Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

Living on a homestead is like having a variety show in your life: Something unexpected happens almost every day. Just today, I walked out to the roasting camper and saw 2 goats in my yard. If you look at the show's photo today, you will understand why I was baffled by this. They should have been shut in the barn. And sometimes we get so mad when things go off plan, but when has anything ever really stayed on plan? Today, I will walk through several topics that impact homesteaders and those of you who are starting or have started your own business. From honey bees to healthcare, today is like a fireside chat. Spring Workshop Session: Chef Brett Corrieri - Charcuterie. Tales from the Prepper Pantry A cow and 2 pigs fit in the freezer and the process dictated our menu this week: Pork chops, ribs, chicken dumpling soup, and I am making lard. Winter budget tightening means a focus on living off the pantry stores: Borscht - beets, broth and a blender and spices. Served with Sour Cream. Wish I could solve the dairy problem Stump the Sauce Faith and Sarah: Broth, Bone Broth, Stock Operation Independence Roasted all the coffee. ALL OF IT. (And I love this) Main topic of the show: Take Each Day as it is on the Homestead Make it a great week! Song: Cilly Song by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up

Easy ways to find ideas for homemade gifts and firing the toxic people in your life, today on LFTN! Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry Early cold has = better cold storage Drying Mushrooms for vitamin D Harvesting and using or drying root things like Sassafras (which I have not done) Canning all the stock Stump the Sauce Q1: Why does my gravy taste like flour? Q2: What should I stuff in my bird (first time roasting)? Q3: What should I roast a turkey IN? Q4: What if I forgot to defrost the turkey? COOK TIME - TEMP No fat for the gravy, now what? Q5: What if I left the turkey out overnight on accident? Q6: What is Your pumpkin pie recipe? (2.25 c pumpkin pulp, 1 8 oz can condensed sweetened milk, 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, 1 tbsp brown sugar. 425 for 25, reduce to 350 until done. Operation Independence THE GREAT FINANCE REVIEW OF 2018...not yet finished but it is unearthing some waste and some good stuff too We ate ALL our thanksgiving leftovers. ALL OF THEM. Main Topic of the Day: Handmade Homey Gifts and Firing Toxic People Song: Burned by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up

Today, I have two topics for you. The first is a simple walk through our simple weekend of doing odd, quaint things. Someone pointed out to me that what I think of as a stress free Thanksgiving is filled with tons of basic homemaking skills that no one does anymore….and we will talk about a deeper idea: Mourning loss as an adult and also mourning loss for the first time, and ways to navigate sadness when you lose someone close to you. I know, I know. This may seem like a depressing topic, but it won't be, I promise. Workshop Session Highlight: Dori Mulder - Side Hustle Mentality: Gleaning Value From What You Have. Get Founders Tickets here. Tales from the Prepper Pantry Catfood Incident Early Cold has been good on the root vegetables Freezer filled with Pork, sorting last year's beef (and selling some) in preparation for the next cow (Cow story) A word on stability and cashflow. What Mother Nature is providing Oysters have appeared, finally (Turkey mushroom gravy) Lemon balm is still giving us leaves Same as last week: things below the ground are ready. Like Sassafrass root and jerusalem artichoke. Stump the Sauce Last minute buttercream frosting in an urgent situation Operation Independence Lardo for the charcuterie session Duplex is the prime focus until it is done Main topic: What is Normal Has Become Odd Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up

Today, we will talk about a basic homesteading activity: Processing Pigs for winter -- and a deeper topic: Processing Life. The last 10 days, many people I know and ones I just recently got to know in the LFTN community have been facing hard life lessons. So we will look at lessons learned from processing pigs next to lessons learned from life. And they are not all that different. Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry Reviewing the root vegetables (Cat got into the pantry) Care of cheese Thanksgiving from stored foods What Mother Nature is providing Down to nuts and mushrooms Jerusalem artichokes are ready to dig Stump the Sauce Salad Dressing Operation Independence Porchetta for the workshop New coffee launching this week - should be a good one! Processing pigs - processing life. #My3things Highlight: Cindy and her 54 birds - many hand make light work Make it a great week! Song: Every Way by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up Founder's Tickets for the Spring 2019 Workshop

Today, I run through three key lessons from the #TSP18 workshop that happened over the weekend at Jack Spirko's place in Texas. There were many more than three lessons to learn, but when it comes to living your life rather than have someone else live it for you, this event was a great motivator.

Today, we talk about what steps I will take to prepare the aquaponics system for winter, as well as go over what you can do now to get your garden beds ready for a great spring! Tales from the Prepper Pantry Phase 1 has been completed Final canning events of the year (after Jack's) Drying Mushrooms November: Meat rotation in the freezer Time to extract honey, or package it in tinfoil to avoid freezer burn Gluehwein season is here What Mother Nature is providing Ap: Swiss chard and not much else at the moment Time to winterize. More on that later Winterize the bees Mushrooms are exploding Firewood Stump the Sauce Oxtail: Part 2 with BRETTChef Elderberry Syrup Stability with John Moody of (http://abbyselderberry.com/) Operation Independence Tile, Tile, Tile, Tile on the rental that has taken forever. Tiling on a wavy wall (operation independence) One annoying thing season Main topic of the show: Winterizing the Aquaponics System and garden beds Four things to to to the ap: Stock tank heater Bed hoops Insulation on the feeder hoses Bring in the frost sensitive plants How to prepare your beds for winter Clean them out Layers: manure, compost, forest dirt, leaves, straw or wood chips or another mulch. (My thoughts on local wood chips) What to do if you interplant like I do A Final Winter checklist Waters ready to be ice-free? Bees? Animal bedding sufficient? Goat hay needed Pump house filters changed Bring in the banana trees Try to overwinter a rosemary plant and the tabasco peppers Make it a great week. Song: Strange Child by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up

