Sunshine & Bubbles's High Vibin Podcast
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Sunshine & Bubbles's High Vibin Podcast
From Motherwort to Cannabis: Growing Medicine on the Farm
Dive into the nurturing world of plant allies with two mothers who are reclaiming ancestral wisdom through their farm adventures. Take a sensory journey with motherwort—a powerful herb that embodies both lion-hearted strength and gentle maternal energy—harvested fresh from their land just in time for Mother's Day celebrations. This nervine tonic offers relief for anxiety, menstrual cramping, and hot flashes while connecting us to generations of women's wisdom that was nearly lost.
Experience their excitement as they unveil plans for a six-acre hemp farm featuring 30,000 feminized "Ultra Pink" seeds, promising high-CBD medicine with possibly pink pistils and purple buds. Their passion for regenerative agriculture extends beyond cannabis to diverse herbs, edible flowers, and vermicomposting systems that transform their land into a living pharmacy.
The conversation takes an honest turn as they share challenges and creative solutions for gardening with children. From "pizza gardens" to weeding competitions, they've found ways to make earth connection playful while passing down essential knowledge their own mothers couldn't share. These garden moments become sacred spaces for meaningful conversations and team-building that strengthen family bonds.
You'll feel transported by tales of Sicilian adventures where food, family, and tradition blend seamlessly—offering inspiration for integrating old-world wisdom into modern family life. The discussion comes full circle with their invitation to connect at the West Bend Farmer's Market, where community and direct relationships with food producers create the foundation for a healthier future.
Whether you're a plant enthusiast, gardening parent, or someone seeking more authentic connection with your food and medicine, this episode offers practical wisdom wrapped in contagious enthusiasm for living closer to the earth.
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one, because that's what most feels natural. Natural, that's what we're trying, what's we're going for. Should we fire up the video? Yes, on it too. Look good, feel good. Hi pony pump. Oh, getting ready. Oh yeah, you got some volume girl yeah, bye bye. Oh, I like that. It's crazy here. Let me just push that back. Goodness, all right, firing up, all right, and then I think we'll go live as well, and then it's not connecting. But we are on it. Hey, just trying to be as natural as possible.
Speaker 2:Comfortably vulnerable.
Speaker 1:And we got this. Yes, we were made for more and made for this this very moment, right here, right now, together, Sapphire Studios live on location. Right in the ether waves, woo, just two badass mothers figuring it out. As we just celebrated Mother's Day, yes, which was such a great time to love on your mother, mm-hmm, and celebrate being a mother. And to the mother's mothers.
Speaker 2:And your mommy friends and your aunties that are like mamas and your besties.
Speaker 1:Your bonus mamas, yeah, your pseudo mamas, all the mamas, ah, fur mamas too.
Speaker 2:Oh, yes, they count.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. They are a life and that's so important.
Speaker 2:Anyways, happy Mother's Day. Keeping anything alive, right, You're a plant, mama. Oh yes, like that's a chore.
Speaker 1:That is a chore but we get to do these things we do and we're getting better. And I think doing with the plants it teaches us to give ourselves grace and mercy and another. There'll always be another day to try again.
Speaker 2:Humility check like not our plan.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I think that's important. Plant energetics, human energetics, it all energy. We add our one, all the vibrations, all the vibrations. I kind of want to talk about mother work right away that too I do so.
Speaker 1:We're like she's like staring at us right here and I'm loving it freshly harvested. This morning she was lining the our farm property. It's wild out there and you can go get it right here right now. It normally lines a lot of ditches too. I don't know if that's the best place to wildcraft and source from, but if you look in your backyard, if you have a yard, if you're privileged to have a yard, or going on a hike, you will probably find it and run into it here in zone five. Yes, here in wisconsin, motherwort is plentiful and everywhere, and right now is a really good time to harvest it, use it fresh and then prepare for the long winters and dry it as well. Can we actually get some out? Yes, open that baby up. I'd love to. Let's give her a sniff. Let's do an organoleptic experience. That's really just using all of your senses to get the energetics of motherwort. Sounds sensual, it is sensual being a mother right, yes, ah, that's so good.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that. It's really, really yummy. So it's earthy, but yet with a tinge of sweetness. To her here, give her a whiff, get a close up on that goodness right there. That's what it looks like, all dried in the leaves. Oh, I like that. Right, yeah, it is kind of sweet, she's very sweet. They say that motherwort is like a lion heart, courageous and very protective of her seeds and but yet soft, just like her leaves. A nurturer, a nurturer, hence why it's a nervine, a nerve tonic, so it'll actually can use to zen and calm down and relax you, which is super amazing to have this beautiful plant ally right in your backyard it's kind of soft and fuzzy.
Speaker 1:I just love, love the scent of it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's fresh. And well, obviously this is fresh, but the scent is fresh, fresh, dry, fresh dry yeah. So many options.
Speaker 1:And what you can do with the fresh or dry herb is you could tincture it for sure and, you know, use it orally that way or you could drink it and make a wonderful infusion or tea in which you boil some water. Add two tablespoons, I would say, of fresh herbs and then let it steep for 10 minutes and then enjoy. Pour yourself a cup and enjoy. She tastes really, really good. Have a sip. Cheers sunshine To diving right in this podcast and utilizing our plant allies and celebrating mothers.
Speaker 1:I think there's a lot going on here right now. There's just a lot of celebrating. Good celebration, I'm always down for a good celebration. That is so good, it's so light, it's very nouritive. This Nervine, I like what you did there Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. And then also, when you think of mothers, you think of that nurturing, that narrative, that nurturing, and you think of your. I was going to relate it to your menstrual cycle, but not very good connection there. Well, mothers have uteruses and uteruses have menstrual cycle, but not very, very like good connection there.
Speaker 1:Mothers have uteruses. Yes, if you have a uterus, motherwort will serve you well.
Speaker 2:Yes, what um cramping, hot flashes, regulating your menstrual cycle?
Speaker 1:anything to do with your period, really, or your menses? Yeah, menses equals motherwort For young and old.
Speaker 2:Perry post pre. I don't know all the menstruals. Oh yeah, I like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's good. Yeah, always a good time to utilize motherwort, so we highly encourage you to get out there and get after it. Forage that baby, or, if you feel so inclined, you could probably find it at any herb shop too. We are going to work on bagging it up and offering it to our community as well, so stay tuned for all that. Goodness Right, sunshine, so excited for that.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Meet my beautiful bestie.
Speaker 2:Sunshine and this is my beautiful bestie, bubbles, and together we are sunshine and bubbles yes please, how do we do that?
Speaker 1:answer yes. It says add effects using hand gestures. Uh-huh, uh-huh. That's what we want to do. Maybe it's down there. Remember last time we were like yeah, that happened, so should we try it one more time we're making a heart, there we go. Down and up Next time. Yes, we'll do it. Oh my gosh. So much to talk about. Yeah, I'm super excited, but first we have to say a prayer. I do believe.
Speaker 2:Right here right now.
Speaker 1:Can I have your hand, should we? I feel like all the connections, we'll just bow our heads, close our eyes and give lots of thanks for this day, for this time to be here now and be present with your Holy Spirit. Lord, you are so, so good. Thank you for allowing us to share in this space. We are forever grateful In Jesus' name, amen, amen.
Speaker 2:Attitude of gratitude, girl, that's what we're doing here oh that was good. I like that. Thank you for everything the beautiful soil, all these beautiful herbs, the sunshine, the rain, the worms it's so beautiful, even the dandelions, especially the dandelions Dandelions, yes. It really hurts my heart when I see people spraying them in their yards and thinking they're going to get rid of them, when the yard right next door is just covered in them. Good luck, you schmuck. They're there For a reason.
Speaker 1:Because it kind of is a short season. The dandelions do go away, yeah. So I'd say it's about a month's time that they're out A month to harvest, but we're say it's about a month's time that they're out A month to harvest, but we're going to talk about them next time.
Speaker 2:Can you do dandelions? I like dandelions for life, but that's good with the motherwort and the lions and the dandelions. So many connections.
Speaker 1:The lions, dandelions. Oh, I like what you did there. That was good, that was super good. Well, the herbs are everywhere and it's like we have a whole list in our head and both written down, of all the ones that we want to talk about. So it's really exciting that, and great and so so grateful that that list can be as plentiful as it is, and it just really makes you be so thankful about how the earth always provides.
Speaker 1:Yeah, we didn't plant these, these are just native, native species out there and mother Gaia sharing her gifts. It's such a beautiful thing, super thankful and grateful for that.
Speaker 2:Truly, you just got to open your eyes and look, they're everywhere. Mm, hmm, mm, hmm.
Speaker 1:Leonardo's, leonardo's Leonardohmm, leonardo's Cardiaca, the beautiful motherwort, just in time for Mother's Day. I feel like that's right around this time is the nature's way of also letting you know when it's time to harvest. Coincidence, I think not. Right Like the fact that motherwort is here right right around mother's day. She's kind of like nature's way of letting you know. Yes, just like dandelions are also nature's way of letting you know that the soil is ready for planting. So if the dandelion can grow, so can your seeds. And that's like this the sign. Right? Yeah, like let let ecology do its work.
Speaker 1:She'll always. She has her ways. The signs you just got to be open to them.
Speaker 2:Work with her, not against her very grateful, very grateful.
Speaker 1:I'm grateful for all the beautiful mothers out there too that are trusting their intuition, grounding down and being wonderful humans to take care of the littles, our future generation. I feel like it's the babies that made us, gave us the opportunity to be mothers and to pass things on and pass things down, and I feel like that's what herbalism is really all about. It's like something that you pass on and learn, takes a lifetime to learn it, and so if you could share that with your young ones to connect back during this awakening, the sky's the limit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what an honor and honestly, you can give your little kiddos a head start by teaching them these things that, like we didn't know we had no idea.
Speaker 1:Bless my mother's heart research.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and that's no fault of anybody's, but just wasn't in the, in the plan, I guess. But we're here, we're back and we're gonna teach our babies what they can do with what's right out their front door can do with what's right out their front door. Truly remarkable.
Speaker 1:Truly remarkable that is such a blessing. I know just my plant history. My mom was always like I feel like she was a busy working mom and you know she's an entrepreneur, so she's out there on the hustle, on the grind, but she didn't really have time for her gardens, to tend to the gardens, it just wasn't high up on the priority list. So the landscaping was as simple as it needed to be and we loved going out in the woods because forest bathing is amazing. But never she would. I don't want to say that she hates plants, but I feel like she said that I don't think she means it?
Speaker 2:I don't think so. I definitely think she's come around like she's drinking tea, right?
Speaker 1:I think she loves the idea of drinking tea, whether she drinks it and makes it. Today is a new day, yes, and a new opportunity. It's going to give her so much grace. But I just definitely wasn't. It wasn't something that was passed down. The homesteading, you know, like gardening and growing your own food. We kind of lost that in the era that she was around, during ending women's suffrage and feminism and getting out there and making a living kind of straight away from the home. So I feel like the garden has that direct connection to that.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah, it was definitely lost in my family too. My mom always said she had a brown thumb but she's keeping things alive, a couple of houseplants, but she never went above and beyond. I think we had a couple of marigolds one year and it was really cool. They're helpful. Yeah, I didn't know at the time that they are, but yeah, so I'm so happy to unearth all the knowledge.
Speaker 1:But the whole trick of being a mom is how to make it fun and involved for the children. I feel like it's taking a conscious, concerted effort, with the highest and best intentions, to involve the kids, to make it fun for them. Yeah, that's what I struggle with a lot.
Speaker 2:I feel like it's all about the approach, though we know that, like, they just want to have fun, so if you make it a game like who can pick the most weeds in five minutes, that worked.
Speaker 1:That worked for five minutes, five minutes.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So well we need to work a win Well let's see how many kids we got Times. Two hands, that's a lot of weeds. Hey, yes.
Speaker 1:And a bribery, I think no shame in our game. A special treat after, if they put in some work. Yeah, especially on the hot summer months it's always I want that special treat too. Ice cream, low key Ice cream ice cream.
Speaker 2:We want it as much as they do.
Speaker 1:And you know I feel like when they're in the garden it's quality time. To be honest, yeah, you're working towards a common goal and it's a great opportunity to communicate Team building.
Speaker 2:Team building, to communicate. Team building, team building. I think of all the magic that has happened just between our conversations uh, weeding in the in like, well, the garden. But remember, like one of the, the first year when we were like looking for the little baby plants, and all the banger conversations we had.
Speaker 1:I still remember some of the things we're talking about yes, yes, we divulged a lot of juicy therapy for sure, right? Yes, not only getting that dirt in your hands which is releases, like the serotonin dopamine in and of itself, and then, and the sunshine, that vitamin d and some good vibrations the grounding the grounding those?
Speaker 2:I think it's electron protons. I'll have to circle back, but the grounding Electron protons. There's an energy exchange of some sort.
Speaker 1:I think electrons yeah. Letting go of electrons, mm-hmm. That's why the ground down with the copper. Yes, the electrons, the charge, the electrical charge, yes, it's out there, it's in there. It's super amazing Electroculture gardening. I digress, I digress. Motherhood involving children in the garden Taking notes. It's a challenge this summer. I'm just coming up on, you know, less than a month when our kids get out of summer school.
Speaker 2:And it's kind of like wrapping your head around. What does that look like?
Speaker 1:because here on the farm they're with us, yeah so, and they're hungry and they're hot and they're needy and they're so sweet and lovable and it's such a joy to have around, but to get things done.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it definitely would be nice if they worked with us absolutely, please can we add that to the pair, if anybody? Has any suggestions on how to get their kiddos involved or like want to be involved, or intrigued or curious, we'd be open I'm.
Speaker 1:I'm down for whatever it takes. Like, do we get a book? Do we start with story time?
Speaker 2:sit them all down and be like the book and I don't know or start with like a race, like run on real quick and get all their wiggles out, and then like yeah, like on your mark, make a garden.
Speaker 1:Obstacle course right, make it fun. I feel like planting that pizza garden. It needs to happen, yes, in a raised bed, and that is their responsibility.
Speaker 1:Yeah yeah, right, yes, a pizza party once we make that pizza oh yeah, to really connect all the dots and involving kids in the in the kitchen. I feel like we I had a really good conversation about that as of late and it was kind of a gentle reminder to myself to involve my kids more in the kitchen. So often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle and I just feel like I would like to be more mindful of what I'm putting on the table, because it is a choice and last time I checked, I'm in charge of my household and dinners, yes, right. So I feel like taking back that power, because I feel like sometimes, yeah, with the kids and them being picky and not finishing what they're eating or not eating what you made for dinner, can be really, really frustrating. Oh, the struggle is real.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then pleasing them all.
Speaker 1:Sometimes I'm really short of a cook. This one wants that, the other one wants this. Let me get right on that. Yeah, let me just whip that up, bust out the griddle. Yeah, that you got for Mother's Day I know that's so exciting.
Speaker 2:We did, we made pancakes. It was great.
Speaker 1:That is awesome With your organic pancake batter.
Speaker 2:They weren't big fans but I liked it. I tried that too.
Speaker 1:Sounds very familiar.
Speaker 2:Well, I guess I'll be the one eating the pancakes that I didn't want to start with Well, good thing I like it Right though.
Speaker 1:Waffles. Bring back the waffles, I wonder, I think, just because I just love filling the squares of the waffle with the butter and the syrup.
Speaker 2:yeah, or sometimes you get crazy with the cheeses. But the cool whip or the right fruit or fresh strawberries or yeah, oh, the chocolate chips in.
Speaker 1:I feel like we just came up with a new idea for the kiddos, like we're making waffles after we weed the garden yes, we didn't waffles, we didn't waffles, we didn't waffles I love it and yeah, I just what a beautiful thing that you know shout out to cannabis and our good work that we've been doing in the garden, which has mainly to do with hemp in our world, and that our kids won't grow up with that plant prejudice. I feel like that's just. I'm proud of it. To be honest, yeah, I'm kind of like we we're making a difference. Yeah, here for future generations.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're living, breathing, eating, drinking it right here, right now, right in front of them.
