Episode Summary:

Winter is well and truly here on the farm, and while Stephen complains the second it gets cold, I actually love the slower pace, the warm mugs of coffee, and the chance to reflect. In this episode, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at what’s happening on our dairy farm right now — from breeding season and weaning calves, to prepping our new block and making tough feed decisions as the weather turns.

But the second half of the episode is where things really heat up. After one of my recent reels about milk prices went unexpectedly viral, I had a flood of comments and questions about how dairy farmers are actually paid. So today, I’m answering those questions — openly and honestly.

I break down how the dairy code of conduct works, what “milk solids” really are, and why most dairy farmers supply the big companies (spoiler: we often don’t have another choice). I also explain why selling our own milk sounds simple but would cost millions, and how you can make informed choices to support Australian farmers at the supermarket.

Whether you’ve been around dairy your whole life or are just curious about what’s in your fridge, this episode brings clarity, real-life context, and a reminder that every litre of milk starts with a farmer.

Key Points Covered in this Episode:

• A seasonal update from our farm: breeding, weaning, drying off, and managing feed shortages
• What winter looks like for dairy farmers and how we plan ahead for calving
• Why June is such an important month for the dairy industry
• How dairy farmers are paid and what the Dairy Code of Conduct means for us
• The truth about milk solids, price variations, and seasonal premiums
• Why most farmers can’t process or sell their own milk (even if we wanted to)
• What happens to our milk after it leaves the farm (spoiler: it’s not always bottled)
• How to support Aussie farmers through the dairy products you buy

💛 If this episode helps you understand our industry a little better or makes you feel more connected to where your food comes from, I’d love if you shared it with a friend or on your stories.

Some days feel heavy — not because you’re doing life wrong, but simply because life is hard. And that’s something we don’t say often enough.

In this episode, I’m talking honestly about what it means to sit in the hard seasons without guilt, pressure, or pretending. Whether it’s endless laundry, school holiday chaos, or just the daily grind of farm life, I want to remind you that you’re not failing — you’re human.

We talk about the pressure to romanticise your life (hello sourdough and glass jar laundry liquids), why high-achieving women often push through without pausing to celebrate what they’ve already overcome, and how learning to say “this is hard” might be the strongest thing we can do — not just for ourselves, but for our kids too.

• Why life often feels hard even in our best seasons, and how accepting that truth can lighten the load
• Insights from The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris, including why chasing constant happiness can leave us feeling more stuck
• The rise of romanticising rural life on social media — and why it can backfire when it adds more pressure instead of joy
• The sourdough example: how doing “what looks good online” can sometimes cause more stress than peace
• A not-so-glamorous look at laundry: the unrealistic tips that make us feel worse (and why decanting detergent won’t fix burnout)
• The importance of saying “this is hard” without guilt — especially in farm culture where getting the job done often takes priority over how we feel
• Why hard doesn’t mean bad — we grow and build resilience when life challenges us
• How acknowledging our emotions helps us and teaches our kids emotional regulation in real, everyday ways

🎧 Listen to this episode if you need a reminder that you're not weak for feeling worn out — you're strong for showing up anyway.

Tag me @groundedfarmwife or send this to a friend who might be in a hard season too.

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

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Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/37

Mother’s Day isn’t always the joyful, relaxing celebration it’s made out to be. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on the pressure, disappointment, and hidden challenges so many of us mums quietly carry on a day that’s supposed to be “all about us.”

Let’s be honest — the expectations are huge. We’re meant to feel appreciated and pampered, but often, it’s us mums who are still organising the day, juggling the kids, and trying to make it special… for everyone else. Meanwhile, our kids don’t really know the difference between Mother’s Day and a Tuesday. We say we want a break, but even asking for that can feel like a big ask.

And then there’s social media. We scroll through highlight reels of families smiling in perfectly clean homes, posting about heartfelt cards and fancy breakfasts. But we’re not seeing the chaos behind the scenes, the meltdowns, or the fact that sometimes we receive a gift while sitting in a trashed kitchen. It becomes another day for comparison — and the feeling that somehow, we’re not doing it right.

Mother’s Day tries to squeeze all the recognition and gratitude for motherhood into one overly commercialised day. But what if we don’t feel seen? What if we feel let down? I’ve had so many conversations with mums who feel quietly hurt by the way this day plays out — and no one talks about it out loud.

