Something in the water?

I was going to write a fairly serious post tonight but I'm sick as all get out and tired to boot.  So I thought since I've not touched on anything Farm Kings in a long time (not much with them off air though is there?) that I'd do a quick one.  Lisa has to be the proud grandma.  In less than a year she's more than doubled the number of grandchildren she has.  When they were on air Joe had 2 kids (Lilly/ Lily and William) and Pete had one (Jillian).  Since then Tim & Maggie have added a little girl (June*), Joe and Heather added a boy (Owen), Pete & Jessie added a boy (Peter but not a Junior), and Bitty and Cam added a little girl (Ellie).  Now for the * these are the names that have been reported to me by more than one source.  Can I swear to it?  Nope!  So don't go getting your panties in a bunch if the names are wrong.  Seriously- what is in the water in PA?  Congrats to all the Mom's and Dad's.  I hope the kids are strong and healthy and delight you in every way possible. 

End of the Farm Kings?

By know I'm sure most of the die hard Farm Kings fans have heard that tonights episode will most likely be the last episode.  If you haven't heard about it you can go to the Freedom Farms website and catch up.  Now I can't say this is a surprise.  Friday night death slot.  Mama bear talking about the fact that they only get paid a nominal amount....yada yada yada.  That said this is still a great show with great values that I can watch with my daughter.  SO if you feel the same way feel free to call Scribbs Network (the parent company of GAC) and let them know that you aren't happy that it looks like this is the end of the road for the Farm Kings.  Let them know that you will no longer be watching GAC.  Let them know that you will contact the companies that advertise on GAC and explain why you can't buy products from a company that doesn't support the kind of viewing you want to see on TV.   The number to call Scribbs is (865) 694-2700

 Update:  I was mistaken.  There will be one more new Farm Kings this coming Friday night October 3. I'm kind of hoping that that isn't all you took from this post but rather picked up your phone to voice your displeasure!

Farm Kings Season 4 episode 2

OK y'all.  It's going to be short and sweet!  I'm on enough prednisone to medicate a small country and I need to get over to my sister's to spend some time with my youngest nephew.  So here is my summary of last weeks episode.

-First off my heart was breaking for Sam and the loss of the berries.  He's holding himself responsible but it doesn't seem as though he did anything that made it so the berries didn't make it through the winter.  It was a damn hard winter over many parts of the country.  This year looks a little better per the Farmer's Almanac and I'm happy about that.  Sam takes his work seriously and doesn't want to let the family down.  Again Mama Bear's work ethic and tenacity is showing up in her kids.  Gotta give her props on that one.

-Tim's hair cut.  OK once I got over being amazed that someone hadn't heard of Love of Love I knew I was going to really enjoy this episode.  Who knew that Bitty liked playing the role of the puppet master????  That was a fun twist.  How much did you love Tim instantly being on board with donating his hair?  Go Tim!  You've got a big heart!  He did look seriously outta place in the salon and of course Lisa could have cut it for him but it wouldn't have been nearly as much for fun us viewers then would it?  I do have to say that I'm SOOOO glad that he 86'd the beard.  He was looking kind of uni bomber-ish with the short hair but crazy beard!  Couldn't you have seen if he kept it and then what all his baby's newborn pictures would have looked like?  :)

-The modeling gig thing pretty much rubbed me the wrong way on most levels.  Pete was so completely against it from the word go and so was Dan.  It's not just that they didn't want to do it but it actually made them feel uncomfortable.  That much was so apparent.  Joe of course being led by the almighty dollar and willing to sacrifice anyone or anything (so it seems) was going to push it through and by golly did he!  What was up with telling Pete & Dan that they'd get their fair share?  Fair share?  Hell boy- they did the work, it's all theirs.  Just saying.  Then there was the conversation between Pete & Lisa about the potential modeling gig.  Lisa was absolutely right.  Pete won't have that face forever.  That said are you supposed to sell your soul to pay the bills?  Are things really that tight for them?

-What can be said about the actual time in New York?  I was a bit surprised that the guys were so surprised to see an urban garden.  It was awesome that they helped the little old lady (who had a great name by the way!).  The photographer probably needed a good Gibbs but we won't discuss that.  Of course Pete & Dan looked incredible because they do look freaking incredible.  The photographer would have had to work to screw up those photos! 

So that's what I've got for now.  There have been some interesting comments lately.  Anyone know anything about Dan returning to the family fold or the sudden closing of the New Kensington market? 

Farm Kings Season 4 episode 1

Quick side note before I delve into what I thought about last nights Farm Kings episode.  I turned the TV on after I put Princess Bear (PB) down after the Farm Kings episode was over & GAC was still on.  It shows a pond in...Farmington Illinois.  Basically 15 minutes from here.  Small world.  I'd never seen Lake Life before so I watched a bit.  The company is based in here Peoria.  Even smaller world.  I was at a charity Polo event today and one of the Herman brothers from Lake Life was there.  Way small world. 

