I knew I would miss Jess in her hiatus, but didnt realize what a calming and uplifting presence R&R and this community have on my daily life. Oh Happy Day!

I know you will probably not see this or reply but I just want to say thank you. Four years ago I decided to garden, something I never wanted to do. I came across your channel while doing research and fell in love with your content and your lovely personality. I was a container gardener but I tried to implement everything I saw you do. You taught me so much. This year I bought my first house and I am building my first raised bed garden. For years, I have been turning my waiting room into my classroom because of you and now I am living my wildest dream. Every day I go outside and I work so hard in my garden but i smile from ear to ear. My garden is my happy place, in a big way you helped make that happen.

Who else is listening to this while planting their own garden?☺️🙋🏼‍♀️ She encouraged me to start with a tiny ol raised bed. 4 yrs later here I am planting out all my heirlooms variety’s I started by seed in a 60x60 in ground!

The withdrawal was REAL❣️

I set my expectations low and decided to see if our girl Jess had posted yet, and I can’t describe the joy I felt to not only see a video, but for it to be a 55 minute garden tour 😍🤩!!!

"Rude Goose" -- Jess and Miah, if your business ventures ever take you in the direction of opening a pub, I think this is an awesome name. Hi from Alberta. Welcome back!

Welcome back Momma! I hope the graduation went off without a hitch, and that your family had a wonderful time together!!

IM SO EXCITED!!!!! Lol ( *sets alarm*) (*watches old garden tours during breaks in between working in own garden*) (*checks watch every 10 minutes to see if it’s 5pm yet*) 👀🤣

As I click on KZfaq, I thought "it feels like she might be back and perhaps with a garden tour." Jackpot!!!

"You go, beet!" On a shirt would be super. That was so cute.

Welcome back Jess! You do look refreshed. The house project will be exciting but probably stressful at the same time. Anytime you need to take a break, just do it, we'll still be here. The cottage garden has gone bonkers, so beautiful!

I'm so happy you're back! Put beer in shallow containers at the end of the day near slug damaged plants. They LOVE beer. They will fall in and drown. This works for me every time.

You bring so much JOY and PEACE. God’s presence totally flows through you to others. Thanks for sharing Him with us! ❤️

Eeeeek just hopped on KZfaq after WEEKS of going without and I see this... God sent!! Hallelujah! 🙌🏽🤍

What's cool is when nature takes its course and you get a surprise that you never would have thought of. Then you realize how much you aren't in control, then it all falls together.

Welcome back Jess! We understand taking breaks! And family always comes first! Been following you since you started! Still my favorite channel!!❤

There is no way I would have been able to refrain from eating that strawberry as long as you did lol. Those berries are GORGEOUS!

Love "growing for the joy of my heart and the consumption of my family"!

Omg YES PLEASE shoot basic meal recipes on your farmers table!!! I would love to see your “meals for the day” breakfast lunch and dinner! I sometimes struggle to come up with ways to use all the veggies in my garden at the time-I would love to see what you throw together casually on just a random school night for your family!!! And LOVE the garden your!! Your cottage garden is absolutely stunning this year!! Keep the mint pasture it’s amazing for pollinators if anything! Lol ❤

Put pine straw underneath your strawberries. Slugs don't like to crawl on it. The bush is definitely NOT a crepe myrtle. Maybe a ligustrum?

I recall driving with 3 friends in an old beater from Ontario down to Florida back around 1965, going through New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and I was most impressed with South Carolina. Air so soft and rich and magical, a kind I never met before or since. Don't blame you for moving there! Thank you, Jess, for your words.

So happy for you and your family getting Rewarding time together, celebrating Jackson, Refreshing & Relaxing moments for you all! So looking forward to this time with you and all here! ❤️ 👩‍🌾🥒🥕🥗

Welcome back Jess,Miah,and family. Y'all were surely missed

I’m so excited!!! We really missed you, Sowards Family!!!❤❤❤

Jess.... watching your transition to Sth Carolina from Arkansas, and your Grand Reveal of your dream property with a ceremonial willow..... to today, knowing there was a pretty rough patch there healthwise, i can sincerely say you've bloomed where you were planted. You're blooming in this, your smile tickled your eyebrows with happiness and pride ❤️

Wow! This urban high rise living girl has been following you since 2019. And I never get tired of your garden tours.

