Homesteady - Stories of Living off the Land (Austin Martin, Squash Hollow Farm)

Did you know the average homestead LOSES $1,980 per year? But it doesn't have to be that way! In this video, we reveal how three successful homesteaders turned their farms into profitable businesses using the E.G.G. method: In this video we will discuss how 3 different homesteads made $75,000 last year, selling the right kind of products! 💰 Want to make YOUR homestead profitable? Click Here to Book a 1-on-1 consultation Click Here to Join Homesteady Pioneer Pro 🔗 Connect with our featured homesteaders: Desert Trails Homestead (Jess): Instagram Link Website Link Little Arellano Farm (Alyssa) Instagram Link Blueville Acres (Robin): Website Link Facebook Link 📋How Do YOU Make Money? Share your homestead success story: CLICK HERE to Fill out our survey #Homesteading #SmallFarm #Sustainability #FarmLife #SelfSufficiency #Entrepreneurship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was WAY BACK! May 16, 2014.... The very first episode of the Homesteady Podcast was released.... Since then we have released 55 episodes of the podcast 286 Youtube videos blog posts courses swag! I didn't start this thinking I would ever go full time with it. I didn't think content creation could be a career... But the world has changed! Back in Feb, 2015 we launched the Pioneer Program... It consisted of Bonus videos and podcasts Courses I taught to local schools Discounts from homestead vendors It sells everyday for $5 a month.  (https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/) Slowly we built this podcast, then youtube channel, and turned it to a better and better business. NOW ITS TIME TO LEAP! Learn our big news in todays LIVESTREAM! Or... If you don't feel like watching that .... Here it goes... I AM GOING TO DO HOMESTEADY FULL TIME!!! For the last few years we have been building our show to the point where I could do this full time. Now, my life has had some changes that allow me to focus on Homesteady, and we are going to try for the next 3 months to do this full time! We could only do this with the help from our Homesteady Pioneers! Their support has been huge. If you would like to become a Homesteady Pioneer, get access to all our Classes, Bonus Podcasts and Videos, and Pioneer Discounts, we are going to have a special BLACK FRIDAY - CYBER MONDAY Sale!  CLICK HERE to become a Pioneer for the whole year, for just $33! It is the cheapest sale we have ever done. It will go away on Tuesday. SO WHAT SHOULD YOU EXPECT FROM HOMESTEADY? In the next month we will be ramping things up over here. Starting in 2018, expect to see 2 Podcast episodes a month! About 45 min long, released every other week. On the YouTube side, we will be releasing 1 or 2 vids weekly, as well as a livestream... FARM FRIDAYS - ABOUT TO CHANGE BIG TIME TOO... In addition to our emails every Friday, we will be hosting a livestream on Fridays! The farm Friday livestream will be a recap of our week, share our latest content, and answer a weekly question! Email us or comment on a video with a Question and you could be featured in that piece. Thats it! Thanks for helping us get here... We couldn't do it without you! -Aust PS - if you want to help us produce this show, but can't do the pioneer program, no worries! You can do your cyber Monday shopping at amazon through our www.amsteady.com link, spend nothing extra, but we get a little affiliate bonus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, Aust will reveal the secrets to actually catch fish when you go fishing. As fishing is something best done with your buddies, Aust has his fishing buddies, Uncle Bourbon, who is a fly fishing guide (find him here), and James, or "Pickles," as his guests on this show to share tips, tricks, and strategy. While there are many types of fish, this episode focuses on fresh water "panfish", specifically bass and trout. ***The Suburban Escapee here: New to fishing? Haven't fished since you were a scout? This cheat sheet of fishing terms will help when you are listening to this episode!*** Truth: "Fishing" is synonymous with "disappointed." Aust shares a story of his childhood fishing with Uncle John. On a bucolic day, planned for fishing under a waterfall, Aust arrives at this special spot to find that the waterfall is completely dried up. However, a couple of things can really change your luck. A little bit of know-how goes a long way. When should you fish? Where should you fish? And what should you use? This episode will cover this, and so much more, so that next time you go fishing, you will actually catch fish. The season, month, and weather greatly affect how many fish you will catch. In the Northeast, Aust and his buddies believe that May is the best fishing month. Particularly for fly fishing, the "hatch" is best in May. The spring is the best time to catch the fish, because the fish start spawning and they are "in the shallows" where even the most novice fisher can catch a fish while standing on the shore. A nice, overcast day will be the most comfortable, and fishing early in the morning or at nightfall are the best times of day for catching fish. Remember this rhyme: If the barometer is risin' on their beds they'll be lyin' If the barometer is droppin' in your boat they'll be hopin' Where do you find the fish? It's often said 80% of the fish can be found in 20% of the water. Where to find the fish is dependent upon what type of fish one is trying to catch, the time of year, and what body of water is being fished. Fish like rocks, docks, shallow points, and downed trees. Fish eat insects, so anywhere insects lay eggs and hatch is a great place to cast your lure. The right fishing gear can greatly improve your chances of catching fish. You need the right size pole, hook, and line to attract your desired fish. Different water conditions, different fish species, and different bodies of water require different gear. Ready to start fishing? We've got a how-to on YouTube showing you exactly what to get. Do you have more questions about fishing? Email Aust at aust@homesteady.com. Show us your fishing gear and the fish you catch by tagging your social media posts #iamhomesteady. As we are now recording the podcast LIVE on YouTube and Prepperbroadcasting Tuesday evenings at 9, (join the email list to get the link) we were able to take phone calls from our listeners (and a very special guest!). Our listeners shared their best fish stories and asked advice on how to keep and prepare fish you catch properly for eating, fishing around heavy weeds, and how to best take kids fishing. Did you know we do a Pioneer Only live discussion on the week's topic Tuesday at 10? Become a Pioneer today to receive the Pioneer Only link. For five dollars a month, you get access to exclusive podcast episodes, how-to classes and videos, discount codes, our weekly live Pioneer Discussion, and so much more. Thank you to our sponsors! Support the show without spending an extra dime. Shop Amazon by clicking on www.amsteady.com to do your Amazon shopping, and we receive a referral bonus since Amazon knows we sent you. Use your next bulk toilet paper order- or maybe now you're motivated to order some new fishing supplies?-to support our show. Special Event Alert! We are thrilled to host Dave Hunt of Northeast Edible at the Homesteady Farm May 6, 2017 for an Orchard Planting Workshop. Interested in getting tickets? Join our email list and be the first to know when tickets go on sale. Unable to attend but want all the knowledge? Homesteady Pioneers to get access to an exclusive how-to video from the event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, we meet Elaine Vandiver of Old Homestead Alpacas. Elaine's journey to her purpose began on 9/11. A college student at the time, She felt the right thing for her to do was the join the army and serve her country. Now, she's an alpaca farmer. Wait, what? Let's back up. We met Elaine in the Homesteady Launchpad business course hosted by Aust and Accountant Mike. Elaine is currently finding success in agrotourism- giving tourists an "on-farm" experience that is projected to net $11,000 this year. Elaine isn't from Walla Walla Washington. Originally from Indiana, Elaine completed a successful military career and followed her then boyfriend (now husband) to Washington State. Falling in love with the beautiful landscape, they put down their roots. Elaine credits her time in the military for giving her invaluable perspective, and assisting her success in homesteading. Elaine felt that the time she spent as a solider helped her become a stronger person and put hardship in perspective. It was after her military experience however, that Elaine met what was to be a true test of her strength: her desire to have a family and her journey through infertility. After seven years of exhaustive medical intervention and ongoing mental stress and disappointment, Elaine and her husband found themselves choosing the end their journey to become pregnant and take a different path. This led them to selling their family-ready home and moving to the country. "Undervalued" was the word Elaine and her husband had in mind when searching for their property- looking for a "country fabulous" property they could bring to its full potential. They found their "gem" of a fixer upper, and the work the property needed was the perfect project to distract the Vandivers from their previous seven years of heartbreak. The property also came with a few surprises- in-tact perimeter fencing, a history of a previous homestead,  3 pastures- and two llamas, Leroy and Loretta. If Elaine was going to have her country home, she was going to have to take in the llamas. Googling the care of llamas, Elaine took her new (pets? livestock?) day by day. In her research, she came upon alpacas. They were softer! Cuter! Nicer! When spring came, Elaine purchased a couple to take care of the pastures full of grass on her property. When a connection with a local alpaca farmer was made, the alpacas increased from 2 to 41. In exchange for taking care of the alpaca heard she had acquired, she could keep their product. Through happenstance, Elaine became an alpaca farmer, and began her unplanned, unexpected journey to being a homestead business owner. Things began to fall together so nicely; Elaine wasn't going to stand in the way. Cementing her path was a manila envelope with the original paperwork detailing her property's history as a parcel from the Homestead Act of 1862. Deciding to go all-in, Elaine went step by step to become a legitimate business, following the appropriate protocol to ensure the growth and success of her alpaca farm. It is important to note, however, that the alpaca farm is Elaine's side hustle- she is a "cubicle dwelling bureaucrat" by day. She credits her job with working one side of her brain, and her farm working the entire other side- creativity, problem solving, and passion. However -what about the alpaca fiber- is this really a valuable product? How do we make it that way? Turns out, it is a "diamond in the rough" type product, requiring many steps to become useful and beautiful. Two years, actually, from start to finish. Elaine realized that with such a long turn around time, she needed to re-think how to utilize the value in her property. Turns out, the BEAUTY of the farm could be capitalized on. Check out Elaine on Instagram to see the gorgeous vistas of her farm. If you find a photo of Elaine and an alpaca on the back of a Volkswagon bus, follow her feed, leave a comment identifying yourself as a Homesteady listener, and Aust will give you a FREE month of a Homesteady Pioneer Membership! Elaine started giving tours and opened a little gift shop. More on-farm events have followed: alpaca yoga, a farm to needle workshop series on alpaca fiber, (check out the upcoming sunset yoga and wine tasting!) and then: Airbnb. For her Airbnb, the guest received a port-a-potty and land to put up a tent or camper. For $50 per night, Elaine's farm was extremely popular. Would Elaine's business come out as profitable according to Accountant Mike's standards? No, not yet. But in terms of the added value of happiness- Elaine puts it best: There is a difference between making money, and making a life. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Hells yeah, because I had a BLAST doing it. We have a new partner! Aust is so pleased to partner with Wildcat Outdoor Gear as they premier their collection of tents designed by and for "Outdoorsy Dads." Watch a great video of Aust, Kendra and the kids enjoying their tent here. Enter coupon code Homesteady at check-out for a discount! Join our email list, and don't miss any of the exciting updates we have coming up in 2018! We have a new addition to the Pioneer Program: A PIONEER ONLY FORUM! Learn from one another and get to talk with Accountant Mike, The Foraging Beard, Dave from Northeast Edible, Alexia The Suburban Escapee, and Allyson, our producer. Our podcast guests will also be in the forums! Ask Elaine any questions you may have in our forum. Not a Pioneer? Join today! Want even more ways to support the show? Do your Amazon shopping through our affiliate link- www.amsteady.com. The wait will be shorter than ever for the next episode, as Aust is now creating Homesteady Content FULL TIME. What does that mean? A daily YouTube Video and a NEW podcast every two weeks. We will also Subscribe now to make sure you don't miss part three of our Homestead Business Series, as we once again tackle...GOATS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learning to Hunt Alone is Hard In this episode of Homesteady, we discussed learning to hunt, and how many mistakes one can make when learning without a mentor. Aust learned to hunt by trial and error for his first few years, spooking many a deer his first year. One November afternoon, after still hunting for the good part of the morning, Aust sat down for lunch, making a rookie move of sitting on his butt, when suddenly a big buck arrived, catching him unprepared and off guard. Lessons learned the hard way finally brought Aust to a point where now he harvests multiple deer each year, filling his freezers. Venison is awesome Deer hunting is challenging, but the rewards are great. Venison is a flavor filled meat, with a wide range of uses. One deer can provide a hunter with Steaks Chops Roasts Sausage Burger And when prepared right, venison can pass even the most anti hunters palate. Wild Harvest: Whitetail Deer 101 Course Homesteady is preparing to launch the Wild Harvest Whitetail Deer Course. This course will teach the beginning hunter all the essential knowledge needed for a new hunter to prepare for, and succeed in his first year of hunting. The course will cover: Introduction to Whitetails and Hunting Hunting and Treestand Safety  Equipment - What do you really need to kill a deer? Practice to Succeed Land Acquisition- Tricks for gaining access to private land for hunting Scouting and Strategy Tracking and Recovery Field Dressing, Butchering, and Preserving the Harvest Cooking Delicious Meals  This class will be a series of live webinars, with a Q and A at the end of each session. Our goal is to be able to answer all of the questions you might have, so to make this possible, there will be limited availability. The first day the course goes for sale there will be a early bird discount. Sign up for the warning email list so that you can get first shot at the class and early bird discount before it sells out!  Get The First Shot   Feed Your Family a Wild Harvest! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune in to hear about our crazy spring! We have not 1, but 3 NEW ANIMALS to talk about, it should be a great show!  Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

3 years ago I stopped buying meat. Woa... Woa... Easy. I didn't become a vegetarian. Far from it. In fact, Meatless Monday would cost me more than it would save me. Here is how I get my family of 5 (... Ok, one is a baby...) enough meat for a year, without ever buying it from the supermarket. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CLICK HERE TO BECOME A PIONEER FOR NEW LOW PRICE  Homesteading roots began with people trying to turn their life around  by making a profit. Signed into law in May 1862, the Homestead Act opened up settlement in the western United States, allowing any American, including freed slaves, to put in a claim for up to 160 free acres of federal land. Modern Homesteading is similar. Google pallet homestead projects and you will know, it's often people with little, that dream big. But dreaming and reality are 2 different things. Is it possible to run a profitable homestead? Let's see if our guest can help. GUEST INFO : Accountant Mike Mike currently works as a Senior Accountant at DiLeo & Charles. He has spent about a decade working providing accounting, tax, and consulting services to small business clients and high net worth families. He uses his extensive knowledge of tax and financial statements to help small business owners set and achieve business goals, both financial and otherwise. He currently specializes in strategic planning, income tax reduction, and cash flow management for small businesses. When he isn’t working Mike enjoys following Formula 1 and playing peek-a-boo with his infant daughter. What is a profit? Profit : a financial gain, especially the difference between the amount earned and the amount spent in buying, operating, or producing something. 2 - advantage; benefit. TO BE PROFITABLE SOMETHING MUST PRODUCE MORE THAN IT CONSUMES A profitable garden produces more than it consumes. A profitable chicken produces more than it consumes. A profitable Homestead produces more than it consumes. To find out if we are running a profitable homestead we need to identify what is produced, what is consumed, and see if there is a gain in the difference. The 7 Costs Every Homestead Has to Cover Startup Costs - land, Infrastructure, fencing (Generally Amortized Costs) Running Costs - more than feed, Electricity, water, taxes on land, Surprise Costs - Vet bills, storm damage Finishing costs - butcher, packaging, storage TIME and Labor Opportunity Costs - time spent raising egg laying chickens could be spent driving for uber WASTE - Veggies grown not eaten, eggs go bad The PASTURED POULTRY PACKET is good at this. 3 Ways to Profit From Your Homestead Direct Products - lettuce, eggs, milk, cheese, REPLACING WHAT YOUR BUYING Indirect products - manure, land management, (BUT NOT UNLESS NEEDED, if you don’t NEED manure in your life it’s not brown gold) Sales - selling excess How much do you charge above your costs? Accountant Mike suggests a MINIMUM of 10%! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to pasture pigs... the easy way. Don't have 100 acres? Don't want to bother with electric fencing? Can't spend all day supervising your pig herd? Ya, me either! In this episode we discuss how to raise grassfed pork, without all the hastle. All you need is 2 paddocks and a call. Listen to find out the secret to easy pig farming.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a break from scary corona virus news, and join us for an uplifting and inspiring live show today! DIGITAL TIP JAR FOR THE BAND - https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8nyiVu8cH2 NEW SHIRT - https://www.parsons-designs.com/homesteady Jonathan from Fairfield County Hydroponics will join us to talk Microgreens.  https://www.fairfieldcountyhydroponics.com/ Dave from Northeast Edible is going to talk about perennials and growing fruit. http://www.northeastediblenursery.com/ John from Farm Marketing Solutions will be talking Chickens and Chicken Tractors https://farmmarketingsolutions.com/ Jess from Roots and Refuge will is going to be chatting about Starting a Garden https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTZN3HhejW1tOiRdLGUCGGA Not only are we going to be talking about Homesteading and Growing Food, but we are also going to talk about HEALTH! Jackie from Middle Path Counseling and The Mindful Homestead is coming on the show to talk about Anxiety and how to keep it in check during scary times. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-NLGo8JDE3g8POtPjTnIxg I am looking forward to learning about some real life solutions to controlling fear during a pandemic! And finally Dr Hillary from the Hunt Harvest Health Podcast is going to join us to talk about practical ways to stay healthy and avoid getting this virus!  http://huntharvesthealth.com/ In addition to all this great info, there will be some really FUN music to enjoy, from the Bess and Mike Show. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeBFwBKmUuDeVxuti1e3lEQ RESOURSES FOR HOMESTEADERS HELPING OTHERS CLICK HERE TO SEE INFO - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lc5z68c2TiYFJFr2a1oTls6rUpHwX8m4B_n3VwHKErc/edit?usp=sharing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The pandemic we have lived through in the last few months has changed the world as we know it. Changes that society was going to see in the next decade have been sped up because of the pandemic and the associated lock downs, political unrest, and problems associated with it. No doubt, even when the current disease is long gone, the effects from this strange disease will linger. How can you and your family be sure to not only get by, but even thrive, financially and otherwise, in the days ahead? John Pugliano Joins Us to answer that question. John Pugliano, host of the Wealthsteading Podcast, has over 30 years investing experience, he’s an entrepreneur, author, inventor and the founder and money manager of Investable Wealth LLC.  John's Podcast, the Wealthsteading Podcast, takes a homesteader like, holistic look at the market, and ways we can grow and preserve our wealth. John is coming on the show tonight to discuss Covid's impact on the market in the days ahead. We will discuss how it could effect you and me financially in the next 6 months, but more importantly, how we should structure our lives and homesteads to be ready to adapt to the changes Covid will bring to our lives LONG TERM. Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link  http://www.amsteady.com Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. AFFILIATE LINKS To The HOMESTEADING GEAR I use everyday -https://www.thisishomesteady.com/gear-use/ Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/go/parsons-homesteady-shop/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the very first episode of Homesteady, we have been asking the question: IS THIS WORTH IT? Will the investment of your time, money, and energy into your latest homesteading endeavor give you a return? And how do we measure these returns: financially, emotionally, in terms of gains in personal health and nutrition, or more broadly in relation to overall environmental sustainability? On this episode of Homesteady, we take an in-depth look on our LIVE YouTube stream to examine, even more closely, The Family Cow. In a Homesteady first, Emily, our guest for tonight, was invited onto the show after she sent Aust an email highlighting the missed points on the first family cow episode. Emily OWNS a family cow and Aust and Accountant Mike engage her tonight in a live discussion, fueled by viewer questions, to truly examine the family cow from every angle. Emily lives in mid-Missouri on three acres, with a small garden, chickens, three farm cats, and a family cow. Emily knew two years prior to even purchasing her homestead that cows "spoke to her." Their calm nature and her affinity for butter made the acquisition of Caroline Faith, Emily's first year heifer, an inevitability. After extensive preparation through self-directed education via classes (like these ones), blogs, books, and farm visits, Emily and her husband procured their farm and are now immersed in cow ownership. Being a new cow owner has come with its challenges. Emily reflects on her challenges and mistakes with the insight that regardless of her preparation and research, experience brings it all together. Emily met challenges almost immediately when her cow caught shipping pneumonia on her way to the farm. The level of sustainability a cow offers to a family is substantial. This is the hardest part of cow ownership to put a price tag on. Aust and Accountant Mike based their first breakdown on raw milk consumption. Would it be cheaper to have a cow than to purchase gallons of raw milk? In her letter to Aust, Emily focused on the missing pieces of this argument: what about the other dairy products that are produced with milk? The savings on producing these products at home needed to be compared with the prices paid for artisan products at your local grocery store or specialty shop. Emily also compares the prices of fertilizer compared to obtaining compost and fertilizer by collecting the cow poop. All the other livestock can eat sour milk as supplemental feed, like these pig farmers do. Is Accountant Mike Convinced? Reflecting on all the factors previously considered, and adding in the additional points brought up by Emily, Accountant Mike is forced to reconsider. Are you a Pioneer? For only $5/mo, in addition to all the incredible Pioneer-only podcasts, interviews, and classes, we are now offering a Pioneer-Only Aftershow. At 10:00 EST on Tuesday nights, enjoy a live forum with Aust, Accountant Mike, and the special guest of this week's livestream. Head over and become a pioneer today! Thank you to our sponsors for making Homesteady possible! You can support us by using this link to shop on Amazon: www.amsteady.com. Without any extra expenditure on your part, you can use this link to make your regular purchases on Amazon, and a small percentage of your purchase will support the podcast. Thanks to our friends at Prepper Broadcasting for streaming our Tuesday night live show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you thinking about making the leap into backyard chickens? Or maybe adding some new breeds to your current flock?  Maybe you want to start a small farm business, selling meat, and want to know the right breeds to start with?  In this episode of Homesteady we share with you a sneak peak of the Go Homestead! Course, letting you listen to the entire lesson on chickens.  Learn about the Pros and Cons, equipment needed, best breeds, and more! And visit www.thisishomesteady.com to sign up for the free video course.  We also make a big announcement in this episode about a change to the Pioneer Program. Become a Pioneer at https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this in depth short episode of Homesteady, we dive into the details of raising pastured pigs. We interview Tom Dexter, a man that has been raising pigs for decades. He shares his insights on how to buy the right pigs for your farm. He discusses breeds, feeding, and pig care.  We also share an announcement regarding the Homesteady Pioneer Library! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Episode of the Homesteady Campfire, we listen to a tale of dark woods, big bears, and a Woman who decided to try to feed her family by hunting a large black bear.  Robin Follette decided one morning that she wanted a change in life. She had been a Market Farmer for years. She knew the importance of raising and harvesting your own food. But she wanted to take farm to table lifestyle one step further. She wanted to learn to hunt.  Her Father was a hunter, and she remembered as a young girl all the boys leaving for hunt camp.  Girls were not allowed to hunt.  Now, as she realized her daughter was about to Graduate, and her life was going to be changing. She figured it was the perfect time to take on a new life challenge. She was going to learn to hunt. Years later, she still had no success in the field. Close calls, and some scary interactions with bears and moose, but no meat in the freezer.  One day a 400 Lb Boar began showing up on Robins Game Camera. This bear was frequenting her spot, often. Robin Decided that this was the bear she was going to take home. The average bear taken in Maine weighs under 200 lbs. This was a special bear, and it would feed Robin's family for a long time.  Sitting in her treestand one evening she hears the loud sound of a bear crashing through the woods. Its no doubt a big bear, Robin thought, because of how much noise it was making.  The Bear steps out into the clearing, and Robin realizes its not the bear she was hunting. Its a much smaller bear. And its wounded.  What is the right thing to do?  She knows the Big Bear is coming, he often visits this spot. But this bear is badly wounded and suffering.  She has one Bear tag, and if she uses it on the wounded bear, her hunt for the year is over.  But the little bear is suffering, and will most likely starve over the winter.  Listen to the story and learn what decision Robin made.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that you have heard the big news... YES! We are expecting another baby!  We are so excited! We already can't wait to meet our new little munchkin... But before the baby arrives we have a lot of work to do.  Our homestead has been operating at 110 percent over the last year, and with a new baby on the way there will need to be some changes! How does pregnancy and a newborn effect our homestead? Over the last decade of homesteading, literally HALF that time has been spent with K pregnant or with a newborn.  We have learned a TON, and are excited to share some of the life lessons with you at our upcoming LIVESTREAM!  HOMESTEADING PREGNANT PLAYLIST Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos or podcasts here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greg Judy was on the brink of bankruptcy. 3 Yeas later he had paid off his house, 200 acre farm, and went on to buy 3 more farms and lease 12. How did he earn enough money from grazing livestock? Find out in this video. CHECKOUT GREG JUDY'S CHANNEL  GREG JUDY'S BOOKS Comeback Farms  No Risk Ranching GREG JUDY'S WEBSITE BECOME A PIONEER Greg and Jan Judy of Clark, Missouri run a grazing operation on 1620 acres of leased and owned land. Greg and Jan went from near bankruptcy in 1999 to paying off a 200 acre farm and house in 3 years with custom grazing on leased land and are completely debt free. They own 4 farms and lease 12 farms. They graze cattle, hair sheep, woods pigs, pastured laying hens, sawmilling and grow shitake mushrooms. Greg wrote his first book in 2001, entitled “NO RISK RANCHING, Custom Grazing On Leased Land”, which details the methods they used to build their operation from scratch. In 2008 Greg wrote a second book “COMEBACK FARMS, Rejuvenating Soils, Pastures and Profits with Livestock Grazing Management”. Greg’s second book covers all the methods they use with Holistic High Density Grazing, multi-species grazing, grass finishing animals, eliminating costly inputs. Greg gives talks and schools all over the US, New Zealand, Germany, England & Canada teaching the benefits of Holistic High Density Planned Grazing, leasing land, multi-species grazing, custom grazing, agroforestry and wildlife management. The Judy’s hold an annual grazing school the first week of May each year at their farm teaching the principles of HHDG. Greg quit his off farm job in 2009 and is now a full time rancher. The Judy’s website is: greenpasturesfarm.net. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we hear the story of Korby Taylor and his nine-year-old son, Hudson, as they set out to hunt wild turkey. Hudson, at nine an already experienced wild turkey hunter, has set his sites on a "Tom", or fully grown male wild turkey. Kolby and Hudson's adventure unfolds as the best laid turkey hunt plans go awry. The bond between father and son is tested as they take a leap of faith to save the hunt. Like what you heard? Here's more: Korby Taylor has his own podcast! Check it out here.  If you are a member of the Homesteady Pioneers, he's also posted a "Turkey Hunting 101" podcast in our member's only library. Not a pioneer yet? Become a pioneer today! Interested in learning more about wild turkeys? My life as a wild turkey has the in-depth information you are looking for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Homesteady, there are 2 special announcements, PLUS we interview The Rocketman, an archer who spends his time hunting whitetail deer with a bow and arrow. His first chance at a whitetail deer lead to a long and difficult tracking job. And a new nickname... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Homesteady Podcast K and Aust talk about training theri first time freshener Grasshopper to milk, and talk about the frustrations facing a person new to milking trying to train a new milk cow. Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos or podcasts here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Close your eyes. I want you to imagine your dream farm...What do you see?" In this episode of Homesteady, Aust talks to two individuals in different stages of their journeys to the ultimate destination: The Dream Farm. You-yes, YOU! can go from owning nothing, to finding stepping stones towards the perfect spot for reaching your own homesteading goals. Stepping Stone 1: A Mission for what type of Property YOU want. The Proving Grounds is one example of stepping stones leading to a dream property come true. Grant Woods, a wildlife biologist who lives in 2000 acres in the Ozark Mountains in Missouri, documents and teachers others successful land management techniques through his web series and website, GrowingDeer.tv. Grant's "mission" was to manage his land for the optimal growth of both plants and animals, while enabling him to spend more time with his family. Grant's land is called "The Proving Grounds" because with it, he has proven that his land management techniques lead to successful, bountiful results. Stepping Stone 2: Don't wait! Start now. Practice. "If ever a person has looked at their life as a series of stepping stones laid out in front of them on the way to that big 'ol lake full of bass, that's Alexia." Not everyone owns 2000 acres of land. In his interview with Alexia Johnstone, The Suburban Escapee, Alexia talks about taking one small step at a time. A self-proclaimed "anxious achiever," Alexia urges the burgeoning homesteader to set a series of small goals, each with a result that is rewarding. Achievable goals allow us to build towards bigger goals by feeding our self-confidence with small successes. Wherever you live, whatever your life right now, PRACTICE the skills that will lead you towards your homesteading goals. Stepping Stone 3: The Property Search. Grant, Alexia and Aust all reflect on how jumping for the first piece of land they saw, or right to a giant farm, wasn't the right choice for their families, due to location, cost, or size. While Grant is already there, Aust and Alexia are both in different spots on their journeys to their Dream Property. After listening to this episode, are you motivated to learn more about land management, sustainability, and achievable goals on your way to owning your own Dream Property? Then join us this February for #iamhomesteady. We are so excited to bring you bees, bears and more in this four-episode month! In February's #iamhomesteady special, we will be encouraging you to become a Pioneer. If 50 new Pioneers sign up to the program this month, we will host a celebration episode, a live Q and A with Aust and Accountant Mike. All Pioneers will be invited, and we will share that episode with the entire Homesteady Audience. Sign Up Here to become a Pioneer!   Also, share the show with #iamhomesteady to win a subscription to Grow Journey! From the Suburban Escapee Hey everyone! It was lots of fun to be part of the podcast this month. I am so excited to have the opportunity to share the journey my family and I have embarked on to be more Homesteady. Want to amaze your friends with homemade tomato sauce? Here is the recipe, as promised. Nonna's Basic Tomato Sauce Ingredients: 2- 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes 1-2 fresh tomatoes, if you can find good ones. Otherwise, leave them out. 2 cloves of garlic 1/2 small onion 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of a soup pot) 1 tablespoon of Italian Seasoning Blend, OR 1/4 Tablespoon dried oregano 3/4 Tablespoon dried basil Garlic Salt or Garlic Powder, to taste Salt and Pepper to taste A soup pot or dutch oven To Make: If using, chop the 1-2 fresh tomatoes and blend them in the blender. Put aside. Coat the bottom of a soup pot or dutch oven with olive oil. Turn the heat to low to slowly warm up the oil. While the oil is warming up, chop the onion into thin strips and throw them in. Cook 2-5 minutes, until translucent, but not brown. Peel the two cloves of garlic and put them in whole. Let cook about a minute with the onions, and then pour in the two cans of tomatoes, and the blended fresh tomatoes, if using, and stir. Sprinkle in the herbs. Stir again. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to please your own palate. If the sauce seems overly acidic, garlic salt or garlic powder can take the edge off. If you use garlic salt, be aware that you probably won't need much regular salt. Add small amounts at a time- you can always add more, but you can't take it out! Partially cover and let simmer on low for 20 minutes. Stir every 3-5 minutes to prevent a burnt spot on the bottom. Then the sauce is done, it should nicely coat the back of a spoon. This makes enough sauce for 6-8 servings of pasta. Notes: If you are an experienced cook, feel free to vary the herbs. Rosemary, parsley, and thyme also are nice in this sauce. Fresh herbs work well too. If you use plain stewed frozen garden tomatoes or home-canned tomatoes, blend the tomatoes before pouring them into the sauce. I have found that you need to lengthen the cooking time due to the extra water compared to commercially processed tomatoes. This is particularly true for frozen stewed tomatoes. Mangia! Alexia - The Suburban Escapee   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are not even a full week into our Alaska Off Grid Challenge, and something happens that brings us to a breaking point! Do we quit? Leave Alaska and head back to the grid? Watch and find out! Helpful Links (some are affiliate links) Pioneer Version of the Interview with Jon Crocker Become a Pioneer Jons Book - A Practical Guide to Off-grid Living in Alaska Joolca Water System Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have been working on an off grid homestead project for the last 3 years on a property called Sunny Mountain. Now, we are shutting this project down. Why? In this video we explain what unexpected events led to us changing our mind and stopping this off grid homestead project. This episode is brought to you by OUPES For a limited period—from March 13 to April 12—the Exodus 1500 is available at an exclusive introductory price of just $449, offering a cost-effective, high-performance solution perfect for homesteaders and off-grid enthusiasts. BUY HERE USE COUPON CODE "Homesteady" for 5% OFF! Affiliate Link https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1865808&u=1420700&m=116483&urllink=&afftrack= BECOME A HOMESTEADY PIONEER https://www.thisishomesteady.com/quick-question-pioneer/ Checkout the Alaska Off Grid Challenge https://youtu.be/oDfQtD_ScVQ?si=0iNEi95d1NrUAPKj Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Podcast, we interview Rachyl Travis, of Travis Family Farm. At 9 years old, milking her first goat, Rachyl had no idea that someday she would be running a successful family farm business. A pet goat given to her at 9 years old soon turned into multiple goats, and when Rachyl wound up with 15 goats in milk, and 15 gallons of milk a day to process, she had to figure out something to do with all of the milk. Rachyl didn’t want the milk to go to waste. She enlisted the help of her older sister and together they came up with the first goat milk product: the famous goat milk soap. In June 2012, Rachyl’s Goat Milk Soap was born after family and friends raved about the soap they received as gifts and asked to buy it! Now Rachyl sells her product in many stores and farmers markets through out Rhode Island with her mom and sister at her side! Rachyl shares her story, and the secret to overcoming fear when starting your own farm business. CHECKOUT RACHYL AND TRAVIS FAMILY FARM at Travisfamilyfarm.com   A new feature on our podcast will be a Q and A session, called ASK HOMESTEADY. Each episode we will feature Questions asked by our Audiance in the podcast. To have a question answered just leave a question in the comments section of our Youtube Channel with the hastag #askhomesteady.  This episodes question... Goats Milk vs Cows Milk vs Sheeps Milk... which is best for your homestead? Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/join-homesteady-movement/ SUBSCRIBE to our PODCAST HERE - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/subscribe-podcast/ LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link http://www.amsteady.com Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. AFFILIATE LINKS To The HOMESTEADING GEAR I use everyday -https://www.thisishomesteady.com/gear-use/ Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - https://shop.spreadshirt.com/homesteady/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I did an interview with the Fearless Podcast, talking about our journey to homesteading, and our ups and downs along the way! CLICK HERE to listen to it! Or CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You got some property... NOW WHAT?  If you are planning on building a homestead from scratch, maybe even an off grid home, eventually you will need to choose a spot to put your house.  How do you choose the best spot to place your home? Don't make a costly mistake, in this episode Logan Parker from Heirloom Builders joins us to talk about how to choose the best location on your property for your home.  LISTEN TO THE PIONEER VERSION HERE BECOME A PIONEER HERE Checkout Logan's WEBSITE , his DESIGNS FOR SALE, and his YOUTUBE CHANNEL This episode brought to you by - LAUREL MOUNTAIN SOAP - All Natural Homemade Soaps and Skin Products made from Goat Milk! Tim and Jocelyn started making soap for their baby, and grew that hobby into a business! Try their lotion bars during the dry winter months! CLICK HERE TO BUY and Use coupon code "homesteady" for 10% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, Aunt, Kendra, and the family update us on the changes on the farm throughout 2017. A year ago, Aust and Kendra were going to sell the farm and go on a road trip. Instead, they have had the most productive year on the homestead yet! They updated with major infrastructure improvements and even got a cow (check out our family cow episode here- you may be convinced to get one a well.) What happened? With small children who don't travel well, and a re-discovered appreciation for their home in Connecticut, Aust and Kendra decided staying at their current homestead was the best choice. Kendra set a goal for the homestead to be NEAT and ORDERLY. 