Today is that moment you have all been waiting for: A debrief of our visit to see Dori at her place, 40 Acres and a Cave. We will have a short debrief of what happened for the visit and a run down of some things we can all learn from what she is doing out there with that fantastic property. Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry Harvested my sweet potatoes and got about ¾ of a bushel for the prepper pantry. Curing Sweet potato Last green bean harvest of the season Blueberry oatmeal Still have not done the big move-in for Winter 2018 The great lasagna and the mandolin zucchini noodles What Mother Nature is providing Ap: Swiss chard is coming on First Oyster mushrooms - planning to put up a ton Last of the sage Lemon balm - last call Almost time for horseradish Parsley Stump the Sauce Oxtail: Paired with jerk or curry - http://coopcancook.com/braised-oxtails/ What Sauce would do: sear then do a roemertopf with smoked paprika, rosemary, garlic, salt, peppers, carrots, onion, salt - served over sauteed mushroom or rice with a broth made from the rendered juices of the roemertopf and a bit of stock - because there is always stock. Operation Independence The great plumbing repair: $150 Taxes really did get sent - next up: more taxes The gas dryer story Coffee of the month is starting to sell A debrief of 40 Acres and a Cave Make it a great week! Song: Anonymous by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up Bourbon Smoked Paprika

So, this episode will focus on a man I have long admired in our area: Billy Kaufman of Short Mountain Distillery. Billy moved to Tennessee with a vision. What he started doing morphed into where he is today and we had a great talk about his distillery, the Haunted Woods event, and his journey from arrival to where he is today. There is so much to learn from how he has flexed and adjusted as he develops his farm into something beautiful. And while the what of he is doing has changed, his vision remains largely unchanged. It is a great example of how sticking to a vision over a tactic can help you launch the lifestyle you want. Tales from the Prepper Pantry The weather went from the low 90s to 60s in 24 hours and it is time Hen of the woods while at Dori's place Tomatoes are finally on the agenda Getting Ready to extract honey What Mother Nature is providing Ap: Green beans, greens Harvesting a round of spices to dry for winter use Mushrooms Watercress Chestnuts Operation Independence Did a property walk and homestead plan with 40 Acres and a Cave which is giving me the data I need to offer more of these in the coming year - and it was so much fun I am dying to tell you about it. Paid off a card in the game of finance with a check that was very very very late in arriving. Launched Coffee of the Month Main topic of the show: Haunted Woods, Moonshine, and the Power of Vision with Billy Kaufmann Short Mountain Distillery Facebook Question: How are you surrounding yourself with doers or takers? Make it a great week! Song: Learning What Leaving Is, by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up CAC Team: cacteam.com

Today, we will talk about something a bit different: why we end each episode with make it a great week. We will also take a look at what that means for so many, and tell some stories along the way. Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry It's been a light week in the pantry with all the other projects underway Incoming visit from the Knifemaker (Get Patrick to check in). He showed me how to sharpen my awesome chef's knife Hot as blazes so boxes are STILL in my office What Mother Nature is providing Green Beans Time to harvest sweet potatoes Chestnuts Stump the Sauce Meatloaf experiment and leftover scramble Tales from the Booze Whisperer A missive from over the pond Operation Independence Coffee of the month beans arrive TOMORROW!! Soft Launch is Wednesday Headed to 40 acres and a farm Main Topic: New tagline - Helping you to live the life you choose on your terms Song: Suicide by Sauce Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign U: http://amishwisdom.com/amish-coffee-soup-kathleen-fuller/ CAC Team: cacteam.com

Today, I want to talk about progress and the fall. Winter is coming, but right now, we get to enjoy the fruits of our labor. More about that in the main show topic. Tales from the Prepper Pantry Reorganization Needed Did the last round of root cellar orders: 2 bags of onions, 2 boxes of potatoes, 1 sweet potato, 2 cushaw squash, a pumpkin for fun. Total cost: $80 Pantry coaching is a thing - it's not frantic prepping, it is just smart. Document what you eat Try some seasonal bulk purchases - maybe just 1 thing See if you use it up USE IT UP What Mother Nature is providing Harvested and set out to dry Goldenrod Chestnuts Turkey and Deer season is upon us Stump the Sauce Using an abundance of peppers Getting home from vacation when the store is not a viable option Tales from the Booze Whisperer How to use Holler Roast Coffee Bitters Operation Independence Holler Roast Coffee of the Month Update Budget Discipline Main topic of the show: Progress. Go out, and make it a great week! Song: Wolf by Sauce (Also referred to as Desire) Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign U: http://amishwisdom.com/amish-coffee-soup-kathleen-fuller/ CAC Team: cacteam.com

Today, we talk through a roundup of questions I have gotten over the past two weeks related to fall homesteading activities. From canning to heating, y'all have been busy trying to figure stuff out. Of course, some of these questions have been addressed over on the LFTN Coffee Break group on Facebook, but I just figured if one of you has a question, many of you have the same question. Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry Still need to do the consult Pantry yielded many benefits this week More in the full content of today's show What Mother Nature is providing Goldrod's last week Fall plants are coming up well in other people's gardens - but not mine. Stump the Sauce What to do when you can't make your food hot enough. Operation Independence Food for friends: Ad trade, canned foods from the pantry = low expense to be a helpful member of the community. Main topic of the show: A Fall Roundup on Homesteading Q1: How do I figure out how many pounds of tomatoes to use to yield a certain number of jars? Q2: Tattler lids - can you reuse the rubber gasket? Q3: What is it like to heat with a wood stove only? Q4: How do you integrate a new rooster to your flock? Q5: I just got a ton of persimmons that are not completely ripe, what do I do with them? I hate to throw them away… Q6: What kind of garlic grows well in Tennessee? Q7: Is it ok to raid my bees for honey now? Q8: Should I store my canned goods with the ring on or the ring off the jar? Q9: How do I store my potatoes and squash? Q10: How much firewood is enough? Q11: What about garden bed preparation? Q12: What should I plant now for spring? Q:13: What else can you do to prepare your home for winter? Resources Garlic Chili Paste Ghost peppers Tiny Thai Hot Peppers Music Seed Garlic from Territorial Chesnok Red Garlic Seed at Seedsavers Links to thermal thermometers Imaging Camera CAC Team: cacteam.com Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja

Today, we explore how following the basic concepts put forth through developing your life strategic plan, continually moving your big picture goals forward, and remembering that we are here to live our lives, not have them lived for us. Or something like that... Tales from the Prepper Pantry Raiding the prepper pantry under times of durres Wonderful pork roast with green chilies Stump the Sauce Too many eggs from Andy in Chattanooga Using and Storing an Abundance of Eggs Pickling Beets What Mother Nature is Providing Basic veggies for the daily sautee The dog egg story Late season mint, jewel weed Paw Paw update Independence Fund Update Boat repair Goat repair Deck repair Keep Nicole Sane Repair Resources Tactical Redneck Equipment

