Serendipity Mini Farm

Slow moving today, with pain still kicking my butt from falling while at the hospital. I am never late to market, but today may be the exception to the rule. But I am on my way!

I have lots of fresh produce. Zucchini, squash, cherry tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, spinach, a variety of peppers....

I also have our organic turmeric plants, doing beautifully. Ready to plant in the ground, and keep you in abundance of this health supporting root.

I dont have ALL our normal freshly made items today. I am working on getting backnin the groove, as I wait for my energy to return. But I do have a good amount!

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Focaccia Twists
Farm Herb Focaccia Twists
Jalapeno Cheese Focaccia Loaf
Rosemary Garlic Focaccia Loaf
Farm Basil Focaccia Loaf

Garlic Hummus
Basil Hummus

Sesame Ginger Fried Rice (with garlic, turmeric, farm veggies)

Refrigerator Pickles
(Dill, Zesty, Serrano Garlic)

And of course we have many of our snacks like pepitas and pecans, protein balls, and more. And a lot of our jar items!

So come out and see us at Grow Local Farmers' Market!

💚

Tomorrow is the day!

The June 2026 issue of Kingsville Monthly Magazine officially launches tomorrow as a digital edition on our website.

This issue marks the return of the magazine and the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Inside, you'll discover local stories, community features, summer inspiration, health and lifestyle content, and much more.

Prefer to hold the magazine in your hands? Printed copies will begin appearing at distribution locations starting June 5.

Thank you to everyone who encouraged us to bring the magazine back. We are honored to once again share the stories of our community.

Digital Issue: June 1
Print Copies Available Beginning: June 5

Realized I never posted this pic that Jolee took of me at the Port Aransas Farmers Market.

If you've been considering ordering something from me, this week and next is a good time to do so. I am down energy, and am behind at the house, kitchen building, and farm. But the bills don't stop coming. So orders are truly a great way for me to balance my time and energy.

Honestly, orders are a much greater return on investment of time for me. And we have farm pickup, evening Corpus delivery, Wednesday and Saturday market pickups all available. Pretty much anything you can think of.

I've been told many times "I've thought about ordering.... # # ...but I don't want to create extra work for you".

That's not how this works. Orders are the gpld standard. Making something that is wanted by someone and has a guaranteed destination once it is made is far better than the "well, I think this market might be busy, I will try making this many things and see what sells".

Yes, I will continue to do that. I'm decent at forecasting, especially when it comes to how many perishables I should make for any given market. And I LOVE my markets and my regulars and the new faces, too.

But, please know, that the people that order from me....both the many that order every week, and the ones that order from time to time....they are the ones that keep this place running.

The markets supply the means to move forward. And classes and events provide the means to grow our offerings, and support my kids' activities. It all matters. And orders are at the heart of it.

And new ones? Or a rush of them in a time we need it most? Well, one of my legs is messed up from falling at the hospital, but I normally do a little dance. And I will surely still manage to wiggle a little if they start coming in now. So please never think an order is something I don't want. 💚

Lol this made me laugh.

I'm a pickle! But hopefully, not too sour. I am told often ours are just right...a little tart, a little salty, super smooth, and just the right amount of spice. I hope that's ME. 🤣

Speaking of pickles, thanks for selling me out of them on Wednesday! Joe just told me....

I got discharged late last night. I am home. A list of meds, expensive ones, already filled.

They have no full understanding of what caused it, but the only official diagnosis is sepsis. Probably an atypical lung infection, that didn't present like that. I woke up freezing last Friday, covered in sweat, and within half an hour was clattering so bad that no part of my body could stay still, stromg enough it was seen by a stranger in kine where I was. When the clattering was done, I had 103 fever, and even with fever reducing meds, I rose to 104.5.

They never could rule out Meningitis because the three attempts at Lumbar Puncture, including the one with Interventional Radiology, were unsuccessful due to the titanium, bone, and "vast amount" of scar tissue from my spinal cord decompression, laminectomy and multi level fusion almost 5 years ago, that didn't heal properly.

There were soooo many tests done. Some showed nothing. Some started to show things, that were likely symptoms of the progression of the sepsis and things it was causing. Not the actual things causing the sepsis. Some will go away. Some may not.

There was also a lot of testing done that showed incidental findings of things unrelated to the sepsis or its side effects, that will need follow up. Things that can't just be ignored. Things that need specialists.