In this episode, I reflect on:

• Why the pressure to have a “perfect” Mother’s Day often backfires
• The impact of over-commercialised celebrations and social media comparison
• How romanticising motherhood can make us feel worse, not better
• The meaning behind those cards and flowers — and what we really want
• Why it’s so hard to feel seen on a day that’s meant to be about us
• The idea that maybe… we don’t have to make such a big deal out of it

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/36

In this episode of Cultivate Contentment, I’m opening up about a week that didn’t go to plan—and the truth about motivation. From a flooded bathroom and piles of laundry to the reality of slipping habits and cold dark mornings, I’m sharing why motivation alone doesn’t keep us going, and what I’m leaning on instead. If you’ve ever known what’s good for you but still couldn’t bring yourself to do it, this one’s for you.

We’ll talk about the emotional toll of disrupted routines, why doing the basics can feel impossible, and how I’m using small, practical steps to get back on track. You’ll also hear how the changing seasons and our own internal cycles can affect our energy, and why we need to stop expecting ourselves to operate at 100% all month long. Because motivation isn’t what drives us—it’s movement, habits, grace, and starting small.

Key Points Covered in this episode:

What happens when routines fall apart during busy seasons

The story of our flooded bathroom and how I’m still avoiding the mess

How my health goals got derailed by Easter chocolate and farm life

Why knowing what helps doesn’t make it easier to do

How our energy shifts with our hormonal cycle—and how I’m learning to plan around it

The impact of daylight savings and seasonal change on motivation

Practical ways I’m adding movement and sunlight into my day again

The list my personal trainer gave me to get back into good habits (without burning out)

A reminder that you don’t need motivation—you just need to start small

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/35

Ever fall into bed at night thinking, "Where did the day even go?" I used to feel that way all the time. Between kids, cows, and the chaos of farm life, it felt impossible to get even a few moments to myself. But everything shifted when I started to really look at where my time was going—and in today’s episode, I’m walking you through the 3 effective steps I took to budget my time better and finally make room for myself in the day.

These steps aren’t complicated, but they’ve been game changers: first, I started tracking my time in 15-minute blocks to see where the day was actually going. Then I focused on protecting those little pockets of time once I’d found them (which meant setting boundaries, even with my husband!). And finally, I gave myself permission to embrace unstructured time—not every moment has to be productive. If you’ve been craving a bit more space in your day, I hope this chat feels like a breath of fresh air.

Key Points Covered in this episode:

• How tracking my time in small blocks helped me find free moments I was missing
• Why protecting time with boundaries made a huge difference
• The power of unstructured time (and how I plan for it!
• Letting go of routines that don’t work for this season of life
• How budgeting my time better made me feel more present, calm, and in control

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/34

If you’ve ever felt like your kids' rooms are a never-ending mess of toys, clothes, and random treasures—they are. And you’re definitely not alone.

In this episode, I’m walking you through exactly how I managed my boys’ rooms from the newborn stage right up to tweens. From overflowing ball pits and tractors in the lounge room, to gamer desks and drum kits taking over their bedrooms, this episode is a real look at how our spaces changed as they grew.

I’m sharing what worked, what didn’t, and all the little lessons I’ve learned in between. Whether you’re setting up a nursery, navigating toddler toy explosions, or dealing with the chaos of tech and sports gear, I hope this gives you some ideas—and reassurance—that there’s no perfect system, just what works for your family.

Because whether you’ve got baby socks or basketball shoes lying around, every stage of motherhood brings its own version of mess—and a whole lot of memories.

• Why I stopped buying baby gear until I actually needed it
• The simple nursery setup that saved us space in a small house
• Real talk about toddler toy chaos (and how we stored ALL the tractors)
• Creative storage ideas like “parking lots” for trucks and toy rotation
• The shift to bunk beds and book series during the school years
• Why sorting LEGO by colour was a huge waste of time (yes, I did it!)
• My system for keeping school uniforms under control
• Clear containers, sports bags, and other tween room hacks
• Managing gaming gear, musical instruments, and screen time
• The weekly room check-ins that keep us all sane

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/33

In this episode, I sat down with Angie Armstrong—a woman whose journey from a small family farm in the rolling green hills of the Yarra Valley to the rugged outback has been nothing short of transformative. Fifteen years ago, a chance encounter between a city IT consultant and a fourth-generation Nyngan farmer set Angie on a path that would eventually see her trade the urban hustle for the challenges and rewards of outback life. She took a leap of faith, evolving her self-taught hospitality skills from launching The Cocky’s Wife—an innovative venture that brought bespoke event catering and a gourmet café to outback NSW—into creating a truly unique luxury agritourism experience at Callubri Station.