Today, we have a special guest in the house: Shawn Mills. Remember way back when almost a year and a half ago when I had someone come look at my home to help me understand better what it might take to go off grid? Well, that was Shawn. Today we are going to talk about his off-grid lifestyle, as well as focus on things all of us can do to move that direction without committing to a 10k solar panel installation. Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry I did not can tomato sauce because of a HUGE web project I am focused on. (The sauce trick) OMG THERE IS SO MUCH STUFF IN THERE IT IS OVERWHELMING That venison loin we cooked What Mother Nature is providing Persimmons Paw paws are about done Watercress Still have late summer medicinals: jewelweed, goldenrod, etc… Stump the Sauce Lemongrass Operation Independence Traded for a kayak - stoked about it! Put in 6 hours on taxes. Still. not. Done. Landed a new deal for digital coaching that should be great for our ongoing stability and can be done from here. Main topic of the show: Off-Grid Mentality Can Improve Your Homestead with Shawn Mills Make it a great week! Song: The Flood by Sauce ### Resources Hack My Solar: Hackmysolar.com Tomato Sauce Making Cone Self Reliance Ministries Green Curry Tom Yum Soup Membership Sign Up CAC Team

Today, we will take a walk through the benefits of simply living. Simply living - as in simply living your life, not letting others live it for you. Why Simply living and not simple living? You gotta listen to find out! Tales from the Prepper Pantry 38 jars of salsa are canned Putting up tomato sauce this week Need to do an shelving overhaul in there The mud room is mostly full of jars, but some will go to our chili loving friends who put in on the chillies this year What Mother Nature is providing Goldenrod Beans beans beans and funny beans Damn the electrical company for spraying on my land PAW PAWS ARE READY - Stump the Sauce Rattle Snake Recipe Operation Independence Put up 39 pints of salsa for winter August was a record month for the airbnb Sticking to my guns on the weekly finance review Need to get taxes done The Bounty of Simply Living .... not having your life lived for you. Song: Strange Child, by Sauce ### Resources Membership Sign Up The Keychain CPR Masks Change Your Narrative, Change Your Life

Today we talk about preparing for winter, Christmas gift ideas, decision making with emotions, green chilipalooza and more! Direct Download Tales from the Prepper Pantry Tomato canning Drying red runners Green chili weekend is this weekend: Salsa, canning chilies, roasting chilies, eating chilies What Mother Nature is providing A word on the fall garden Okra okra okra Jerusalem Artichokes are blooming - Lotsa tomatoes A final mullein, mint, lemon balm and comfrey sweep Jewelweed Stump the Sauce Coffee in soup Tales from the Booze Whisperer Using all the tomato water when canning Operation Independence Put up 26.5 quarts of tomatoes - $2 a quart including propane and lids (but not my time). Fridge win for the duplex Christmas is coming - gift ideas Custom bitters Coffee air freshener Jams and jellies Rustic Walking stick Elderberry Syrup kit: dried elderberries, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, honey The newly adopted family that visited and an update on Airbnb Making decisions by emotion Fall on the homestead = prepare for winter Song: Feed My Hunger by Sauce ### Resources Membership Sign Up Amish Coffee Soup 2016 Christmas Gift Ideas 2017 Christmas Gift Ideas 5 ways to prepare hatch chilies

And today, I have a fun interview to share with you. I talked to a friend, John Moody who boasts a background at the Farm to Table legal defense fund, has built a high tunnel on his land, and approaches homesteading with the simple idea that: don't make it harder than it has to be. He is about to release his book, the frugal homestead, and is an all-around fun guy to talk with! Direct Download What Mother Nature is providing Watercress is starting to come back Creek Mint Lots of veggies Fall Garden Time is Now What we are preserving this week Beans and corn. Lesson learned from canning sauerkraut Tales from the Prepper Pantry Scored another bushel of corn and canned it Need to insulate the exterior wall in the prepper pantry to see if temperature regulates better Ideas from the Booze Whisperer Hickory Smoked Bourbon and Lavender Simple Syrup Operation Independence We relaxed with friends this weekend and what started as a quiet visit expanded into a fun gathering What do do when you have people to feed and not enough eggs (Crepes) Conquered paper mountain!!! (Taxes are almost done because of this) Interview with John Moody, Author of Frugal Homesteading Song: Learning What Leaving Is, Sauce Resources Pre-order form for the frugal homesteader: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFqfumN4cWkjv3RMuuBuHZLivLgaFYJJRdPkuNjvUsxNSvCw/viewform Homesteader Handbook: https://homesteaderhandbook.com/ Booze Whisperer: BiltongForBreakfast.com Membership Sign Up: https://livingfreeintennessee.com/iump-subscription-plan/

Today, we will take a look at what it means to change your narrative into something that helps move you where you want to go. Resources Membership Sign Up What Mother Nature is providing Hot weather AND rain - perfect for fall garden if you can keep things going Tomatoes, beans and okra Swiss chard is ramping up Dill weed and other herbs More elderberries - still seeking 1 gallon Early season apples What we are preserving this week Canning tomatoes Sauerkraut canning Tales from the Prepper Pantry Canned jars are stacking up Garlic is ready to be stored - so it is inside It's hot in there - still haven't defrosted the freezer Tales from the booze whisperer What to do with canned peaches Operation Independence Change Your Narrative, Change Your Life Learn about frame or perspective: This is what those annoying people who love lemonade do. Define what is really important to your success and frame your personal narrative toward that. Learn how your behavior impacts those around you - and use that. Make it a great week. Song: Feed My Hunger, by Nicole Sauce

Today, I talk through the two types of canning and the 8 projects you can do to slowly build up your canning skills. Direct Download Resources: Resource for canning times and recipes Negroni Cocktail Brine recipe Carey Pressure Canner (It is $140 today -- keep your eye out for a sale) Membership Sign Up Make it a great week! Song: Mr Clammy by Sauce

