But what’s not new, right? On Saturday, we had a visit from the friends in Wisconsin who are going to take over our seed business in August next year. Yep, my knees haven’t improved much and taking care of five acres of gardens is getting to be just too much for me as Will is usually busy haying from the Fourth of July till mid-August, leaving my poor knees to try and weed, keep insects and birds off the crops, etc. Plus, my regular stuff like writing and keeping homesteading moving forward. It was with heavy hearts that we decided to do this. We’ve been working with Lynn and Jesse Frey for three years now, helping them learn and grow in the business. After the transfer, we’ll keep growing some seeds for them and helping out as we can.
Yesterday, our son, Bill and his family took me down to visit our daughter in River Falls, Wisconsin, a five-hour trip for me. Luckily, I only had to drive two hours of that as Bill drove the rest. She has been having some serious health issues, and we wanted to visit. It was so nice as I hadn’t seen her since last year. She’d fallen and broken both heels and is just recovering from that plus Mayo Clinic suspects she has rheumatoid arthritis, as before the fall, she had been in severe pain. She’s feeling better and the casts and boots have come off. She actually walks better than I do. I’m so jealous! We were so happy to visit and see such an improvement with more to come with some new meds.
Today I am seeding out the very last of our tomato crop for this year. The darned mice got the last Grandpa’s Minnesota cherry tomato seeds, right on my kitchen counter … and left me some mouse poopies in exchange. Time for mouse traps as the cats evidently aren’t getting them all. Although Saturday, Mittens came into the yard, carrying a big weasel! This is her eighth weasel that we know of. We think that’s quite a feat for an old cat that only weighs eight pounds. Go Mittens! The weasels have killed a lot of my poultry and even rabbits in the past so I’m not a weasel fan.
Tomorrow I’m going to pick all the peppers in the hoop houses and shut off the heat as it’s getting steadily colder each night and it’s getting too expensive to run heaters in them. We will keep the heater on at night in the greenhouse to protect our squash, cabbages, and onions in there. Will plowed up our carrots but the middle buster didn’t work as well for us to do them that way, cutting off quite a few carrots. At least we did get half a crate of kind of small carrots. But it’s enough to can up so we’re happy. — Jackie
So very sorry to hear of your selling the business but then again there does come the point to where enough is enough. The new owners can rest assured they are getting a quality business with an impeccable reputation. We do hope you will continue with your writing as knowledge is the most valuable asset.
I am glad to hear your daughter is recovering well from her injuries. It must have been incredibly painful to break both heels! We often take our feet for granted, but when they hurt, its really hard to move at all. I wish your friends the Freys all the best as they take over the seed business. It is so nice to have someone to take over this very important service. The raising of 5 gardens must be grueling work at times, even though it is something you love. After next season, maybe it will be a lot easier to do those other things you mentioned, like cheese and bread making. I suspect you will be just as busy as you are now, just doing different activities, lol. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thank you so much! Yes, I’ll be as busy as before but just doing different things. The difference will be the pressure will be off to ensure we always have adequate seeds to supply folks for their gardens.
Will they be cutting back on any of the varieties you normally offer?
For a good while now I’d been wondering when you would be moving on from the seed business. Those poor knees need a rest and having had both of mine replaced I well remember what that pain is like. But I’m so glad you have good folks to pass the business to and the wisdom to do it sooner than later. And along with the homestead garden you’ll grow, you can just choose whatever special treasures you want to keep doing for the Freys. Gardening is an itch that must be scratched even if it’s just planting less. :)
Today I will pick the last Provider beans and pull the plants. The peppers are the only other thing left going from the summer garden. However the fall garden is kicking in as we’ve had the first cutting of collards and kale along with two kohlrabi picked.