I just wanted to say Thank you Jess for all the effort you put into creating videos the not only teach us ( things we may have forgotten or never knew ) but make us feel like we’re home. If all of us raindrops would watch at least some of the commercials ( give back some of our time ) it will not only give her a lil bump in pay but help the algorithm to bring in more raindrops. We need this precious community as big as we can possibly make it.

She’s back AND A GARDEN TOUR?!?! She spoils us!!! Welcome back!

Sooo happy to have you back! I’ve had a very busy and emotionally rough day with my oldest son graduating tomorrow and I really need a great garden tour to relax!

I remember her first videos years ago. An inspiration, my family was just getting started. Now here we are with a large garden , meat chickens, and fruit trees so my family has the best food we can grow :) thx jess

I found this online for pull bugs and I will definitely try it: Build a Wall If pill bugs are making a meal out of your young vegetable plants, get some old toilet paper or paper towel rolls and place them over the seedlings to protect them. You can also use a paper cup with the bottom cut out if you need something with a wider diameter.

Jess: "here are my dahlia flowers, my glads that are going to open any day" Northern Gardener me: that reminds me now that my last frost is next week I should plan my glads back out....😅

We missed you sweet friend! I’m so glad you got to spend time with your family.

So grateful to have you back. Your presence is much appreciated! 🌼🌸🌺

I've truly missed your "I bless you until next time," I really enjoyed the garden tour...everything looks lovely. I'm glad you had some time for yourself and your family. I bless you.

I’m glad you are back! I hope the past few weeks have been restful. I went back to your first garden tour 2018 and am rewatching. Kitten george was the best garden cat ever.

For slugs, just run some ducks through the greenhouse. Another option is to install some copper conductive tape around the edges. Slugs and snails won't cross copper. Loving the tour so far!

Jess, I am so happy for you being able to take a break and spend time with your family and gardening without the pressure of hauling your camera around and just do it for the love and joy of the garden. But, oh friend, you were missed! It was lovely to see your radiant smile on my notifications!

SOOO EXCITED! I just set four alarms so I can be done with whatever I’m doing ( PLANTING OUT ) and have a cold beverage so I can tune in! WE are going to break the internet! Woohoo! So happy you took the time for yourself and your family Jess… that took a lot of discernment on your part and some bravery too! Incredible… Ive been watching your devotionals and old garden tours and boy does Jesus have MY EAR… really I am just so thankful… you changed the trajectory of MY LIFE! Bold statement but true!!! I’ll be here with bells on to watch… love and blessings sent your way! ❤❤❤

So happy you had the time off with your family, Jess! So happy you are back, as well!

Ahhhhhh! You’re back! I am beyond excited to see your garden and your smiling face! I hope you had an amazing break! ❤

Welcome back, so missed you. Hope you enjoyed your time with your family and the events you had planned. Looking forward to your regular videos, didn’t think I would miss you and your family quite so much. Back to the normal time with you!

We are transitioning our garden into a food forest. I cannot wait for all the perennials to leap and take over 🎉

I'm late to the premiere, but I'm SO happy to see you, and your garden, Jess! Welcome back! I hope you had a restful break!

So good to have you back with us Jess. Love the garden tour.. Sending you hugs and prayers.

I’m so glad you’re back. You have been missed. I learn so much from you.

I loved seeing you on Bri's channel. Thank you for bringing her so many veggies. 💖 l wish she cooked that artichoke & filmed it. ❤❤

I would so buy a shirt that says, "mint...it's not bermuda grass." The struggle with bermuda is so real 😅.

Somebody I was watching said she plants her citrus trees in two wheel wheelbarrows. That way they have plenty of space, and she could easily move them in and out. I thought that was such a fantastic idea!