OK so now for my breakdown on the Farm Kings episode.  Of course the biggest issue in this episode was will Dan work for Freedom Farms or with Tom the contractor.  As we were watching the episode I was actually getting a bit annoyed about all the hype on whether Dan would stay with the Farm or not.  Past practice has shown that Dan always lets guilt get to him and he sticks by the family.  It's not always a bad thing but it was pretty bogus when Lisa called him home from his internship with Joel Salatin after the break in.   So I'm watching last night thinking "Of course Dan is going to take Joe up on his offer".  Dude- so wrong!  Obviously Dan decided to reach down and grab a pair!  Go Dan!  Now I'm not saying that family loyalty is a bad thing and in all actuality I think he'll go back to Freedom Farms but for now Dan is taking care of himself and his needs and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  I think the 3 partners love the fact that Dan is a freaking workhorse for them but they have showed no interest in making him a partner or giving him any real say.  In their own way they've done a grand job of belittling Dan.  So there's a side of me that says "WooHoo!  Way to go for standing up for yourself and want your interests are". There is also the side of me that thinks its a pity that the partners couldn't make Dan feel valued enough to make their offer worthwhile to Dan. 

Joe having his little chart with the squares, several of which were blank, was an idea that is half cooked.  It's a great premise he just needs to work on it.  Joe, Pete & Tim also need to figure out what they're going to do for their family that makes it worth their while to stick with Freedom Farms in these lean beginning years.  The idea that one day things will be peachy keen isn't going to pay anyone's bills or give them warm fuzzies for any amount of time.  They need to come up with a plan that entices the siblings to work and in turn gives them a reason to stick around.  Also Joe trying to make a point of saying that they've invested in Dan was a load of b.s. What exactly did they invest in Dan?  He was already a farmer by birth so what exactly did they invest in him?  If Dan hadn't worked for Freedom Farms they would have actually had to spend the time which of course equals money to train someone else. 

I was a bit surprised that Bitty is once again the manager of the Donut shop since that didn't work out well for her the last time she did it.  I loved her idea of a donut cake.  Very clever. 

Once again Lisa decided that Mama Bear knows best and was going to have donuts at the sandwich shop even if it meant paying for them herself.  On on hand I give her props for doing whatever to make her customers happy even it there is a bit of a financial loss for her.  On the other hand it's a case of Lisa one more time being heavy handed and doing what she wants no matter what decisions have already been made.  On the plus side of the board I do give Lisa points for making it perfectly aware to her children that she expected them to support Dan in his job decision.   Bravo Lisa!

The part about Ben wanting to be a farmer was very heartwarming.  The family really does do a wonderful job of playing to Ben's strengths while still trying to introduce him to new things.  I think it's a beautiful commentary that Ben wants to be just like his big brothers.

Now on the technical side.  Yes there is still a narrator.  Yes this one is slightly better and I don't want to tear my hair out when I hear the commentary.  I still maintain that the narrator isn't necessary. 

So there you have it.  My take on this weeks episode.  What did you think?

Farm Kings Season 3 Episode 7

I've got to say this was a bit more of a "heartwarming" episode if you will.  A big portion of the episode dealt with the fact that John is growing up.  It's his senior year, he needs his own car and it was senior night for the football team.  I completely understand the rite of passage of wanting his own car and the necessity of it with as spread out as they are with farm locations, home and school.  While it might in theory be nice if he could share with Lisa I don't think anyone would want to be put in that position.  She's literally all over the place all the time.  Could you imagine if you were the person who made it so she couldn't get her stuff done?  Tim says that he's going to take John car shopping.  OK.  Lisa overhears this.  This apparently wasn't ok.  This might be one of the times I think the boys were in the wrong.  Lisa is the mom and one with primary guardianship (I would guess).  She kinda has a right to have some say.  It was hilarious when they tried leaving without her but no go on that.  I liked it when Tim told her that she was just supposed to sit there and look pretty.

(Side note: Now that Tim has a little bundle of joy coming anyone think he'll care enough about the child to quit using chew?!!?)

So they get to the car lot and Lisa picks out a nice big SUV looking vehicle.  Something that most of us want our kids in for their first car.  More metal around you protects you, right?  Unfortunately it's 14k and John wants to pay outright.  I guess Lisa could have offered to pay the difference but nothing was said about that.  The saleswoman gets John in a bitty car and he likes it.  SOLD!  Now my question is can that sale possibly be legal since John isn't yet 18 and went into the office and did the paperwork by himself?  Again hilarity ensues when both boys try to ditch Lisa on the other for the ride home.  There was a touching moment when Tim was just explaining to Lisa that she was sad because she's almost at the end of the line for getting to firsts with her kids.  One more first car after this.  It has to be hard.

It was also Senior Night for the football team.  Lisa looked great and held up beautifully so big props on that one!  Another one of those definitive "the door is shutting on childhood" moments.  It was great that all the brothers that could attend were there.