I don't have health insurance. My husband's employer refused to add me under special enrollment at the beginning of the year when I lost my other coverage even though they had said we would be able to. It was not ok, should never have happened, but it is what it is, so still I wait until October 1st for Open Enrollment. And I'm pretty sure these things should not wait for 4 more months. So, we will evaluate what options we have from here.

I did also fall in the hospital (which should never have happened), so have more pain than when I went in. So I will be recovering from that, and may need follow up.

So, thank you for those that have helped with meals and donations. Losing a week or more of work around here is detrimental. (It rounds out to more, since both farming and food work are like an assembly line, everything always in motion, and when actual work stops for a week, it has effects for weeks...) Your small farmers work hard to keep food on the table for both your family AND theirs. Add to that the actual work of farming, preparing, loading, hauling, setting up....and then being dependent on weather so much of the time, both for the farming AND markets, it's a constant balls in the air juggle to keep everything flowing smoothly. Add in an unexpected sickness or injury in the family...and it can be catastrophic.

So, genuinely, thank you. Sales, orders, showing up to market, sharing our page, tagging us, signing up for classes...it all helps us stay afloat when we are very struggling to.

Bringing meals, sending donations, buying more at market than we know your family normally would, placing orders for things we know you didn't necessarily need, sharing or tagging us on posts for other people to order from, etc. I find it hard to put into words how much it means. My husband and I don't have family to help. We don't have moms to help with the kids. Or aunts to bring a meal. Dads to tell us it will all work out. Siblings to pitch in. We don't have generational wealth to know it will all be fine. My husband's two sets of grandparents had small family gardens, but other than that, we are first generation farmers. I grew up in apartments. We are the only ones from our parents and siblings to buy a house, and did it alone. We work dang hard for everything we've built, and work hard to teach our kids that life means you get up and go after what you want. Yes, we hope to leave them a better start than we were given. But more than anything, we hope to teach them that despite our bad days...and there will be bad days (years?)...we can choose to get up again and keep going.

But, also, that it's ok to accept help from your village. Even if it is the village you helped to create. Not all of us are born with one.

Thanks to those who are here.

Thank you. Really does help. 💚

Meal Train for Gretchen Stinson & family Our friend Gretchin, owner of Serendipity Mini Farms, is currently in the hospital and has been there for several days, with more recovery still ahead. As the main income earner for her family, this unexpected hospital stay has created challenges not only financially, but also with everyday househol...

Yes, I am still in the hospital. Tons of tests, lots of labs, tons of imaging, but no real answers.

Joe will be at market tonight. My income is not "extra" money, so every bit counts. And with all the rain the last several weeks, May has been a doozy. So he will be there with a lot of my products. I had just restocked on many shelf stable items, so those will all be available!

You will have to wait on many of your faves that I make each week, but Jocelyn is making sure some of the things she already helps with are there. Hopefully I will be home soon and able to get back to all of the faves.

I have had some ask about helping with meals or expenses. All help is appreciated. Joe and the girls are running hard to try to keep up with all I manage and dinner at the end of the day would be helpful. And...without health insurance and my income....well, we will be looking hard at what to do and what the future holds. But, are still currently just trying to figure out what's wrong......

So stock up on all the good stuff tonight! Pickled produce, jams, sauces, etc. Get out and get it!

There's been a few. And many of the opposites. But I gotta give a shout out to the complete PERFECT stranger (emphasis on perfect) that came to my side yesterday morning. I was dropping off our farm cat that wandered up pregnant and keeps finding herself that way at PAAC in Corpus to get spayed.

I woke up cold, and wore a sweatshirt, and had to turn off the AC, which is rare for me, but I felt so cold. But the appointment has been scheduled for weeks, I had already paid, and I mean, the boys come from LITERAL miles away....

By the time we got there, I was shivering violently. The hour or so to wait in line, drop offs do paperwork etc, the shivering got worse and worse, to the point of rigors. Just complete painful full body clattering that I could not stop. I got done, and contemplated calling husband for a ride home, but knew he was at work and it would take forever, and the facility staff was standing at the gate waiting to lock me out...

I walked out to the car, somehow, and leaned over the hood, hoping to warm myself.

Nothing could make it stop.

And it was so painful.

