From Sunrise to 194 Jars: A Saturday of Sweat, Shelves & Simple Care

“194 Jars. 4 Veggies 1 Unforgettable Saturday

Two businesses. One Mission: To work with our hands, and heal what we can.

This Saturday was a full one—194 jars canned by hand: green beans, chow chow, okra, and pickles. It wasn’t about soaps or lotions this time. It was about helping my mom, keeping traditions alive, and preserving more than just vegetables.

The bulk of these homegrown goods came from Texas Cottage Creations, my mom’s business and a part of my heart. Since January 2020, she and I have partnered together—me helping her, her encouraging me. It’s been a beautiful blend of talents and timing. Over the past few years, she’s slowed down some, battling cancer with grace and grit. But that hasn’t stopped her from showing up, or from being the strong, determined woman I’ve always known.

She’s also become one of the biggest advocates for my magnesium lotion and goat milk soaps. Chemotherapy left its mark—on her skin, her nerves, her energy. But she says the combination of magnesium and goat milk has given her comfort and relief she hadn’t found elsewhere. This weekend, after hours of canning, she reminded me of something I’ll never forget:

“These jars fill our shelves, but your lotions and soaps help fill us back up. They go hand in hand.”

After standing on my feet for 15 hours, I was reminded of that truth myself. The same hands that peeled and poured and packed jars are the ones that make natural products with care—for others, and for myself.

This is what Simple Farm Life means to me. It’s not one thing or the other. It’s working hard. It’s showing up for family. It’s making space for healing—jars and all.