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
– Abundance+ (Grab a FREE 7-day trial): https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-wilder-still
– Shop our Stickers & Shirts: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-shop
– Order my book First Time Gardener: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ftgbook
– Growing Gardeners Course: https://rootsandrefuge.com/yt-ggcourse
– Instagram: www.instagram.com/roots_and_refuge
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rootsandrefuge/
– 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
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Pure joy
I can relate to your story about getting catalogue from the hatchery and seed companies. I grown as much as I can In a small space. But taking your adv. I am volunteering well kind of volunteering they pay in fresh produce. But I'll be working on a farm just a few hours a week to learn as much as I can on an organic farm. I'm so excited to get this hands on n experience
Love your farm boy
Ben is so cute checking out the "baby chips" with you. Too bad that Murray McMurray hatchery had to cull a whole barn full of chickens but I'm so glad they have the chicks to hatch from the incubators to get new breeding stock from. It must take several months to get those breeds up and being laid again though. They must have to postpone some of the chicks going out. I hope they didn't lose any of their breeds. Yay, 67 happy little chicks. Those Irises are beautiful. Thanks for mentioning the brand name for the ambient heat plates for the chick brooder. We had a heat lamp fall and start a fire last year so I want to get the heat plates instead. Thank God my husband opened the barn and got to the fire right as it was starting! I didn't lose any birds. I don't want to use a heat lamp again. Thanks for this Jess! I love the chirping in the background!
You might now have rats but i would watch out for owls flying in the the barn and getting those chicks.
That’s so sweet how your son called the chicks chips. My grandson would call gloves “globes”. Yes, it’s still a thing! Love you guys
Jess, my Mom had butter paddles like that, believe they were her Mom's. When we were having a big family dinner or some special celebratory meal she would take a small cubes of butter and roll them with the paddles making butter balls. They looked nice an were fun, individual portions.
My Dad liked iris and one year he planted every color he could find. We had blue, lavender, salmon, orange, pink, yellow, white, rose, etc. For gifts he'd buy my Mom rose bushes and plant them wherever she wanted them.
Sweet to see all your beautiful chicks! I remember back when my Dad got his gosling. He and my two brothers raised chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, and oxasdionslly turkeys. I used to think we were rich because we had so many animals and a big veggie garden.
Hi Jess! I've been watching your content for a few years now and wanted to say thank you for being so true to what you do. Also, please consider music writing for an outlet as I believe you have a gift of communication that speaks to the heart. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thank YOU Jess! Because of you, I turned my waiting room into a classroom. This morning ‘we got the call’ from the post office and welcomed our first animals to our new family farm – 18 baby chicks! Building raised beds to make room for about 450 plants we have started from seed is next on our dream list! Thank you for bringing us along on your adventures and making us see dreams do come true! ❤
cows cream and brown sugar make the Best cinnamon roll glazes. rise the rolls in it and bake. out of this world!
How much for a Bed & Breakfast Visit to learn from you? I'd want to help out around the place, but may be in the way. Cannot do things like when younger. Seeing you with the Chick at beginning was like cool, sweet. I have new babies & hope to get my last girls for long time next week. I could kick myself for not being in the kitchen watching my Mama, Step-mom & Sister. I was one that enjoyed being outside & walked the road to a tiny store to buy me a tiny brown bag of Penny candy. One time walking was so thirsty & found a spring by the road. Our church has refreshing water (H2O & Jesus there.) It's one of those old coolers like the schools have & the water is a must. – Just like the creek, needing water that day & how it was provided. – Warms my heart just like more he provides. I also walked the creek, the slate at the waterfall & loved music. I like rocks. I had a scary moment with a momma pig one time. Took her piglet home to play with it. God was there that day & showed me a way out. Whew!
My dad & stepmom had a garden & cows. Becoming a Mommy began my cooking other than a can of Niblet Corn I remember cooking when I got home after school. We left our doors unlocked back then.
Found out there is a Bed & Breakfast very near & want to go back & visit my childhood home. It be neat to walk that road & the creek. Love that you share like you do. Thank you so much. Love ya.
" He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:39. I hope that you and your family have a safe and blessed day
I'm glad that you shared your thoughts on extrodinary things becoming every day. I have spent the majority of my life in desperate pain of a dream. When I finally got it, in the most beautiful way, I shook with excitement for days! Now, a year later, I'll still be hit with small moments of awe that the best thing in the world was given to me, but everything shifted to comfortable so quickly. I was concerned that I wasn't appreciating my gift enough because it was already no longer shiny and new.
I think you are correct, though, in your view on the matter. I wear my blessing well and take comfort in it. So thank you for your "poetic musings next to the brooder." They are well appreciated.
Ps: I definitely cried at first. A lot.
Thanks Jess for the reminder. As a new beekeeper many years ago, I would dream of being a beekeeper full time. And pour over the supply catalogs, and watch videos, and read articles. Now on my 2nd year of retirement, and into beekeeping full time, sometimes days can become stressful. But one of my favorite things to do is share the knowledge of beekeeping with others. You explained it so well ❤️#blessed #thankful
Thank you for making everyday special. We appreciate you so very much.
We switched to hover brooders this year. With the heat lamps, the chicks have light all day and all night, and I think its more natural for them to have dark at night. It's also more like running under mama to get warm. We have also had a tragic death because of a heat lamp falling on a chick. When we do use them, we always tie them up with an extra piece of baling twine to make certain they can't fall.
I got 28 chicks from Murray McMurray this year. I can't even remember how many orders I have had from them over the last 24 years.
Wise puppy owner, plus letting him run free could be dangerous for him. Watching Ben with those baby “chips” -he is so cute
I doubt it was real, sabotage is happening in our food supply chain everywhere. Azure Standard just got hit and dozens of others over the last 6 months. Have them check if they have any new employees and have the birds retested if possible. I'm not sure how they disposed of them. And I know I sound like a nutter but I can show you news clippings and articles from all across the US where these things are happening.
That Iris is stunning, love them
Awe! I love how you explained “comfortable gratitude” versus the big gratitude that comes when good things are new:) yes still VERY grateful but comfortable!
Thanks for sharing the info about Murray McMurray Hatchery. Very sad. Thankfully they had chicks.
Jess just in case you don't know, the textured side of the butter paddles are for making Gnocchi. I love and look forward to your uploads. Thank you for sharing your life with us.
Last night I built my first trellis, I cried (and I am crying right now). I started watching your videos while I was living with my parents, and started planting 3-4 tomato plants. Now I am living in an apartment in a city, with a little bit of balcony that allows me to have around 10 raised beds. It is extraordinary to me. Still, a dream lives in me, a dream about fleeing the city and taking care of a piece of land, surrounded by green, beauty and light. You have been a huge catalyst. I thank you <3
I've always loved your chicken and chick content! More please!