2017 was the year of form and function. Every change, every innovation, had a purpose. Improving the infrastructure on the farm was the number one priority. Our YouTube Video shows the giant machine that made a road to the barn in just one day! An improved, more accessible barn opens many possibilities for Aust and Kendra, and increased efficiency for all barn related tasks. Have a new barn? How about getting pigs earlier, as they can be easily cared for and sheltered in the new barn? Aust and Kendra were able to buy their pigs in April, a whole month earlier than they usually do. The combination of an early start, mild weather, and Stone House Grain led to pigs that were 100 pounds heavier than their previous heaviest batch of pigs. Heavier pigs allowed Aust and Kendra to create more flavors of bacon and sausages with their pigs. Who doesn't like sausages? This year, the farm raised 50 Cornish Cross and 25 Ranger Chickens, plus seventeen new egg layers. This was the first year of raising two different types of chickens, and Just was very impressed with the rangers. Pro Tip from Kendra: Keep the two breeds separate, as the rangers were found to be aggressive towards the Cornish Cross! Raising turkeys seemed like an excellent idea for the oldest Martin child to expand his existing egg selling farm business. However, a shipment of turkeys arrived in very poor health. The two surviving turkeys imprinted on the family as their own flock. With some adventures in turkey behavior notwithstanding, the turkeys have survived the holiday season (so far). Stay tuned... Raising ducks is something that has been done on the homestead before. However, during the at-home butchering process, a few things went awry... SHOUT OUT TO NATHAN: In 2016, Nathan let us know that he had an allergy to duck eggs. Aust does too, and was able to recognize the symptoms thanks to his letter. Between the egg allergy and not wanting to butcher ducks on the homestead, ducks are going to be a "decoration animal" on the farm from this point forward. The biggest adventure? Dairy Cows! Kendra shares her journey exploring which cow is best, taking care of a cow, and birthing her first calf. Spoiler Alert: A cow is EASIER than goats. Throughout this episode, we refer to many of our past podcasts and YouTube videos. You can find all of our past episodes here, and search through all of our YouTube Videos and subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any updates. The Biggest Update of all: Aust is going to be doing Homesteady FULL TIME. This means more of everything: videos, classes, and bonus podcasts. Plus: We will be opening a new Homesteady Pioneers Forum. Want a sneak peak? Email us at Aust@thisishomesteady.com if you'd like to be a tester. Wait, are you not yet a Pioneer? For $5 a month YOU can be a homsteady pioneer. You get bonus episodes of the podcast through the Pioneer Library, plus access to our new "one click" feature that will allow you to download 20 episodes of Homesteady WITH JUST ONE CLICK. Thank you to Freight farm for sponsoring this episode. Their innovative hydroponics systems allow you to grow farm fresh food year-round. Check them out on our hydroponics episode. Do you want to support the podcast? Are you doing some online shopping? Use our Amazon affiliate link and a portion of your spending supports the show. www.amsteady.com. 2018 promises to be an exciting year. Stay Tuned! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you are selling produce from your farm, or trying to fill on farm classes, there is an easy way to grow that business. Dr Tiffany Eurich joins us today to talk about farming, growing the farm business, and how to become a thought leader in your industry. TIFFANY'S FREE TRAINING FOR HOMESTEADY LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! CAMEL TRAIN SHOUTOUT - THANKS to the Dozen Arrows Crew A.K.A. The Lopez Family for sponsoring this episode! Dr. Tiffany Eurich is the founder of tiffanyeurich.com, a resource for communications strategy, dedicated to helping entrepreneurs increase their brand's visibility, authority, and impact. She has a Ph.D. in communications, and over 20 years of experience in the communications industry. She spent a decade as a university professor and was the host of several award-winning television programs. She's also the author of "Knitting Together a Community," an in-depth analysis of the characteristics and practices of thriving online communities. When she isn't working with clients, you can find her working in her family's homestead and vineyard (which she affectionately refers to as farming with a better publicist). The Homesteady Podcast is part of the Waypoint Outdoor Collective, the Podcast Network for the Outdoorsman. Checkout all of the Waypoint Outdoor Collective Podcasts HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Karin grew up on a mixed family farm in Alberta, Canada, raising and selling backgrounding stocker steers. Her main passion since she was little was with the cattle, from handling to pasture management. She currently works as a forage-beef extension specialist with the provincial government and is working towards getting into farming of her own some day. She shares thoughts, and advice on all things cattle at her website  https://www.bovinepracticum.com/ Karin is coming on the show to talk about working with Cattle. She will help us cover safety, how to make their life as comfortable as possible, and share some tips and tricks to working with cattle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, Kendra and Aust sit down together (with their adorable baby!) to talk about the change in their plans to sell their farm, and their exciting new plans for 2017. Why were Aust and Kendra going to sell the farm? Where Aust and Kendra live in Connecticut, land is very expensive. In selling the farm and traveling, they were hoping to find a larger homestead in a more affordable part of the country. A large homestead would allow hunting on the property, increased permaculture practices, and the ability to further diversify the homestead. With the intent of traveling and moving, Kendra and Aust worked hard to ready the house and the farm. They made repairs, had a tag sale to minimize their belongings, and sold their sheep and goats. They listed the house with a realtor. BUT. Life happens.  Family circumstances have changed, and Kendra and Aust now see themselves in Connecticut, near family, for a few more years. A cross-country trip is still in the works, but the house won't be sold. The HOMESTEADING BUG Caught Kendra and Aust (again). The chick catalogues came. The seed catalogues came. And they realized: they have brand new ideas for 2017. On Learning Lessons... Many discouraging events occurred on the homestead in 2016. However, Aust and Kendra are encouraging: If you learn from the mistakes, then they are ok. Don't treat it like it's the 'end all' to your endeavors. Make plans for this year based on last' years's lessons. Infrastructure is the homestead priority for 2017, and this is going to be THE YEAR to work on it. Aust and Kendra are committed: THIS is the year they are going to learn to farm together. As a team, they are going to work to balance their needs for form and function. Focusing on infrastructure has Kendra and Aust asking themselves: What works on the homestead? What doesn't work? What can we improve upon? While they admit replacing hinges isn't as exciting as getting new livestock, they have made a commitment to spend two-thirds of their time working on much-needed repairs to the homestead, as opposed to taking care of livestock. Big Projects for the 2017 Season: A new poultry house A new pig house A new road (You'll see Austin run an excavator!) Purchasing a livestock trailer And don't worry- Kendra and Aust will still have livestock. In addition to the big projects, Aust is going to continue to do pig farming and raise six feeder pigs, in addition, Aust and Kendra will be raising forty meat birds for their own consumption. Each of the Martin children are having their own special project on the farm. As homeschoolers, raising the animals and having a small business as part of their education. 2017 is going to be THE YEAR on the farm, as Aust and Kendra draw on their five years of experience to homestead better than ever before. Do you want to see the Homesteady Improvement Projects as they develop? Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! We have a new way you can support the podcast! Use this link anytime you shop on Amazon: www.amsteady.com The podcast will get support, at no cost to you, no matter what you buy! Do you live in or near Connecticut? Sign up to the Homesteady email list, as we will be hosting workshops as we make these infrastructure improvements on the homestead. Caught the homesteading bug yourself? Join our Pioneer Program and have access to exclusive podcasts, homesteading courses, and so much more, for only $5 a month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to start Homesteading but you don't have any money to buy land? DON'T LET THAT STOP YOU! In just 1 month we found over 1,000 Acres of land that we could start homesteading on with NO MONEY EXCHANGED! In this episode we share 3 ways to find land to homestead on without spending a dime on it, and we also share 3 warnings with you if you decide to go this route to start homesteading. Pioneers YURT Podcast Become a Pioneer Here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

15 years ago, when we started homesteading, it was really hard! Unfortunately, over the last decade, it has only become more and more difficult to start homesteading. There are 3 major problems you will face if you decide to start homesteading. Learn what they are, and how to overcome them in this episode of the Homesteady Podcast. BECOME A HOMESTEADY PIONEER https://www.thisishomesteady.com/quick-question-pioneer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we talk all about how to design a perfect 10-acre homestead for you! First, we chat about what’s new in the barn! Our Camels have been keeping life on the homestead exciting! NOW - HOW TO DESIGN A HOMESTEAD FROM SCRATCH? We have a great Pioneer’s Only Episode on basic infrastructure needs for a new homestead BECOME A PIONEER HERE Get on our EMAIL LIST INSTAGRAM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Most Important Thing in becoming a future beekeeper is to have a fascination with bees. In this episode of Honesteady, we meet Beekeeper or "beek" Dane Strickland of RJS Beefarm. Dane is truly fascinated with bees. Dane was introduced to the power of bees when severe asthma symptoms prompted his children's pediatrician to suggest a daily spoonful of dark honey as a remedy for the allergies triggering his son's asthma attacks. When his son showed improvement on his dark honey regimine, Dane dove into research to understand how honey could be responsible. Personal Fulfillment. Satisfying Curisoty. All good reasons to get into beekeeping. But of course, let's not forget...HONEY. Dane tells us that honey is a syrup generated 100% by the bees. It is primarily nectar from living plants. Dane is committed to chemical-free beekeeping. This means that his honey is all-natural, only composed of the nectar made by his bees from what they consume in their natural environent. The health benefits from natural honey come from the small amounts of natural pollen particles found in minimally filtered honey. This is why some people do experience desensitization from their allergies when ingesting local dark honey. While the benefits of local honey has been found to benefit some people in treatment of their allergies, this information is certainly not to be taken as or in lieu of advice from your medical professional. Dane himself shares that his son experienced relief from this remedy; his daughter did not experience great results. There is a big difference between processed honey and local honey.  