HOMESTEADING

188. You Can Become a Stay-at-Home Homesteading Mama | Katie of Lost Oak Sheep Farm

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I hear from countless women who have a dream of starting a homestead and making it their full-time lifestyle.  Katie of Lost Oak Sheep Farm had the same dream, and she put her nose to the grindstone to make it a reality.  In our conversation, we talk through what it looked like for Katie to leave her full-time career as a teacher and begin her life as a stay-at-home homesteading mama raising sheep with a baby strapped to her back.  Whether the homesteading lifestyle seems like a far-off dream or it is your current reality, I know this chat with Katie will inspire you with what is possible!

Episode 183 | The Value of a Homemaker | RuthAnn Zimmerman

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Homemaking is truly an art, which means each of us expresses our own personalities and interests and values in unique ways in our homes.  But one thing all homemakers share in common is the value they bring to their families.  In my conversation with RuthAnn, we dive into some of the whys and hows of homemaking.  If you are seeking encouragement and inspiration in your role as a homemaker, you don’t want to miss this chat with RuthAnn!

Episode 181 | When Old-Fashioned Makes More Sense (How Vintage Ideas Can Make Modern Life Healthier & Happier) | Jill Winger of The Prairie Homestead

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In our modern world, it is easy to accept all of the latest conveniences and innovations that are offered to us.  At face value, they may seem to make our lives easier or better, but at what cost?  Jill Winger has been asking these kinds of critical questions for many years, and this questioning is the basis for her upcoming book on how many of the old-fashioned ways may actually be superior.  Our discussion is nuanced (we don’t throw out all modernity!) and serves as an interesting conversation starter as you weigh the costs and benefits of modern ways in your own life.

Episode 180 | Getting Started with Food Preservation: Freezer Meals, Grocery Sourcing, Stocking the Pantry | Becky Jones of Acre Homestead

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In the homesteading world, we place a lot of emphasis on sourcing food well and producing it at home when possible.  With all of the hard work we put into obtaining high quality food, we have to have a plan for what to do with it!  In today’s conversation, Becky shares about her process of preserving food using various methods: freezing, freeze drying, canning, etc.  She also shares some practical tips about planning for and executing a successful freezer meal preparation day.  We cover plenty of simple and attainable ideas in this episode; you don’t want to miss it!

Episode 168 | Essential Tools for Building a Homestead | Christina of Thermaland Oaks | Debt-Free Homesteading

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I frequently hear from listeners who want to start homesteading, but it can be overwhelming to know where to start.  Especially if you are building a homestead from scratch on raw land, and there are a variety of tools and skills you will need to acquire along the way.  Christina of Thermaland Oaks is very familiar with this whole process as she and her husband have built their entire home and homestead with their own hands.  Join us for this conversation as we dive into what tools are essential to build and maintain a homestead.  We also chat about the reality of sharing our lives on the internet as we pursue our homestead dreams.  For any hopeful homesteader, this episode is a must listen!

Episode 167 | Prepare for Garden Season: Select Seeds, Learn Your Climate, Cultivate Healthy Soil | Bailey Van Tassel

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If you are a gardener (or hopeful gardener) who is eagerly browsing seed catalogs and mapping out garden plots in anticipation of the upcoming growing season, this episode is for you!  Bailey is a wealth of knowledge on backyard gardening, and our conversation was full of practical tips, especially for the suburban gardener.  Bailey tends ten raised beds on her California neighborhood lot, and she helps gardeners in every zone plan, start, and cultivate their gardens no matter their level of experience.  If you are looking for some garden inspiration as we look ahead to spring and summer, join us for this chat!

Episode 158 | Breaking Down Homestead Goals: How to Move Past Overwhelm and Take Action | Danielle of Jones Roots

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No matter what stage of homesteading you are in, the list of tasks to complete and projects to tackle is seemingly endless.  The eagerness to get it all done and see your dreams come to life can easily leave you feeling overwhelmed.  Danielle found herself with bigger dreams than she had time and money for, so she created the Run Back to Your Roots 365 challenge to help herself master those skills one by one.  Before long, she had thousands of people joining her in each month’s homestead challenge, everything from canning to fermenting to baking bread and more.  Join me for this conversation with Danielle as we dive into what it looks like to pursue your dreams little by little.

Episode 155 | Build a Homestead That Pays for Itself (and Pays You Too!) | Leah Lynch | Profitable Backyard Farming

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One of the major reasons people start homesteading is because they want to produce high quality food without spending a fortune.  However, if you are not careful, you can simply replace your grocery store bill for a feed store bill.  In today’s episode, Leah and I discuss what it looks like to create a homestead that not only pays for itself but also puts money back in your pocket.  Maybe you have a dream of starting a homestead but are unsure about the investment— this episode is full of ideas and tips for building a homestead you love without breaking the bank.  If you are already living your dream of homesteading but are feeling broke and burnt out, Leah’s advice could help you get back on the right track.  Wherever you are in your homesteading journey, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss! 

Episode 148 | Small Homestead Living: Raising and Sourcing Quality Animal Foods | Amy Sliffe of Blue Whistler Farm

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What began as a conversation about options for sourcing quality meat turned into a fascinating discussion on all that you can accomplish on a small homestead.  Amy homesteads less than five acres, and she is full of creative ideas for making the most of a small space.  For those who are interested in raising their own meat, we dive into what that looks like on a small scale.  For those who want to source high-quality meat without raising it themselves, we also share our best tips for that.  And if you stick around until the end of our discussion, you might just find yourself adding dairy sheep to your homestead!  May this episode inspire you to think creatively about producing and sourcing animal foods no matter the size of your homestead.

Episode 146 | Misconceptions About Homesteading | Ash Turner of Turner Farm

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With the growing popularity of homesteading on Instagram, it’s easy to look at this lifestyle through a romanticized filter.  No one would say that the homesteading life is 100% glamorous, but it’s hard to fully grasp the weight of the difficult moments until you are in them.  Ash of Turner Farm wrote a beautiful article for Homestead Mamas on this very topic, so I’m excited to bring her on the podcast to dive deeper into this conversation.  Ash shares about the ups and downs of starting and growing her homestead from scratch— everything from losing newborn livestock to milking her cow in a field under a beautiful sunset.  Whether you are dreaming of starting a homestead or you are already in the trenches, may this episode inform and encourage you about the challenges and blessings of this lifestyle.