Today, we will do a Holler Homestead roundup review and look into fall. That's right, it has been a few months since we took a look at my homestead here, how it is doing, and where we are going as we move into fall. Right now is when you should be readying your fall beds. Now is when you should be at least half wat finished canning your winter stores. Now is when you should be thinking – Christmas is coming, what will I make for gifts? And now is a great time for the quarterly assessment of your lifestyle goals. Direct Download Membership Sign Up: https://livingfreeintennessee.com/iump-subscription-plan/ What Mother Nature is Providing This is where we talk about what is coming off the land around us to enrich our lives. Passion flower: Goats have unearthed passionflower which will turn into passion fruit this fall Elderberries are coming on fast and I will miss harvesting some due to my business trip this week. All the vegetables: squash, beans, corn, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, herbs, swiss chard Sweet potato greens: Recipe and processing and the sifference from potatoes A tale of the megadill plants at Cider Hollow Farm What we are preserving this week This is where we talk about what we preserve, when we preserve it, and how we process it. Drying herbs On the road A word on recovering from Pneumonia and the relative level of activity a person can sustain (It's like altitude sickness) An aquaponics update A word on pests Balancing the system and what we did to fix it Funky germination Volume of food and what I will do differently next year Trellising Prune and layer things differently More purposeful layering More beds and not all the things in all the beds Tales from the prepper pantry Bee update: Wax moths and the related cleanup It's official, we are 1/3 ready for winter. 1 room is full of jars. Still pushing slowly forward on the reset for fall storage Operation Independence Three new ducks and a chicken Campground expansion in process #my3things is growing Headed to Houston for the week to earn money Summer at the Holler Homestead. Song: Every Way, by Sauce

Today, we have an exploration topic: Navigating tough communications and interpersonal relationships. What does that have to do with homesteading or independence? Well it turns out it has a lot to do with both those things. What Mother Nature is providing Squash bugs and vine borers have won yet again - the early heat wave. Tomatoes, green beans, okra, corn Elderberry, sumac berries, lemon balm Mimosa flowers are still going strong Still haven't seen blueberries Confession on garlic: You can't dig when you have pneumonia What we are preserving this week Buch update Drying sage, lemonbalm and peppermint Canning corn and beans Tales from the Prepper Pantry From last week: It's about time to re-organize all the canned goods and take an assessment Operation prepper pantry fury as Brian would say Defrosting the chest freezer will happen soon - as soon as I am well Listener Feedback Phone consultation question Listening twice Operation Independence Refined focus has helped despite losing weeks to illness. Increased the debt payoff allocation (emergency fund is back in place, had a good month with our Airbnb, paper sold the most ads ever this edition) Taxes are getting closer Topic: Navigating Tough Communication Song: Cilly Song

Today, we have a chat with the Tactical Redneck about the MBTI personality types and how he has learned from this way of categorizing people to improve his interpersonal skills at work. It is a fast interview paired with an update from Samantha the Savings Ninja.

Today, I want to talk about how focusing on a few things can help you get many things done. That's right. We have touched on this concept in other episodes, but today, I thought we could dive a little deeper. And what sparked this idea? Well, it is the new Facebook group, Living Free in Tennessee Coffee Break. This is where lots of listeners are starting to post up to 3 do or die items that they will get done that day to move themselves forward toward their long-term goals. Some of the things are small, like taking a walk every morning. Some are big: like put up 6 bushels of corn — or some crazy amount — that took that person three days, but she got it done. And people are posting pictures of their progress and sharing ideas. But why three? Why now? We will talk about that after our segments. What Mother Nature is providing Lots of tomatoes, cukes, squashes, onions, cabbage, greenbeans Mullein flowers have arrive and it is time to harvest Mimosa flowers are here – tincture Someone put a goat roast in my freezer and we are having a curry from that Potatoes are here but I hope to put off getting any until October because my storage area is not well enough insulated to keep those puppies cool Peaches arrived this week but I have not seen any blueberries. I fear the frost killed those What we are preserving this week Dried our runner beans so we can hull them (what happened last year) Should be canning corn, but I am sick and taking another week off – maybe 2. It's totally freaking me out Drying mullein flowers Bee balm would be coming on had I not killed it Making komboucha Karley / continuous style (see member portal for her fermentation video) Should be making pickles but again – sick Tales from the Prepper Pantry It's about time to re-organize all the canned goods and take an assessment Operation prepper pantry fury as Brian would say Defrosting the chest freezer will happen soon – as soon as I am well Operation Independence Updating the duplex: New deadline – end of August, and a trade Airbnb has been jammin Build Personal Productivity with #My3Thing Song: Special, By Sauce Resources Membership Sign Up Holler Roast Coffee LFTN Coffee Break

Today we talk about five uses for an abundance of cucumbers. Everyone else around me who got their gardens started on time are drowning in cucumbers! I even got a text from a long time friend asking me how to make pickles this week. And SHE doesn't do canning ---- yet. So if I am drowning in cucumbers without even having mine even begin to develop yet, then other people who were more responsible about planting this year must be covered up in these tasty veggies. NEW Membership Portal Discount! MT Knives. Resources MT Knives: MtKnives.net The MTK Talon Membership Sign Up Cucumbers as beauty supplies Canning in 8 Projects Episode: Pickles Tomato Cucumber Soup What Mother Nature is providing Lots of tomatoes Overwhelming numbers of cucumbers Sweet potato greens Early onions Cabbage - sauerkraut Watercress and salad are done Tales from the Prepper Pantry Hashbrowns on pizza - buy sharpies Dealing with smelly/mildew clothes in the south at this time of year Dishwasher soap experiment Listener feedback New Facebook Group: Living Free in Tennessee Coffee Break Mewe Group Ideas from the Booze Whisperer Cucumber Cocktail Operation Independence Updating the duplex: $800 for roughing in three fixtures in a duplex remodel with a friend. (Numbers derived from national average installation pricing) Managed to keep my commitment to myself and keep the dishes and laundry caught up in the past week of busy And now for the main topic of our show: 5 uses for an abundance of cucumbers. If you are new to this show, or new to homesteading, etc., do feel free to reach out and suggest topics for me to cover. Just shoot an email to [email protected]. Make it a great week. Song: Tripped Out by Sauce

I have a special one for you today. Remember the lady who bought the acreage in the Ozarks with multiple dilapidated cabins and a cave with a restaurant built into it? That's right, I had a chance to catch up with Dori a few weeks ago and find out how her winter went, where she has made progress and what her past 9 months or so have been like. Yes, today you get to hear about her walk toward independence, one year later. Resources Awesome Soap: SimplyCleansing.com Dori's Project - 40 Acres and a Cave Membership Sign Up What Mother Nature is providing The first tomato! (and New tomato transplants in the aquaponics system) Everything - we are getting just about everything right now minus Okra. Summer salads Creamy cucumber with dill German style potato salad (shhhh Lynn) Coleslaw Tart Pasta Salad Tales from the Prepper Pantry CANNING SEASON Advice from the Cocktail Whisperer(See more from David over at Biltong for Breakfast) Icy Smooth Bourbon Beverage Operation Independence $500 for grey water repair which is FINALLY done $1 a load for not drying the laundry with propane Homestead Design One Year Later - An interview with Dori Make it a great week. Song: Wolf by Sauce (At Dori's request) Photos from 40 Acres and a Cave

