The Unexpected Gardener

Let's talk about Farmers Market and how you can spot a liar. We all love them and most people think that everyone at the local farmer's market is the actual creator or grower but that isn't always the case.

I will give you some tips on how you can spot a fake and how you can protect yourself from being fooled.

In this episode, Yvette Bobbitt shares her journey from a nurse to a regenerative beef farmer and explains the complexities of the US beef industry, including the impact of CAFOs, imports, and policies on food supply and quality.

We, as Americans need to understand what is going on and what the heck we can do about it!

Listen, you may not think listening to a beef farmer for an hour as interesting but I promise you will learn something and hopefully it will light a fire in you!

When did tearing people down become our favorite form of entertainment?

In this episode of The Unexpected Gardener Podcast, I'm talking about gossip, outrage, and our growing obsession with other people's mistakes. From current events to social media, it seems like we've become more interested in picking people apart than actually understanding them.

I'm asking some hard questions about what we're consuming, what we're repeating, and how we're contributing to the problem. And what God says about it.

Because gossip isn't harmless, and maybe it's time we took a good look at ourselves.

You don’t need 40 acres, a milk cow, or a picture-perfect homestead to live a little differently.

In this episode, I’m digging into what I really mean when I say “come home.”

It’s not about becoming completely self-sufficient. It’s about becoming less dependent on systems and more connected to the things that sustain us—our food, the people who grow it, useful skills, our homes and families, our communities, the seasons, and God.

We’ll talk about why homesteading isn’t an aesthetic, what convenience may have cost us, why community matters more than doing everything yourself, and simple ways you can begin reconnecting right where you are.

You don’t have to grow everything you eat or move to a farm. Pick one thing. Learn one skill. Know one farmer. Start somewhere.

Grow food. Make good food. Follow Jesus. Ask hard questions. Get your hands dirty.

Unexpected Gardener is back—and honestly, I wasn’t sure it would be, even though I love podcasting.

This summer brought a health scare, a hard season, and a lot of time to think about what actually matters to me and what I want this space to become.

In this first episode back, I’m sharing a little of what happened, why I’m returning to the podcast, and why the idea of coming home keeps showing up in everything I’m doing.

We’re going to talk about growing food, cooking from scratch, supporting local farmers, faith, family, health, our food system—and we’re going to ask some hard questions along the way.

If you want to grow your own food, cook from scratch, question the status quo, follow Jesus, and aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty—you’ve come to the right place.

Welcome to Unexpected Gardener.

Hosted by Sabrina Key, a former city girl turned modern-day homesteader, this is a place for honest conversations about food, gardening, faith, family, health, local agriculture and the systems that shape the way we live and eat.

You don’t need acres of land or a picture-perfect homestead. Sometimes coming home starts right where you are.

www.unexpectedgardener.com

If you have wanted to start keeping chickens but have no idea where to start my friend Laura from The Girly Homesteader does not disappoint! She breaks it all down. I took two pages of notes and feel so much more prepared.

Here are a few notes and links of the products that Laura mentioned.

Colored Egg Breeds

• Americanas/Easter Eggers/Ameraucanas
• Olive Eggers
• Cream Legbar

Dark Egg Breed

• Black Copper Maran

Broody Chickens

• Australorps
• Orpingtons

Zeolite containing coop additives to neutralize Ammonia

• Sweet PDZ: https://a.co/d/cusnmqL
• Coop Recuperate: https://a.co/d/c3VETHK

Poultry Nipples https://carolinacoopsflockshop.com/products/horizontal-side-mount-chicken-waterer-nipples?variant=43402825007354Auto Chicken Door

https://run-chicken.com/doors/?srsltid=AfmBOopmlKx9Xg59SJM4sc2kcIu6O9lRY0BvSE7H_BVAFaGmpm9m8AMZGrubbly Farms Food

https://grubblyfarms.com?ref=thegirlyhomesteader&utm_source=thegirlyhomesteader&utm_medium=affiliate

I am going off topic today to tell you to please calm the heck down! For your own sake, take a breath and step away from the computer.

A few things have been bothering me these last few weeks on social media from MAHA and others so I am getting it off my chest.

If you are at all interested in common sense prepping this is the episode for you! My friend Laura shares so many amazing tips that you will be prepping in no time.

