As we close out the year, it’s time to sit down and talk about... well, what else? The good, the bad, and the ugly of 2025 are all on the agenda today!

We’re taking a deep dive into the year’s gardening journey, from the simplicity of windowsill scrap gardens and fresh sprouts to the very real challenges of managing a container garden in a changing season. I’m also sharing a first look at the 2026 Farmer’s Almanac and the latest West Virginia Department of Agriculture Bulletin as we begin to look forward.

Stick around as we check in on the whole crew—the dogs, cats, chickens, and ducks—and I'll even share my very first sign of the upcoming Spring season! Whether you're joining me live or catching the replay, let’s reflect on what this year taught us about homesteading, resilience, and the joy of a small-scale harvest." #YearInReview2025 #MicroHomestead #ContainerGardening #FarmersAlmanac #WestVirginiaGardening #ScrapGardening #ChickensAndDucks

Season Review, Flock Expansion, & Farm Life Realities It's time to wrap up the season! In this episode, we're taking a deep dive into our growing season review, celebrating the wins (hello, massive sweet potato harvest!) and discussing what failed (let's just say not everything goes according to plan on the micro-homestead). But the big news is the flock expansion! We successfully introduced new chickens and ducks to the homestead. We cover the vital steps of quarantine to check for illness and disease, and how we used a visual-only separation technique to let the new and old flocks see each other without access, drastically reducing stress and fighting when integration day arrived. Finally, we get real about some of the less romantic parts of country living. We discuss a sticky situation with a neighbor's irresponsible pig management that forced us to take action. This leads to a serious and important discussion about contingency planning for farm animals, specifically addressing the difficult reality of ensuring your animals are cared for when marriages or partnerships hit unexpected trouble. Tune in for practical tips, honest reflections, and a crucial conversation about being a responsible small-scale farmer. Link to poultry video: YouTube https://youtu.be/QNDVgoA88xs Rumble https://rumble.com/v70s6qo-integrating-new-birds-to-our-flock..html Link to sweet potato video: YouTube https://youtu.be/BC9AXle25LE Rumble https://rumble.com/v70izds-mega-sweet-potato-harvest-from-one-grow-bag-you-wont-believe-the-yield.html #GrowingSeasonReview, #FlockIntegration, #HomesteadingLife, #FarmAnimalCare, #PoultryManagement, #NeighborIssues, #ChickensAndDucks, #SmallFarm, #RealFarmTalk

Season 3 Episode 138 Cooking with beef tongue, heart, this crazy weather, starting seeds, bird flu and more!!

#holsteinhouse #garden #wv #usa #travel #bnb #gm #pv #podcast

Links from the show:

Samaritan’s Purse: https://samaritanspurse.org/

NPR Bird Flu: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/02/02/nx-s1-5282389/avian-bird-flu-eggs-prices-cull-usda-michigan-poultry-influenza-farmer-vaccination-h5n1

Revised page for ministry: https://www.facebook.com/WeddingsByRobinWV

For all contact and social media connections visit: https://robinholstein.com/contact/

Holstein House BNB

https://robinholstein.com/holstein-house-bed-and-breakfast/

Send me an Email here: robin [at] robinholstein.com