A few side stories this week:
-Bitty and Cameron taking some dance lessons in preparation for their wedding.  While Tim shared nothing of his big day Bitty is obviously willingly to let the audience in some.  She's said she's not sure how much she'll allow but clearly something which is lovely.  She and Cam have a natural ease around each other that envelopes them even when they aren't feeling graceful- for example when learning some "formal" dancing.  The fact that they continued to laugh and kiss instead of get intimidated or short bodes well for how they are as a couple.  I loved it when the instructor was trying to get her to put "herself" in it and she smacked his ass.  Don't think that was what he was talking about but it was funny!   I was surprised that the teacher suggested and Cam went along with dancing together bit.  Cam's reaction was great and the fact that he went along with it for the greater good was so cute!
-Joe making tomato basil pot pies.  OK now when people say that it seems more staged this year I think this is what they're talking about.  First of all it's pretty clear that the boys don't cook.  I know, we all know that Lisa doesn't use recipes at this point.  SOMEONE for the love of G-d write down her recipes??????  It was pretty clear that Joe followed the "suggestions" well.  I did love it when he asked Lisa to pick up the paper and show him where it said "heaping".  Go Joe!  One of his more human moments. 
-Dan working for the radio station.  OK, so Dan isn't a partner so he needs to get a job in the winter BUT he still has to the the farm chores like the pigs?  Is he getting paid for that?  Once more it seems like Dan was getting the short end.  The radio thing was fun but personally I don't see Dan doing that for any amount of time.  I wonder if they'll show anymore jobs Dan tries.  He loved construction so why doesn't he go back to that?
-The boys went shooting to celebrate John's senior year.  I love the joking that they all seem to have with each other.  Pete's gun was misfiring so the co owner of the range loaned him one of his with the words that it'd never missed a bird.  It stayed true to form and Pete was back in the game.  Tim immediately wanted to trade.  Is that a brother thing?  There was also some discussion between Sam and John about whether John was going to go on to college.  Sam said something about John being a smart guy so that would be a good idea.  Those kids seem to downplay their intelligence a lot.  It's so sad.

So there you have it.  My recap on this weeks episode.  What did you think?

Farm Kings Season 3 Episode 6

Ugh!  Who to throw the hatchet at first?  Joe or Lisa?  Both were in rare form and both probably needed to be b&%ch slapped.  Lisa with the whole "challenge" think was so over the top and how Dale held his temper in check I don't know but kudos to him.  She needed the whole table?  Then what about you working at night then when you won't be in the way?  I don't think it would be possible for her to be more in the way or more abrasive.  The boss told you?  Ok, guess what?  The boss didn't rub 2 brain cells together and think that sending you down their during lunch wouldn't be a good idea.  Then Saint Lisa had so much to do that she couldn't possibly do anything with the chickens.  Hello this is the woman that can't say no to her boys or leave work unfinished so why even bother having a mini piss fit about it?  We all knew she was going to do it so why bother? 

The walipini was is such a cool concept and not just for farm use.  I love that Tim is always trying to find a way to take things to the next level.  Also, I was not surprised that Pete knew the proper name for it.  It's a downer when he degrades himself because he obviously a bright guy.  Now if I could just stop my 10 year old from drooling over him!  As always Joe shows up for a project, grabs control.  Doesn't even do a particularly great job of it but we're not supposed to notice that, right?  Also like we're not supposed to notice that he takes off when the really hard labor starts.  No wonder the guy is soft!  He did it with laying the brick and then again with the oven.  Wasn't it nice of him to show up after they had the new oven in? 

The boys having a competition during the wood cutting was too funny.  I loved John's reaction to the loser having to wear a dress.  So adorable!  Luke also had to know he wasn't going to win so why bother cheating?  The best part was Paul coming ahead in something.  Go Paul!!!!!

Farm Kings Season 3 episode 5

Ok, so here I sit with Princess Bear (EP) watching the last episode of the Farm Kings.  As I mentioned in my Maggie's pregnant post last night I wasn't really in love with this episode.  Lisa was Lisa in that she is never just grateful.  I loved the scene where she's telling Joe what is wrong with the pond.  If you can get past the idiot narrator does anyone really think that the fact that the way Lisa's pond looks is costing her any business?  PLEASE!  It made me cringe when Lisa was thanking him BUT.  Growing up my mom always said that anytime your doing anything and you add the word but you're negating whatever you said before that.  Damn did I hate when she said that but she was right.  So Lisa doing a thank you but just once again shows her lack of gratefulness.  She's never ever happy with whatever it is that is done for her.  Ugh!

The whole thing with Dan being in pain was sad.  When Sam was talking about Dan wearing braces so people feel sorry for him was not so cool.  While I admire Lisa for being proactive when one of her kids is in pain and trying natural health first I'm thinking that taking Dan to the spa isn't quite the same.  I'm ALL for natural health and remedies and completely agree with her that it's better to try that first.  On the flip side of that I don't think a spa is one in the same.  The sensory deprivation tank seemed really cool though!  Dan's face just made it look like he was in so much pain during the cupping session.  Poor guy!for the

Getting ready the fall festival was interesting to watch.  Why they were so behind planning the fall festival was a bit puzzling.  It was completely unfortunate that mother nature didn't agree with them.  As always the King family delivers in their positive attitude and it will go better next year. 

Farm Kings Season 3 episode 4

Today Princess Bear (PB) did her very best to try to convince me to let her watch last night's Farm Kings episode before school this morning.  I was a mean mommy & sent her to bed last night and she was not happy about it!  Unfortunately, there was just no time this morning.  Has it worked out her grandparents had to pick her up from school today and I guess she was still in a funk because she hadn't seen it yet.  This somehow lead to her holding court on a Farm Kings watching party this evening with her grandparents and myself.  As always the King family delivered. 

I was absolutely rolling with laughter watching Sam & Paul on their bartering expedition at the Farmers/Flea Market.  How cute was it when Paul was trying on the boots and Sam was seeing where he's toes were?  Adorable I tell you!!!  Paul getting the taser was also hilarious!  I love his attitude with stuff like that.  I might be small but I'll get my punches in one way or another!  Tim and John were great when the other 2 boys were showing off their "treasures".  Again the taser thing had me howling with laughter.  How scene was adorable!