I had an inspiration, a breakthrough. It was really just a simple thought, but that doesn't sound as cool as a breakthrough. And it came to me at the oddest time. It came at a time when all was quiet, I wasn't thinking about grey water, or canning, or growing Holler Roast Coffee, or the paper or anything else. It came to me in a moment of silence, when I was kicking back observing the world around me, just walking along the road with my dogs. And it got me to thinking. What do we need to have in place to have breakthroughs? What can we do to help ourselves grow and change? We will talk about that later in the show. Two Year anniversary: Membership sale for one week! Resources Membership Sign Up Five Elements of Homemade Salad Dressing What Mother Nature is providing Elderflowers are still going strong Wineberries Basil Cabbage Raspberries for about another week Green Garlic: Cream of garlic soup Green tomatoes First Jalapeno pepper from the Aquaponics system Tales from the Prepper Pantry Drying last year's garlic - yes is stored that long with no problems Honey Harvest: 8 mediums (!!!) Borrowing a centrifuge from our friend Ricky Learning Aquaponics Trellising in 15 minutes - a story Rooting things in the ebb and flow bed Operation Independence Hit the paper hard and it yielded two big clients! Breakthroughs Come when you least expect them.....some thoughts. Make it a great week! Song: The Flood by Sauce

Today we will talk to Vin Armani about declaring independence. What struck me about his talk at Liberty Forum was that it was not a tired lecture on the the historical relevance of our Declaration of Independence here, it was an evaluation of what sparks people to choose to be free, and what character elements one needs to have to do it. We also have a crypto tip from our friend Kurt. Show Resources Find Vin Armani Online Membership Sign Up Episode 8: Five Uses for Summer Squash Purse.io What Mother Nature is providing Poke Weed, Tiger lillies - Lilium lancifolium, Basil Cabbage Broccoli Yellow squash begins Raspberries are ripe Garlic is coming out of the ground this week And we've still got elderberry blooms to fritter up, as well as red clover flowers to harvest and dry for tea Tales from the Prepper Pantry We got our first round of beets to pickle Harvest Bounty Letting Tomato Suckers get about 6-8 inches long them putting them in the ebb and flow bed to root for future transplant Starting to plan which plants will leave the system and go to Kurt's where the Middle TN GSD crew is planning to do an aquaponics installation this weekend Questions from Listeners From Amy on FB: "I've been enjoying your podcasts for quite a while. I enjoy them bc I'm homesteading not far in N. Alabama and our climates are very similar. I'm wondering if you or your TN audience would like to share what counties in TN you think are great for finding good homesteading land for a good price. I'm planning to look for some land on the other side of the state line. Also any reasons TN is so awesome in general to homestead in?" Operation Independence Something has been added to the Independence fund - we just don't know what Community and self reliance Thanks Knighthawk Kurt's segment on Purse.io Declaring Independence with Vin Armani A conversation about Satyagraha, crypto, declaring independence for yourself, what is none of your business, self ownership and more. Make it a great week! Song:

Today we talk about animals on the homestead, and more particularly training animals on the homestead. This is not the all-successful animal trainer's view of getting your animals in line telling you how to achieve impossible results with just one week of practice when they have spent a lifetime learning. This will be a discussion of the benefits of training your livestock and some ideas on how to do that, as well as stories and examples of things I have done well here at the Holler Homestead === and not so well. Direct Download What Mother Nature is providing Poke Weed Tiger lilies - Lilium lancifolium Lettuce Garlic flowers Chard Dill Basil Tales from the Prepper Pantry Using up non-pickled beets Drying last year's garlic to make garlic powder Harvest Bounty The 5 foot tomato was really 4 feet. NOW it is 5 feet and the blight begins Trellising Sweet potato greens are ready Questions from Listeners: What exactly do 'you' do with dandelions. Do you roast the root, dry the leaves for tea, etc. How do you best use the 'weed'? What do 'you' do with mullein. Do you simply dry the leaves and then use it for hot tea? How do you make your comfrey salve? Do you get the bees wax from your bees or do you buy it? Compostable toilets--can it really be as easy as a 5 gallon bucket and sawdust? Operation Independence $50 in the independence fund - rental property faucet and why basic skills are important The hack saw that saved the day Topic of the day: Training Animals on the Homestead Learn the animal's perspective. Observe - every day. Find out what motivates them Figure out what you need to train them to do, or not to do Schedule your time to train them Membership Portal And with that, go out and Make it a great week! Song: Mr. Clammy by Sauce

Today, we walk through all the endeavors here at the Holler Homestead and assess if we are in track, where to focus and how to move forward. Assessing your progress along the year is important to developing the lifestyle you want, building independence and stability and staying focused. What Mother Nature is providing Poke Weed Elderflower Fritters Watercress is done until it cools down Seeing unripe wild raspberries on the vines Tales from the Prepper Pantry Corn is used up! Celebrating Strawberry Geranium Jam Harvest Bounty Lettuce and chard The 5 foot tall tomato Vining plants are ready for trellising Operation Independence $50 in on the replaced plug Make it a great week! Song: Mr. Clammy Resources Membership Sign Up

Today, I want to circle back on community, self-reliance, and side hustles. You see, we had a great Spring Workshop here in late April, and some pretty cool relationships came from that. And not just the - oh hey I met you at a workshop kind, but some real relationships. My next door neighbor has worked two days at another participant's farm, there is another gathering coming up this weekend that has coordinated itself, and so much more. What Mother Nature is providing Hemlock is flowering The usuals for salad: hairy vetch, watercress, dandelion Garlic scapes!! Salad Sprouts are back up and running since I am home Tales from the Prepper Pantry Farmers market update: All salads all the time - things are waaay behind this season Staying the course on using things up Harvest Bounty We lost about 5 of the 20 fish Operation Independence Update on the new schedule: Today has been the first day I was able to really follow it. The AirbnB is open for the season and we are getting lots of rent Song: Wolf by Sauce