Dane enlightens us to the fact that commercially processed honey uses pumps and filters in order to produce a product with "flow" for commercial container. This is why your favorite honey bear shaped bottle is able to pour a smooth stream through the spout. Consumers mistakenly believe that sugar crystals signal honey that has "gone bad." Local, raw honey retains the original enzymes from the nectar produced by the bees. The commercial process of heating the honey to 160 degrees kills the enzymes and dissipates the flavor. The main difference between local honey and commercial honey is that different colors, flavors, and textures between hives. These changes are made by the differences in the bees' diet. The district, intense flavors of local raw honey is what has made honey a preferred sweetener for centuries. Each jar of local honey tells a story about the bees who made it, and beekeepers who are supporting the bees. Dane alerts us to the fact that our bee population is in danger. Bees are credited with 22-25% of the pollination of plants that produce our food supply. Even if you don't see yourself as a beekeeper, you can choose to maintain your outdoor space in a bee-friendly way, by avoiding chemicals and pesticides that are harmful to bees. Now, do you want to become a beekeeper? Dane lets us in on the three essentials to becoming a beekeeper: a beehive, tools and protective gear, and of course, BEES! Dane also shares start-up cost estimates, and sets realistic expectations for a beginning beekeeper. In three years, Dane thinks you can break even on the initial investment by selling honey! Making your own honey and keeping bees is deeply satisfying, which is important to the Homesteady idealist...but do the dollars make sense to Accountant Mike? Accountant Mike takes everything into account and breaks down the numbers- stings, time spent tending the hive, and time spent making honey. Does it get a financial thumbs-up, or does fascination with bees have to be its own reward? Need a little more information on beekeeping before you take the plunge? Homesteady Pioneers have access to a Pioneer-Only Intro to Beekeeping podcast! Not a Pioneer? Join here! Want to start your own honey business? (Or any other business?) Get on the early warning list for the next Homesteady Launchpad Business Course, and get your own thumbs up or thumbs down, along with practical tips and know-how from Aust and Accountant Mike.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This month on Homesteady we talk fishing! How did I get hooked on fishing because of the one that got away? What is the best way to catch, clean and cook trout? Does Acountant Mike think fishing is a good way to put food on the table? Find out... Listen to this months episode of Homesteady! In this Episode... How to catch, clean and cook your dinner. Accountant Mike likes to fish! The story of a fish named O'Henry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We were shocked this week to find a little of pigs being born.... We bread our Kune Kune pigs, watch for signs of pregnancy, and even were preparing for the births!  But something caught us off guard, and when the dust settled we had 14 little piglets to care for and one little deformed one who's life hangs in the balance... Can we save him? And what happened that had us surprised by pig births? Join us today for lunch (12:30 eastern time) for our live podcast as we share with you the incredible week we have had here at the farm!   Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you want to start a homestead? Need a home you can afford? In this episode of the Homesteady #podcast we share 7 DIY CHEAP housing options homesteaders can use to get started sooner on their homestead!  #tinyhome #barndominium #homestead  This Episode of Homesteady is brought to you by KUJO YARDWEAR - Work shoes, pants and more! Checkout kujo.com for all your yard wear and use coupon code "homesteady" for a 10% discount! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three Hard Truths About Homesteading That Nobody Talks About! From financial realities of raising chickens to the unexpected challenges of homestead life, I share three important lessons learned over 15 years of homesteading that I wish someone had told me sooner. If you're thinking about starting a homestead or already on your journey, these insights might save you from some common disappointments. Special thanks to our sponsor Backwoods Home & Self-Reliant Magazine! Get 50% off with our discount code link 🎵 Want to hear my old band? Check out Not Quite Bobby here Are you making money from your homestead? Take part in our study Make your own "Three Hard Truths" video and share it! Let's build a stronger homesteading community together. #Homesteading #FarmLife #SelfSufficiency CLICK HERE TO BECOME A HOMESTEADY PIONEER Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Episode of the Homesteady Campfire, we meet Aust's friend "Sweet Lou", and hear his story of survival in the wilderness. A true "city boy" Sweet Lou and his friend Jonathan pick Mount Washington, located in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, as their first ever overnight backpacking trip. Use Coupon Code "homesteady" at checkout for 10% off your Leatherman Purchase Not only is Mount Washington the highest peak on the Eastern seaboard, it's also, according to Gear Junky, the eighth most dangerous mountain in the WORLD. How do Sweet Lou and Jonathan fare? Follow along Sweet Lou's trip on his Instagram Feed: @lfvision_ and join us around the Homesteady Campfire (I would suggest with a nice hot pouch of chicken a la king) for this comedy of errors on the mountain with the world's most dangerous weather! Special Guests Heather and Josh Weigh in As you know, normally we end the show with Accountant Mike giving the ceremonial "thumbs up" or down to the topic. Since this weeks topic was about hiking and wilderness survival, we decided to bring in some experts. Heather and Josh breakdown Luis' performance on the mountain. Does he pass their test? Hear more from our guests at The First 40 Miles Podcast. But Wait! There's More! A Leatherman is a true friend in the wilderness. We are pleased to announce that we are hosting a giveaway! Subscribe to our email list and be entered to win a Leatherman knife!   Click to Join the Email List to win a Leatherman Knife! From the Suburban Escapee I wish I was sitting with all of you, literally around a campfire, listening to this story. I don't want to post spoilers, but let me tell you: I was literally freaking out while listening to the tale of Sweet Lou's adventure. I laughed, I yelled at the podcast, and I nervously bit my nails while waiting to see how things were going to turn out for the intrepid adventurers. Also, I make EPIC s'mores. Wilderness backpacking is more than a simple walk through the woods. The amount of preparation, training, skills, and gear that is necessary varies depending upon you who speak to, and where you are going; but going to the eighth most dangerous mountain in the world for your first overnight is generally not recommended. That being said: I wanted to share my favorite fire-starting tip with all of you, from my very first camping trip. Which coincidentally, also happened in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, at Crawford Notch State Park. At nineteen, I had never been camping before. When I told my parents I was going camping with my then boyfriend and a group of friends, their response was, "Why?" My parents are not fans of "roughing it," and while we certainly spent long days outside as kids, those days ended with showers and beds. My then boyfriend and his best friend were accomplished Boy Scouts. They spent the drive up to the park bragging about past campfires; how big, how hot, how much wood they gathered. When the time came to make a fire for the evening, they went and bought wood at the ranger station, came back, and proceeded to build a fire. If only tall tales could fuel an actual fire. Boy Scouts or not, that thing would NOT light. After about thirty minutes of fruitless effort, they decided that the only solution was lighter fluid. The boys piled into the car and took off for the nearest gas station. My two friends and I (one of them my own longest-standing friend) stood around the un-lit fire and watched the car drive away. "You guys," I said, all my freshman anthropology classes on my mind, "Cavemen made fire. This cannot possibly be that hard. I mean, we have a lighter." "They didn't put enough tinder," said my oldest friend, a seasoned camper, who had watched the proceedings with quiet amusement, "We need something that will smolder and get really hot." We started going through our bags of food and supplies. I pulled out a tube of the greasiest item I found in my backpack. "What about these?" The boys returned an hour later, stunned to find us sitting and snacking around a roaring fire. "How did you do that? Did someone help you?" We looked at each other and started laughing. "Would you like a Pringle?" I offered, "Not only are they delicious, but they make a great fire starter." It's hardly a Man vs. Wild moment, but that small success from my first campout remains one of my favorite camping memories.   Now, go join the email list and win a knife to help you create your own campfire! Alexia - The Suburban Escapee   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The IPP... the IDAHO PASTURED PIG. It has made quite a lot of noise in the homesteading world. There are a lot of big claims surrounding it. What is fact and what is myth? Today we share an interview on the channel with Mouse Creek Farm who has been raising these pigs for years. Kirstin answers lots of our IPP questions including do you have to supplement their diet or can they live off pasture alone? Do they ever root? And how is their meat production and quality? FACEBOOK GROUP FOR IPP MOUSE CREEK FARM Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link http://www.amsteady.com Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. AFFILIATE LINKS To The HOMESTEADING GEAR I use everyday -https://www.thisishomesteady.com/gear-use/ Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/go/parsons-homesteady-shop/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Farming is a great way to make some money doing what you love. This is your year to start. In this episode, we talk about 3 ways that backyard farming can help you have more money!  