL point!
A face to face interview!
I had my house clothes on…my hair was a disaster, I had no makeup on.
I ran around my house with my iPad, trying to find a spot where the window glare wasn’t’ in the background…or it wasn’t too low or too busy looking.
Good grief…
Breathe...just breathe
I plastered my hair down with hairspray, threw on a clean shirt, and put on some lipstick.
I piled some books on the table in my kitchen to set the iPad on typed in the code and pin number.
I could see her… she could hear me but not see me.
But I couldn’t figure out how to get the video on…after what seemed like hours, the video came through.
I looked at my image in the screen…and my head looked like it was sitting on the table.
No neck or shirt to worry about…just a mouth, nose and eyes…lol!
I couldn’t scoot any closer to the table, my knees were already touching.
I kept trying to make eye contact by looking in the lens instead of the screen.
I started having a hot flash and the sweat was dripping down my brow…real professional Sandra.
The Show Must go On...
Judith was a doll. Instantly putting me at ease.
Soon I was telling my story and having a nice chat with her,
I told of our happiest times and our saddest.
I blended two stories together to get my point across (one of having a garden party and one of teaching girlfriends to can)
Over all it was very enjoyable and before I knew it, two hours had gone by.
Podcast 101
To tell the truth, I had never even listened to a podcast, much less been a guest on one.
She told me to hang on after she said goodbye, an we would wrap things up.
After the editing was done, she would publish the podcast and send me the link.
So here we are friends…She gave me a link for Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/1PORzGqFwf7wvhABDPbXOM?utm_source=generator
And a link for Podbean
I tried the Spotify link and it was ok. Hope the podbean one is…
It's very LONG...
Judith did almost zero editing…it is almost two hours long.
If you would like to listen, you can pause the feed and listen a little at a time.
The whole story of uprooting our lives from 40 years in a subdivision, buying a little house on nine bare acres, to start a hobby farm for our grandkids and begin an active retirement.
With zero farming or gardening experience!
Buying animals, refurbishing buildings, learning to garden, having a farm stand…all in four years.
Sweet Tea Yankee Farm
See you next time for part two of Fun Birthday Cakes on the Farm
Fondly, Sandy
Sandy, I hope your tale is inspiration to those who want a life like this and are intimidated. You had a dream and you went for it! You’ve shown how one can just start small and keep going and enjoying an active, fulfilling life of learning, enjoyment, sharing, and connection with the earth and animals. Beautiful. Fun!!!
Hi Judith.
Thank you for the kind words! Learning to garden and tend animals later in life, has brought me much joy and satisfaction.
Hard work is good for the body and soul.
Fondly, Sandy
Oh Sandy, how very exciting!!!! I can’t wait to listen. So happy for you.
Thank you so much Lisa!
It was really fun to look back and tell the whole story.
Fondly, Sandy