Today, we explore why adding creative pursuits into your life helps you succeed in other areas, even if you are not the best in show in whatever creative thing you choose to learn. You may be wondering what this has to do with designing a successful and happy life, homesteading, freedom, or side hustles. Here's the thing. It's hard to justify it in a pithy soundbite. But creative pursuits result in physical, mental and emotional benefits. So hang with me on this and I hope you will find ways to reprogram yourself through creative pursuits as you design the life you love. This episode is dedicated to Puff --- our kitty that was with us for too short a time. What Mother Nature is providing Asparagus Goldenseal, a plant rife with medicinal uses Salve season is here with the comfrey and jewelweed right at perfect harvest size for this purpose. Aquaponics update: Another salad has resulted from the system, which is crankin out some growth. We added 20 goldfish last night and have lost one so far. And I did plant all the seeds in advance of what was supposed to be a rainy day. It's sunny. And blazing hot. Tales from the Prepper Pantry Still getting set up to dry teas for the winter Hoping to see beets at the farmers market soon. Operation Independence 13 hours in the car with Mama Sauce has helped me restructure time in a way that I think will leave more room for creative pursuits - guys - if you can't afford a consultant to help you deconstruct your choices as you build your life the way you want it, find some close friends and ask for coaching from them. The outside view is instrumental in helping you get more effective and this long talk with mama sauce really helped me adjust some priorities that were more oriented toward urgent rather than important. Five benefits of building creative pursuits into your life. Song: Feed My Hunger by Sauce Make it a great week!

Today, I want to share with you a beginner's perspective on Aquaponics. At the LFTN Spring Workshop, two awesome guys installed an Aquaponics system here, so I got to witness first hand how to install something right the first time, AND we have been using it for a week now. One of the things that has kept me from doing aquaponics here has been how hard it sounds to set something up, so having this in place is a big deal. So for those of you out there thinking about aquaponics, or even those who are not sure it is a good idea, I want to let you know what it is like as a beginner to launch and learn about Aquaponics. Direct Download Membership Portal What Mother Nature is providing Watercress is winding up Hairy vetch, chickweed and deadnettle Stinging nettle is blooming here and will die back until fall, unless we get rainy/cooling in the next month or so Asparagus Goldenseal, a plant rife with medicinal uses Tea time: lemon balm, blackberry and raspberry leaves. There should be bee balm, but I must have managed to kill my patch of it. Tales from the Prepper Pantry Putting up dried herbs and tea makings - both for flavor and medicinal. Creek mint is ready to harvest. Beeswax Story: the swarming bees - when 2 hives become 4, plus 2 off site Harvest Bounty Aquaponics are in and we are setting strategies for where/how we will run vines. Garlic should scape out in the next few weeks. Stretching meals Workshop leftovers Operation Independence Mama Sauce came and helped do another round of get rid of the clutter - which frees us to focus on the important rather than the urgent Spring Workshop ROCKED and is a foundation in our walk toward independence. Taxes are back on the todo list right after carnegie hall. Speaking of Carnegie: May 12th, 2pm meet up in New York at a pub near Carnegie Hall. The Irish Pub: 837 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019. DO check on our Facebook page and website though because if it is full, we will adjust our plans. Just look for the chick with the cowboy hat. Why Aquaponics: Things grow too well in Tennessee - by which I mean the wrong things grow too well and with the coffee business, I wanted to have time to devote to coffee. Project goal: Aquaponics that looks great in front of the house so Mark does not make me remove it, pays for itself or even earns money, runs itself when I am away in case Mark is out working on the paper. Lesson 1: Aquaponic is much easier than it seems when you start learning about it. Lesson 2: Installation can be cheap and hard work, or more expensive and quick and easy Lesson 3: It is frightening how fast things grow Lesson 4: You can plant things closer together - and kill things fast. Lesson 5: It's not about the fish Make it a great week! Song: Special by Sauce

Today, we review the good, the bad, the ugly from the Living Free in Tennessee Spring Workshop with The Tactical Redneck, one of our participants. All in all, things went well, folks got to learn from each other about homesteading things, a surprise session on how to capture bee swarms happened, and we even got to be intimately involved with a real aquaponics installation. It was a good time, and we hope that the relationships forged at this event will serve all those who were here well for years to come. Make it a great week! Song; Cilly Song, by Sauce

Today we talk through 7 steps to take to deescalate tense situations, talk about bees and bee swarms, and share stores of what has gone on at the Holler Homestead over the past week or so. This spring has run away and we had snowflakes this morning, as well as some fun goaty antics.

Today we talk about 10 tips for coordinating a workshop on your own property. Want to know why? Well, selfishly, this is in part because ALL I am thinking about right now is workshop details. And also because I know lots of you are on your own side hustle or entrepreneurial adventure. It is so cool when you send me emails about what you are up to. And you guys have neat skills that not everyone has. When you are in this situation, it becomes tempting to host a workshop and share the knowledge. So today, we will go over some early lessons I have learned getting the LFTN18 Spring Workshop up and running. What Mother Nature is providing Dryad's Saddle Watercress is getting long in the tooth, deadnettle and wild mustard flower Raspberry leaves for tea Mint is starting to come on Tales from the Prepper Pantry Play a little help from our friends The snakes were tamed by a very special set of visitors who reminded me to have fun no matter what - and fun we did have. The sweet potato slips Using up the canned goods: Weekend stew Making pickled quail eggs for the spring workshop. Getting the gardens ready Seedling update - Houston we had a problem Getting materials for the Aquaponics system - and also getting excited Operation Independence Metal scrap pays for gas tomorrow Outdoor composting toilet is ready to go Last week's trip to Houston will knock out one of my debts The 10 tips for hosting a workshop on your homestead Organize your schedule around a foundational speaker. Organize your schedule around a foundational speaker. Give yourself at least 6 months or a year to get this right: Marketing, mechanics of web sign up, overview emails, getting your grounds read, all take a ton of time. Events a bloody expensive. Infrastructure need to have vs nice to have list - then cut the need to have list in half and set realistic participant expectations. When someone offers to help, find a way to let them help. Your community helping you go toward the same mission is what will make or break you. Hire help. You may be really good at catering these things. You dont actually have time to do that. Know the roles, write them down, have some backups ready to go. Empower the participants to make things better. (Slack) Organize early and often. Remember the little things are the most important. Inform your neighbors Do a run of show two weeks in advance And remember this tip from one of our friends: You will always wish you had 2 more weeks to get ready (from David at Cider Hollow) And with that, go out, and make it a great week! Song: Thanks Dave, Sauce

