So You Wannabe a Farmer

Melissa and Wendy ponder the "Florida weave" tomato trellising technique and question whether it is real or a made-up internet thing. This led to a lesson on determinate vs. indeterminate tomatoes,  how to hand pollinate squash plants, and (logically) culminated in a discussion of amphibian intercourse.  Melissa reports on her recent hive investigation, and realizes that the honey harves...

Chutzpah Hollow is a busy place this time of year! Wendy says goodbye and thank you to the pigs and hello to a freezer full of meat. The yard becomes fully fenced in allowing for a more secure farm and greater free-ranging opportunities for the growing flock, and two livestock guardian dogs (puppies, really) join the family and begin to learn that they are more than just adorable little floofs. Bu...

Melissa and Quinn come to visit Chutzpah Hollow to enjoy the scenery and offer a couple sets of helping hands. Unfortunately, they turn out not to be the only visitors as  some very unwelcome guests show up and homestead life gets a reality check. While Wendy deals with a tragic situation, her new community of homesteading friends show up  for her and we learn that "homesteading people really...

Melissa returns to the farm and this time brings Chris along. It's a quick visit but while he's there  he comes to a surprising conclusion. The teenage chickens begin to free range and enjoy running around the farm looking like creatures from Jurassic Park. Melissa, reflecting on 9 months since Wendy "bought the farm" shares what she has learned about her friend. and Wendy does...

It's Passover, Easter, Ramadan, and Hindu new year, and to celebrate these auspicious days, Wendy brings home two new sheep. (But does she really need an excuse to add more animals to the Chutzpah Hollow flock?) Thor the ram stops by for a few months to fulfill his "duty" and gets right to work! On a more serious note, Wendy and Melissa contemplate spirituality as experienced throug...

It's officially spring on Chutzpah Hollow! "Ram Day" is around the corner and preparations are underway. The pigs are getting big and frisky, resulting in some new adventures (more like trouble-shooting), and Wendy admits to only listening to two TWO episodes of this here podcast. Fortunately, Melissa notes Wendy's many other great qualities that  cancel out her bad behavior:)....

What's a Kishke, you ask? Listen and find out!  Melissa and Wendy break down their  in-person reunion and what has changed since Melissa's last visit to Chutzpah Hollow, including a surprise declaration on the farm population (followed by an apology!). The baby cow starts solid food, pigs get a little rude, and the sheep... well, the sheep just continue to do their thing and look pretty....

For the second time in SYWBAF history, a special guest joins the conversation. Wendy's niece, Elyssa, leaves the big city and spends a few days experiencing farm life. while Wendy takes her first work trip in over two years.  Join us as we see the farm animals in a new light, in particular, her many thoughts on the chickens and their eggs. A Jewish educator, Elyssa helps us delve a little dee...

Spring is in the air and a baby animal is headed to Chutzpah Hollow (and who knows, maybe there are other babies on the way...)! The new chicks are hanging out in the garage making a mess in their enclosure (and annoying Wendy) for another couple of weeks while they prepare to join the rest of the flock outside. Melissa becomes an official beekeeper. and recalls the details of bringing home the hi...

This week's topics range from the philosophical to the phallic. As springtime approaches, Wendy recalls memories of tulips in Battery Park after 9/11, feels the maternal pangs of farm babies, and (yet again) considers bringing home some new animals. Melissa admits to not admitting to Chris what a horrible job she did pruning bushes in the backyard, the benefits of using alfalfa pellets in you...

In this week's episode, Wendy feels powerful after chopping down a tree (it was a small tree, but still...) in order to grow mushrooms. A short discussion of foraging ensues including the dangers of relying on an app to determine whether a mushroom is poisonous. Signs of spring tempt Wendy to start her outdoor vegetable garden way too soon, so Melissa pushes her own addiction - indoor seed st...

On this week's episode, Wendy and family are without heat when the oil tank runs dry late on a Saturday night. It wouldn't be a typical week on Chutzpah Hollow without major changes on the farm including the addition of one species and the departure of another. Melissa continues her new task of correcting misinformation that was shared on the last episode and Wendy blows Melissa's m...