Preparing for natural disasters can feel overwhelming but Laura makes it feel totally doable. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!She created an incredible resource for you all. You can grab it HERE

In this episode I share how the dream of starting my non profit Restoration Farm came about and what the status is now!

Part 2 of my son's story and how he is completely off all pharmaceuticals and only taking supplements! His is a HARD journey and it was difficult at times to share it with you but I think it is important.

Here is the list of the supplements he is taking. Some of these were introduced in phases. NOTE: just because he is taking these doesn't mean your kid should so PLEASE see a holistic caregiver in your area for their guidance. If you are local to Winston Salem call Robinhood Integrative Health https://robinhoodintegrativehealth.com/

Zen from Allergy Research Group

Rise Up from Winged Women's Wellness

DL-Phenylalanine from Pure Encapsulations

FiberMend from Thorne

Berberine from Integrative Therapeutics

Magnesium from Pure Encapsulations

Biocidin from Biocidin Biotanicals

Vitamin D from Pure Encapsulations

ZERO artificial colors and no enriched flour

If this helps you PLEASE let me know! It will make me so happy.

This is raw and honest. I apologize for the audio issues and the fact that I had trouble getting through it!

I will address the microphone issues, I promise but I hope you will bare with me through these episodes.

https://robinhoodintegrativehealth.com/

https://pandasnetwork.org/what-is-pandas/

After a break I am back to recording and I missed it so much!

In this episode I am recounting all the lessons I learned in the 2024 garden and I think a few points will help (especially my fellow fly by the seat of our pants girls)

I end with some exciting news and a preview of the net few episodes coming about my son's journey.

I have a take on all the recent conspiracy theories that are popping up after hurricane Helene devastated part of my beautiful state.

Some of you won't like my take and some of you will....and that's the point.

It's not the most fun topic to talk about but these times call for this conversation.

How to regular folks without a ton of land, living in cities or suburbia prepare for food supply issues or natural disasters. I have some thoughts...

I mentioned Azure Standard. Find out where they reliver near you. Trust me....https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=b5ddb00add

Follow up on previous episode about my frustration with the poison food my kid's school serves, what the head administrator said and how I am reacting to that.

Watch the roundtable discussion here (It will blow your mind!) https://www.youtube.com/live/2iWE465RCOk?si=0NaZyVJXcamroBA2

Good Energy book https://amzn.to/3Y5p8cP

I also discuss the dock worker strike that started today. How that could effect you and I?

Not to sound like a broken record but I have two great reasons to break up with the grocery store and buy local food!

If you want to take me up on the offer to be a beta tester to start a Food Collaborative in your town shoot me an email!

Sabrina@unexpectedgardener.com

I really went back and forth on whether to post this but in the end I think it's important.

What we feed our kids is important and if we call ourselves Christ followers we have a higher standard we should set for ourselves. I say this to myself as much as I say this to anyone else.

I pray you receive this in the spirit it is intended...in love.

I talk about them a lot and they are starting an epic sale on Sept 2nd so I decided to talk all about them. Several people on Instagram asked me to do an episode about it so this seems like the perfect time.

Use this link to take advantage of their buy 1 get 1 65% off sale Sept 2nd-9th and use the code SUMMER

https://greenstalkgarden.com?rstr=UNEXPECTED10 I do get a small commission so I appreciate you using my link!

Today we are talking all about the fall garden, why I love it, what I'm growing and whether you can grow a fall garden too!

I mention Greenstalk and it's my favorite way to grow food in a small footprint. You can take $10 off with this link! Or if it's Sept 2-9 use this link and the code SUMMER to get buy 1 get 1 65% off! https://greenstalkgarden.com/?rstr=UNEXPECTED10

Soil3 Coupon $10 off! shop.soil3.com/discount/Sabrina24

Snacks can be a hard thing to convert to clean so I take you through some of my favorite brands for the kids.

Mentioned in this episode:

Boulder Canyon

Jacksons Sweet Potato Chips

That's It Fruit Bars

Froot Thief

Bear Fruit rolls

Archer Beef sticks

Simple Mills Sweet Thins and Almond Flour Crackers

Siete Tortilla chips

Made Good

Lesser Evil

Costco Peanut Butter