It's been awhile since we explored a freedom topic, and as most of you know, the ability to live life as freely as possible is one reason that Mark and I have chosen to go on this homesteading journey. So today, I thought that it might be fun to examine something about freedom that most people don't talk much about: building the ability to know what is none of your business. You've all heard the term "Nimby" right? Well today we will walk through that, along with our usual segments and a few tales from the Holler. Direct Download What Mother Nature is providing • Dryad's Saddle • Watercress, deadnettle and wild mustard flowers • Poke and hairy vetch should be coming out soon Tales from the Prepper Pantry • The blue bins and resulting can of snakes • Pickled beets in deviled eggs • Three final squashes to be buried in the garden • Onions still hanging in there • 8 jars of turkey stock put up Getting the gardens ready • Seedlings are in place • Need to trim the raspberries and thin out the wood chips • Hoping to see asparagus soon Stretching meals • Turkey: Cooked on Sunday and lasted the whole week, yielding 8 jars of stock put up, 2 cans of stock in the fridge, 1 large stew, turkey tacos, and turkey scramble. Even the pigs got in on the scramble because I made too much. The turkey cost $11, carrots and other ingredients cost about $8 and we hardly had anything but turkey related items all week. >>Surprise savings ninja segment Operation Independence • The pump replacement store • Workshop preparations o Composting toilet o House of cards cleanup project o Outdoor shower redo Questions to ask yourself as you explore the question: What is None of your Business? Song: Feed My Hunger by Sauce

A friend asked me, while looking at a carcass to cut up on his butchering table, how I would butcher a lamb if I had one here for Mark and me. So today, we will talk about how to process your spring lamb - or goat - for two. What mother nature is providing Watercress season is here Wild mustard flowers - as usual in time for Easter Dead nettle and chickweed Dandelion greens and flowers Tales from the prepper pantry The tools are organized! The last onions have landed in my kitchen - I kept finding more Avocado quinoa salad. Butternut squash bisque this week Stretching Meals Turkey cycle again this time, but with new recipes - we will share some next week. Operation Independence The trout conundrum as they relate to operation independence. Help please. What is the Independence Fund anyway? Great resource for cutting up a lamb from the Guardian of all places: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gallery/2008/nov/19/foodanddrink Make it a great week! Song: Cilly Song, by Sauce

Today, we are going to talk about some fun projects we did over the last week here at the Holler Homestead. There were some changes that needed to be done because of the pig, some fun wild plants popping up, goat hijinks and more. And yes, as usual, nothing went as planned but a bunch of stuff got done. This really makes me think the most important skill you can develop if you plan to integrate homesteading practices into your life is troubleshooting and keeping things flexible. Rainbowcrawlers.com What mother nature is providing More rain Stinging nettle Dead nettle (for salad) Watercress Egg recipe of the week: Tuna egg salad Getting the Gardens Ready Story: Farmers market meeting Tales from the prepper pantry Cleared out everything but the last 7 onions and 2 butternut squashes in the root cellar. Reorganizing it for the summer months Using up green beans and beets at a fast clip now that the new crops are about to be upon us BBQ story Stretching Meals The Boston Butt Project Operation Independence Pig shelter story Make it a great week! Song: Dr Feeley, Dr. Skinner by Sauce

How are you doing moving toward your goals? These past few weeks have had me thinking pretty hard about how simple it is to set a set of priorities in your life and family, then use them as a filter through which to make choices. It is so simple, in fact, that it is hard. Then I got to reading a book I was helping someone right and one of their chapter titles was "Organized people who are wrong beat disorganized people who are right every time." What mother nature is providing Watercress Shagbark Stinging Nettle Mullein Wild Garlic Getting the Gardens Ready Wood chipping in the garden space Trimmed up the peach tree and elderberries Tales from the prepper pantry The Sweet potatoes have rotted Still have butternut squash - the powerhouse of the pantry Operation Independence Another load of pallets arrives this week New Well Pump Installation Slogging through the taxes one day at a time Make it a great week! Song: Belly Dancing Vamp Tune, Sauce

We are going to talk about life and more importantly life today, not yesterday, and not tomorrow. You hear people say all the time to live in the now but that seems kind of weird, right? I mean, if I just do what I want every day to be in the now, then when tomorrow comes, I will have used up all my cash and will end up out on the street. Well, maybe living in the now but being aware of the future is important. We will cover more of that in the main topic of the show. What mother nature is providing I don't really know, but Houston has chick weed Watercress and Mint It froze again so some of the early starts and the daffodils will be beaten back when I get home Crappie Getting the Gardens Ready All it does is rain...so nothing Tales from the prepper pantry There will be a pig in the freezer when I get back so we will be makin bacon Centering meals around the meat in the freezer that needs to go. Goal is to keep as healthy as possible. Really focused on using up the canned goods Sugar snap peas, radishes and tangerines Stretching Meals In a hotel: Tamales Sushi Rotisserie chicken and salad Uber eats Operation Independence We are not going to have to buy pork for awhile... Focusing on operation yearly income through facilitation projects at least once a month Song: Special by Sauce

Today we have a great interview with Chef Brett Corrieri, the instructor from Cider Hollow Farm's pork processing class. Brett walks us through the process to dry cure a ham, and describes why you would want to eat it a little too well. Also today, we have a roundup of sweet potato recipes from you, the listener. Goat Video Sweet Potato Recipes Oven baked sweet potato fries (or cubes) Peel and cut 2-3 lbs sweet potatoes Coat with olive oil, toss with 1 tsp paprika (sweet Hungarian paprika if you've got it) 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp salt. Bake 425F for about 30 minutes, stirring and turning after 15. Should be slightly crisp on the edges, soft in the middle. Yum! Josh's Roundup Sweet potato chili Sweet potato flatbread NC Sweet Potato Tortillas Squash Sweet Potato Chili Interesting recipe Sweet potato fritters Ginger Sweet Potato Cheesecake SP Garlic Mac N Cheese SP Hummus Soul SP From Tamlyn TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES Bake sweet potatoes like usual, cool, halve, and scoop out flesh (be gentle, the shells tear easily). Mix with minced garlic or shallot, beaten egg(s), salt, pepper (be generous), Brie (rind removed and diced small), fresh thyme and a little rosemary. Bake @400 on greased, foil-lined pan for ~25 minutes. Remove when tops are beginning to brown and allow to cool before serving. (Adapted from Barefoot Contessa's https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/twice-baked-sweet-potatoes) Make it a great week everyone! Song: Strange Child by Sauce