There were two different scenes with Bitty taking care of her niece and nephew and then 2 nieces.  You can tell that she is very comfortable with kids and rightfully so.  The best is how she really seems to enjoy them for the simplicity of childhood and celebrates that.  I think Bitty probably has a very kind, artistic, creative soul and tries to see the best in all things. 

Joe came up with a plan for a pick your own event at the Farm.  Brilliant.  Seriously!  They are all about getting people to understand their relationship and connection to the food they eat and this was a wonderful way to foster that relationship.  The only thing I didn't like is that they put Dan in charge because they had other things to do and Dan is such a natural with people.  It just seems like again Dan is the pick up the slack guy and gets no real appreciation.  Unfortunately Dan kind of did himself in by showing up late and not having a clear idea of the program when he did show up.  Dan is an unbelievably hard work and one helluva salesman.  He just can't make mistakes like showing up late if he wants his brothers to ever truly consider him as a partner.  The event seemed to work well except for the girl cutting herself but that wasn't due to a lack of preparation or any kind of oversight.  I bet that the Kings could feature more than one event a year like this. 

There was the wood carving demonstration that Joe set up as another way to get people to the Farm Market.  You have to give the guy points for always trying to find new ways to get people introduced to Freedom Farms.  The downside of it is how he always and I do mean ALWAYS tries to find a new way to make a buck regardless of the consequences.  This was one of those times that Joe kind of crossed a line in my mind.  Yes he was laughing about it and joking around but there was no real doubt that he would love it if Pete could turn his wood carving into a money maker.  I love Pete's honesty when he talks about not really knowing what he's doing or being unsure of himself.  It is just one more sign that Mama Lisa has done an incredible job raising her family.  They aren't afraid to admit their shortcomings or that they don't know how to do something.  Go Lisa.

Back to the bartering.  Frankly I think the boys hit upon a great idea when they started bartering.  There were things they needed and/or wanted.  They had the produce let the bartering commence!  Now did I miss John bartering for Jerry the goat?  How freaking hysterical was that?  Can't say I've ever seen anyone walk a goat before.  The conversation between John, Sam and Paul about combining their items to barter for something bigger was awesome!  Again I was sitting there just laughing!  It was cute that John didn't want to get rid of Jerry but agreed to go along with it. 

Side note:  I live 20 minutes from Morton Illinois which is the Pumpkin Capital of the World.  My sister, bil and nephews live there.  You can read more about this HERE.  The Pumpkin Festival is HUGE around here and Punkin Chuckin' is a big part of that.  So as they are cuing the segment for what the boys bartered for I'm asking my mom "Hey.....what do you think they got????" and laughing.  As soon as she saw the pumpkin chucker she started laughing.  I know it's a regional thing but flinging those pumpkins around is big fun I tell you!

So, enter Sam and the pumpkin chucker.  I love that he set up targets.  The family definitely knows how to have fun.  Except for poor old Lisa who's going to have to clean it up.  I loved when somebody asked what they had traded to get Luke. 

So, there you have my recap on this weeks episode.  Another good one to be sure.  If they would just get rid of the damn narrator! 

Farm Kings Season 3 episode 3

I have to say that I like this episode the most of the three this season.  Perhaps because several different members of the family were shown in a wonderful light.  Of course the narrator still sucks it big time.  People are still complaining on the GAC website.  I wonder when they are going to get a clue and get rid of him.   Listening to him just grates on my nerves!

The part of Pete taking Jilly to her violin lesson was beyond adorable.  It's obviously he tries to spend time with her when he can and takes a real interest in what she's doing.  The pride he has in her and his love for her is evident.  This isn't always something you expect from somebody that became a father at such a young age.  Having a child in high school I'm sure is never easy but it seems like Pete and Jessi have done a great job.

The part about keeping Ben in shape was endearing.  I had not realized that individuals with Down Syndrome had issues with hypothyroidism as Bitty talked about but was aware that they often have heart problems.  It's wonderful that the family is trying to be proactive in keeping Ben as healthy as possible.  Watching Paul work out with him was heartwarming.  The whole family really does rally together and put Ben's best interests at heart.  No disputing that!

The Freedom Farms weight loss challenge was interesting to watch.  It was a great concept in that there was community outreach and it featured Freedom Farm products.  In theory eating fresh produce should help lead to a healthy lifestyle and weight.  The part where Lisa was supposed to be showing the group how to eat was a complete failure.  Lisa seems to never prepare for things and just shoots from the hip.  She had both feet in her mouth and kept on going.  She needed to have an outline of ideas to cover as a guide.  While the program overall was a success you had to feel sorry for Joe.  One has to wonder about the validity of Joe and Ben entering anyway but beyond that how much did it suck that Joe was the only one who gained weight?  What in the world is Heather feeding him?  It is sad that Joe admits he doesn't have enough time with his kids.  He's never going to get that time back.

I was absolutely cracking up during the greenhouse segments.  For once I actually felt bad for Lisa.  Anytime the boys do a project for her they always have her best interests at heart but things seem to never go quite as well as one would hope.  I did love Lisa pointed out them smashing her flowers is the same as if she went on stepped on their tomatoes.  The boys don't seem to look at it that way though.  Also why does Lisa mention changes she wants to make right away?  It makes her seem ungrateful for what they have done.  Graciousness does not seem to be Lisa's strong suit.

Ben as the water boy was again putting a very human face to special needs so I particularly liked that part.  Watching him talking to the girls was too cute too.  I also love that they are airing Special Olympics commercials during the show again.

