The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow

What lengths will we go to to create a unique memory during this pandemic , when every day can seem the same?  You're listening to Shannon Hayes on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow.   Support the show

One of my greatest anxieties is that I’m not the farmer that my parents have always been.  Not even close.  And at a moment when I was most distressed by my perceived failing, my daughter left me gob-smacked by sharing her own deepest fears.  This is Shannon Hayes, and you’re listening to The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow, episode 24, Quitting Time. Want access to all the back episodes?  Subscribe to...

I used to be frightened of teenagers.  Today, I can hardly fathom that.  I can’t image my life without them.  You’re listening to episode 23 of The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow, Thoughts at 2am. Like this program?  You can hear all the back episodes by becoming a patron on Patreon! Support the show

Shutting our cafe for the pandemic felt like turning off my purpose for being here.  When we decided to re-open, my biggest worry was protecting my customers.  This past week, I saw what they did to protect me.  Welcome to Episdoe 22 of The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow, Fellowship. Support the show

I used to be so frightened of lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses that I deprived myself of too many joys of the natural world.  Eventually I replaced that fear with information and education, and I found my way back out into the wildnerness.  I’ve been reflecting on that experiece a lot as we re-open Sap Bush Cafe .  That’s what  I’ll be talking about this week; and I’ll also be sharing w...

I received a note from Jessi, who’s farming in West Michigan, asking for my thoughts on how farming/rural living attracts very liberal and very conservative folks.  She writes, “I've just been processing a lot of thoughts about neighborliness and civility in the face of seeing neighbors show more extremist views and actions during these hard times.”  Jesse wonders if there’s a way to navigate...

How would the Red Baron counsel a small business owner navigating a pandemic?  That’s what I’ll be pondering this week, on the Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow. Support the show

We wish and pray for so many things in life: for a healthier planet, for peace, for more time, for deeper connection with family.  Sometimes we get our prayers answered.  But before we fully understand the costs involved.  That’s what I’ll be talking about this week on Episode 18 of The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow : The Ash Tree.   Support the show

These days, EVERYONE’S schooling at home….But it’s not quite the same as home-schooling.  And while some families are stressed out by this transition to schooling-at-home, home-schooling is keeping our family and farm together right now.  That’s what I’ll be talking about this week, along with a quick farmer Q & A about pricing strategies to accomodate social distancing measures.  You’re liste...

Bob didn’t want a cake for this birthday.  He didn’t want a candle, and didn’t want a fuss.  But his family needed all those things.  That’s what I’ll be talking about this week on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow.   Support the show

As small farmers, we don’t ask for much.  We draw our wealth from the earth and our family and community.  That's fine.  But just because we don’t ask for much doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting when the message comes through loud and clear from our government that we don’t mean much.  That’s what I’ll be talking about this week on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow. If you prefer to read this, you can...

Truth be told, it’s going pretty well for me right now.  Kids are making the masks, I was never one to go out in public much anyhow, the business is holding up and our family is enjoying our time together.  And I feel guilty as all get out.  I’ll be talking about how I’m trying to make sense of it this week on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow.  Prefer to read instead of listen?  You can find it over...

Some people were super prepared for this outbreak.  Not only that, they were super-prepped for war, famine, hurricanes, earthquakes, you name it.  Does that mean they’re in better shape right now than the rest of us?  Not necessarily.  That’s what I’ll be talking about this week on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow.  You can read the story on the blog at Sapbush.com. Support the show

 I used to know where to put things.  I used to know when to put them there, and how to move them to create food.  With all these changes, I feel like I’m back to square one.  How will I re-learn my new job?  You can read the full transcript on the blog @ Sapbush.com.  Support the show

I’ve been reading and hearing it said that we Americans are too individualistic and selfish to make the changes that can flatten the curve.  This week, one of my kids reminded me of another powerful attribute we have as a culture that could make all the difference. If you prefer to read this, you can find the full essay on the blog at Sapbush.com . Support the show

As farmers, we all keep reminding ourselves that we don’t get to stop just because there’s a new virus outbreak.  And it’s true.  The grass still grows, and the pigs don’t care, and those chickens keep laying eggs.  But my job is on the community and financial side of the business.  I had to stop and experience everything in my soul until I could figure out how to go.  That’s what I’ll be talking...

Quick question: What do the IRS and Coronavirus have in common?  I’ll start: They’re both annoying. They both incite fear. And they both teach us that our emotions are what makes working with them complicated.  Remove anger and fear, and suddenly they’re not so bad. That’s what I’ll be talking about this week on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow Podcast, episode 9, Coronavirus and the IRS.  If you pre...

When Bob & I chose to join the family farm, run our own business, homeschool our kids & live in a rural area, we made a unique set of opportunities available to our children.  But that meant we deprived them of others.  So what happens when our children get ready to move off in their own directions, and discover that we’ve deprived them of extra-curriculuar skills they might need?  That’s...

They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure….But how do you decide which is which in a beautiful, albeit economically depressed rural county that needs to attract tourism?  That’s what I’ll be talking about this week on The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow.  It’s all about blue tarps and junk heaps! Support the show

How do you stay healthy in rural America with poor access to healthcare, especially when you’re self-employed and living on a low income?  That’s a great question that came in from a reader in Baltimore recently, and this week, I’m going to try to answer it.  Support the show

It's hard to judge the profitability of a farm from a tax return.  The wealth and sustenance it provides can be impossible to measure.  But that doesn't mean we don't need an economic strategy for survival.  Here's what Bob and I use to keep afloat while still relishing the good life.  You can read the full text version here .  Support the show

Death happens a lot on a family farm.  That doesn't make it any easier to face.  But it does give us, as parents, an opportunity to help our children learn to deal with it.  Sometimes this means letting them face their regrets and grow from them. You can read the full text version here .  Support the show

Some say it's about location-location-location.  Some think it takes an MBA, or unbelievable luck, or incredible business acumen.  I say its way simpler.  But harder. Our family celebrated 40 years on Sap Bush Hollow in 2019, these, I believe, are our four secrets for success. If you'd like to read the story, you can find it here .  Support the show

In episode O1, Secrets for Thriving 40 Years on a Family Farm, I mentioned that one of the secrets is that forgiveness is good for business.   What I failed to mention is that forgiveness begins with forgiving ourselves, as I was reminded in this story. You can read the full text version here .  Support the show

After much debate, labor and considerable strife, Sap Bush Cafe was granted a beer and wine license on January 1st, and we moved from a Saturdays-only Breakfast-Brunch venue to Saturdays-only, Breakfast-Brunch-Lunch-Dinner venue.  It sounds minor, but it effectively resulted in doubling the number of hours our business (run by introverts) is open to the public.  And it presents a lot of changes an...