Then a complete stranger that had been in line behind me came up and asked if I was ok. I said I wasn't. She asked if I have shaken that way before. No, never. I probably looked like an addict going through withdrawal convulsions. She offered to follow me home, and I warned her our farm was a way out of town. She didn't care. She followed me to the gas station since I needed gas, pumped my gas for me, and went in and bought me a bottle of water. I chugged it, hoping it would help. It sort of did, but then I felt nauseous the whole way home. But, I did make it. On autopilot. So grateful for her.

I won't use her name, I do know it. But she is like me. We both commented we are always the silent helpers that do things to help others and always say we don't need help when it's our turn. But I knew I had no choice yesterday. And I hope posting this reminds her to take help when she needs it. She is of course welcome to comment here. I just won't take away her privacy if she wants it.

By the time I got home I had a 103 fever. Even with ibuprofen and Tylenol I spiked to 104.5. If I had been alone, pulled over to the side of the road, become unable to work my phone, unable to get hold of my kids, nobody had pulled over in the middle of nowhere (because they don't), car died, no AC, no water, no gas, heat of the day...

She had even offered to come in and help me to bed or help me get whatever I needed. I assured her my kids were home and able to care for me and husband didn't work far away now that we were home.

Well, I have no GOOD updates right now. Things are pretty rough actually. But if that second scenario had happened, where I was stubborn, or if she simply didn't notice (like the other 30 people seemingly didn't, and y'all, I was a spectacle)...no matter what, this would have been a very different update.

Things aren't looking good. But, I got the chance to be here at the hospital, trying to figure it out.

Be the rainbow in someone else's sky, guys. And for those of you who are too much like me, let them.

In some good news....and something wonderful to look forward to:

I am SO excited to announce that the Kingsville Monthly Magazine is making its come back after an absence. I have SO MISSED being one of the monthly columnists since its very beginnings. SO when I got the call to come back, I jumped.

I will no longer do the Recipe of the Month (unless it gets slipped in with something else pertinent I am writing about). But I did recommend just the right person for the job!

I have continued on with Farmers Market Feature, and each month I will Feature a vendor from the Kingsville Texas Farmers Market. It has been such a joy to write that column, and get to know our local businesses, but also our local neighbors, and the history of our community.

And, Focus on Food. It will still be focused on food, but will encompass so much. Food for joy, food for health, food for healing, food for community. And, food accessibility, attainaibility, responsible growing, water issues, and maybe a little knowledge so we can all learn the small ways our voice matters when it comes to keeping healthy food accessible. The best, most local, healthiest ingredients shouldn't have to only be a luxury.

And, new this time around....

In honor of Gretchen becoming a Certified Tsxas Master Gardener, being elected the President of Kleberg Kenedy Master Gardeners, and founding, designing, and running the Kingsville Community Teaching Garden...there will be a column named Master Your Garden. Let's make gardening fun and rewarding!

Get ready to view the online print, and be sure to snag your print copy once it is on the shelves!

We’re getting very close to finally sharing the relaunch issue of Kingsville Monthly Magazine with the community, and honestly… we’re just excited.

This issue came together through the support of local contributors, businesses, writers, and community voices who believed this magazine still had a place here in the Coastal Bend.

Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing a few small glimpses from inside the June issue before the digital flipbook launches June 1 and print copies arrive June 5.

We truly can’t wait for everyone to see it.

Our plan for today was Joe at Corpus Christi Southside Farmers' Market and the girls and I at Kingsville Texas Farmers Market. But life and its best laid plans...

I had to come into Christus Spohn Shoreline ER yesterday due to an all day 104.5 fever, as well as other symptoms.

I was immediately seen and placed on Sepsis Protocol. I am septic, but they also highly suspect bacterial meningitis (two lumbar punctures failed, they will try again tomorrow). And I have osteomyelitis (bone infection), in both feet.

I was admitted overnight, and they are considering transferring me to San Antonio. Regardless, I will be here at minimum until Monday. I am on a great deal of iv antibiotics.

I am going to try to rest. Hospitals aren't good for that though. Lol. Many more tests ahead still.

Joe will be in Kingsville today. Jolee will have her lemonade stand. Jocelyn has mini sourdough pizza crusts. Joe will have some of our normal goodies, but definitely not all.

Farm Tour is canceled for tomorrow.

Will keep updated as I can, or Joe will.