Photos: A Picture Essay on Kathy Jacobson

Kathy Jacobson smokes and chats with her friends after they finished weeding deep in her woods in Stewart, Ohio on Sep.10, 2017. The particular kind of weeds they trying to clear is called Japanese Stiltgrass, an invasive grass that threatens native plants and natural habitats. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson (middle), discusses where to start weeding with her neighbors, Angie Serrato (left) and Melissa Quick Kennedy (right) in the woods in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 10, 2017. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson opens the pod and checks the seed of asclepias syriaca inside her garden in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 04, 2017. Asclepias syriaca, which is also called common milkweed, can help bring monarch butterflies and other insects back to the local ecosystem. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson checks and records the growing state of the asclepias syriaca in her garden in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 04, 2017. Asclepias syriaca, which is also called common milkweed, can help bring monarch butterflies and other insects back to the local ecosystem. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson lies by the pool and hugs her two buddies, Tala (left) and Shilo (middle) in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 07, 2017. She raised several cat fish in the pool and fed them after work every day. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson (left) feeds her vermicompost bin while her assistant, Paul Reed (right), take notes on some instruction that Kathy is giving him about a log entry in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 07, 2017. Vermicompost contains water-soluble nutrients and is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner. It is used in farming and small scale sustainable, organic farming. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson covers her vermicompost bin with straw in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 07, 2017. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson tries to read the words on the can in her kitchen in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 04, 2017. She canned the venison from a deer killed by accident on her property. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson picks a commercial can food from the top shelf in her kitchen in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 05, 2017. She stocked up a bunch of commercial can food and prepared homemade can food to survive in any natural disasters that may occur. ÒI always like to be prepared,Ó she said. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)

Kathy Jacobson relaxed on the sofa with her dogs, Shilo (left) and Tala (right), outside of her house in Stewart, Ohio on Sep. 04, 2017. (Wangyuxuan Xu/WOUB)