Episodes

  • Is Horse Riding the Secret to Raising BRAVE Kids? - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 2, 2026)
    Jan 5 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

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    7 mins
  • My BIGGEST Mistake: Our Sheep ESCAPED - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 51)
    Dec 19 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.

    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

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    13 mins
  • Winter Adventures with Broken Tractors, Stuck Neighbors, and Fire Department Calls - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 50, 2025)
    Dec 12 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

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    11 mins
  • Farm Fire from Bacon Blunder! (Week 43)
    Oct 20 2025

    ❤️ 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

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    6 mins
  • FARM Life Balance: Is It Really That Tough? (Week 42)
    Oct 13 2025

    Welcome back to Laughlin Highlands Farm!
    This week, we hit a major milestone — over 260 chickens and 30+ turkeys processed and ready for the freezer! The barn is quieter, the fields are calmer, and I’m reflecting on what it means to manage time, stress, and sanity during the busiest weeks of farm life.

    If you’ve ever felt stretched thin trying to juggle family, work, and homesteading, this one’s for you. We’ll talk about what’s working (and what’s not), how to keep joy in the daily grind, and a few lessons from this week’s farm chaos.

    💬 Topics Covered:

    • Managing time and expectations when farm life gets overwhelming
    • Finding sustainable rhythms between chores and family time
    • Stress management tips for homesteaders
    • How outdoor work can restore mental balance
    • Why slower living doesn’t always mean “easy living”

    📦 Farm Updates:

    • 261 chickens + 30+ turkeys processed in Baltic, OH
    • Prepping pastures for winter rest
    • Recipe of the week: a hearty, slow-food comfort meal from the farm kitchen

    🐓 Watch more from our farm:
    👉 Laughlin Highlands Farm YouTube Channel

    ❤️ Support the Farm:
    Shop meat boxes, lamb snacks, and more at LaughlinHighlandsFarm.com

    Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm

    Our YouTube Channel

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    6 mins
  • Change Your Life - Break Free From Your Rut - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 38)
    Sep 15 2025

    🌱 Are your habits leading to growth—or digging you into a rut?
    In this video, I share a farm-inspired reflection on how our daily routines mirror the ruts in our pastures. From corralling escaped turkeys to navigating the muddy paths of habit, this story blends farm life with real lessons in self development, mental health, and personal growth.

    We’ll explore:
    1. Why habits can either keep you stuck or move you toward transformation
    2. How negative thought patterns create “ruts” in your mind
    3. Simple ways to adjust your daily routine for motivation and productivity
    4. The role of mindset and faith in building a life of resilience and purpose

    This isn’t just a farm story—it’s a reminder that with intention, you can break free, reset your perspective, and cultivate habits that bring inspiration, self improvement, and positive change.

    ✨ If you’ve ever felt like you’re stuck, this motivational video is for you.

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    Connect with us!
    ===========================

    Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/farmer-marys-field-notes/id1836965250
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34haqAnv2OrNrGZMvrPPSH
    YouTube: https://youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/

    📧 Subscribe for Farmer Mary in your email and get 25% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/pages/social-email-sign-up

    ⏰ Timecodes ⏰
    00:00 – Daily habits and farm pastures
    00:04 – The impact of routines and escaped turkeys
    00:08 – Soup season & small farm reflections
    00:11 – A request for your help
    00:14 – Why grass (and habits) matter
    00:23 – Driving paths into pastures (and minds)
    00:30 – How ruts form in grass and in life
    00:42 – Rain, mud, and habits that get baked in
    00:50 – The ruts we make in our minds

    Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm

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    8 mins
  • I Quit a University Career to Become a FARMER Was It Worth It? - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 37)
    Sep 8 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.

    Why would someone walk away from a secure career in higher education to chase life on a family farm? In this week’s Field Notes with Farmer Mary, I open up about the tough questions, the doubts, and the unexpected joys of starting over.

    From building fences and wrangling animals to reflecting on mindset, regrets, and the meaning of work, this is my raw take on what it’s like to trade the classroom for the pasture.

    👉 If you’ve ever wondered about life after college, career change, or pursuing sustainable farming, this story is for you.

    🌱 Whether you’re a woman farmer, aspiring rancher, or someone searching for work-life balance in rural living, join me on this journey of personal growth and community.

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    Connect with us!
    ===========================

    Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/farmer-marys-field-notes/id1836965250
    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/34haqAnv2OrNrGZMvrPPSH
    YouTube: https://youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laughlinhighlandsfarm/

    📧 Subscribe for Farmer Mary in your email and get 25% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/pages/social-email-sign-up

    ⏰ Timecodes ⏰

    0:00 – Why did I choose this?
    1:05 – Kids going back to school
    2:10 – Losing my helpers
    3:15 – Balancing animals with jobs
    4:20 – Starting from the basics
    5:25 – Battling feelings of inadequacy
    6:30 – Learning tractor skills
    7:35 – Community and open-mindedness
    8:40 – Wrestling with pessimism
    9:45 – Finding small joys again

    Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm

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    8 mins
  • Saved by the Bull - Farmer Mary Field Notes (Week 36)
    Sep 1 2025

    🔥 This video is sponsored 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.

    ===========================

    Connect with us!

    ===========================

    YT: youtube.com/@laughlinhighlandsfarm

    📧 Subscribe for Farmer Mary in your email and get 25% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: https://www.laughlinhighlandsfarm.com/pages/social-email-sign-up

    This week on Farmer Mary’s Field Notes, I’m sharing the rhythms of farm life as summer begins to wind down. The grass feels a little crunchy underfoot, the animals settle into their routines, and I find myself reflecting on the cycles that shape both the land and our family. In this episode, you’ll hear about a crispy (but not defeated!) farmer, some poetic musings on grass, and even a love-struck bull. And if you make it to the end, I’ve tucked in a recipe to inspire your own kitchen. Our farm meals aren’t just food — they’re a reflection of cattle farming, regenerative agriculture, homesteading, and the joy of cooking with what we raise. Thank you for walking alongside me as we share life, faith, and food from our farm to your table.

    ⏰ Timecodes ⏰

    00:00 – Welcome to Field Notes

    00:08 – Growing Grass, Growing Food

    00:13 – This Week’s Recipe (teased)

    00:18 – The Rhythms of Farm Life

    00:48 – End of Summer Reflections

    04:30 – An Amorous Bull in the Pasture

    07:24 – This Week’s Recipe: Chimichurri Sauce

    08:02 – Closing Thoughts & Next Week

    Buy Meat Raised on Our Farm -> Laughlin Highlands Farm

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    8 mins