Chicken Coops, Family Vacations & Why Some Southerners Still Say “Daddy” | Ep. 35

Building a chicken coop sounded like a fun weekend project… until it wasn’t. This week, Scarlet and Mitchell are fresh off several exhausting days of construction as they finally finish their backyard chicken coop and move the flock into their new home. Along the way, they discover that chickens aren’t exactly known for following instructions, debate future homesteading projects, and wonder if gardening and livestock have quietly become their entire personalities. The conversation wanders into summer plans, family vacations growing up, memorable travel disasters, birthday traditions, and the experiences they hope to create for their own son. They also stumble into one of the most unexpectedly fascinating conversations yet: why many adults raised in the South still call their father “Daddy,” and why changing that feels almost impossible. As always, it’s equal parts nostalgia, storytelling, humor, and figuring life out one random topic at a time. In This Episode Chicken coop project officially completed Teaching chickens to put themselves to bed The emotional roller coaster of DIY projects Gardening becoming a full-time lifestyle Planning care for chickens during vacations Strange dreams involving backyard wildlife Summer plans and family traditions Childhood vacations (or lack thereof) Hotels vs vacation rentals Creating experiences instead of accumulating stuff Birthday party philosophy Southern family culture and calling your father “Daddy” Why names for parents feel so deeply ingrained Sleep schedules, farm life, and getting older Memorable Moments “I was convincing myself I still loved you through my rage.” “Am I just walking around in rubber boots and overalls, watering stuff and like dragging around a wagon and a wheelbarrow?” “Chickens are stupid.” “I’m not a party person.” “It’s more important to have memories and experiences than stuff.” “I still call my dad Daddy.” Topics We Cover Backyard chickens Homesteading Gardening DIY projects Parenting Family vacations Birthday traditions Childhood memories Southern culture Family relationships Oregon summers Marriage Sleep habits Creating family memories Listener Questions Did you grow up taking family vacations every year, or were vacations rare in your family? And if you’re from the South… Do you still call your father “Daddy”? We’d love to hear whether that’s a regional thing or if you’ve experienced the same reactions Scarlet describes. Share your stories in the comments or connect with us on social media! Thanks for Listening! If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share Doing the Most with someone who appreciates conversations that somehow begin with chickens and end with sociology. New episodes arrive every week as Scarlet and Mitchell continue… Doing the Most.