Karina Jones is a real-life ranch wife in the Nebraska Sandhills and one of the most highly sought-after speakers in the cattle industry nationwide!
Cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, corn, oh my. Let’s do a little garden check in, right here on Ranch Raised today.
Well, I’m going to live vicariously through all of you because I don’t have a lot to report on the progress of my garden. Between planting late and so many 100 degree days, my garden is behind. We have picked a few cherry tomatoes, a few cucumbers, and few potatoes. But now that our weather looks to be evening out and we have a week ahead of us with more seasonal temps, I hoping that will take the stress off of the garden and she will kick in to production mode.
I honestly don’t remember an August in recent history where I hadn’t canned a single jar. I will pick up some peaches next week and start replenishing the pantry shelves with my family’s favorite fruit. Honestly, I should kick it in gear and get some rhubarb jams jarred up coupled with some strawberries and blueberries.
I’ll just keep watering and waiting on my garden. Whether it is a bumper crop or a late harvest, there is still something about the garden that stirs my soul. As I said earlier this week, feeding my loved ones, feeds my souls. So, with every jar I seal and with every jar I grab from the pantry and open, it just feels my heart. We have to give ourself some grace when gardening. This won’t go down as a record-breaking year for me, but I will make the best of it. And if it all fails, you will find me at our local farmer’s market supporting those who grow locally to me.
So, I want to hear how your garden is doing? Are you harvesting and preserving your bounty or has mother nature shown you no mercy? Either way, let me know on the Ranch Raised FB page.
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Karina ranches with her husband, Marty, and 3 daughters near Broken Bow, NE. She grew up in western NE, with roots also in southwest SD. The cattle industry and raising kids is her passion.
Watching the cattle industry go the path that it has gone, she could no longer sit quietly at home checking cows, fixing fence, and doing all the everyday tasks wondering when some else was going to make it all better. As she became more active and outspoken on industry issues, she was asked to join the R-CALF USA staff in September 2020 as the Checkoff Petition Campaign manager. That position transcended into her current role as full time Field Director for R-CALF USA.
You can hear her almost every Friday on Your Ag Network’s Hot Barn Report that is broadcast on 60 radio stations with coverage in 9 states, where she deep dives into cattle industry issues and highlights R-CALF’s work on industry reforms. Listen to Ranch Raised on a Your Ag Network hometown station or www.youragnetwork.com where she talks about her daily life on the ranch.
Cattle producers are her people. She will meet you at the county fair, at the sale barn, or anywhere the dusty trail leads.
[email protected] or visit facebook.com/ranchraisedwithkarinajones