Speaker 1:They're using it. My kids love the balm. Oh, they're obsessed. I just asked you. Yeah, so sweet, thank you, so sweet. Oh, let me silence this. Um, yeah, I love it that they're you, you know, finding what works for them to incorporate the plant. Yeah, definitely, finding out there's different, there's different use, there's different ways of consumption for everybody, and it is for the children, on a topical application that is in no way going to affect their, their psychoactive experience. Then, then why not? Mama knows best, just like all the other herbs. Yes, really. Well, I'm a little biased, but she's the queen herb, you know.
Speaker 1:It's like wait, what are you trying to say? She's the queen, all hail, all hail. The queen bee, mother, the mother, what is that? Like the queen mother herself Cannabis, she's so good. The pharaoh, the queen bee, I think. But then I was like the mother didn't really miss connection there, but I forgive myself she's so, so good.
Speaker 1:And you guys want to see what 30,000 hemp seeds look like? Yes, what do you think? I don't know 30,000 hemp seeds look like? Yes, what do you think? I mean, I don't know, 30,000 sounds like a lot.
Speaker 2:If I had to guess, I'd say, like, probably like this thing, full, just chock, full, maybe even more.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, a 30,000.
Speaker 2:30,000. That's a lot.
Speaker 1:And then coming from the fiber that we grew last year in the bags. I mean, how many seeds do you think was in there? One million Bazillion.
Speaker 2:Yeah, one bazillion seeds.
Speaker 1:So we order 30,000 seeds to plant on six acres here in 2025 as an experimental high vibrational test plot to see if we could grow the hemp for biomass to be used in CBD products from different manufacturers around the nation and having a contract to grow which would offer you a price per percentage of CBD found in the biomass per pound. So that's how you would get paid. That's like the equation. So you want high CBD in your poundage.
Speaker 1:In high poundage. High poundage, you want a big fat juicy plant. Yeah, oh, me too. Dripping, that's super amazing. Cannabinoid percentage yes, that's perfectly cured, or harvested, dried and cured, so the degradation does not happen when you want to go for processing. So pretty much the processors want the biggest bang for their buck, right, they want to be able to process as less and get higher CBD percentages to increase their efficiencies. Yes, Right, they don't have to run the. If you were working with dirt material, you'd have to run that much more to get what you need. We don't have to run the. If you were working with dirt material, you'd have to run that much more, yeah, to get what you need.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we don't have dirt material.
Speaker 1:No, I'm just I mean, you know the logic, the rationale there just trying to like explain this all in a good way.
Speaker 2:So viewers can yeah, no, yeah, more bang for your buck, more bang for your buck.
Speaker 1:So that's what we're going for, and that is why we have partnered with Trilogene. Elitemp Genetics and beyond that with the law and regulations here in wisconsin it this year at this grow season 0.3 thc total thc. So again, strictly medicine speaking and nothing recreational that we're growing here yet.
Speaker 2:However, However, outdoor sun grown full plant full spectrum, high CBD. But just amazingness, right you?
Speaker 1:won't even miss the THC. Add all those other factors in there.
Speaker 2:It's not just high CBD, yeah no, you won't even miss the THC. There is a little bit in there and they work well together. They work better together, but we'll take what we can get. Six acres, four acres.
Speaker 1:Six acres. Six acres 30,000 plants, with all feminized seeds as well. Aha.
Speaker 2:Feminized, guaranteed females, no males. We don't want pollen, we don't want seeds, we want the big juicy buds.
Speaker 1:We want the flowering plant material and that is found in the ladies More mother, female power. Yes, I'll high five again to that, always yes, so that is really awesome, with a unique strain of ultra pink, oh, I'm excited. Which also has really good feminist vibes too. Yeah, right, yeah, I mean pink pistols. Ooh, sign me up, I think. Yes, pink pistols.
Speaker 2:That sounds like a band or something. Ooh, yeah, it does. Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew, pew pew, pew, Hot Smoky.
Speaker 1:That is amazing. So here is what 10 seeds would look like. Oh here. I love this packaging from Chyla Jean.
Speaker 2:It's just which. We've been working with them since the beginning, right, Chyla Jean?
Speaker 1:Yes, we have, and with the uw extension too for their testing. So it's kind of cool to see each other grow. Yeah, it's been a great partnership thus far. But here is what 10 seeds looks like. Right, just tiny, itty bitty little beaners. It all starts with a seed and and I do not want to forget to mention that these are also triploid seeds, so specialized genetics, where they really cannot. They don't have any male chromosome, so they cannot get pollinated, they stay female, big flowering buds, trioloid genetics trademarked by Trilogene, and I feel like that's the secret. That's going to be the smoking gun right there. The secret to success is genetics. It all starts with the seed, it does so. We've just seen what 10 seeds look like. Now should we do we say how much we paid for these? No, I don't know if, okay, no, nope. But drum roll, drum roll 30,000 seeds. And really they just look. They're very special, like you can get, like the tiger striping in these hemp seeds, but really they look just like any other seed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right, yeah, you would not know just by looking at them.
Speaker 1:The future is here.
Speaker 2:Ultra pink coming your way very, very soon. So good. I can't wait for the pictures. Is that ultraviolet? Like sister?
Speaker 1:I believe so. Yes, it's the cross.
Speaker 2:I remember ultraviolet being so beautiful. I hope it has some of those purples.
Speaker 1:I think it does. Yes, they're big. You think pink, I'm hoping pink pistils and purple buds oh my gosh. Yes, that would be so gorgeous, but you know they're all going to be different. Yes, they're all going to be beautiful in their own right and we'll have to just a mystery unravel it. So shout out to the big D, my husband, danny, who has the gusto and the kahunas, the know-how, the knowledge, the connections, networking and the vision to plant these seeds in the ground. It's going to be happening. He's working the fields, but these things are going to the ground any day now. I couldn't be more excited to cue you guys in on the process. I just feel like it's the future of the farm here at DNA Hab.
Speaker 2:Dan the man with the plan. If he can't do it, no one can Go Danny Go, danny Go no one can Go.
Speaker 1:Danny Go, danny Go, danny Go Go, danny Go, danny Go, Because really it's all on him. He's working the tractor, he's the one with the harvesting plan and doing the bulk of the brawn for the drying. We're more like the earth mamas running the fields, checking for males, defoliating if need be, kind of staking if need be. So I feel like it's a really big team effort. Rather than nurturing the motherwort, whisper the love, whispering good vibes.
Speaker 2:Yeah literally you're so beautiful. Little picture, little selfie, yeah, yeah. I feel like we should name some this year. Yes, make it personal. Ultra pink I kept running through it. Oh, this is going to be great content. I feel like we should name some this year. Yes, make it personal.
Speaker 1:Ultra Pink, ultra Susan, ultra Mary, ultra Bojangles yes, yes, we should Name them and love them, yeah, or have the help come out and pick out the plant and they can name them, yeah.
Speaker 2:Adopt a plant.
Speaker 1:Adopt a plant. I love that. That's genius. Yes, take a note. More than welcome. Oh, I like that. This is good. Insights downloaded here. Yes, so that's what's happening here on the farm on that front and the UW research program that we're participating in. Do you want to tell them what's in the hoop house?
Speaker 2:Oh, they're going, they're going. They're what? Three weeks now, three weeks old, they're about that big I'd say give or take.
Speaker 1:Oh, we should have brought one up here. Yeah, we should have Next time.
Speaker 2:next time we should write that down Big plan we got. Superwoman we got. Queen dream we got hot blonde hot blonde. We got cherry blossom, blue orchid, missing a couple but a variety, and they're coming up at different times. They all you can kind of see the genetics and the differences between them and the germination rate and some of them have, like purple stems. So I was like, oh, maybe that means purple buds. So a lot of research and documenting and just letting them grow, let them do their thing, mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's going to be fun Plant designing with them. Yeah, putting in the garden.
Speaker 2:You should start garden display plan Of epic proportions but totally in flux.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Totally in flux.
Speaker 2:If in a perfect world it would be amazing and it's going to be perfect, but on paper it looks great.
Speaker 1:So many seeds that we have here this 30,000 seeds. We probably have 30,000 seeds that of other different herbs and flowers that we're planting.
Speaker 2:Oh yes, right here we have calendula, we have some nasturtium, we have some begonias, we have some zinnias, we have some edible flowers. Um geez, what else?
Speaker 1:chive we have lemon, balm, mint sage. Uh, artesma, uh, holy. Well, no, the holy basil didn't make it, no she didn't.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she didn't make it rip, but we do have seeds. So, fingers crossed, a lot of experimenting. We're trying to collect seeds from our previous harvest and plant them the next year, just like nature does in the wild, but plant them where we can find them and know what they are and help them grow. But yeah, we got a lot of stuff going and even more percolating as we speak.
Speaker 1:Indeed, and we're both walking funny, lots of balm being lathered and slathered. It's really been helping with the pain and inflammation, honestly, on our legs, on my quads, because not only did the YMCA body pump kick my ass Shout out to Xena Warrior, princess Woo, ay-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi-yi, for real, for real but Body Pump was epic, amazing. They had some new tracks on there and I think it went heavy on the way. It said oh my gosh, I could feel it before I even left. So you know it's going to be a humdinger. But the next day, how many buckets of soil did we dig up from the compost topsoil pile and put in the gardens to prep the beds?
Speaker 2:You were a beast. You got three done before I even started helping you. I don't know. At least five a piece, Five full ten, Five gallon, Five a gallon buckets yeah.
Speaker 1:About 60 pounds. I would say we kind of found out because of the honey. I think honey's a little denser though, so I mean 50. She'll say same, yeah, just hooking them over to there. And I told danny because he, when I went home last night I was like, oh man, I and I showed him my sunburn hello, let me show. Yeah. He's like, what were you girls doing out there yesterday? I'm like, oh, we did it. Alright, we did it, hucking those girls here oh yeah, oh yeah, mine too bikini gardening totally worth it.
Speaker 1:I had a jiggle on you oh my gosh, what were we? Thinking hey, can I have vitamin D?
Speaker 2:I don't regret it, me neither. I'd do it again. Me too. We're probably going to do it again, probably next year. That was a good base.
Speaker 1:Probably tomorrow, just kidding, just kidding. Yeah, a great base. Now we've got to even it out. Our tan lines are crazy. Yeah, they're going all over Less than 10%. Can we plug this bad boy in? We're running low on power, but that was wild to do all that yesterday.
Speaker 2:But now.
Speaker 1:I feel really, really good about the garden beds and where we're at, as far as ready, soil ready start plugging in some plants and planting seeds. More seeds, yes, plugged in to the mixer, sorry, all right, there we go, phew. So I'm really excited. So we have the seven raised beds that are out there right now, which we kind of did like a chakra garden, and plants that speak to our different energetic centers, which is absolutely amazing. Come on over a little closer, thank you. Thank you and um, now it's like a clean slate too. It just feels so good to have to kind of go off our intuition, because that was that was really downloaded last year and what we planted on in the garden. I think you gotta come over just a little bit more. It's your head. We don't want get my head off of the hood never. So I'm excited. And then checking on the worms in there too, for the vermicomposting with the red wigglers we just re-upped from Uncle Jim's worm farm.
Speaker 2:Hey, that was exciting. How many were there?
Speaker 1:How many worms? I think 2,500. Oh my God, yeah, just 2,500 worms. Well, I put it everywhere. I put it in my compost pile, my compost turner at home, I put it in the three compost buckets that are in the three raised beds down below, and I also put it in the compost pile in the back. So of the farm here.
Speaker 1:Oh nice, you just spread the love and then the good news is I feel like they, they multiply every what is it 90 days? I don't know, it's short period of time, it could be a week, honestly, I'd have to reference that. But I know they keep multiplying, so you just keep digging them out and you can keep spreading them around.
Speaker 2:I didn't realize that there are such producers. Yes, they multiply Especially when they're being fed so good.
Speaker 1:Yes, absolutely, from our delicious compost that we just dump right in there into a bucket. It's kind of like built into the ground. Keyhole is it called, I think, the keyhole method? Keyhole method? Yeah, I believe so. Oh, you see, you got to come in just a little bit more because your head is big there. That's why I'm like bring it in yes live or live.
Speaker 1:We want you in, you're in sunshine, thank you. And then down there too, replanting. So it felt really really how good did that feel Live or live. We want you in. You're in sunshine, I'm in, thank you. And then down there too, replanting. So it felt really really good. How good did that feel to kind of get rid of all of our old dead cell trays that had nothing growing or didn't quite make it over the winter and then start anew in the springtime.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's a fresh start and we're ready to put those seeds in the dirt. Give them some water and love and sunshine. Yeah, I'm glad it's over.
Speaker 1:It was worth it though.
Speaker 2:Over, are you?
Speaker 1:kidding. Well, I mean that part. The first installment I made. We put the old, spent soil into. We got some topsoil and compost mix delivered here on the farm from Leisner Soils, Sounds about right, yeah.
Speaker 1:And they were really efficient and professional and I loved working with them for really good quality soil. And then we added the old, spent stuff because soil is expensive. So we kind of like worked in the old stuff that I had and then hoping that that compost mixture will do right, and then use the potting soil for seedlings. We kind of did it. Oopsie, we used the topsoil compost mix to do a lot of our seedlings because I feel like I don't know that we were rushed and we didn't have enough potting soil. Yeah, uh, but it was kind of like uh we knew better.
Speaker 2:It all starts with the soil, as well as the seed yeah, really, actually taking that back. Really it starts in the soil so, but we're still growing and it's still happening and those plants are going to be, so hardy they can grow. I mean, look at our ashwagandha that grew in clay for like a year.
Speaker 1:It's hanging on. Yes, we got to replant her and then plant her little babies around her and hopefully we'll get baby ashwagandhas. It'll be amazing. Yeah, because ashwagandha is another powerful herb.
Speaker 2:Stay tuned.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. So that happened yesterday of all of the soil mixture, kind of straightening up the hoop house. Of course, watering Sunshine has been on watering duty for the last couple weeks and that's a job Every day.
Speaker 2:I like to get out there before it gets scorching hot. I don't want to water in the heat of the day I mean it's better than no water but preferably morning or evening. But I feel like morning. They like the morning, especially in the hoop house that like greenhouse effect going on with this, not steam, but fog, mist, mist, yeah.
Speaker 2:Condensation yeah yeah, the whole greenhouse effect. Yeah yeah, the whole greenhouse effect, yeah yeah. So, yes, they like water, they need water for sure, especially since the last, I'd say, week it's been pretty warm here, because before that we didn't have much.
Speaker 1:Here we go, coming in a little bit more, sorry, I digress.
Speaker 2:No, we're good. We didn't have much heat. It was cold and rainy, but now we're sunshiny and hot and we need water.
Speaker 1:Yes, so thirsty.
Speaker 2:Water is life, and we have it now. How long did we farm without it?
Speaker 1:Well, we have the spring fed pond, so we definitely had water for the plants.
Speaker 2:But not readily available like we do now.
Speaker 1:No not, with wells drilled and running water accessible on various points of the property. Absolutely not. It's a game changer. We have arrived. Who would have thought? Attitude of gratitude so thankful I was also thinking that on the way here too, blizzard Mound Park State Park is right up the road. Yeah, what a great spot for the kids to swim this summer. Should definitely hit that place up. They have a pool, a lake.
Speaker 1:Isn't it on a lake? I think there's water access there. I don't know. Yes, have you been? No, there is. There's a super amazing swim area. Oh, if I'm thinking of the right spot right over there.
Speaker 2:Oh, are you serious?
Speaker 1:Another one we drive by every single day and then on my you know, like on my navigation, it showed a lot of different little lakes and water sources here in the area and I was just really grateful to live near so much water here in the Great Lakes.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure. I feel like we take that for granted sometimes, just because, yeah, they are so plentiful.