As many of us have found, retirement will keep you more busy than ever imagined but it will be the “busy” of your own choosing. And hopefully we can all look forward to reading about that here in the future! (((((Jackie)))))
You bet. And we’ll be doing more homesteady things that we just don’t have time for now. The only thing left of our garden is the peppers in the hoop houses, which will get picked today if Will can slide that in between going for more loads of round bales to row up in the hay yard, that is!! I’ve got carrots to wash and put up, plus potatoes to get in their bins, once the dirt is rubbed off. Thank God we got so many wonderful potatoes!!
Here in Copper Basin Alaska the ground has been frozen for five or six days with a high today of 25. I know how you feel with knees not working, I’m hobbeling around needing a cane for short distances and I use a large wheel walker for longer distances and chores. I can haul the buckets with water and feed for chicken chores and bags of wood for the stoves, sit on it to split kindling. Use a garden stool in the hoop houses and green house. I’m using a commercial muscle and joint rub called penetrex which is based on arnica and helps ease the arthritis since they took away the oral NSAIDs because of weak kidneys!
split kindling
Sounds like you do like me, find ways to do what you need to do, even if it’s not the way we “used” to do it! Yeah, I can’t take NSAIDs either as I ended up with a big, fat ulcer that was bleeding. Now I rub horse liniment on my knees and legs, Asorbine Gel, which does help a lot.
Our ground isn’t frozen yet and we’re still having daytime temps in the forties. I’ve got to get some bulbs planted before it freezes!
Wishing you the best with your changes. I, too, am scaling back a little with the outdoor stuff. I’m your age , with a spouse who is unwell, so its harder to keep up. Its hard to admit I’m not 40 any more!
My hubby rode with me pick up pizza for lunch. When we got back I reached over and intertwined our fingers. Said,”I don’t feel 80.” I don’t understand how my mind can feel so young and yet, we’re not 40 anymore either…
Yeah, I know what you mean. My mind is still at 30 but my body just laughs at that. Hey, I’ve learned you do what you can do. The best way you can find to do it.
Old age as I say comes at a very bad time-hah. Nothing is forever. I’m glad you have good people to transfer your seed business. Falls are serious at any age. I took a fall some years ago putting up a suspended heater in our work shop-broke my heel and metacarpal in my hand. The heel was the worst pain. As we age any fall can be a terminal event. With age our balance and mobility decline. I can no longer go like a “mad hatter”. 5 acres of vegetable gardening is overwhelming. Now focus on sharing all your knowledge. That will be deeply appreciated and thanks for what you do.
Yep, I’m very careful to avoid falls as my balance isn’t what it used to be. Thankfully, I haven’t had a bad fall in a couple of years, when I slipped on our icy ramp out the front door, which I thought was just wet. Ha ha!
I’m looking forward to having less pressure to make sure each variety we grow does grow to produce seeds, which is very challenging some years. Big companies have multiple growers in different areas, which lessens the chances of a serious crop failure. We’ve pretty much had to do it all with the help from some local friends who grow some things for us. With less work and pressure, we can do more homestead things that we enjoy but haven’t had time or energy to do.
Your cat looks exactly like my Chloe (whom showed up as a stray back in October last year).
I’ve see a couple of other cats that look just like Mittens too. It’s strange to see someone else’s cat that you kind of do a double take, thinking “Mittens!”
Mother nature tells us to slow down even when we do not want to. Getting old sucks. Our minds say yes but our bodies say no way. My husband liked to grow our garden and I canned. This year with his passing, I did not have a garden. I had to buy a few things to can this year.
Glad your seed business is still going on. My husband saved and dried seeds each year for us to use again.
I use a piece of Snickers candy in a mouse trap. Mice love sweets. PS, have your cookbook and canning book. Use both all the time.
I’m so glad you like my books! I use peanut butter in my traps, which seems to get them frequently. I can see where Snickers would work well too.
Yes, getting old sucks!! I still sometimes think I’m 30 but soon find out I’m not.
We’ll still garden big time, just not 5 acres. And I’ll be more free to do other things I’ve missed, such as baking bread weekly, canning more varied things, working up my weedy flower beds and writing more.
