Podcast Summary: "Abigail Is Back And We Are Ready For Foaling Season!!"

Podcast: Katching Up With Katie
Host: Katie Van Slyke
Guests: Abigail, Lindsay, Matt, others
Date: November 4, 2025
Duration: ~27 minutes

Overview

This lively episode rejoices in Abigail's return to the podcast and revolves around farm life updates, holiday planning misadventures, and the anticipation of both calving and foaling seasons. Katie and her friends reflect on recent gatherings, the balancing act of creating "whimsy" amid daily responsibilities, and real-life challenges, including the health of Katie's beloved gelding, Bo. The episode blends humor, heartfelt farm narratives, and enthusiastic plans for the winter months ahead.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Abigail’s Return & Missed Topics (00:00–01:22)

• Abigail has missed previous episodes, prompting playful banter about saving special topics for her.
• Jokes about Nate’s absence lighten the mood.
• The group acknowledges their tendency to over-discuss certain themes ("congress"), but they're already planning ahead for the next one.
• Holiday travel and planning ("Christmas in New York", "Connecticut") arise with little consensus.

Notable Quote

“It's convenient that you chose to not be here for all of the topics we wanted to talk about with you, so we've saved them all for this moment.”
— Katie (00:15)

2. The Elusive “Fall Special” & Holiday Content Creation (01:15–05:40)

• Discussion about never pulling off the ambitious "fall special," due to lack of time and overambitious planning.
• Hilarious concepts, like Lindsay running through a corn maze in a turkey costume, are recalled and almost lamented–with hope for future attempts.
• Reflections on how planning for holiday content is complicated by the desire for authenticity and not wanting to manufacture holiday magic too early ("I don’t want to wrap presents right at Halloween.") (04:22).
• Katie shares a motivational insight about “creating whimsy and magic” in everyday life, sparked by a video she watched.

Notable Quote

“You have to create the whimsy. And the magic, essentially, is what the video was saying. And I'm like, do it.”
— Katie (05:06)

3. Building Whimsy & Hosting Holiday Gatherings (05:40–11:25)

• The group debates how to capture the holiday spirit beyond content—through real-life gatherings like dirty Santa/white elephant exchanges, potlucks, s'mores bars, fires, and movie nights with friends (08:23–10:09).
• Several members express their need for a touch of "whimsy," sharing how even small festive decor or lighting candles makes a difference.
• There’s a lighthearted exchange about recreating family memories by the fireplace and traditions of lighting fires in winter.

Notable Moments

• Katie: “I'm searching for whimsy.” (09:37)
• Abigail: “I have also been searching for whimsy in terms of decorating. I recently have been lighting a lot of candles just trying to feel something.” (09:46)

4. Farm Life Catch Up: Congress, Calving, and Bo’s Injury (11:25–21:00)

• Updates from the previous week, including the aftermath of Congress, farm tasks, and catching up with calving season.
• Bo, Katie’s 25-year-old gelding, is struggling with simultaneous injuries to his suspensory ligament and deep digital flexor tendon, leading to hard medical decisions ahead (19:49–20:35).
• The general busyness of transitioning to winter and barn construction is touched on.
• Katie’s dad impulsively buys six more cows, keeping the farm’s calving season in full swing.

Notable Quote

“We just Found out this morning that he [Bo] has torn not only his suspensory...but also his deep digital flexor tendon. And those things are very hard to fix when they're happening at the same time ...we’re kind of being faced with some hard decisions probably here soon if it doesn't work.”
— Katie (19:49)

5. Halloween Recap & Costume Chats (12:16–18:36)

• Stories from their recent Halloween party: Katie and Jonathan went as Khaleesi and Khal Drogo, sparking a funny anecdote about makeup disasters and the “ick” from an off-putting wig (13:21–14:32).
• Other costumes discussed include a fox (B), Catwoman (Lindsay), and a handmade scarecrow (Alyssa).
• Nostalgic childhood stories around fireplaces, costumes, and traditions are shared.

Notable Quote

“So Khal Drogo—the costume is shirtless. It just is. And so I was like, he looks hot without the wig. And then I caught a glimpse at one point of him scootering off with the wig on ...and it just gave you the ick. So much ick. And he knows that I told him, and that’s fine. Like, if your husband never gives you the ick, you’re lying.”
— Katie (14:30)

6. Food Traditions: Honey Baked Ham, Ice Cream, and Winter Soups (18:36–25:28)

• A running gag about Katie weaning herself off honey baked ham after the holidays; describes family tradition of always having it on hand for Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas (18:49–19:46).
• Food features heavily in their winter gatherings: cookies, ice cream, home-cooked meals, and jokes about “pulled pork,” chili, and upcoming soup experiments.
• Group hopes to make winter cozier with potato soup, tomato soup, and other hearty recipes, possibly combining these with live-streamed cooking (25:28).
• Light teasing about repetitive meals sparks banter about comfort food and culinary traditions on the farm.

Notable Quote

“The other big thing this week has been just trying to like maintain Bo. And Bo is my 25 year old gelding. ...We're doing what we can right now. ...But we're kind of being faced with some hard decisions probably here soon if it doesn't.”
— Katie (19:49)

7. Looking Forward: Foaling Season & Group Activities (21:00–End)

• Anticipation about the upcoming foaling season and hoping for more together-time, games, and live streaming during busy farm months.
• Suggestions for streaming board game nights, cooking sessions, and sharing these moments with their online community via YouTube Live.
• The group embraces the value of keeping traditions alive—balancing work, friendship, and creating meaningful memories even amidst chaos.

Notable Quotes

"This year, there's not...What we need to do, I think, is we need to lean a little bit more in to, like, the whimsical side of things."
— C (21:32)

“So we've been experimenting with live streaming a little bit...bowling season's a perfect time to live stream some. If we are in need of a video...just wanting to do a little extra.”
— Katie (25:44)

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• “You have to create the whimsy. And the magic, essentially, is what the video was saying. And I'm like, do it.” —Katie (05:06)
• “I'm searching for whimsy.” —Katie (09:37)
• “I have also been searching for whimsy in terms of decorating. I recently [have] been lighting a lot of candles just trying to feel something.” —Abigail (09:46)
• “We just found out this morning that he [Bo] has torn not only his suspensory...but also his deep digital flexor tendon... we're kind of being faced with some hard decisions.” —Katie (19:49)
• “Like, if your husband never gives you the ick, you're lying.” —Katie (15:31)
• “We did cookies and ice cream...The amount of ice cream we ate...” —Group discussion (22:49–23:16)

Highlights by Timestamp

• Abigail Returns & Group Banter: 00:00–01:22
• Holiday Content & Whimsy Talk: 01:15–05:40
• Making Gatherings Special: 05:40–11:25
• Farm Updates & Bo’s Injury: 11:25–21:00
• Halloween Recap and Costumes: 12:16–18:36
• Honey Baked Ham & Winter Foods: 18:36–25:28
• Foaling Season Anticipation & Plans for Live Streaming: 21:00–End

Overall Tone and Takeaways

Warm, fast-paced, and scattered—true to the unscripted style of a close-knit group of friends and family balancing busy farm life with the need for connection and fun. Listeners get not only behind-the-scenes anecdotes on running a farm and planning content but also reminders to seek out magic and joy in little traditions, even (especially) when life is overwhelming.

For those who love farm life, holiday nostalgia, or just need a reminder to create their own moments of magic—this episode is a cozy, relatable treat.