Speaker 1:Thank you glaciers and the fact that we're like you know swimming, we can swim in the summer and just I feel like that's why we're all like swimmers, but like not knowing how to swim is not an option for me. I recently met someone who didn't know how to swim and I was just kind of like scratching my head and that's so scary, Like what if you end up in water? Yeah, to have that fear, yeah of it. And then just now I feel like I was like swimming is life skills. You gotta know how to swim or really really try. I know people's fear of water is a real thing and and people have had certain experiences that would inhibit them from wanting to learn. But I feel like, especially here regionally, it's just a really important life skill to have and know and be strong at, and it takes practice and it doesn't. It's just like anything. It doesn't happen overnight, but I love swimming. It's one of it's like my favorite thing to do. I'll just, I'll just. It's my favorite thing to do.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh. I remember as a kid like it would be so cold. It didn't matter, you were swimming. If there was water you were in it. Now it's a little different, but let me at it. And we were. I was a tomboy.
Speaker 1:so I mean I was all. But we were swimming in rivers, streams, ponds, lake puddles. Yeah, when it rained a ton, you would go swim in the ditches. Oh my gosh, to be young again. To be young again.
Speaker 2:I can't say I would do that now.
Speaker 1:But you know, I've made my kids ask me to Heck.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my inner child, we're going to have to do a rain dance and dance in the puddles with the babies.
Speaker 1:Yes, it's on the list All Do a rain dance and dance in the puddles with the babies. Yes, it's on the list, all right, it's happening. Yes, it's going down. So, yeah, knowing being really grateful for water and that we have a spring fed, ever-feeding source of water. But it's also got all those minerals and nutrients in there from the algae and the different blooms that are going on in there, and the sediments too.
Speaker 2:We have to check those lily pads to see if they're blooming yet.
Speaker 1:I bet, I bet and we have to do something special. We should do something special out there with the sound bulbs. Maybe I feel like it's a little more stable now, you know, because before it was like a little wobbly the pier, but we got to get out there and do something super epic, trippy, awesome, it's all happening.
Speaker 2:It's on the list.
Speaker 1:Write it down, otherwise time just flies by and it's just really being intentional with your time. So such a sweet thing here on the farm, so lots of we're still in the planting phases. I feel like we're right in the peak planting season to get the seeds in the ground. So I know that's what we'll be doing for the next couple weeks to come. And then it's like weeding city. Right, it's tending to the plans and watering, weed and water, weed and water. But how amazing to have all these resources available to us right here in our backyard, so thankful, and it is morel hunting season yes, the lilacs are blooming.
Speaker 2:It's time to go shrooming. I love that I love that.
Speaker 1:I know, I know that's so good, I use it every chance I get another sign nature's sign to show and tell what you should be doing, what you could be doing. It's a choice. I myself got to make some time to get out there and look for those shroomies, the morel mushrooms.
Speaker 2:I found two. They were like that big, Just itty bitty and not even like by a tree, it was right by. I was in a Milwaukee County park on a path and it was like in this little tiny patch of grass, like just randomly, and I was like what Is that? Yes, my spidey senses told me they Like just randomly and I was like what?
Speaker 1:Is that yes?
Speaker 2:My spidey senses told me they were there and I had to find them. And I found them?
Speaker 1:Yay, I love that. Did you eat them? No, I left them Just because of the surrounding area.
Speaker 2:I was like I'm not sure about this county power. A dog probably peed on them, but they were little too Like it would be.
Speaker 1:And you have to cook them and soak them so well. Best of luck to all of the morale hunters out there. I hope you have an abundant, prosperous season of morale hunting so that way you can share with your buds.
Speaker 2:I've seen people find them. You know they have their sacks online showing off their morale. They won't tell you where they get them. It's like your secret fishing spot Goes with you to the grave.
Speaker 1:But but it takes time. I feel like you've got to get out there. Yeah, they do not find themselves, but this.
Speaker 2:This little patch graph proved that it doesn't have to be an elm tree or you know, like specific placings, they're everywhere.
Speaker 1:Just look yes, and you know, look up, not down. I feel like that was a game changer for me, kind of like widen your view. You're looking for the dead elms generally, but, like Sunshine said, there is no, there's no rules out there in nature. She's a wild beast, get out there, get some. And the's a wild beast, she's got to get out there and get some. And the ramps too. Ramps are rampant and I feel like that's a small window too to find them babies, if you don't know what a ramp is. It looks like a green leaf almost. It's very distinct, though in kind of the gyrations of the leaf, but it tastes like garlic and onion had a baby, yes.
Speaker 2:They're super good. I put them on that sandwich that one time. That was so good.
Speaker 1:Yes, like a turkey sandwich.
Speaker 2:You just had it instead of lettuce. It was so good I would have never thought of doing that.
Speaker 1:Yes, Because fresh and raw is always best Fresh and raw. Fresh and raw. Dig, dig, dig, dig is best Fresh and raw. Fresh and raw. Same with those dandelion leaves. I want to get out there and get some today too and put some in my salad. Yes, they're a little bitter, but super tasty and delicious. Good for your liver.
Speaker 2:I wonder if you can just mother.
Speaker 1:What Very bitter. Don't do it. Or do it just as soon. You can't do it, fuck around and find out, I can't do it. Or do it just to see, yeah well, yeah, you can't do it. Fuck around and find out. Yeah, I can't do it. Oh see, that's good, so good. Oh man, woof-duck, woof-duck. Yeah, I'm gonna swallow that. I don't know if I want to swallow that. I'm gonna do a full-size neck. That's happening. I'm opening it out of my mouth, Mother really don't. It is much better in tea.
Speaker 2:Yes, I suggest tea, oh Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:Oh, that's good, oh, that's good. So I love what we have going on on the farm. We got big plans, big dreams, big visions, visions, and we'll keep you posted on all of the awesome goodness via this podcast. But very hemp heavy, I feel like she's the star. So really looking forward to companion planting with her planting her sun-grown, organic and different applications on the farm, different farming techniques, because it's all experimental and that's what gardening is.
Speaker 1:Anyone can do it. That's how it should be to get out there and get your hands dirty, pick a vegetable or an herb that resonates with you, that you want to incorporate into your lifestyle, and get a relationship with the herb, because that's really what it is. It's. It's an energy, it's a whole vibe with this living thing can offer you and what you can offer it and it's kind of with the love lingo too, you know the sweeter in the words and the energy that you put into anything really is going to result in the fruit of your labor. So because God is just that that good, my friends, he's just so good, and that's just one way that he shows us that he loves us is what he always provides, and I'm so grateful for that. It's a great day to be alive. It's a great day to be Should we do our Sing it.
Speaker 1:Amen, amen, you, I, you, I'm the lay, arriba Arriba. So so good. He is so so good To be here today with your friend. I love it. You guys, do you want to tell them the big news of what's happening on Saturday?
Speaker 2:Oh, so excited Every Saturday morning from here till eternity it feels like. But just October, end of October, 730 to 11. Farmer's Market West Bend, voted number one for three years in a row. Great, can we get a fourth? Right in front of the Green Dog Market you can find us stall number 135 and 136, I believe. Yes, Okay good, yeah, we're going to be out there, we're going to have some herbs, we're going to have some, obviously, cannabis, everything we're going to have anti-aging out there with some hot stuff.
Speaker 2:Sweet little Rachel, I hope she joins us. She knows what's going on, right?
Speaker 1:I know Ron dude is, hopefully he brings his snake.
Speaker 2:He called me he's like hey, he's the guy with the snake, yes, and the parrot. Oh, that makes so much sense.
Speaker 1:He called me wondering about Ruby Doobie which, by the way, I haven't shown her this whole time, has been part of the action this whole time, Ruby.
Speaker 2:Doobie Roopy choopy, cutest little thing, ain't she? I love you Such a little gem.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she's just hanging out of my lap. Oh, so good. So Prondude for sure will be there and a lot of our regulars will probably swing through. You can be one of our regulars too. Come on out to the West Bend Farmer's Market this Saturday, 7.30 to 11. It is.