Dear Jackie,
I am sorry you are giving up your baby; BUT, it will continue to grow and go forward with the new folks. Plus, the big deal, is that you will have more time to do all the things that you love to do. Since I retired, I have canned, pickled, dehydrated, jammed, jellied, frozen to my heart’s content. Yes, I even made some cheese with my granddaughter. I bake bread 2x a week as my husband no longer likes store bought bread. I can’t tell you how many sewing projects, mug rugs, quilts, pillowcases, etc. that I have done. It is fun and brings so much joy to other folks to receive. When one door closes, another one opens. This is so true. I think you should concentrate on your writing. I have always enjoyed your books on various subjects. You still have a wealth of knowledge to share. You probably will be busier than ever!! Don’t be sad or look back. Look to the future with JOY.
Believe me, I do look forward to the future. I have a lot of people nagging on me to get the fifth Western novel done in the Jess Hazzard series as they loved the other 4 books. I’ve been mentally working on that but just don’t have time to sit down and write it. Likewise, my baking has come to a standstill, and my flower beds are weedy and need care. I want to get a small field of spring wheat planted as I don’t like the looks of the economy and other things in the world today.
Jackie & Will, that must have been a hard decision to make, taking a lot of prayer. I’m glad to hear someone will be there to take over the business. And also glad to hear you’re going to keep a hand in it…literally through your writing! As my DH and I both have those not getting younger issues too, we are cutting back on things also. The hardest for me will be giving up having chickens.
Also good that you got to visit your daughter and that she is doing better. As always, Peace to all!
It was hard to think about passing on the seed business as we’ve enjoyed it for so many years. We’d still be keeping on with it if it wasn’t for my darned knees! But they are what they are and I can’t count on them getting better, although I sure hope they do. We’ll still be planting some seeds to share with Lynn and Jesse (and everybody who keeps Seed Treasures alive), as well as many other homestead activities. I’ll be getting back into goats again, baking more, canning up more varied recipes and, of course, writing more.
We were so glad Randie is doing so much better! She might even come up for Thanksgiving!
Yes, Lynn and Jesse will have our customer list. We’re sending out our 2026 catalogs in December and continuing selling seed until August 1st, when we transfer our seeds and business to them. I feel bad when small businesses fold as folks get older and nobody wants to do the work, taking them over.
Yes, we will be growing seed for them, to help out. We couldn’t quit cold turkey! It’s in our blood now.
Hard decisions are part of this Ageing thing. But change is inevitable. Making choices to direct the change is always better. Will keep you in my prayers as this transition goes forward. Have a Second crop of tomatoes to bring in this afternoon. During our 3 weeks of triple digits in June, they just waited, then went into Overdrive. Totally loaded. Freeze is forecast for tonight, but they are already turning. Not bad for Central Kansas 2 crops in one season. Must be the Heirloom Seed 😁
We Know that’s the Truth.
Wow, two crops of tomatoes in one season, in Kansas!! Good job. I just have part of one crate left to can up. Boy, I am getting tired of seeing tomatoes. Lol!! Our tomatoes were late this year, due to our heat, as well. But we sure ended up with tons anyway.
Thank you for your prayers. As we are getting our 2026 catalog finished, it sure feels strange, knowing it’s our very last one.
Getting a blog letter from you, Jackie, is like getting a gift; a gift from a friend. You are so many’s friend! My son-in-law slid off the icy roof about 10 feet down and one heal broke as it hit the concrete sidewalk. He’s healed up, that was a few years ago in his early 40s. Yes, easy to heal at that young age. You and your family are so cozy and loving; so beautiful, thank you Jesus. Do your new seed catalog friends live in the area to use your gardens for seed? My husband’s come out of semi-retirement because just minimal costs to live has gone up drastically here in far north California. We had to get a new used truck for his general contracting yesterday, because his old one blew a motor mysteriously and to be fixed would be several weeks out, and he has obligations on remodeling two commercial jobs to be done now. And this at age 70. Thanks for everything, Jackie.
