I never thought I'd love this life as much as I do.

And I also never expected it to feel so hard.

In this episode, I open up about the emotional tug-of-war so many farm wives experience — the reality that you can love your life on the farm and still hate the parts of it that leave you feeling lonely, overlooked, and completely exhausted.

I share what life looked like for us in the early years with three boys under four, how I carried the load through drought, newborns, and endless solo parenting, and how I finally stopped pretending it was all fine.

You’ll hear honest stories about missing milestones, crying in hospital alone, resenting wet towels on the floor, and the mindset shifts that helped me stop bottling it all up.

I also talk about the little changes that made a big difference — from bundling the kids up to take dinner to the paddock, to finally having those hard conversations with my husband about what we needed as a family.

And I share the unexpected gifts in it all — the flexibility the farm actually gives us, and the privilege of being able to show up for our kids in ways not every family can.

This is a vulnerable one, but it’s real. If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Is this what I signed up for?” while still feeling proud of the life you’ve built — you’re not alone.

• Why it’s okay to love and hate the farm at the same time
• What solo parenting looked like during the early years
• The emotional and financial pressure of farming life
• When the resentment creeps in and how I’ve learned to name it
• How I stopped pretending everything was fine
• The small shifts that helped us survive busy seasons
• Why asking for help isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom
• How the flexibility of farm life is also a gift
• A reminder that this life needs to work for your whole family

✨ You’re not doing it wrong if it feels hard. You’re just being honest.

💬 Let’s keep the conversation going: message me on Instagram and tell me what part of this episode you related to most.

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

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Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/40

Winter has arrived with a bang here on the farm—frosty mornings, short days, and that bone-deep cold that makes everything feel just a little bit harder. But this year, it feels a little easier than it has in the past. I think that’s because I’ve been paying attention to the small things—the simple comforts and routines that are helping me stay grounded and get through this season with a bit more ease.

In this episode, I’m sharing the five things that are helping me through this cold farm winter. These aren’t big, fancy solutions—they’re real, everyday things like the slow cooker bubbling away in the kitchen, a crackling fire (even if I forget to keep it going), warm clothes from the dryer, and the moments I get to be present for my boys, whether it's at the library or the sidelines of their footy games.

I also chat about how this winter feels different—how the cold set in fast, but my routines and rhythms are making all the difference.

Whether you’re a rural woman navigating a busy farm season or a mum just trying to keep the house warm and the kids fed, I hope this episode encourages you to take a moment and notice what’s helping you get through the season too.

In this episode I share:

• Why the slow cooker is my best friend right now (and how I keep it super simple)
• A funny story about trying—and failing—to keep the fire going on my own
• The pride I feel watching my boys become readers and our weekly library rhythm
• Why I finally built a backyard fire pit and how it’s getting us outside more
• What it’s like showing up for winter sport when you don’t know all the rules
• How good routines are helping me feel more motivated this winter

I’d love to know—what little things are getting you through winter right now? Come say hi on Instagram @groundedfarmwife and share your winter comforts with me.

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/39

Episode Summary:

Winter is well and truly here on the farm, and while Stephen complains the second it gets cold, I actually love the slower pace, the warm mugs of coffee, and the chance to reflect. In this episode, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening on our dairy farm right now — from breeding season and weaning calves, to prepping our new block and making tough feed decisions as the weather turns.

But the second half of the episode is where things really heat up. After one of my recent reels about milk prices went unexpectedly viral, I had a flood of comments and questions about how dairy farmers are actually paid. So today, I’m answering those questions — openly and honestly.

I break down how the dairy code of conduct works, what “milk solids” really are, and why most dairy farmers supply the big companies (spoiler: we often don’t have another choice). I also explain why selling our own milk sounds simple but would cost millions, and how you can make informed choices to support Australian farmers at the supermarket.

Whether you’ve been around dairy your whole life or are just curious about what’s in your fridge, this episode brings clarity, real-life context, and a reminder that every litre of milk starts with a farmer.

Key Points Covered in this Episode:

• A seasonal update from our farm: breeding, weaning, drying off, and managing feed shortages
• What winter looks like for dairy farmers and how we plan ahead for calving
• Why June is such an important month for the dairy industry
• How dairy farmers are paid and what the Dairy Code of Conduct means for us
• The truth about milk solids, price variations, and seasonal premiums
• Why most farmers can’t process or sell their own milk (even if we wanted to)
• What happens to our milk after it leaves the farm (spoiler: it’s not always bottled)
• How to support Aussie farmers through the dairy products you buy

💛 If this episode helps you understand our industry a little better or makes you feel more connected to where your food comes from, I’d love if you shared it with a friend or on your stories.

Some days feel heavy — not because you’re doing life wrong, but simply because life is hard. And that’s something we don’t say often enough.

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about what it means to sit in the hard seasons without guilt, pressure, or pretending. Whether it’s endless laundry, school holiday chaos, or just the daily grind of farm life, I want to remind you that you’re not failing — you’re human.

We talk about the pressure to romanticise your life (hello sourdough and glass jar laundry liquids), why high-achieving women often push through without pausing to celebrate what they’ve already overcome, and how learning to say “this is hard” might be the strongest thing we can do — not just for ourselves, but for our kids too.

• Why life often feels hard even in our best seasons, and how accepting that truth can lighten the load
• Insights from The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris, including why chasing constant happiness can leave us feeling more stuck
• The rise of romanticising rural life on social media — and why it can backfire when it adds more pressure instead of joy
• The sourdough example: how doing “what looks good online” can sometimes cause more stress than peace
• A not-so-glamorous look at laundry: the unrealistic tips that make us feel worse (and why decanting detergent won’t fix burnout)
• The importance of saying “this is hard” without guilt — especially in farm culture where getting the job done often takes priority over how we feel
• Why hard doesn’t mean bad — we grow and build resilience when life challenges us
• How acknowledging our emotions helps us and teaches our kids emotional regulation in real, everyday ways

🎧 Listen to this episode if you need a reminder that you're not weak for feeling worn out — you're strong for showing up anyway.