Speaker 2:It's an early one. Everybody thinks that, like they come strolling in at 11 or 10.30. Yeah, 10.30, think they got until noon or 1. Nope, and they mean business, Like when they ring the cowbell they want you out of there.
Speaker 1:So not that we don't want to hang around all day, but traffic, main Street things Got to go Till next week, yes, till next week.
Speaker 1:No-transcript is make a shopping list of what you would like to get from the market or produce that you would normally get from the grocery store. But you can source now from the market, fresh, fresh and you know, challenge some new recipes, get the creative juices flowing and be inspired by what the farmers have to offer there, because they've been working hard all winter to prep and prepare for this prime time season. And in Wisconsin it is, you know, 120 days, pretty much right Like four months of grow season. So it's a very short grow season unless you have other outside resources. So it's some of these farmers livelihoods out there. They farm to eat, they farm to live and I'm super inspired by all the hard work and dedication that's out there to be committed to Saturday markets and putting your whole, like your heart and your soul, and all your hard work out on the table to sell on like pennies for the dollar, like the energy exchange is just, it's there, yeah, it's there, it's there, it's already there.
Speaker 2:Sorry, I put my grateful hat on. Yes, you're so grateful, but it's a lot of work, you know.
Speaker 1:It's a lot of work Even to get there on the market and set up those stalls. So, yes, come early, bring cash, money it's very. Cash is king always and forever. Farmers really appreciate that and come excited and with an open mind and ready to explore. You know, have a budget. You know I want to spend this much on like produce and things I'm going to eat instead of buying at the grocery store this week, and I'm going to do, you know this much 10% for a little bit of something for myself, like a guilty pleasure. You know something that maybe you don't really need, like a desire pleasure.
Speaker 1:You know something that maybe you don't really need like a desire of yours, right, like you don't need those cookies, but you want those cookies. Definitely, I would say hemp is in the need section. Yes, right like people need their medicine and that's uh that we're just so excited to offer that to the people yeah, listen for the tamarine, look for the bubbles you can't miss us.
Speaker 2:Where we're to party at.
Speaker 1:Hey, where the party at With free samples.
Speaker 2:So excited. Yeah, we like to elevate the scene.
Speaker 1:Everybody come on over and we have an extra stall too, so we're excited. Maybe we should set up those stumbles at some point and get out there. I know we want to do an interview session out there at the Farmer's Market and get people's opinions on the state of cannabis and what you see the future being, and kind of do like a poll of sorts out there. That's going to be a ton of fun. But the Farmer's Market for me is not only being able to connect with the earth and all of her great offerings and utilizing people's gifts you know them sharing their gifts and you know doing that energy exchange but it's also a really big time of collaboration and community. I feel like seeing your neighbors giving hugs to your friends. You know family comes out. It is. I feel like that's what makes me look forward to the market and coming to the idea of like we get to do these things I mean, it's so easy to John to an attitude of like it's hard work, it's a lot of time.
Speaker 1:And like no, that's not what the, the, the plan, purpose or intention. So I feel like just coming out and being a part of the community is a great way to to connect at the farmer's market way to to connect at the farmer's market.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you get fresh stuff to cook later, but you can also grab one of the egg rolls, crab bacon's, nosh nook is there and they have entertainment. They have bands sprinkled throughout, so there's always something for everybody. Kids, dogs are allowed, so that's really cool. I know one of the first years we were there, dogs weren't allowed, but they brought it back. So that's that's to see. When the dogs interact with each other, they need to socialize too. Yeah, ruby, of course she'll be there.
Speaker 1:Yes, she will. It's not too hot, right? No, I don't think so. Or too cold, it's just right. Yeah. And with connecting the community, it's an information share too. I just kind of downloaded that, like that's how these traditions are passed on, that's how people are inspired, that's how you get new ideas, or be inspired to be creative and try something new. Is that, you know, this energy exchange is sharing of ideas, and so I feel like that in-person interaction and exchange is worth more than than anything yeah, to purchase it from like the actual hands that planted it and cared for it.
Speaker 2:You know, like that's, I feel like that's truly something special. You don't get that. I mean, the grocery store is nice and they have lots of options and you know what's fresh at the market too. You know the grocery store. You can get bananas every time, but bananas don't grow here, right? So what grows here is going to be sold at the market, and that's usually what you're supposed to be eating. Your body wants that, because that's what it needs.
Speaker 1:Because it's all intertwined and connected. This is self-care at its finest, yes, so get into that mindset, get into that mentality. Uh is what I would love. I'm trying to actively manifest for the community here of knowing your farmer, fresh is best.
Speaker 2:Support small business support locals, support your community.
Speaker 1:Yes, the businesses to lining up and down the street are just. You know, in and of itself have a great things to offer, and then throw all the other shopping opportunities out there and you're going to come home with a plethora of goodness. That's high vibrational medicine and that is going to elevate the consciousness and you're gonna pass that down to future generations, being the great person you are. See where we're going with this, friends. It's all about the love and spreading the sunshine and bubbles, because life is a bowl of cherries. I love cherries. God says so. It's already written. It's already yours, amen.
Speaker 2:Amen.
Speaker 1:So so good.
Speaker 2:Yes, hey, are you singing this Sunday? Yes, sunday, Sunday, god, yes, hey, are you singing this Sunday? Yes, sunday, sunday, sunday.
Speaker 1:Yes, I am. I can't make it. I just remembered, aw, you'll be there in spirit sunshine. I'll be channeling my inner sunshine up there on the stage, singing his praises loud and proud.
Speaker 2:My girl, my great nephew's baptism.
Speaker 1:Oh, I know so you're going to be in another house of God. Yes, I will be a church, but not that one. That's a beautiful thing Giving himself to God, getting bathed in the holy water that's a sweet little thing. And witnessing that with friends and family oh, I want to be there. That is a once in a lifetime experience right there and a wonderful thing to be celebrated. Yeah, I love it so, so much.
Speaker 2:Yes, I love it so much my cheeks hurt from smiling already.
Speaker 1:So much smiling. It's a beautiful thing, it truly is. Well, we, we're gonna see him at the farmer's market.
Speaker 2:hey, how was the spirit fair oh, the spirit fair, that was not last saturday, the saturday before, right? Oh, it doesn't matter, it's in the past, but it was amazing. Um, they had the. Um, they had the bellatane yeah, bellatane is how you pronounce it. Um, they had, yeah, this big pole and then they had the four ribbons and they had these dancers go around and then they would kind of weave it like they would go over one and then they would go under the next and it just like weave, this beautiful weave around the pole. Um, it was so beautiful and they had a really cool entertainment.
Speaker 2:Um, I think he was singing like scottish type music. It was really interesting. Um, not really songs that I heard on the radio before, but it was neat to see them share their gifts. Um, I think it was a fiddle and, um, a guy with a guitar. Yeah and yeah, and then, yeah, altered in Milwaukee Bayview. They were there, they hosted it, and a lot of familiar faces from the Spirit Fair. Last was that in the fall Was it winter or fall? So a lot of familiar faces. It was really neat. Um, it wasn't kind of like a come and go. People would come and they would like stay for certain speakers or they really want to stay for the belting um performance but, they stuck around for most of the day and it was at a park um grant park I think it is.
Speaker 2:It's beautiful, if you haven't been. It's the park of seven bridges, so there's all kinds of bridges um leading your way to the, to the lake michigan. So it was really neat I that was a total bonus. That's where I found the morales ps.
Speaker 2:Nice, yeah score yeah, but it was so sweet and that people um were so kind and lots of questions. They are curious about hemp and they love the crystal pipes. Um, I didn't get to do too much walking around, but there's a sweet lady next to me. She's a herbalist like you and taught me something about magnesium. I got elixir spray nice, yeah yeah which which I heard is good for deodorant, did you?
Speaker 1:ever hear that? I have heard that. Yes, cool. It's kind of like an equalizer deodorizer Score.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So it was beautiful, and while I held it down, bubbles.
Speaker 1:How was Sicily? Well, thank you for holding it down at the Spirit Fair. That is super amazing. I'm glad you were able to experience that. That's high vibrational healing. Right there I was. It was beautiful representing dna hemp out there in the wild. That's always such a wonderful experience, spreading the love. Appreciate you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the opportunity.