I enjoy visiting with my blog family every week too! No, our friends who will be taking over the seed business live 5 hours south east of us, in Wisconsin. We’ll still help them out by growing some seeds for them though.
We love our family and it’s wonderful when we can get together!
Yes, the cost of everything has shot up terribly in the past year or so. That’s one reason we want to get some wheat planted, both as chicken feed and to grind for flour. Our chicken feed and other feed has nearly doubled in a year’s time! Holy cow!!
Congratulations on your years with the seed business and congratulations on knowing when to step back before you are forced to step back. And congratulations on your pre-planning for the occasion! Looking forward to many more articles and blog posts. You are an inspiration for us all!
It was a very hard decision to pass on the seed business, which is like one of our children. But we’re wise enough to see we may eventually be forced into giving it up. We wanted to ensure it went on as in the past, taking care of all those very rare, very wonderful varieties we’ve amassed over the years. I’ll, of course, continue writing and be able to spend more time homesteading. We will also keep planting rare seeds to help out the Freys. It’s something we sure couldn’t give up entirely.
So happy for you all to visit daughter and she recovering well! Huge cherry tomatoes. I be enjoyed being with your family seed business. Totally understandable the need for you to share with another family. You are Both SO busy! Fortunate for you and everyone to find a continuation for the seed business. Take care and encourage Muffins to add more mice to the diet:)
Oh yes, we sure praise Mittens heavily each time she comes home with a trophy for us to see. Not only are those Grandpa’s Minnesota cherry tomatoes big, but also very tasty to boot!
It was wonderful to visit with Randie for several hours and go out with her to feed the ducks corn, which I’d brought, on the nice pond, right outside.
We love our seed business, and it seems so strange to be harvesting some seeds for the last time. Of course, we maintain a personal seed bank, which we’ll keep refreshing, as seed gets older, and also planting to help the Freys offer as many varieties as we do now.
Jackie, I’ve been wondering if you could keep up with the seed business and the farm and everything else you do for much longer. I sorry the time has come to pass on the seed business but thoroughly understand. I’ve had multiple health problems that make a garden hard to do. I doubt you’ll stop farming or gardening, just scale back things. Have you considered breeding your own tomatoes? Especially for short season types. I’d love to have a Jackie tomato! But if it’s too much, I understand.
We got snow Sunday. The weather apps kept insisting it was raining not snowing. It should melt off by tomorrow. Then I can finish up the yard clean before winter really hits.
Are you still selling seeds for the next few months or has shifted over to your friends yet? Financially and health wise it’s been rough this year and everything went by the wayside as my husband was in and out of the hospital this fall. Admitted twice and three long visits to the ER.
Please don’t stop your articles any time soon. I love reading them in the two magazines. You and Will take care! Cat Louise
No, I certainly won’t stop writing. But giving up the seed business next summer will give me more time to write, bake bread, make cheese and do a thousand things I can’t do now for lack of time. We will be putting out a 2026 seed catalog in December and will continue as usual right up until August 1st of next year.
We won’t be breeding any tomatoes, but God did, in the form of accidental crosses, resulting in Sweet Mystery red cherry and Shady Bill, a super slicer with blue shoulders. We’ve been stabilizing them for 3 years now and they’re pretty consistent.
Yes, we’ll keep homesteading, raising cattle, gardening, canning, etc. until they plant us.
Hello Jackie and Will…I’m sure you’ll miss the seed business but once it’s done and life is a little easier I hope you’ll be at peace with it. You are wise to recognize the need to let go a little. I wish the Freys the best of luck. Pyro
Yes, for sure we’ll miss the seed business. Our last catalog is now in the works and will be out in December. That feels weird after all these years. But we’ll keep raising some varieties for seed to help out the Freys. And, of course, I’ll keep writing, canning, gardening and all the rest. Just not so much to do all the time.
Be sure we all get on their seed list. I am ecstatic you found someone to take over your seed business. So many small businesses cease to exist as no next generation (family or not) owners.
I’m sure you’ll have time (I know you have space) to provide some seed.