Tag me @groundedfarmwife or send this to a friend who might be in a hard season too.

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/37

Mother’s Day isn’t always the joyful, relaxing celebration it’s made out to be. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the pressure, disappointment, and hidden challenges so many of us mums quietly carry on a day that’s supposed to be “all about us.”

Let’s be honest — the expectations are huge. We’re meant to feel appreciated and pampered, but often, it’s us mums who are still organising the day, juggling the kids, and trying to make it special… for everyone else. Meanwhile, our kids don’t really know the difference between Mother’s Day and a Tuesday. We say we want a break, but even asking for that can feel like a big ask.

And then there’s social media. We scroll through highlight reels of families smiling in perfectly clean homes, posting about heartfelt cards and fancy breakfasts. But we’re not seeing the chaos behind the scenes, the meltdowns, or the fact that sometimes we receive a gift while sitting in a trashed kitchen. It becomes another day for comparison — and the feeling that somehow, we’re not doing it right.

Mother’s Day tries to squeeze all the recognition and gratitude for motherhood into one overly commercialised day. But what if we don’t feel seen? What if we feel let down? I’ve had so many conversations with mums who feel quietly hurt by the way this day plays out — and no one talks about it out loud.

In this episode, I reflect on:

• Why the pressure to have a “perfect” Mother’s Day often backfires
• The impact of over-commercialised celebrations and social media comparison
• How romanticising motherhood can make us feel worse, not better
• The meaning behind those cards and flowers — and what we really want
• Why it’s so hard to feel seen on a day that’s meant to be about us
• The idea that maybe… we don’t have to make such a big deal out of it

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/36

In this episode of Cultivate Contentment, I’m opening up about a week that didn’t go to plan—and the truth about motivation. From a flooded bathroom and piles of laundry to the reality of slipping habits and cold dark mornings, I’m sharing why motivation alone doesn’t keep us going, and what I’m leaning on instead. If you’ve ever known what’s good for you but still couldn’t bring yourself to do it, this one’s for you.

We’ll talk about the emotional toll of disrupted routines, why doing the basics can feel impossible, and how I’m using small, practical steps to get back on track. You’ll also hear how the changing seasons and our own internal cycles can affect our energy, and why we need to stop expecting ourselves to operate at 100% all month long. Because motivation isn’t what drives us—it’s movement, habits, grace, and starting small.

Key Points Covered in this episode:

What happens when routines fall apart during busy seasons

The story of our flooded bathroom and how I’m still avoiding the mess

How my health goals got derailed by Easter chocolate and farm life

Why knowing what helps doesn’t make it easier to do

How our energy shifts with our hormonal cycle—and how I’m learning to plan around it

The impact of daylight savings and seasonal change on motivation

Practical ways I’m adding movement and sunlight into my day again

The list my personal trainer gave me to get back into good habits (without burning out)

A reminder that you don’t need motivation—you just need to start small

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/35

Ever fall into bed at night thinking, "Where did the day even go?" I used to feel that way all the time. Between kids, cows, and the chaos of farm life, it felt impossible to get even a few moments to myself. But everything shifted when I started to really look at where my time was going—and in today’s episode, I’m walking you through the 3 effective steps I took to budget my time better and finally make room for myself in the day.

These steps aren’t complicated, but they’ve been game changers: first, I started tracking my time in 15-minute blocks to see where the day was actually going. Then I focused on protecting those little pockets of time once I’d found them (which meant setting boundaries, even with my husband!). And finally, I gave myself permission to embrace unstructured time—not every moment has to be productive. If you’ve been craving a bit more space in your day, I hope this chat feels like a breath of fresh air.

Key Points Covered in this episode:

• How tracking my time in small blocks helped me find free moments I was missing
• Why protecting time with boundaries made a huge difference
• The power of unstructured time (and how I plan for it!
• Letting go of routines that don’t work for this season of life
• How budgeting my time better made me feel more present, calm, and in control

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/34

If you’ve ever felt like your kids' rooms are a never-ending mess of toys, clothes, and random treasures—they are. And you’re definitely not alone.

In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I managed my boys’ rooms from the newborn stage right up to tweens. From overflowing ball pits and tractors in the lounge room, to gamer desks and drum kits taking over their bedrooms, this episode is a real look at how our spaces changed as they grew.

I’m sharing what worked, what didn’t, and all the little lessons I’ve learned in between. Whether you’re setting up a nursery, navigating toddler toy explosions, or dealing with the chaos of tech and sports gear, I hope this gives you some ideas—and reassurance—that there’s no perfect system, just what works for your family.

Because whether you’ve got baby socks or basketball shoes lying around, every stage of motherhood brings its own version of mess—and a whole lot of memories.

• Why I stopped buying baby gear until I actually needed it
• The simple nursery setup that saved us space in a small house
• Real talk about toddler toy chaos (and how we stored ALL the tractors)
• Creative storage ideas like “parking lots” for trucks and toy rotation
• The shift to bunk beds and book series during the school years
• Why sorting LEGO by colour was a huge waste of time (yes, I did it!)
• My system for keeping school uniforms under control
• Clear containers, sports bags, and other tween room hacks
• Managing gaming gear, musical instruments, and screen time
• The weekly room check-ins that keep us all sane

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/33