Today, we've got a good one with an exploration of how well goats work for weed control, as well as some tactics we have learned about over the past "almost year" of having these playful little devils -- and they are devils -- on our land. What mother nature is providing Shagbark Hickory Update Deadnettle is starting to spring up Bees legs are full of pollen Watercress may be big enough this week to harvest a round Bad mushroom year - all my best logs are gone Sprouts Eggapalooza - Getting the Gardens Ready Seedling trays - maybe - big trip to houston coming up and not sure if things will be in place Special replay this week: Growing your Own Seedlings. Mud farming - facial idea Tales from the prepper pantry Marty the pig will graduate in a few weeks - a confession Laying plans to eat more green beans - for some reason this year we've been finding lots of collard greens and not hitting the canned stores Still swimming in sweet potatoes - anyone got some fun recipes? Onions from last fall will be done in about two weeks, just as the wild garlic is coming on Operation Independence Duplex taxes are done - so much more to do on taxes Arranged for Marty to be processed Make it a great week!

Today, we are going to talk about something that several of you have brought up recently: How to navigate a big move. I have moved across the country several times, as well as overseas for a year and learned a thing or two along the way. As it turns out, some of you see your path toward standing on your own in another place from where you are. Places with lower property taxes, or no income tax, or less zoning restriction. Places where you are more free to just get a business started without filling out a million forms. And moving can be so costly! I will share with you some lessons learned in the trenches on this one. 5 NEW SPOTS OPEN: Spring Workshop Direct Download What mother nature is providing Trying out some shag bark tea this week (Hickory) Sprouts Wild garlic Sunchokes Getting the Gardens Ready Have seeds in hand and about ready to start the peppers Aquaponics changes everything Tales from the prepper pantry Lot's of sweet potatoes and here is a recipe shared by a listener Ryan from Homespun Magazine out of Oregon: http://homespunmagazine.com/articles/recipes/jamaican-grilled-sweet-potatoes/ Stretching Meals Sweet potato chili: $8, 14 meals - less than $1 a meal. Operation Independence Invested time at Liberty Forum in expanding the podcast reach - we will see how that goes. I developed a new speech that I can give anywhere now. Kept up on the weekly finance Really need to just do my taxes. 7 thinks to think about before making a big move. Make it a great week! Song: Learning What Leaving Is, by Sauce

Today, I am going to talk with you about opportunity and simplification. Simplification is the top of people's minds for so many right now as they declutter their closets, re-examine their priorities and see opportunities come to fruition. And opportunity is the name of the game. Here at the Holler Homestead, we have been on 18 months of growing side hustles as I transitioned to a different way of life, and, well, the opportunities just keep coming in. Direct Download What mother nature is providing Wild garlic is here - well it was always here, but it has made itself known. My favorite herb of the 2017/18 winter: Mullein Chicken eggs are back! Getting the Gardens Ready Setting my growing plans bit late this year - second tier priority Tales from the prepper pantry Elderberry syrup Hunting the rotting potato Almost through the salsa we canned I haven't bought Garlic in 10 years Stretching Meals Meatballs in stroganoff: $9+$2+$2=$13 (6 meals), Meatballs in lasagna: $1+$2=$3 (6 meals), Meatballs with rice and greens: $2+$1=$3 (4 meals). Total:$1.18 per meal. Operation Independence Caught up on the finance review, but not the declutter goal. Had to prepare to be gone for a week and precooked some things to make it easier on Mark and save money Cover over the camper *might* be done - no one can find my drill battery charger. 5 Ways to simplify your life Just Say NO. Every time you say yes, you a trading a bit of yourself. Is it worth it? Journal, meditate or pray each day - find your time - focus on whatever is in your way then let it go. Implement systems thinking: Declutter and organize and maintain Schedule time with your humans (Prioritize relationships) Schedule in time to grow your skills - books, new skills, expand your capability Of course there are many ways to simplify your life, but it is not simple to do them all. And when you make space for serenity, you also make space for opportunity. Next week, I am doing an episode on lessons learned from moving across the country. Do you have specific things you want to know about? Send your questions to me. Make it a great week! Song: Thanks Dave, Sauce

Today, I am going to talk with you about how to cure ham. This topic is robust enough that we could do several shows on it in fact. I even reached out to my buddy, Chef Brett, to get his take on the dry curing method alongside my brining approach to this conundrum. He and I will have a curing interview later this week.

Today, I've got a whole bunch of stull lined up for you, some of which I meant to tell you last week, but ran out of time. We are going to go through some lessons learned on budgeting for the homestead - Ive collected them from various sources, most of whom are not natural budgeters and we will talk about something I learned this week: How to square a pole barn with a measuring tape, stakes and string. SPRING WORKSHOP INFO

Today I am joined by Brian Norton of Food Forest Farms as he talks about his trials and tribulations along the road toward starting a micro roasting business, breaking out of corporate America, and more! References: Food Forest Farms Brian's Kickstarter

Today, we talk about what we did to deal with the unusually long cold spell in Tennessee this year. This includes strategies for dealing with cold when your housing isn't built for it. We also announce the Spring workshop registration process and go over the membership portal.

It is amazing to me how adding music to a great poem can bring more life to it. This is the final in a series of four versions of the Night Before Christmas with a special song, performed live on Dec 3, 2017 in Cookeville, TN, by the Cookeville Mastersingers and the music wsa arranged by Simone. Merry Christmas all!

Today may be the night before the night before Christmas for us here in the US, but our friends in Australia are already there. For them, it IS the night before Christmas. A friend from down under recorded this version of the poem for us with a few adjustments made for her local environment. Thank you AussieRo.

Join us for the second in a series for 2017 of poems read from throughout the world. This version of The Night Before Christmas comes from me, recording from Tennessee. It is followed by a performance of Jingle Bells, recorded live on December 3, 2017 in the Wanntenbarger Auditorium by the Cookeville Mastersingers and arranged by Don Large.