Planning my day around this video drop! I can't wait!!! Sending love from Missouri!!❤❤🌻

Although your “break” has definitely highlighted your “prioritizing skills” (family and self time=physical and mental health and adds to a closer spiritual walk!) In my humble opinion. But just being honest…………it hasn’t helped me much with my missing you any less!!❤️😉👍 Much love and God bless.

I can't tell you how much I am feeling blessed you are back, I'm glad you had some time off. I want to say I love seeing the weeds and imperfection, it makes me feel like what i am doing is enough! I love your space! Thank you!

So happy you are back, you were missed. Happy you took the needed time off with family. The Best ❤

I've got my alarm set! I hope your time with your sweet young men was enjoyable! I know it meant alot for your sons!

Welcome back Jess! I squealed when I saw you posted this video ! Thank you for always encouraging me in the garden, and for the joy you bring me and so many others. God bless and hope you and your family have enjoyed your time off ❤

Can I say I am so happy for the tour and appreciate you normalizing taking a step back?!

What an amazing difference a few weeks have made in the farm! It amazes me every year how fast things change during the growing season. Glad you had a good rest and enriching family time. Sorry to hear the house is still plagued by delays. SO excited to see you had posted and a nice long garden tour is a true delight. Thank You!

She's back on my Gosh how much we missed you. However, rest is good for us all!!!

Love the pond mulch. I gotta think that a lot of people don’t maximize on what they have readily available…. In our 2/3 acre suburban lot we CHERISH our grass clippings, fallen leaves, beer-brewing castings, and kitchen waste. We are currently reaping a huge return on what was once builders fill by simply composting and mulching with what we have available 🧡💚💛

So happy to see a video from Jess pop up on y computer. She is so comfortable now doing this and adding little tidbits of knowledge/experience along the way. The cottage garden is simply glorious!

Yay! She's back! Blessings on your family and growing season Kiddo!🌻🐛Carolyn in Ohio 🌿 💚

So glad you had a nice hiatus with family and very glad you are back posting videos. You are appreciated.

So refreshing to watch your chanel, never any worldly garbage or politics. You were missed!

I'm so glad you are back, Jess. We missed you. I'm glad you got some time off with family.

I'm so glad that you had a rejuvenating break and I'm so glad you're back!

Your garden is so awesome! I'm so happy to have you back. You are such a blessing with your garden happiness, like your giggles and smiles over the HUGE strawberries. Blessings right back to you.

Jess, you are always beautiful, but just gotta say you are extra stunning in this video!! Your skin is GLOWING girl! lol Rest is good! ❤️

Not Crape Myrtle. It's a privet of some kind. Sawz-All with a long blade. Plunge as deeply as you can.

I've been patiently waiting for this first garden tour of the season as I tend to my own garden. Mines isn't as big as yours but it's taught me so much throughout the years 🌱

❤This day just got better!

💃💃💃Jess is back🎉🎉🎉 loved the tour. You looking happy recharged and healthy🫂👌💗💓🦘🐨🦘🐨

Such a pleasure to see these gardens and fruit and life grow so beautifully! Rest replenish and joy for you and for us. Thankyou Jess

Freeze dry your extra mint . Give as gifts .

So glad you are back sharing. I have been enjoying your past videos from 5 years ago. You have blessed me so much.

So glad you are back, Jess! You were missed!

Hey Jess! You have been missed!….but you deserved your break! Can you tell me/us a little more about your artichokes? I think they are just the most beautiful plant! What kind? When do you plant? Where - full sun? 🤷🏻‍♀️ The hubby said he saw you at TSC today and he should have introduced himself as ‘Your Best Friend Jody’s Husband!’ 🤪🤭🫶 Welcome Back!