During our chat, Angie opened up about the real-life challenges of starting from scratch—taking the leap into agritourism with no prior farming experience—and how that decision reshaped her life. We discussed the delicate balance of managing motherhood while running a demanding business, and how working hand-in-hand with her husband Mike has not only kept the business thriving but also strengthened their bond. Angie’s insights into merging authentic rural living with modern luxury, like the innovative Sky Suites crafted from repurposed shipping containers, offer a refreshing perspective on how to connect urban visitors with the heart of the Australian outback. This conversation is a must-listen if you're curious about overcoming obstacles, embracing new challenges, and finding that authentic connection between city life and rural roots.

Key Points Covered in this episode:

• Angie’s journey from a small family farm in the Yarra Valley to the outback
• The evolution of The Cocky’s Wife into a luxury agritourism experience at Callubri Station
• Balancing the demands of motherhood with running a successful agritourism business
• How Angie and her husband, Mike, collaborate as a team to navigate challenges
• The unique features of Callubri Station, including The Sky Suites and its breathtaking views
• Practical advice on taking the leap into agritourism and forging genuine connections between urban and rural communities

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with ANGIE:

Follow her on Instagram: @thecockyswife and @callubristation

Check out her website

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: https://www.groundedfarmwife.com.au/podcast-1/32

Have you ever had one of those weeks where it feels like every decision—big or small—rests on your shoulders? That was me recently when my son was sick. From deciding whether to call the doctor, figuring out if he needed to stay home from school, juggling farm work, and keeping everything else running, it felt like every choice came with weight and consequence. It made me realize just how many decisions we make as farm wives and rural mums every single day—often without even thinking about it. And when those choices start piling up, it can feel completely overwhelming.

In this episode, I’m diving into why decision-making feels so heavy and how we can take the pressure off. We talk about the mental load of constantly weighing up trade-offs, the fear of making the “wrong” choice, and why it’s so easy to second-guess ourselves. I also share the importance of trusting our gut and instinct—because deep down, we often do know what the right decision is, but we let doubt and outside opinions creep in. I walk through practical ways to simplify decision-making, silence external noise, and affirm your choices with confidence—so you can move forward without the stress of overthinking.

If you’ve been feeling the weight of too many decisions lately, this episode is for you. I hope it gives you permission to trust yourself, listen to your gut, and make choices that align with what truly matters.

• Why decision-making feels overwhelming – The sheer number of choices we make each day as farm wives and mums, how it adds up over time, and why the fear of making the “wrong” choice can leave us feeling stuck.
• Recognizing decision fatigue – How too many small, everyday decisions can become exhausting and why this can make big life choices feel even heavier.
• Trusting your gut and instinct – Why we often do know the right decision deep down but let doubt creep in. How to tune into that inner voice, recognize when outside noise is clouding your judgment, and feel more confident in listening to what feels right for you.
• Silencing external noise – The impact of outside opinions and self-doubt on our decision-making and practical ways to focus on what works for you rather than trying to meet expectations.
• Simplifying choices to reduce overwhelm – Strategies like narrowing options, using a “decision filter,” and focusing on what aligns with your values instead of trying to please everyone.
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• Affirming your choices with confidence – Practical ways to stop second-guessing, including tracking your decisions, setting timeframes, and limiting the number of opinions you seek.
• Letting go of guilt and moving forward – Why no decision is perfect, and how to reframe mistakes or uncertainty as part of the learning process rather than a failure.

Making decisions doesn’t have to feel so heavy. This episode will help you take the pressure off and start making choices with more confidence and contentment.

Resources and Links

• Grounded Farm Wife Journal
• Values Bundle

Connect with JESSICA:

Follow me on Instagram Instagram

Join my newsletter community Join my newsletter community

Check out my website Website

Find the complete show notes here: