Dillards 66: Appropriate Spaces for Inappropriate People

[Cheetah]

I have to say that where I live, I haven't found gardening to be very economical for the most part.  I'm in the SF Bay Area where amazing produce can be found for great prices most of the time.  We were under a drought for several years where we got dinged on water usage above a certain amount.  That's no longer in effect so we started gardening a bit again but honestly, I think the only things that really pan out money-wise are herbs, tomatoes, and zucchini, and this year the tomatoes didn't ripen as it was too cold.  I have much better return on the space for fruit trees... our citrus is fantastic.   (btw I don't like raw tomatoes either but my hubby does and I like them in sauces). 

[libgirl2]

8 minutes ago, SapphireSlytherin said:

My grandmother's husband used to try to bribe me (with a whole QUARTER!!!) to eat a single slice of tomato. Nope. Never could do it. Not even for 25¢.

I remember growing up, my cousin (actually our parents were long time family friends) would just eat a tomato like an apple. My mom used to comment on how "she just loved those tomatoes"..... the thought of eating one like that would turn my stomach. Oddly, I never liked broccoli until about 15 years ago when I told myself, I would learn to like it. Now I love broccoli. I pretty much like everything but tomatoes and red peppers. 

[freshlemonade]

Maybe Jill is focusing on the Duggar-style cream soup recipes because her main audience consists of Leg-Humpers?  Maybe she tried to go more main stream but realized the hardcore show fans are who are giving her blog traffic.  In that case, then maybe she's savvier than we thought.  Duggar groupies probably don't really want Nepali recipes after all.  

Do we know where the Dillards stand with JB and Michelle?  We know Josh is back in the limelight.  Has the Duggar blog focused on Jill recently or linked to her blog?  Or are they getting the cold shoulder from TLC and the family?   I feel like maybe they've mentioned the grandkids but not Jill and Derrick.   

(raises hand) My name is FreshLemonade and I use canned food.  Not so much green vegetables but tomatoes, beans, water chestnuts, etc. But what I am starting to worry about that I haven't seen mentioned here is- hasn't it been proven that canned food still contains BPA?  

Also, I made a fresh green been casserole from a recipe in Bon Appetit once for Thanksgiving and no one really cared for it because they were used to the canned flavor of the classic casserole. So much of what you like is what you grew up with and sometime's its hard to change.   I have a feeling that if I had called it something else like "sautéed green beans and mushrooms" it would have gone over better. 

[NachosFlandersStyle]

I'm also an avid gardener-- although it's a container garden on my patio right now as I'm in an apartment. I got approximately four tomatoes and six hot peppers this summer, but I had fun doing it.

There are a lot of reasons why a garden might be prohibitive. Weren't they renting their house before the TTH? Or am I getting them confused with another family? And @Rachel333 makes a good point above. The ozarks don't have great soil. I've lived on land that was built on debris or landfill. You can't really dig, and raised gardening does have a large start-up cost.

Also? It just takes a lot of flexibility and forethought that you might not want to do if you're overwhelmed with nineteen freakin' kids. The Duggars are feeding their kids pre-planned, bulk-measured recipes that are simple enough for the sister moms to master at a young age. The savings of suddenly having a bunch of free cabbage may not mean much if you have to halt the mega-family system for a day to figure out what to do with it. Likewise, some crops in the small garden will ripen one by one, and what are you gonna do, split an eggplant 19 ways?

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

I don't know I think Boob, MEchelle & Josh are lazy AF, I also think Jill, Jessa  & Jinger are to varying degreees, but Jana is NOT, neither is JD, or Joe, Joy (or Austin), James (he's got a house so he HAD to do something) Not sure about Josiah or the other twins, but most of the older boys have followed JD's footsteps and have SOME work ethic.

I get the impression that most of the kids would do anything for their mom Jana, even Jessa.   JD, Joe, Ben and a couple of older howlers could have easily put that garden together for Jana in a weekend. And Boob would do anything to keep Jana at home and happy, to keep MEchelle ready and available for him.

NWA has a nice growing season, if my cousin in NE Wisconsin can grow a 2 acre garden with enough veggies and produce to feed her family of 5 (3 teenage boys) for most of the year and run it herself, with a little help from her hubby and boys, Jana could do it for her family with some help from her brothers.  I'm betting Joy would be up for helping, even Hannie and Jenni are big enough to be a lot of help with weeding and canning when everything is done, and extra time with Jana is a bonus for them. 

 

[Rachel333]

7 minutes ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

NWA has a nice growing season, if my cousin in NE Wisconsin can grow a 2 acre garden with enough veggies and produce to feed her family of 5 (3 teenage boys) for most of the year and run it herself, with a little help from her hubby and boys, Jana could do it for her family with some help from her brothers.  I'm betting Joy would be up for helping, even Hannie and Jenni are big enough to be a lot of help with weeding and canning when everything is done, and extra time with Jana is a bonus for them. 

Well yeah, Jana not only could do it, she actually does have quite an impressive garden now!

[SilverBeach]

32 minutes ago, Rachel333 said:

I suppose that might mean that their soil conditions might be different from typical NWA soil.

Jana sure has made it work though!

[Rachel333]

1 minute ago, SilverBeach said:

Jana sure has made it work though!

Yep, and she's clearly put a lot of work into it!

Like I said, the soil conditions don't mean that gardening is impossible at all, just that it takes some more work as it's not an ideal location for gardening.

[SilverBeach]

1 minute ago, Rachel333 said:

Yep, and she's clearly put a lot of work into it!

Like I said, the soil conditions don't mean that gardening is impossible at all, just that it takes some more work as it's not an ideal location for gardening.

Soil is rarely perfect, and it's nice that county extension offices will analyze soil samples for free so you can know how to amend your particular plot for best results. I did this with my first house. I hope Jana had her soil tested to insure it wasn't contaminated by the landfill.  And taking on more work is not something Boob and Mechelle were down for.

[AnnaRuk09]

53 minutes ago, SilverBeach said:

Over how much time? I doubt she started out with all of this. And where would Jana get so much spare cash anyway, she has never had a job.

Daddy Jim Bucks! $$$

[Skeptic]

30 minutes ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

I don't know I think Boob, MEchelle & Josh are lazy AF, I also think Jill, Jessa  & Jinger are to varying degreees

No way. Jill, Jessa and Jinger raised their mother’s kids and ran that household along with Jana. I am 0% surprised they’re burnt out or directionless. 

[allthegoodnamesrgone]

1 hour ago, SilverBeach said:

Over how much time? I doubt she started out with all of this. And where would Jana get so much spare cash anyway, she has never had a job.

She's had the show(s) and she pretty much runs TTH.  I'm sure she's gotten an allowance or paycheck,  what ever they call it, over the years. Maybe daddy Jim Bucks and her siblings went in together to build all that for her for a birthday present. Or she just spent "daddy's" money (that she helped earn) on it because she wanted to.  

[SilverBeach]

19 minutes ago, AnnaRuk09 said:

Daddy Jim Bucks! $$$

Daddy keeps his kids close but his money closer, so I doubt it.

[Feministe9000]

I haven't commented about these folks in a while, but watching this video just made me do a double take.

No, it wasn't Derick weird expressionless voice/face (vomit), or super adorable cutie pie Sam.
It was Israel's little face, so focused and in the moment, you can tell how important it is to him that HE gets to sit in Daddy's lap, instead of Sam, he is perfectly still and well-behaved, and when Sam is acting his age and being a distraction, Israel tries to get him to stop, because he is so focused on this reading time with Derick.

There is just something about his sweet little face, I can't describe it,  which makes me wonder if this lap/reading time with Daddy happens all that often, and/or if it is just for Jill to record so she can post another video on their stupid blog about #bestpapaever.
Of course, towards the end of the video, we see Israel attempt to pull the plastic hat away from Sam because it is interrupting story time, and Derick pushes his arm down. Everything interaction, every activity, even the boys learning how to share their father's time together, is controlled/intervened/intercepted. ugh.
I know we always make these comparisons because it's hard not to, but we just do NOT see any of this behavior from Jessa or Ben.  They are undeniably more natural in pretty much every interaction/activity they engage in with each other, and their kids, that they have shown/TLC has shown.

Regardless, I continue to agree with many on here, Israel seems like such a sweet little kid. I hope he gets the attention and positive reinforcement, and LOVE he deserves.

 

 

[SilverBeach]

6 minutes ago, allthegoodnamesrgone said:

She's had the show(s) and she pretty much runs TTH.  I'm sure she's gotten an allowance or paycheck,  what ever they call it, over the years. Maybe daddy Jim Bucks and her siblings went in together to build all that for her for a birthday present. Or she just spent "daddy's" money (that she helped earn) on it because she wanted to.  

I'm not sure about anything when it comes to Duggar finances. Yes, Jana has some money of her own whatever the source, but my point was that her garden likely didn't cost an exorbitant amount to get started and may have been phased in. Lots of gardeners do that.

[Maggie Mae]

1 hour ago, SilverBeach said:

Really? This is like the Maxwells being amazed about Google. Do fundies really have to be told everything? Grown-ass married with children people who have an online presence? Damn.

I was just looking at the Maxwell's and their link to some anti-choice protest. The anti-choicers had to point out on the web page that to be effective, you need to face traffic with the signs. Common sense, apparently, fails with fundies. 

Just now, SilverBeach said:

I'm not sure about anything when it comes to Duggar finances. Yes, Jana has some money of her own whatever the source, but my point was that her garden likely didn't cost an exorbitant amount to get started and may have been phased in. Lots of gardeners do that.

Yeah, you find some unused 2x4s one year and fasten them together (or get your brother to do it), and maybe spend a $20 on some soil. There are fewer mouths to feed, and you can always plant seeds from a packet you bought at the store, or even just the ends of some garlic or the seeds from a jalapeno or tomato. Maybe the next year you get some more tools and upgrade expand the raised bed section, and eventually you realize you could use a shed for your stuff during the winter, and then you invest in some containers. 

[cascarones]

I'll also say plants have their opinions on people too. You could be willing, ready, try your best and still have a zero percentage crop yield due to a lack of green thumb. Forget, over water, take care of children vocally asking for attention as a sister mom.

IIRC, the Duggars were also eating donated food from their church in early specials, so that also likely plays into the can heavy diets.

Gardening, farming and grafting run in my family and I've never had trouble with plants. I had a roommate who managed to just kill plants, easy, easy plants like aloe. She managed to get her little herb garden struck by lightning hitting our rail, got a concussion apple picking. It's just.... it's just not for everyone. She likes to say that's why she never got her Hogwarts letter, she would have been more likely to die in Herbology than Care of Magical Creatures.

[QuiverFullofBooks]

Jill has been seen getting a recipe off the internet, in the episode where she made pickles with her buddy team. Also, if she’s putting recipes on the internet, she’s no doubt aware that the internet has recipes. If she does try online recipes, I’m not surprised that she doesn’t blog about it.

Jason (or possibly another lost boy) has had a greenhouse for years, and there was an episode where they planted fruit trees. They also said that they had to purchase topsoil before they could even grow grass. 

I think Big Sandy may have been a major culprit in the lack of a garden, which would have died without anyone to water it in August. (I know, they could have asked family and friends.) Plus there was a ton of other travel by the time we were aware of them. It’s possible that they had a garden at Johnson Road and never mentioned it.

[mollysmom]

2 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I remember growing up, my cousin (actually our parents were long time family friends) would just eat a tomato like an apple. My mom used to comment on how "she just loved those tomatoes"..... the thought of eating one like that would turn my stomach. 

That's how I eat mine too. (has to have salt on them though) Yum!

[Sky with diamonds]

Quite a few of my neighbors have gardens. I was so happy when the gentleman next door shared some of the veggies with us...no joke I've never tasted  better cucumbers and tomatoes in my life. 

I'd love to garden. Someday maybe.

[EmmieJ]

3 hours ago, Feministe9000 said:

... It was Israel's little face, so focused and in the moment, you can tell how important it is to him that HE gets to sit in Daddy's lap, instead of Sam, he is perfectly still and well-behaved, and when Sam is acting his age and being a distraction, Israel tries to get him to stop, because he is so focused on this reading time with Derick. ...

I wish Jill would have moved Sam off the couch and redirected him, so Izzy could have fully enjoyed that story time.  Sam clearly wasn't into it.  

[LacyMay]

3 hours ago, QuiverFullofBooks said:

I think Big Sandy may have been a major culprit in the lack of a garden, which would have died without anyone to water it in August. (I know, they could have asked family and friends.) Plus there was a ton of other travel by the time we were aware of them. It’s possible that they had a garden at Johnson Road and never mentioned it

It's certainly not a deal breaker but they also pretty much relocated to Little Rock for a number of months when Josie was born. I do think there travel schedule could have made maintaining a garden challenging. Not impossible. But challenging.

[HerNameIsBuffy]

You guys need to get out of my head!

I was just making dinner... diced some fresh avacado, celery, tomato, onion ... made some rotini ...but when I opened the cans of tuna to complete the tuna salad I felt like a Duggar!

That's it - I'm sending you all to my mental prayer closet before I cook again - judgey!   

[PennySycamore]

My husband planted some tomatoes this year, but it was so rainy they split from absorbing so much water. I only got to eat a few of them.  He planted sweet corn, too, but the dog got to most of the ears before we did.  

[QuiverDance]

6 hours ago, Rachel333 said:

Yep, and she's clearly put a lot of work into it!

Like I said, the soil conditions don't mean that gardening is impossible at all, just that it takes some more work as it's not an ideal location for gardening.

Makes me think of Laura Ingalls Wilder and her Rocky Ridge Farm in the Missouri Ozarks and how hard it was for them to get started there.  

Maybe I'm just doing it all wrong, but I gurandamnedtee you, it is way cheaper for me to buy my cucumbers at ALDI than grow them in my back yard.  I do it because I like it, and I will keep doing it because I like it, but definitely not to save money.  

At any rate, my point was not to defend the Duggars' or any mega family's choices.  The gardening thing is mentioned here so often, I just thought it was worth offering my perspective as a person with an actual garden that doesn't save any money.  I mean... for all we know, they've tried and given up.  They are kind of bumblefuckin idiots, after all.