So what did you think of this weeks episode?

Yep a bit behind....let's blame it on Christmas! Farm Kings Season 3 Ep 2

OK....is it me or does Lisa remind anyone else of a teenager who thinks she can just smile and get away with anything?  That thought came to me a few times during this episode.   The first one when she pulled into Dave's grocery and started selling pulled pork without his permission.  All in all the guy was pretty nice.  He could have had her hauled off!  If she was selling well there giving a small portion of the sales to him wouldn't have been a bad idea!  While I complete understand (and at times work under) the theory it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission there are just times you can't do that.  Lisa seems to find those times with frequent and gay abandon!  Then there was when she pulled into the Farmers Market and Dan and no clue as to what was up.  While Dan did a great job being Joe for a week last season it seems as though Joe didn't learn his lesson to keep people in the loop.  So here comes Miss Lisa with her my shit don't stink and I'm just too damn cute now give me room at the farmers market.  Seriously?  There was also the little spat with her and Dale (?).  I really don't think he was completely serious about not sharing the secret of his recipes but damn did Lisa start spinning. 

There is also the boys building the pasture thing.  It is pretty evident that the boys are spread beyond thin and at some point they're going to break if that doesn't change.  While I am not surprised at all by Joe's lack of being able to keep up with physical tasks like Pete I was surprised that he counted on Dan's help when Dan had to get to the Farmers market.  The man sure does have a lot going on.

The whole Lisa Bitty thing really made me cringe as well.  Again the narrator sucked and just added BS drama to this and frankly there was enough.  Lisa doesn't seem to have a lot of faith in her kids and that was really apparent in her dealings with Bitty.  Also if Bitty does have the wedding bug who could blame her?  She's 9 months away from getting married and seems pretty damn calm if you ask me!  I do love that she's doing the wedding outdoors.  I wonder if they'll share any of that? 

The best part of the episode in my mind was the human harvester contest.  Personally, I was hoping that Paul would win!  I loved when he added the cape.   He seems to have a very fun sense of humor.  On the flip side of wanting Paul to win it was also nice in a way that Sam did.  After the conflict he had with Luke during the strawberry transplanting last year he has the bragging rights to back up his position.  It was also fun watching Pete & Tim go head to head.  I was a bit surprised that Tim bested Pete in the field picking part to by honest with you!  The corn trophy at the end was hilarious! 

Random thoughts:
THE NARRATOR STILL SUCKS!!!!!!!!
They preview for the reconstruction work at Lisa's has me really looking forward to this weeks show!  It showed Tim and one of the younger boys (maybe Paul?).  That surprised me since wasn't Pete the one who worked in the construction field prior to Freedom Farms?  Also Dan had his short lived stint in it as well.  Those boys sure know how to do things that really get Miss Lisa's head spinning around!  I'm always waiting for her to start spewing green stuff!  It reminded me of the episode when they build the pond for her!  They're hearts sure are in the right place though! 

Farm Kings Season 3 episode 1

OK, so let's get the 2 obvious things outta the way first!  We're all darn pleased that our favorite farming family is back on TV!  Couldn't they just tape year round????  Hiatus sucks for us!  Second, THE NARRATOR SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Hey Stage 3 if you didn't quite get that let me put it out there again.....  THE NARRATOR SUCKS!!!  I couldn't even make it through the episode before doing a quick blog post to get everyone's opinion on this.  I published the comments and got several emails on it as well.  If you go to the GAC Farm Kings page it seems to be the overwhelming consensus there as well.  (Check it out HERE)  The show was great before so why mess with something that is working?  The way the family members would do their one on ones were great.  Sure a lot of it was used on a repeat reel to serve the purpose but it worked.  It showed the human side of the family which is part of what makes it a great show.  Yeah, the guys are smokin' hot and who doesn't like eye candy.  The part that throws it over the top though, at least for me, is that this is a group of strong, moral people with work ethic that is almost never seen like this any more.  Lisa has done one hell of a job raising her kids and it shows.  The family doing their one on one wasn't always perfect and like I mentioned it was often repeated but it worked. 

Now for some things that really surprised me.  Dan taking one day a week off?  Whoa!  So didn't see that coming.  I love it and I hate it.  I love it because Dan is standing up for himself.  No talk of making him a partner even though he busts his a$$ just ask much as the older boys.  If you don't take care of yourself who will?  That said...I'm amazed that he made the stand.  I also don't know why he picked Saturday.  The show was near the end of the season but you'd still think with the home market and other things that Saturday would be a pretty busy day.  I'm hoping Dan isn't shooting himself in the foot with this one.  It was so adorable to see him spending time with his girlfriend and making her a priority.

Pete and Jessi taking Jilly to the fair was fun to watch.  Nice because you have to figure that Pete doesn't have much down time like that at all until the season is totally finished.  Nice that they're showing him as a family man.  I was completely laughing when Pete was discussing his dislike of the rides.  Too much spinning?  C'mon dude!  It showed a cute, human, vulnerable side. 

The demolition derby stuff seemed a bit over the top.  First of all the season wasn't over so for 3 guys who are always pushing themselves to the limit it didn't seem like they'd just say "Weeee, lets bust up a car and maybe ourselves in the process!"  It was nice that they're trying to make sure they stay close in ways other than farming.   Again it shows their values.  It also really rubbed me the wrong way to see Lisa's reaction to it.  She's going to go off about them possibly getting hurt?  Last time I checked farming wasn't the safest.  People get hurt dealing with machinery all the time so that wasn't cool.  If your kids want to bond and this is what the picked just roll with it.  A great moment was when they talked about Joe not getting the memo on not hitting the white doors. 

Lisa and the whole apple pie thing was funny and sad at the same time.  How in the bloody hell is she going to blame the fact that she lost on using lard instead of crisco?  It's like she doesn't know how to lose gracefully.  It's never her fault.  By the way Lisa lard is making a comeback.  The editors of Grit magazine even published a cookbook on it last year.  Anyone interested in the cookbook can find it HERE.  So Joe is trying to get her to use Freedom Farm products and lard is making a comeback anyway.  It was nice to see Lisa lose only in that it didn't even cross her mind that it was a possibility.  I think whenever anyone starts thinking they can't possibly lose is exactly the time they need to and karma must have agreed because that's exactly what happened.  Maybe it was the way she was trying to butter up the judges first.  Honestly I can't fathom being so sure of myself that when 2nd and 3rd place have been announced that you know you've won since it's the only option left.  I give her points for her sense of self but it's also a bit mind boggling to me. 

The previews for next week touched on Bitty's upcoming wedding so I'm anxious to see how much of that is shared.  I'm wondering if they will share anything from Tim & Maggie's wedding.  No reference to Joe's engagement so I wonder how that will play out.  I also wonder now that his siblings are all walking their way down the aisle if Pete will maintain his stance of  "we're committed to each other" as far as his relationship with Jessi or give in and get married. 

So overall, I'm glad the show is back.  The family dynamics seem to be the same which is nice.  Now if they would just 86 the narrator! 

Freedom Farms- Lisa & Dad's Farm

OK, people have always seemed to wonder what happened to the King father and why his was not part of the picture.  The family seemed to want to stay mum about it which I fully supported as their right to privacy.  It seems lately that they are bringing him to the forefront.  In this interview with Lisa she discusses how the divorce affected her children.  Makes you wonder what really happened.  What happened to a couple that they divorce after so many years and 10 kids together.  Read the interview HERE

Also here is the listing of the farm.  Check it out HERE.  How did they have have 12 people in a 4 room house?  Whoa!  Serious sardine action! 

Farm Kings Season 2 episdode 12?

Ok- is that right or did I somehow mess up the episode count? Ugh! Who knows! This episode was basically covering the Farm to Table Dinner and Pete's frustration with Lisa asking too much of him. The dinner had to be cancelled on it's originally planned date due to weather. It was interesting to see how different brothers looked at the situation differently. I understand (and pretty much side with) Joe and his decision to cancel the event. Thankfully it could be scheduled for the next night and there wouldn't be a big monetary loss. Of course some people wouldn't be able to make the next night and would have to be offered a refund but that's a pretty insignificant cost for keeping people safe. I also was somewhat liking Tim's idea of holding the event under a tent and weather be damned. Unfortunately storms are unpredictable and best not to be responsible for 100 people's lives while hanging out in a storm. The day the event did finally happen seemed to be a huge cluster f*&k. It was great that Tim set up tables and chairs. Thankfully he was thinking ahead and taking care of some of the needed choirs to get the event off the ground. It once again seemed like Joe threw something together by the seat of his pants and was wishing for the best. It was clear that there was no clear idea of who had what responsibility and that things were not ready in any way, shape or form when people started arriving. Joe's excuse of planning it for 15 minutes after the markets closed just is bad management. How can you throw something like that together in 15 minutes and where is the time to take care of any unforeseen complications? The whole thing with Pete feeling frustrated by Lisa's demands was funny and sad at the same time. Why is it that Lisa has to be the one that works the hardest and does more than anyone else? She's one hell of a lady that has raised a great family so why does she always need to look for the validation of how much she's doing and how good she is? I was totally cracking up when Pete went to her house to talk to her and share his frustrations with her and she then asks him to dig up a couple of trees for her. Seriously Lisa???? Did you not just hear the words that were coming out of your sons mouth??!!!?? It's obvious that Lisa is spread thin as everyone else and needs more help. She almost needs Bitty at the gardens and then someone else that is her help alone at the home market. There was also an issue of the baler breaking down. Man I know those boys deal with equipment on a regular basis but they seem to have some bad luck with things breaking down when they really need them. Again Tim was the responsible one always making sure the younger boys were away of potential dangers. The next episode is the season finale. It appears that it's going to be a dozy covering the sale of their fathers farm. Hopefully they tie up the loose ends that are floating around and GAC will announce season 3 soon!

Farm Kings Season 2 Episode 7

OK before I recap this episode is there really only going to be 13 episodes this season? Any word on season 1 going to DVD? I have 18 hours of Farm Kings on the DVR and I can't delete any lest I deal with a melt down from my daughter. She goes through phases where she likes to watch different episodes over and over and over again. Her two favorites are the family ski vacation and the fall festival. I do believe I have created a little monster! This week’s episode kind of turned the tables a bit on who you were inclined to feel a bit of empathy for I think. I definitely felt bad for Lisa and the lack of help she received. I also felt bad for Joe when Tim kind of one upped him by having water delivered for the pond. I'm ahead of myself here though. The episode started with the younger boys helping Tim put up some green houses. It definitely makes sense for them to employ as many greenhouses as possible but I surely wouldn't want to be the one putting them up! The show shared the frustration of the boys tackling a fairly new task. They are beyond capable but there is a learning curve to everything, right? Then Lisa showed up none too happy because all of the boys were working for Tim. Tim also addressed the fact that farmers have big families because there is so much work that needs to be done. The more hands on deck the easier it is. I suppose in theory I understand this but nothing like knowing that you're very existence is to be a farm hand. That said I also understand when Lisa says that the younger boys kind of "owe" her. As a mom there are times I expect Princess Bear (PB) to do something for no other reason than I'm her mother and I need her to do it. Paying your dues is the term I believe. I also loved it when Tim promised his mother and said that he is a man of his word. I think in this day and age that is a very honorable trait to be sure. A lot of the episode centered on Joe and Pete building a pond for Lisa. After the heartbreak of having to cut Lisa off from the water supply because of the drought it was a great thing for the boys to do. Now the fact that the boys just showed up with equipment and no real plan or discussion is a bit of a problem. Joe was so non challant when Lisa came running to tell him he was digging up her flowers. Since they hadn't seemed like the pond was a high priority she had planted sunflowers. I see both points of view in that the flowers were gone and weren't coming back but the flip side factor of frustration had to be pretty great. It seems like the Kings certainly aren't immune to Murphy's Law and the boys hit shale within a few feet of digging. This brought some of Joe's engineer experience into play. I loved it when it talked about "mining this beautiful shale". It also threw a major monkey wrench in the plans. It was going to take more time and cost considerably more than they had planned. They also quite literally rain into a few problems when they hit a french drain. All the problems were tackled with usual King finesse and a beautiful pond was built for Lisa. Atta boy boys!!! Bitty also played a bigger role in this episode than she has in the past. It seems as though she has tired of working at the Cafe and approached Lisa about working with her. She missed being outside and needed the change. It was beautiful when Lisa was discussing the fact that maybe Bitty needed her mom and her mom certainly needed her. No one can ever accuse Lisa of not completely loving her children and wanting to spend time with them. The biggest problem with this change of venue for Bitty is that is leaves the Cafe without a King presence. Something that Joe feels is extremely important. Now I will admit that Bitty should have probably talked to Joe first before addressing anything with Lisa and certainly before she stopped working at the Cafe. I don't understand why Joe felt the need to point out that Bitty wouldn't be getting paid if she wasn't working for Freedom Farms. It doesn't seem like any of the Kings want to rest on their laurels and expect to be paid for no work. I loved it when Bitty assured him that she had talked to Lisa about the job and that she completely understood that she would not be paid by Freedom Farms when she wasn't working for them. I think Joe takes his role of protector very seriously and wants to make sure that everyone is taken care of. The episode wrapped up with an "unveiling" if you will of the new pond. Joe had obviously done a great job and the pond looked wonderful. Lisa was hassling him about the lack of water in it. I loved it when Joe pointed out that he'd done his part and that the rain would fill in the pond. He couldn't very well do a rain dance and have the heavens open. He did what he had promised and did a grand job of it. Now the next while a completely loving gesture on Tim's part did kind of undermine the hard work that Joe had done. Tim clearly still felt bad about having to cut off Lisa's water supply last year and ordered water to be delivered for the new pond. Like I said a very loving, thoughtful thing to do. It just kind of rained on Joe's parade. Know what I mean? The pond scene also showed Jessie, Pete's girlfriend, and Cam (I think that's his name) Bitty's boyfriend. Now it was a pretty quick pan shot when they did it but it still doesn't look like the illusive Maggie (Tim's fiancée) was in attendance. I wonder when she will appear. Someone has pondered if they will have the wedding be the season 2 finale. Since she has yet to appear on the show I really don't think she's going to be willing to share her wedding day as her debut. Someone else pondered about the date of the wedding. The person is married to a farmer and had to put off her dream of a fall wedding because it was such a conflict with harvesting and end of the year responsibilities. Well November 2nd will be here before we all know it and maybe there will be more answers then!