Speaker 2:It's great, yeah, totally do it again.
Speaker 1:Awesome, I love that. Well, thank you, thank you, thank you. Oh my gosh, sicily was a dream. Honestly, I loved it there. It was like old school Italy, like what you think about. Italy meets the island oh, so it's like island vibe, but old school Italy and all the good, yummy, good food.
Speaker 2:Oh, that sounds like heaven.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was. I was like I love it here and I've been quite a few places and I just sorry, and it had its whole unique vibe of its own. It was like it felt very. I felt that like old energy, just felt very established. You know, like these people are really rooted in their ways and tourism is their main source of income there. So the tourist injury, which I was really surprised at, because you look all around at the beautiful green, lush ecology and the biodiversity there is just really inspiring and the biodiversity there is just really inspiring.
Speaker 1:But they're making superior wines. You know, much like Italy and France is known for their vineyards. Sicily has some wonderful vineyards too, and they're actually very unique because of Mount Etna, do you tell, the volcanic rock and all that sediment and the minerals in the metamorphosis of different rocks, and the ash is a great compost almost working into the soil. So that volcanic ash is what really adds to the wonderful attributes of the wine that they offer there. And they're doing a lot of experimentation too with, you know, water sourcing and irrigation and the harvesting.
Speaker 1:I just seen a lot of the farming old school farming um, that has been modernized in to make big production, cause they also are olives right, there's a lot of olive trees there. There was a ton. And citrus fruits. So orange I got some super tasty, tasty, fresh squeezed orange juice by the happiest little man on the street. It was just filled my heart. It was so, so good. It was just fresh. And see, there's a blood orange I was are plentiful there. You could go around and literally like pluck it right off the tree, you know, peel it, need it, what, what? And lemons, so many lemons there and a few limes thrown in there too. So I feel like their island climate with their soil makes a really good mix for all things citrus, olive and grapes Very interesting. And not to mention the other biodiversity there, flowers, I feel like, and the herbs I've seen borage everywhere. It was so plentiful and it was really fun just kind of using my herb identification, herb knowledge to kind of see what was native there. So I kind of took it as like a botany, like a little botanist, put my botanist hat on and was checking out all of the different herbs that they had to offer there. And it is just so lush and plentiful and that's what they use in all of their cooking, like they don't in all of the meals that we experienced, everything was home cooked, it wasn't out of a box, it wasn't like a factory farms mass produced, like it was from small batch from the earth. They don't import much, right, because that's expensive, so they use what they have there.
Speaker 1:And the homemade pasta actually homemade pasta myself is kind of like a play on it's how you make gnocchi, but it was like a rotini, and so that was really a lot of fun and easy. It's literally like their superior uh, flour with water and roll it. And that was it. Just two ingredients, you know. So the pasta is only good for a couple days unless you freeze it. So you're eating it everything fresh.
Speaker 1:And the courses sunshine, yeah, it was courses like I here, like it's appetizer, entree, dessert, maybe throw a super salad in there, yeah, but this was like every meal, like breakfast, lunch, dinner, if you choose to partake in all those meals they eat courses. So like, first is like your anti-pasta, which is like olives, bruschetta, tapenades, meats and cheeses, if you will. And then it went to pasta Anti-pasta, yeah, anti-pasta pasta which was all fresh and all different kinds of sauces. And then you had, you know, being on the sea, being on the island and access to all that water. You had like a fish dish or something like fresh catch of the day, and then you had a meat dish, so like the carne with more pasta, probably.
Speaker 1:And then you never skipped dessert. You never skipped the canolos. The canolos, buongiorno canolo, so, so good, and like the canola is like all a pride thing. You know, these recipes are passed down from generation to generation, from their nana to their nono. Um, and it's like who has the better canola? Like we have this canola? No, we have. I'm sure they don't argue about it because it seems super laid back. It was was like island vibe, though too, like people were really, really chill.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's so cool, but they're not overweight, right.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:They're not eating all these courses because it's real food.
Speaker 1:The Mediterranean diet is a real thing. Salads with almost every meal too. That was like part of the courses the courses on courses On courses.
Speaker 2:So like is there lunch? You know, like here in America we get like a half hour to eat our lunch. How long does a meal last?
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, Even lunch took two hours, I'm telling you. You are like settling in. There is no turning tables at Sicily. It's really about, I feel like if you're going out to eat and enjoying a meal, they really take their time and it's about that connection and information exchange and sharing and something to be said about sitting at the table together. So I feel like there was no rush. It wasn't like prego, prego, like let's go. It was more just kind of like sit back, relax, take it all in and enjoy the courses On courses.
Speaker 2:On courses, so many courses. Oh, that's so cool. Well, I saw your pictures and they were absolutely stunning. My favorite was when you were dancing on the beach, of course, Aha plenty of beach time.
Speaker 1:No shells, it's all rocks. I would venture to say like from the volcano, okay, okay, I would venture to say like from the volcano, okay, okay, but it was. They did have some sand beaches, but most of them were like small, little tiny rocks. I almost wonder if they like brought the sand in or how that all worked. But it was like it was rocky. That's okay, but it was different seas, though, too. There was three different seas that butted up to the island, so each sea kind of offered looked a little bit different and was a little bit different and warmer, and then temperature difference too. So some of the water was like freezing cold and some of the water was like, okay, yeah, you got to go in there and just refresh yourself, oh, wow. So it was kind of cool to see the whole island.
Speaker 1:We went on a tour bus through the West Bend Country Club with a Sicilian, with several, a Sicilian family. It was Lorenzo and Lorenzo Jr, and which I nicknamed Hollywood he was a hoot. So was Lorenzo and their brother, vincent, who was married to their sister. So I feel like going there too with, like, the locals and kind of getting that, that perspective of things, yeah, and it was really community orientated. You could tell these, these families are like the roots run deep and it's an island. So I feel like some of the people don't get off the island like this is their their whole life. So I just felt like such an american being in there, like, oh, like we get to go here and there and be all accessible when it was like, you know, there wasn't.
Speaker 1:I was surprised about the, the wealth. I just thought. You think, I tell you, you think a Milano and Vogue and I don't know. I just I feel like Italian. Italy is a little more glamorous, but in the it is like the Caribbean, where, you know, it is an island and so imports are expensive, tourism is their main source of money and limited exports with their resources.
Speaker 1:So it wasn't all like glitz and glamour. There was, you know, modest, humble living. So that was an eye opener too and just made me really grateful that we are here in America and how accessible everything is and that, but also humbled, in a simpler way of life, honestly, getting back to the, to the basics, eating real food, having real connection with family and your neighbors and your friends, and I must say, the dress sunshine. These people like I was out there running around in tank top and shorts because it was 70 degrees there, which was warm here, and I was like, okay, but they were in like three-piece suits, like, and even the kids, everyone was very well dressed. You could tell it was just like that old school, like pride, you know how, like people used to dress here back in the day and they'd have their top hats and their, their suit coats and their trousers and all the things like all the layers, like yeah, there were so many layers there.
Speaker 2:I'm sweating just thinking about them and they weren't.
Speaker 1:I mean, I feel like they were adapted, like that's just how they were.
Speaker 2:It's probably light linen or you know, like fabric that's not polyester. That makes you sweat Probably real linens too.
Speaker 1:Very well dressed. A lot of personal pride there in their appearance and how they came out. I was impressed with that. I felt underdressed a lot of times in a t-shirt and shorts I was fine.
Speaker 2:But you know what I mean. I was a screaming tourist, you know I definitely was not from Sicily Yet.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean honestly, they're um, they have super uh, they want people to come, so they have super cheap housing you could get a house there for like two euro, just kidding but then it's in the middle of nowhere with no resources and a total remodel. But I mean, you're out there, but they definitely want people to come. They want to share their, their cuisine, share their traditions, and it's really just a magical, magical place, deep-rooted in, uh, catholicism, because the vatican is just across the way. J Jesus Jubilee.
Speaker 2:Seriously.
