Finding Resilience and Beauty in Farming with Jen Miller

In this week’s episode of the Pull Up a Bale podcast, host Val Lavigne (@DairyGalVal) welcomes Jennifer Miller of Hearth Stone Hill Farm to chat about Finding Resilience and Beauty in Farming. Jen’s story weaves together family farming, motherhood, dairy life, and her flourishing flower farm business, all while highlighting resilience and the importance of mental health in agriculture.

Pull Up a Bale Podcast is hosted by dairy farmer, homeschooling mom, and agvocate Val Lavigne. This podcast invites farmers, ranchers, educators, and everyday rural changemakers to pull up a bale and share what’s really going on, the challenges, the purpose, the grit, and the heart behind the work. From legacy and leadership to motherhood, mental health, and the power of storytelling, this show is a seat at the table for voices that often go unheard — and it’s all about building community through conversation.
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Posted Wednesday Sep 10, 2025 · 59.01 minutes

Watch Dairy Gal Val Pull Up A Bale to talk about Finding Resilience and Beauty in Farming with Jen Miller

Finding Resilience and Beauty in Farming with Jen Miller

Growing up on a family farm, Jen once swore she didn’t want to follow in her parents’ footsteps. But life has a funny way of bringing us full circle. Today, she not only works in the dairy industry but has also built a life around raising her family, and cultivating beauty through flowers.

The conversation takes listeners through Jen’s journey. Her love-hate relationship with farming, the joyful (and messy!) parts of college life, and the tragic loss of her fiancé that reshaped her perspective on life. Jen’s ability to find strength in grief and turn hardship into growth is both moving and inspiring.

One of the most powerful themes of this episode is finding peace in everyday experiences. For Jen, gardening and flower farming aren’t just businesses, they’re lifelines that ground her, nurture her mental health, and bring joy to her family and community. She reminds us that farming, whether with cows or flowers, is always a labor of love.

Listeners will also hear Jen reflect on her transition into motherhood, balancing the unpredictability of rural life, and building her flower business with future aspirations in mind. Her honesty and laughter make this episode both heartfelt and uplifting.

If you’ve ever struggled with resilience, finding beauty in difficult times, or simply needed encouragement to keep moving forward, this conversation with Jen Miller will resonate deeply.

 This episode is powered by the 1st American Dairy XPO—happening November 5–6 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Vermont! Enjoy free breakfast, explore 200 dairy innovation companies, meet Olympian Elle St. Pierre, and dive into the Dairy Delivers Classroom. Learn more and grab discounted tickets at AmericanDairyXPO.com.

Grab your favorite drink, Pull Up a Bale, and listen in to this real, raw, and inspiring conversation.

 Listen now at www.pullupabale.com or wherever you get your podcasts and don’t forget to subscribe and share with a friend who loves agriculture stories!

Whether you’re in the barn, in the cab, or taking a break between chores, you’ll feel right at home.

 Want to start sharing your own ag story? Visit dairygalval.com join the email list and grab Val’s free download: “Top 10 Ideas for Sharing Your Story.”

Check out other episodes for more inspiring people and stories in Agriculture!