Save on your food expenses Save on taxes Earn you money through sales Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, we continue our Homestead Business Side Hustle Series and interview Dan Arms, of the Arms Family Homestead (Find him here and here). Dan's successful business? Goats. Would you believe that a goat solved the problems of an entire country? Believe it, and learn all about it here. We meet Dan through the story of the loss of his mom. He cites it as a strong influence in his first career as a state trooper. He was raised by his dad on a homestead with a small cattle herd, hunting, fishing, and spending his days outside. Growing up as a homesteader was a confidence building experience for Dan, and as an adult he took over the family farm after his dad's passing. After ending his cow raising days due to cost, Dan went back to the land as a hobby gardener. Unexpectedly, the garden grew into a small homestead business, as Dan's community started asking him for fresh fruits and vegetables from his garden. However, Dan's business growth was stymied when his work schedule as a state trooper limited the amount of time he was able to put into his garden. His schedule and logistics made the harvesting and delivery of produce for others unsustainable. Enter the goats. You know, Aust's LEAST favorite homestead animal. You know how we feel about goats, at this point, right? Before you think this is a sudden change of heart, a flip flop, a goat endorsement: heed the following rules: Even though the baby goat is cute, DON'T BUY THE GOAT. When you ignore us and buy the goat anyway: don't get more than one. When you ignore rules number one AND two: Remember that BABY GOATS GROW UP. Like Gremlins. We warned you. If you need a really solid reminder, we have some NEW goat shirts in our Homesteady swag store! Moving on. The third time trying a side-hustle was the charm: Dan's money maker on the farm, believe it or not, is GOATS. Beginning with Boer Goats from South Africa, Dan then identified Kiko Goats from New Zealand as the best match for his homestead. Kiko Goats are great goats for homesteaders. Specifically bred by Garrick and Ann Batten for the island country of New Zealand. Aust was able to interview Garrick to discuss the step. by step development of the goat breeding process in New Zealand. Using the theory of population genetics, Gerrick was able to breed the Kiko goat to meet the needs of the farmer in New Zealand. (Extraneous Lord of the Ring Footage Here.) But back to Dan. Dan is able to breed, raise, and sell Kiko goats on his property. They an excellent match for his lifestyle, his property, and his family. Their grazing patterns also allow Dan to simultaneously feed the goats on his pastures and hay his fields. While not without challenges, Dan is able to make approximately $3000 per year on his side homestead hustle. In addition, he is able to write off farm equipment on his taxes (which gets a check plus from Accountant Mike!). However; is Dan truly making a profit? You may be (not) surprised to learn that...technically, no, not really. However, the value added to the experiences of Dan and his family in participating and contributing to all his homestead endeavors- goat breeding, chickens, gardening- are worth it to Dan. Dan isn't planning on giving up his day job; as he puts it, "This lifestyle is about what makes you happy." We have a new partner! Aust is so pleased to partner with Wildcat Outdoor Gear as they premier their collection of tents designed by and for "Outdoorsy Dads." Watch a great video of Aust, Kendra and the kids enjoying their tent here. Enter coupon code Homesteady at check-out for a discount! Join our email list, and don't miss any of the exciting updates we have coming up in 2018! We have a new addition to the Pioneer Program: A PIONEER ONLY FORUM! Learn from one another and get to talk with Accountant Mike, The Foraging Beard, Dave from Northeast Edible, Alexia The Suburban Escapee. Our podcast guests will also be in the forums! If you are looking for more information about Kiko goats, we have an extended version of our interview with Garrick available in the Pioneer Library. Not a Pioneer? Join today! Instantly download twenty bonus episodes when you become a Homesteady Pioneer. Want even more ways to support the show? Do your Amazon shopping through our affiliate link- www.amsteady.com. The wait will be shorter than ever for the next episode, as Aust is now creating Homesteady Content FULL TIME. What does that mean? A daily YouTube Video and a NEW podcast every two weeks. Subscribe now to make sure you don't miss part four of our Homestead Business Series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yurts are an amazing portable and cost effective home that you can build and be move into in just a few weeks! But nothing is perfect... In this interview with Paul from Nomad Shelter we cover the Pros and Cons of the yurt to try to figure out if a yurt is right for you and your family on your homestead! Checkout Nomad Shelter All the Yurt Footage from Nomad Shelter Youtube Channel  Pioneer Version of this Podcast Can be found in the Pioneer Library Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

DO YOU WANT A COW?  Have you ever considered getting a cow for your homestead?  Do you dream of one day milking a cow each morning?  If so you don't wanna miss this Livestream!  K and I will be talking about keeping a family milk cow. Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos or podcasts here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Aust and Accountant Mike revisit the subject of Farm Fresh Eggs.... Raising chickens on your homestead can't save you money, but can it earn you some? Find out!  This Episode was brought to you by our Partner Grow Journey, Join their Gardening Tip of the Month Email List here! Want to sart a Homestead Business? Our Homestead Business Class is coming to help you do that! Join the Early Warning List In this episode Aust and Accountant Mike revisit the subject of Farm Fresh Eggs.... The Ritz Carlton of Coops! Do egg-laying chickens save a homesteader money? Accountant Mike said, "Not worth it!" in this previous episode. But what if you sell the eggs produced by your flock? Does that income equal the time, money, and energy from raising chickens? We interview John from The Growing Farms Podcast to find out on this episode of Homesteady. Want more chicken tips? Dr. Michael Darre from the University of Connecticut, chicken specialist, may home some answers for you. Want to learn more about farms and finance? The Farm Finance Project gives you an insider view on the workings of 12 small-scale farms. John's extended interview giving his own chicken tips is available in the Pioneer Library. Pioneers also have access to an audio chicken raising class in the Pioneer Library. Join now! Motivated and educated enough about chickens to build your own chicken tractor? Click here checkout John's Plans. (BTW... it's an affiliate link)  Check out Homesteady on YouTube for great videos about many homesteading topics, including this one on How to Get Your Chickens to Lay More Eggs in the Winter. The Suburban Escapee- Tales from Raising Roosters Farm Do you see that fancy, $400 coop posted up there? That is NOT what my backyard chicken coop looks like. This is the "Budget Coop:" And it cost us MAYBE $100. In fact, this is the Budget Coop 2.0. Version 1.0 consisted of the lifted roof part you see on the left being made of free pallets buried into the ground like a fence with chicken wire over the top. The part on the left is actually a chicken tractor a friend of ours gifted us when they moved. We call it "the extension." As you can see, I really do have backyard chickens- the coop abuts my shed, and that's my house in the background. Before I gloat about my Budget Coop, however, I have to admit: Accountant Mike has a point.  Over the last 18 months, we have brought home and fed, at one time or another, no fewer than 18 chickens. We currently have five. One of them lays eggs. I am not great with numbers, but even I know the math on that one does not work out. What happened to the other THIRTEEN CHICKENS? I could go on for days, but here is a short list: Raccoon (The Country Boy threw it like an Olympic hammer out of the coop.) Neighborhood husky attack Free-range gone amiss (did you know baby chicks can climb into the undercarriage of your car?) Hawk And finally...Roosters. We have had so many roosters I have re-named our home "Raising Roosters Farm." To continue to justify the expense of backyard chickens, we have stuck to a few budgeting tips: We get free chickens from the Spencer Fair. If you want free chickens, I suggest contacting your local 4-H chapter to see if chicks will be bred for the purpose of an agricultural fair or other educational venue. Free chicks could be yours! Source free building materials to build your coop. We had to buy the wood for the frame and the screws. Everything else was gifted from leftover projects of friends and family. Chicken poop and eggs shells are great fertilizer!  We save money on gardening expenses this way. In fact, I challenge Accountant Mike to calculate, pound for pound, how much I would have spent on compost and fertilizer for my garden if I didn't have chickens. Chickens can eat all household plant-based table scraps. In New England, when my compost pile is frozen, my chickens eat all my vegetable scraps and peelings, saving them from the trash. We dispatch the roosters. Or give them away. But most have gone to the "Soup Pot." However, it's not completely about the money. There are, however, as Accountant Mike's mom said, intangible benefits to owning chickens. Rather than getting chickens to replace our children, we got chickens for our children.  My oldest daughter is a chicken whisperer, and she is the one that is able to hold, pet, catch, and herd the chickens.     The chickens have brought us more than eggs. My children have learned about where food comes from. They have learned to take care of another creature. They have learned about predators and death from the chickens. They have learned to be "calm and confident" when they approach animals, and to gage the effect of their presence. For me personally, it's all about the taste. Farm fresh eggs are MUCH better than a "big ag" egg. I am an eggs over easy aficionado, and recently ate eggs at a popular chain restaurant. Spoiled by months of rich, delicious yolks, I nearly spit out my toast as my tongue met the insipid, watery yellow of the factory farmed egg I had ordered. An over easy egg cooked while still warm from the coop? Priceless. Like what you heard? Want to read more? Visit our archive of show episodes and blog posts. Not a Pioneer? Join here. The Homesteady Pioneer Shoutout of the Episode Paul and Katie YOU could be next! This episode was also brought to you by our partners RJS BEE Farm, and PowerPlucker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winter is the slowest time on the homestead. Not as many animals to take care of. Not as many plants to check on. Nows the time to plan for a better year come spring! In this episode we discuss planning ahead  On the Farm In the Home(stead) and Outside in the Forests and Streams Wether you want to grow more veggies, or havest a deer this season, NOW is the time to start preparing for a year of sustainability!