Farmer Mary's Field Notes

Why Rural Veterinary Care is So EXPENSIVE - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 3, 2026)

🔥 This podcast is supported by tryourfarm.com! ➡️ tryourfarm.com 🔥 Order a sampler box from us for 50% off the regular price!! Frozen meat from our farm to your doorstep, shipped Next Day Air. If your social media algorithm is anything like mine, it serves up videos of animals doing ridiculous things–horses sliding uncontrollably down hills, geese with buckets stuck on their heads, goats fainting when the UPS truck drives by–and the most perfect audio track is an exasperated owner yelling “you don’t pay your own vet bills!!!” And it’s true. We spend so much time trying to keep our animals safe and healthy, and somehow they manage to astonish us regularly with their not-so-brilliant antics. We try to stay a few steps ahead of them and think of all of the possible ways they could damage themselves, and still find ourselves scratching our heads at some of the scrapes they get into. And it doesn’t even have to be stupidity; sometimes things just go wrong, and you need an expert’s help. I happen to have seen a lot of our local vets in the last couple weeks, so vet care is definitely on my mind, and I wanted to share a bit of what it looks like to safeguard so many critters on our farm. Original Blog Post: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/blogs/farmer-marys-field-notes/your-dont-own-your-own-vet-bills-farmer-mary-field-notes-week-50 Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm [https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550696203986] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/]

Is Horse Riding the Secret to Raising BRAVE Kids? - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 2, 2026)

🔥 This podcast is supported by tryourfarm.com! ➡️ tryourfarm.com 🔥 Order a sampler box from us for 50% off the regular price!! Frozen meat from our farm to your doorstep, shipped Next Day Air. In this episode, I share how our kids found their sport—not on a field, but in the barn—and how horseback riding has shaped their resilience, confidence, and emotional strength far more than traditional team sports ever could. From weekly lessons to a whirlwind local jumper show, we talk about the skills they’re building, the nerves they pushed through, and the joy of watching them grow as riders and humans. I also reflect on my own decision to sit out the competition this time, what it means to choose between stretching yourself and stepping back, and why saying yes to the horse—literally and metaphorically—might be worth it more often than we think. Original Blog Post: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/blogs/farmer-marys-field-notes/horses-kids-and-courage-farmer-mary-field-notes-week-2-2026 Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm [https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550696203986] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/]

My BIGGEST Mistake: Our Sheep ESCAPED - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 51)

🔥 This podcast is supported by tryourfarm.com! ➡️ tryourfarm.com 🔥 Order a sampler box from us for 50% off the regular price!! Frozen meat from our farm to your doorstep, shipped Next Day Air. A week on the farm turned into a lesson in humility, patience, and why meat costs what it does. From a routine trip to the processor that spiraled into escaped sheep, fading daylight, and a community-wide rescue, to a solo, hours-long chess match of loading stubborn bulls with nothing but fencing, grit, and slow pressure—this story is all about learning the hard way that livestock always exploit your smallest mistake. Pride took a hit, strangers showed up when it mattered, and in the end, everyone (human and animal) made it home safe. Slow and steady wins, check your parking twice, and maybe don’t underestimate a four-inch gap. 📝 Original Blog Post: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/blogs/farmer-marys-field-notes/pride-goes-before-the-fall-farmer-mary-field-notes-week-51 Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm [https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550696203986] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/]

Winter Adventures with Broken Tractors, Stuck Neighbors, and Fire Department Calls - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 50, 2025)

🔥 This podcast is supported by tryourfarm.com! ➡️ tryourfarm.com 🔥 Order a sampler box from us for 50% off the regular price!! Frozen meat from our farm to your doorstep, shipped Next Day Air. Well. Winter has arrived, and with a vengeance. It feels like we barely got past Thanksgiving, and we are in full-on snow mode. Our darling 9-year old daughter has been praying for snow (it’s literally on our hand-written prayer list) and they got their first snow day on what would’ve been their first day back from Thanksgiving break. To be fair, I think most of the state was shut down, but I thought you might get a kick out of hearing how our day played out. Plus, stick through till the end for a tasty and unusual recipe to try (hint: it's the persimmons) Original Blog Post: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/blogs/farmer-marys-field-notes/snow-days-and-sweet-corn-pudding-farmer-mary-field-notes-week-1 Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm [https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550696203986] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/]

Farm Fire from Bacon Blunder! (Week 43)

❤️ Support the Farm: Shop our farm products and meat boxes at LaughlinHighlandsFarm.com This week’s farm update starts with a skillet, a little too much smoke, and a visit from the volunteer fire department. Yes — all because of bacon. What began as a peaceful farm breakfast turned into one of those small-town moments we’ll never forget: neighbors, laughter, and a reminder that community means showing up — even when the emergency is breakfast gone wrong. In this episode, we’re sharing the story behind the smoke, what it’s like living in a place where your firefighters are your friends, and how humor and humility keep small-town life grounded. Along the way, we’ll still do what we do best — cook a hearty meal outdoors, talk about homesteading, and find the joy in life’s simple (and smoky) surprises. Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm [https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com] Our YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550696203986] Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/]