In another surprising twist, Joseph does it again! He proves he's the chicken version of a cat by escaping impending death a second time. Wendy unintentionally tests out the efficacy of the pigs' electric fence, and considers whether the goats should be re-homed and replaced by more sheep. The friends revisit the conversation about livestock guardian animals. We learn the difference of h...

A So You Wannabe a Farmer first! Melissa and Wendy welcome a guest to the show and it's none other than Melissa's oldest child, Quinn. Quinn is a first year art student at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore studying Ecosystems, Sustainability, and Justice. Their conversation centers around these themes with a splash of Jewish herbalism, a sprinkle of history - both...

Can you believe it? We're back for a second season!  New year, new plans for both the farm and the garden.  While things may slow down in the garden during the dark days of winter, Chutzpah Hollow is prepping for impending snow inside and outside the house.  Join us to find out what's on Wendy's to do list(s) and stay tuned for the latest in breeding fails! Follow us on Instagram: N...

In our final episode of the season, Wendy prepares for the arrival of her two pigs and successfully manages to put up her electric fencing. Melissa recommends a disclaimer for the podcast after post-show fact checking brings some misinformation to light.  In a sad turn of events,  there is a death on the farm when a predator visits and one of the beloved residents falls victim to its attack. There...

Wendy and Melissa celebrate their 13th episode or "b'nai mitzvah" and agree that they are still NOT adults! Wendy admits to learning to like not being in control, reflects on changes to the farm and the family over the last four months, and learns that Rebecca has been laying her eggs in secret. Heavy machinery shows up to remove acres of bamboo leaving lots of open space for Wendy...

This week the friends discuss holiday decor and share Thanksgiving reflections. Chickens make bad choices, and Chutzpah Hollow welcomes a couple more girls to the flock. Wendy prepares for the arrival of another breed of animal in early 2022 and thanks to some new friends (yes! I said friends!) they should be safely contained within properly established high voltage fencing. Back in the 'burb...

In this week's episode, the gals discuss Friendsgiving, shaking up the traditional Thanksgiving menu, and why eating healthy,  ethically sourced and local food is a privilege - but shouldn't be! Melissa tells the story of an eggplant that travelled her neighborhood over the summer and ended up five degrees from where it started.  Wendy reflects on how her and her children's lives ha...

This week, Melissa gets crafty and sells her wares at the neighborhood holiday boutique. Wendy meets with the county economic development representative and begins to ponder profit-making options for the farm. The goats start to wear Wendy down with their cuteness, and in discussing the treats she picked up for them and the sheep at the local nursery, Melissa is shocked to learn that some of her f...

This week, Wendy has to celebrate Halloween alone as boys age out of trick-or-treating, while Melissa celebrates the big 5-0 by getting all "Dolled" up!  The Rheins mourn the loss of a beloved family pet as the cycle of life continues to turn at Chutzpah Hollow. The gals discuss the role of food in a variety of contexts including Wendy's weigh loss journey and her year of experiment...

This week at Chutzpah Hollow, Wendy finally breaks down and admits defeat and the culprit is NOT the goats. As a result, 3 p.m. is the new Wine o'Clock. Melissa prepares to celebrate a "big" birthday and as a result gets a touch philosophical. Wendy adds a pet, and surprising news about Tractor Supply! All this and more on "So You Wannabe a Farmer"! Follow us on Instagram:...

This week Melissa exposes her spelling deficiencies in an embarrassing attempt to spell the word "chutzpah." She redeems herself by teaching Wendy about germination and uses a big word to describe a plant's first set of leaves. Wendy and the kids go on a wild goat chase around the property, and while ultimately successful, it leads to angry goats, even angrier humans, and some dirty...

This week, Wendy and the family get in some serious manual labor as they welcome a real-life rancher onto the property (who also happens to be the husband of an old friend). They mend fences and prepare the pastures for the newest residents of Chutzpah Hollow, Nigerian Dwarf goats. Melissa and Wendy talk predators and how Wendy plans to protect the animals, we get updates on the garden, the chicke...

This week, Melissa and Wendy reflect on their time together at Chutzpah Hollow. Melissa shares her top ten observations from the visit and Wendy explains her vision for the future including short and long-term goals. Along the way, sheep are renamed, chicken are moved, and the kids take a stand! Follow us on Instagram: Melissa @sow_grow_letitgo Wendy @chutzpahhollow Music by Chris Spence Artwork b...