Looks like mint could be something to offer at the market, too. :-)

“Rude Goose!” 😂 That needs to be a shirt! So happy to have you back and glad you got rest. Premier days that would work for me are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday.❤

How delightful to see you back on YT and looking healthy and happy, Jess! A couple of points, I'm not sure if they were made in the chat, it was moving so fast :) So the mystery bush could be a Crepe Myrtle. If it is, even chopping it at the base will send up baby plants "forever". It becomes a test of diligence to remove every little Crepe Myrtle sprout as soon as it is seen peeking up to basically starve the roots from the photosynthesizing nourishment. We chopped down and dug up 2 adult Crepe Myrtles over a year ago and are still pulling up sprouts! Your okra looks so cute! I started my 2 varieties (Emerald and Burgundy) in my hoop house several weeks ago and I am delighted at how well they're growing in the garden now. I tried an experiment this year with growing certain plants to trellis along the edge of my cinder-block garden beds. The beds are 2 layers of cinder blocks tall, with the holes filled to the top. I planted luffa, tromboncino squash, and sugar snaps in ends of the rows to grow up the trellises we placed there. Peas have done okay and are in the middle of producing. Luffa looks much happier in the garden bed compared to within the constraints of the blocks. And the Tromboncino are showing a huge difference between the plants placed in the garden bed versus the ones in the blocks - they love having access to more room for their roots, too! All that to say Thank You, Jess for helping me feel comfortable enough in my garden to TRY NEW THINGS! The fear of failure can be a fear of learning sometimes hard lessons. This comment has become long, so I will end there. Thank you Jess, for taking us along on your journey, wherever that may lead!

Loved the garden tour as always! So glad you are back and hope your family time was wonderful! Until next time…❤️🍅🌻👨‍🌾

Bettylou's gettin' out tonight! Steppin' right on time. Sing God's praise.

*THANK YOU VERY MUCH CARPE DIEM GOD BLESS YOU ALL 🌟👏🏻*

Jess Thanks…. I’haul heavy equipment for a living. Deal with city traffic and thousands of miles of road, concrete and truck stops. Your channels keep me pulled up to the Farmers Table, my feet in the dirt , and my heart happy and looking forward to being home… thanks again and I Bless you, until next time!

Nice to see your lovely smile again! Missed you but so happy you took time for you ❤😊

My three year old did a huge jump and yelled “Dess!” (Slight speech impediment😅) when she saw your new video pop up. So basically, our whole house is happy you’re back!!

She's back Hope you had a joyous break

Welcome back Jess!!! You were definitely missed. I hope you had a wonderful time with your family!! The garden is looking beautiful and wild Love it!

Welcome back Jess! You were missed. Your garden is absolutely beautiful! For the root cellar, Garden Answer has something that allows an air conditioner to reach root cellar conditions. You may want to check it out.

When it comes to gardening, you’re my hero ❤

We ordered and are planting Dutch Fork Pie Pumpkins because of your success with them and happily I found Chicken and Dumplings Cowpeas just now from Sow True Seeds. Thank you so much for being so inspirational!

Hello and welcome back I missed you but glade you took time for yourself and Jackson’s graduation. I have been following you since just before you left Arkansas to the great state of South Carolina. I am a born and raised Charleston SC. And I am 75 and love this state. I hope you and your family does too. I don’t comment bc I enjoy listening to you talk and enjoying your program. Not a Gardner or animal lover but I do love your fascination with it all. I admire anyone that does haft the gift. I am one of those southern girls that don’t want to swear, get dirty, or bugs. Although, I am quite I am watching enjoying you, Micha and your precious boys. Love to you all and God Bless you❣️🙏🏻❣️🙏🏻❣️🙏🏻

“It’s the southern version of the Three Sisters planting…the Three Cousins, if you will.” 😂😂😂😂

Welcome back Jess! You were missed but I so enjoyed watching some of your first vids as well. It's apparent you enjoyed the break, you look refreshed/renewed and raring to go!

Jess thinks for shearing it’s looking great and a lot of work keep up the great work and Gods blessings for you all we love your videos ❤

Those strawberries are huge! So awesome that you grew them organically that big!!

So glad you are rested and have returned

So glad to see you back. I didn’t realize how much your channel helps calm and center the chaos of my life.

I hope you had a good rest! About time you're back honey!

Those strawberries 🍓 look amazing! That is a dream! ❤

I was watching a tour from 4 years ago while waiting to watch this one! Glad you're back and hope you had a lovely time celebrating Jackson!