Farm Kings Season 2 Episode 6

Wow! I'm sure there is some back story that we don't know about but why in the world is Dan always getting kicked about by his older brothers??!!!?? I still think that Dan should have returned to Polyface. Joel Salatin still had loads to teach him. The way the boys react when Dan tells them how something is done at Polyface is so wrong too. At this point it would be nice if they gave Dan at least the courtesy of listening to him. They are right in that it's Freedom Farms and not Polyface. That said they've also mentioned that Polyface is the example that they are shooting for. The idea of making Dan CEO for the week was kind of fun to watch. Thankfully it didn't backfire on Dan! If the worse thing he did was order to much flour so be it. It gave Dan empathy for what Joe goes through and that's all fine and dandy but that's the role that Joe has chosen for himself. So while I'm glad it gave Dan a chance to prove himself but not messing up and doing the commercial it didn't seem to open up the family's eyes about Dan. Honestly it seems like he is a man of many strengths and can excel at almost anything when given the opportunity. I loved that he spoke up about not knowing about the trip that Tim & Sam went on and the Taste of whatever that Lisa, Bitty and Dale (?) were participating in. I think if Joe had been out of the loop that he would have raised hell. Now on to the Taste of ???? and the competition. Good G-d! Lisa might have the most competitive streak I've ever seen. I'm sure it has helped in throughout life but it also makes you think that she could get ruthless if need be. The sense of competition was fun to watch. It was great for Freedom Farms since they featured so many of the Farms products. Hey Bitty! Can you share that recipe for the meatballs? If you don't want to give away the whole recipe how about just the meatball part? We're mushroom junkies in this house and that would go over so well! The trip that Tim and Sam took was interesting to see in that I want to get more berries in the backyard so it was a bit of a learning experience for me. It was also interesting watching Sam struggle with the decision to to to college or stay and work on the farm. The fact that they have so much trust and respect for him is awesome. Also since he didn't have a clear idea of what he'd like to do with his life other than farming it was a good choice to not spend big money on college. I do think that with college being as expensive as it is and kids of 18 being as immature as they are (and should be at that age) going away is just asking for trouble and winds up blowing money. I did love the way Sam acknowledged that helping his brother grow the business was something special. Again the love, respect and work ethic Lisa instilled in her kids shines through. The commercial in and of itself was probably a great idea. The money aspect of it was something to be considered but it was out of the box for Freedom Farms and a great way to spread the word on when the home market was opening. A few problems though. I get that it was Dan's idea and he was CEO for the week. He should have not featured himself as the CEO and focused more on the family. It was a great idea of showing them cleaning and getting ready to open up for the season but perhaps they could have verbalized it better. The last thing is where in the world did they get that producer??????????????? Ok, he's Polish at least that's what I gathered from the accent and his jacket. As a fellow Pollock he kind of made me cringe but that could just be me. SO- all in all Dan did a great job. I'm sure he'll get no real credit for it and they won't be giving him more respect any time soon. Still nice to see that Dan can handle whatever is thrown his way. It will be interesting to see what niche Dan fills in this year and how Sam does with the fruit production.

Farm Kings in Farm & Ranch Living!

Just open the new issue (August/September 2013) of Farm & Ranch Living. Who is featured on page 12? None other than the Farm Kings! It's pretty much the same as other write ups they've done and no new pics but still publicity is publicity, right? So run out and grab an issue!

Farm Kings Season 2 Episode 2

Again the Farm Kings delivered.  The episodes main focus was Lisa helping out at the bakery and needing help filling a big order.  She tried calling most of the kids and no one could help.  Although being at the bakery is so not Tim's cup of tea he agreed to help when Lisa called him.  He really does the role of doting son very well.  The banter between him and Lisa was a blast to watch.  I love when he mentioned her lack of measuring cups.  If we're keeping track so far Bitty & Tim have pointed this out.  Lisa left Tim in charge of taking out the pies.  Ooops.  One had a close encounter with the floor.  Tim whipped up a new pie and again saved the day.  Lisa had a sparing match with Dan.  It's very apparent how much Dan likes spending time with his mom and really does turn to her for guidance. 

Dan was having trouble with the pigs in his brothers opinion at least.  They thought he wasn't paying proper attention to the pigs.  Then one of the pigs escaped from its enclosure.  Pete yelled for Dan who then started chasing the pig.  I loved it when they did the cut away with Pete and he said you could chase a pig all day.  It really did look like it might come to that. Pete then renovated some of the gates for the pig enclosure to help with the breeding program.  I really hope that the brothers were being a bit harsh because I think Dan really does like the opportunity to shine.  He did an awesome job with the Farm Store last season. 

Joe and Bitty went on a road trip to the mushroom capital.  Bitty has an adoration with mushrooms and Joe wanted to look into the business side of it.  It was nice seeing Joe so relaxed and laid back.  I wonder if they'll add that to the line up in the future. 

Lisa while looking for things to help out became very frustrated with Joe's tendency to hoard things.  I will admit that it looked like a big cluster f*&k.  So Lisa decided to take matters into her own hands.  She had an auction selling the stuff.  That is so something my grandmother would have done.  Joe and Bitty pulled in after their trip and the auction was in full swing.  It was king of interesting to watch Joe's reaction.  The best part of the song was before the auction though when the younger boys came in to help.  Lisa had previously tried calling them and they didn't answer.  So when they came strolling in she let them know in no uncertain terms she wasn't happy.  She let them know that when momma calls they better pick up or it was the end of their cell phones.  I loved it.  I hope I'm a strong mom like that. 

Now for my only bummer of the show.  I noticed it in this pic of Tim and then was reminded in this episode.  Take a peek at this pic and tell me what seems off. 



Dude!!!  What is up with the can in the back pocket??!!!?? C'mon Tim you're a smart guy so why are you trying to kill yourself?  Have you checked out any of the stats on chew/ snuff lately?  I know that you and your brothers are trying to farm in a healthier way that benefits the earth and consequently you so what are you doing?  Here are a few things for you to check out in case you have looked into this information lately. 

Some basic stats can be found HERE.  A truly heartbreaking story of a young man that died from oral cancer at the age of 19 can be found HERE.  OK, I know I'm on the soap box with this one but cancer is really scary shit.  It takes one, just one, cell going rogue and the rest of your life changes.  This is something you can actually have some control over.  I won't deny that any addictive substance is tough to get over but you have a long life in front of you so don't play Russian roulette with it.  There is truly nothing worse than watching someone you love deal with cancer.  Waiting for lab tests to come back.  Are you in celebration mode or warrior mode.  What's next?  It sucks and it's scary.  So if you have a hard time then look to your family and fiancee for help.  I'm sure you want kids and you want to see them grow up so please try to kick this bad habit.  OK, I promise I'm done.