Speaker 1:Real quick. This trip was just so aligned. I know you've heard this before, but I'm just going to put it on record or else it's going to be lost in the archives. Jesus Jubilee, which happens once every 25 years, where it is a pilgrimage and a reconnection to your faith, and a lot of people from all over the world travel to the Vatican, traveled to Rome to to be connected with the Pope, in which this year God rest his soul Pope Francis passed and the conclave got together and we were eating. We were eating an Italian, a Sicilian dinner that we had handmade from all the fresh awesomeness that Chef Francesca provided for us at one of her kitchens in Sicily, palermo. We were close to, I believe, and the white smoke was announced and there was a buzz that you know the white smoke's happening. The white smoke, everyone the white smoke. Who is it? Who is the next Pope? That is the indicator that the Catholic church selected the conclave, selected their next Pope and go.
Speaker 1:We were there enjoying the meal and it was a huge buzz and they announced it was the Papa Leone, papa Americano and her tour guide, and Francesca were so excited. Everyone's like jumping up and down. They were so excited. It was the first ever American Pope and they thought it was so cool that they were with Americans and I thought it was way, way cool that we were with Italians in this moment and the optimism there and the hope and Papa Leone preaching peace, love and light to the world, to the nation, and just it was like kind of like one of those moments of like the. You'll always remember where you were when you seen it, just like the twin towers here. You know, it's like the light and the dark and it was just it was. I took my breath, I could still I get so excited even just thinking about that. And he's sitting. Papa Leone is 69. He's a Leo and from Chicago, like so close, like right in our backyard. So I mean, american dreams do come true. He's another testament to that, I mean that's amazing.
Speaker 2:And none of that was planned when you planned your Sicily trip, right? No, you don't even know about the Jubilee. You didn't know. Well, obviously you didn't know about Pope Francis, but yeah, well, that was meant to happen, darling.
Speaker 1:Tell me I wasn't supposed to make that pilgrimage over there. Yes, so I felt like I brought my Bible. I read it every day. I was like give me all, please give it to me, give it to me, thank you, thank you, thank you, spreading the good love and light out there.
Speaker 2:That's amazing. I'm so happy for you guys.
Speaker 1:You were there with me, sunshine and spirit, always, always. And thank you for allowing me to share here about the Sicilian experience. It was really awesome. Thank you for sharing me to share here about the Sicilian experience. It was really awesome. Thank you for sharing.
Speaker 2:I think we need to bring those courses around here.
Speaker 1:Courses on courses and sit down and relax. So everything's so fast-paced, so I just appreciate the opportunity to slow down and reflect and be present in the moment with new friends that we made on the tour bus of 19 people that was. Another unexpected thing about this trip is that, you know, it was my first time going on a tour bus or being on a tour. A tour more than just like a day trip, you know, and I did not go into it realizing, you know, thinking about my ego, selfish self, did not think about the other people on the bus, just our sweet and dear friends, the Harris's, that invited us on this trip. God bless their hearts.
Speaker 1:It was such an amazing opportunity, but I did not think about the other people on the bus, and that was the. That is how he is. So. So good is I feel like I felt such a great purpose in knowing that we were on that bus with those people for all the right reasons. Unbeknownst is not our plan. There's a reason why we were put on that bus there for 10 days together touring the island of Sicily, and I feel like I left there with some new life friends, and what was even cooler is that they were all from Wisconsin mostly. There's a couple from Arizona, but they're originated from Wisconsin. So a Sicilian family in Wisconsin and other people that just have a little piece of my heart. That is so sweet.
Speaker 2:What great connections to make, though right the fact that all of you guys are from basically the same area and like transplanted to a whole nother country for a little bit together.
Speaker 1:That's really neat it's a really like it kind of related to me like our Sturgis experience together. I was telling Kelly I like uh for, and I was like you know, like sunshine and eyes.
Speaker 1:I started like that solidifies the friendship, like that was like the solid baseline right there like that could be the potential for the Sicilian trip and that tour bus and those connections that were made, and I feel like, as we started sharing more and more about ourselves and listen, I tried, I made a concerted effort to do lots and lots of listening. Sunshine, I really think I did good there's always room for improvement.
Speaker 1:I was really trying to listen and he was motivational, interviewing to. You know, like, make solid relationships with people, but, um, it's all happening for a reason. I was going somewhere with that. I lost it. Solid connections with each other oh, oh, that there was. We are all connected. This person knew this person and they grew up with this person and they, they shopped there and that was this person's business and you know, like it was all, like I was like in the vortex, like I felt, like I was like it's all the Jesus, jubilees, interworkings of mystical, magical awesomeness.
Speaker 2:That is wild, seriously. Yeah, everything, there's no mistakes. Everything happens for a reason for all of you to be there at that time for the Jesus Jubilee.
Speaker 1:You can't even plan that you can't even try it, no, and you could tell, like, who was open to that notion of connection and relationship building and who wasn't. I wasn't judging, no judgment.
Speaker 1:But you know it was just kind of like energetically, like it was just really nice to be attuned. Your vasotrix, your tribe yeah, it did, it did. It was so great. I want to meet up with some of those people at Festa Italiana later this year in Milwaukee and we bring little Sicily and Italy to us. Will you go with me? I would love to. Let's go. Oh my gosh, we're going. Love to. Let's go, oh my gosh. Please, I would love to share the experience. Yes, I need a canola together. Eh, hey, here I go.
Speaker 2:That's amore.
Speaker 1:Buona vita. Buona vita, that means good life, because I kept having to like, when I say goodbye to people, I'd be like buona vita. It means, like you know, instead of have a good day, have a good life.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And this is their sign for like awesomeness, it's not like hang loose, it's like down the rockin'. Ah, that's what one of the? I don't. I think I got it. I was like, you know, some language barrier was there. She spoke Italian, I spoke English, but my Spanish really helped me there as well. I bet Italian is very similar to Spanish. So I feel like if you know Spanish, you have a leg up there in Italy or Sicily, because it's very similar. It's different, it's definitely different. They do have different words, but generally it's very similar. So I was using my Spanish a lot and just putting it out there Like hey, they definitely didn't know English but maybe they'll know the Spanish.
Speaker 1:Way to use your spidey senses. Yes, oh my gosh, look at the time. Sunshine we gotta go.
Speaker 2:We got things to do. How did this happen? Shout out to Zippy Hippy, try their chocolate. They just had their grand reopening of their new position right across the street from where they were before. Shout out.
Speaker 1:Yes, I love those Zippy Hippy boys and what they're doing over there. I was just there today and it is so cute. And I had the best iced Frappuccino coffee, the hippie drip oh, with caramel. It was so, so good. We're going to try it next time. And of course, they offer the DNA hemp products proudly on their countertop, along with all their sweet treats. It looks so good, everything is so, so good. You cannot go wrong with anything there.
Speaker 2:And they're going to continue to roll out new additions. I know the bars come in the drive-thru. Was that done yet? Yeah, nope, it's happening. That's happening. There's a little mercantile store in the back, so a lot of cool things coming.
Speaker 1:A lot of community-based events. Mercantile store in the back.
Speaker 2:So a lot of cool things coming, a lot of community-based events, yeah. Oh, and they have that whole space for dance parties.
Speaker 1:I don't know, it's going to be amazing Activities, all the activities, so I love them. You can find our DNA Hemp trifecta synergy jistic experience there at Sippy. They probably offer our DNA hemp goods, but in the meantime, check out DNAhempllccom to get our high vibin natural pharmacy, everything infused with hemp, love and good vibrations and Reiki charged. Yes, we gotta talk about Reiki. One of these too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we do one of these times alright, but not today, cause you're going to go. Love you guys. Thanks for tuning in. See you next time. Tune in next time to see how the market went and all the upcoming events and retailers and products and herbs and prayers and mantras. Oh, so much to come.
Speaker 1:Love to share it. Ciao, ciao, ciao, ciao, ciao, ciao, brown cow, let me get this. Oh my gosh, okay, attitude to gratitude, it's all happening. Oh my gosh, sunshine. How long were we on there? Oh, because we said