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to hear the extended version of this podcast? BECOME A PIONEER HERE - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ Hatching and raising poultry on the Homestead can be a great way to feed your family, and entertain yourselves at the same time! Today we are joined by Jake and Becky of White House on the Hill to talk poultry! WHITE HOUSE ON THE HILL CHANNEL - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfuEu0ff9Yy_oA5U21C5Stw WHITE HOUSE on INSTAGRAM - https://www.instagram.com/whitehouseonthehill/ Jake , Becky and their three boys make up White House on the Hill. YouTubers and homesteaders in NW Missouri that are interested in growing their own food, hatching and raising birds, and starting a farm from scratch. They recently bought a large piece of property (previously renters on a small farm) where they plan to build a house, barn, big exterior fence so they can raise a number of animals for meat, some animals for fun, and explore a new life that they never thought was possible when they started doing this three years ago. Join us as we talk all things poultry and homesteading!    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our 1 year aniversary of the Homesteady shows first episode, we take a look back at some of the stories and events that have made Homesteady.  We discus fishing stories, talk about chickens and canning, and reflect on the year in Homesteading that the Homesteady show has brought you.  We share a Gift with the listeners too...  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah and her husband Ray have an awesome 50 acre Homestead in Ohio where you can find all kinds of animals, including Highland Cattle! Follow here on INSTAGRAM HERE PIONEERS - CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL LENTH VERSION Sarah spent her youth ‘playin in the mud’ and hunting in the gateway to the south, Louisville, Kentucky. Sarah spent years as a professional wrestler, where she met her husband Ray. They married in a Viking themed wedding, and in June of 2019, they announced Sarah’s pregnancy. Rowesborg was established in 2019. Making the farm a homestead of their own, the goal is to live a sustainable life as healthy and naturally as possible. To the Rowes, homesteading is becoming self-sufficient with what you have at home. Growing, creating, hunting, and harvesting their food. Checkout  Sarah's Instagram Youtube Channel Website BECOME A PIONEER Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pigs are an awesome addition to any homestead. But pigs are heavy feeders, and can be quite expensive to get to market weight. In today's episode we interview Dave and Jodi from White Bison Farm, and learn how they raise Idaho Pastured Pigs and save big time on feed bills by raising their grazing pigs on pasture, and feeding them fodder through the long Wisconsin winters. Checkout Jodi's Book About Raising Pastured Pigs and their Website Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos or podcasts here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much land do I need to homestead? What is the best breed of pig to raise? When is a goat episode of Homesteady coming out?  Are these the questions that keep you up at night?  We hope not! But you can learn the answers to them. Check out the special Homesteady Live Episode!  This was our first time ever Live Streaming an episode. We answered your questions, submitted before the show, and asked live on air! Enjoy sitting with Accountant Mike, and Aust, and listening to the Q and A.  This episode was brought to you by www.premier1supplies.com and www.growjourney.com Join us for the next live recording by becoming a Homesteady Pioneer at www.thisishomesteady.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A sick baby, the hills of western Pennsylvania, and the animal you least expect to find on a farm. This is the story of 2 crazy homesteaders who just bought a milk camel. Watch the Camel Arrive in THIS VIDEO Learn about the Camel Train in THIS VIDEO JOIN THE HOMESTEADY CAMEL TRAIN HERE The Homesteady Podcast is part of the Waypoint Outdoor Collective, the Podcast Network for the Outdoorsman. Checkout all of the Waypoint Outdoor Collective Podcasts HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we catch up with you all! It has been a busy spring on our homestead. Usually, winter leaves us all sitting inside our homes, by a fire, dreaming of all the new things we want to try on our homesteads in the following spring. We always spend that time talking together about big plans for the season. This year was no different! And in no time we had a few big ideas. Early in February, the weather got nice, and so we decided to jump start our season! It began with a serious upgrade to our existing barn. The barn was built on a gravel pad. The gravel drained well but made it very difficult to clean the barn. So it was time to pour a concrete floor. This has been on of the best improvements on the homestead! The next big project we began working on was our pasture improvement. Over the last few years, our biggest problem with livestock was a lack of enough pasture and good pasture at that. Lots of our property that we were not using was heavily sloped, and not good for pasture. So we cut a road to our barn, (to get the concrete truck in) and used that to fill our sloped area. Now we have some serious pasture area! Finally, we began prepping for our new orchard. This year we realized, (as we talked about in a previous show) the importance of growing fruit and other perennials on our homestead. The beauty of fruit is that it takes less and less work each year while yielding more and more fruit! So preparations began to install an orchard of many different fruit and nut trees! This Saturday we have an Event at the farm, where we will be installing the orchard! Join us for that event: https://www.thisishomesteady.com/early-bird-orchard-planting-workshop-tickets/ It has been a busy spring! We’re excited to tell you all about it! Join us for the chat, and Q and A session afterward. Visit Homesteady… See all we do at www.thisishomesteady.com Watch our Daily Videos at the Homesteady YouTube Channel  Want to follow all of Homesteady’s Podcasts, Videos, and Classes? Sign up to our Email list HERE!  Get access to the Pioneers Only library by becoming a Homesteady Pioneer HERE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you dreaming of starting your own homestead? Before you dive in, learn from our costly mistakes! In this video, we share the top 7 expensive lessons we learned the hard way on our homesteading journey. From a freezer failure that cost us thousands in spoiled meat to a moldy hay bale blunder that wasted $500, we've made our fair share of mistakes. We'll also discuss our $1,000+ lesson in aquaponics, custom chicken feed, and more. Don't let these mistakes discourage you from homesteading – instead, use our experiences to avoid making the same costly errors. We'll share the lessons we learned and tips on how you can prevent these issues on your own homestead. If you're considering homesteading or just starting out, this video is a must-watch. Join us as we transparently share our journey and help you navigate the world of homesteading without breaking the bank! #homesteading #homesteadingmistakes #homesteadingtips #moneysavingtips #selfsufficientliving BACKWOODS HOME AND SELF RELIANCE MAGAZINE This episode is brought to you in partnership with Backwoods Home and Self Reliance Magazine. 50% OFF! https://www.backwoodshome.com/shop/homesteady-special/ BECOME A HOMESTEADY PIONEER https://www.thisishomesteady.com/quick-question-pioneer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Something is changing on YouTube, and it could be a huge opertunity for your Homestead! Youtube is making major changes that favor small creators, creating an unprecedented opportunity for homesteaders to build successful channels. In this episode, we follow the inspiring journey of Crystal and Reeve, who transformed their Alaska homestead into a thriving business by combining YouTube content with goat milk soap sales, enabling Crystal to leave her nursing career behind. Discover the simple three-step process that helped homesteaders earn $60,000-$100,000 from their farms, and learn from Farm Marketing Solutions' John Suscovich about turning expertise into digital products. Whether you're just starting out or already have a homestead, this episode reveals practical strategies to start making money today through YouTube, product sales, and consulting - without expensive equipment or previous experience. Plus, get insider tips on common mistakes to avoid and how to take advantage of YouTube's algorithm changes before this unique opportunity window closes. Starting or Growing a Youtube Channel? FREE COACHING....JOIN MY EMAIL LIST Need Some Help? Let's Work Together! Book a Consulting Call CLICK HERE to Book a Consulting Session with me! BECOME A HOMESTEADY PIONEER Checkout Chrystal and Reeve at  @FlatTireFarmHomesteadingAlaska  John Suscovich at  @farmmarketing ​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, Aust further explores the dream vs. the reality of homesteading, by explaining the harshest reality of them all: why your homestead business WILL fail. Through video, Aust's brother-in-law parodies the overt optimism that brings us into the homesteading world in the first place: the beauty of vegetables, the imagined ease of "working at home" now that you have a farm. REALITY CHECK: It is RARE to make more money than you spend on your homestead. But does that mean you have to give up the dream? Based on our Homesteady poll, (thanks for your responses!) THREE OUT OF FOUR of you have the dream that someday, you will be able to exit your current careers due to the successful pursuit of a full-time homesteading business. Through a new series, Aust is going to share his six years of experience with all of you. Full-time podcaster Aust (one dream, now more of a reality!) is going to make ten episodes about making your homestead profitable. Along with interviews to exploring others' journeys and sharing knowledge, we hope to help you, the burgeoning homestead businessperson, to get off to a positive start. It should be no surprise that Accountant Mike has a lot to say on the topic of failed businesses. This episode on failing businesses EXCLUSIVELY features Accountant Mike.  (PS: the tax laws have changed. Stay informed!) On this first episode about Homestead Businesses, we are going to talk about The Side Hustle. To qualify as a side hustle, the homesteader in question has to fit the following criteria: the homesteader, or one half of a homesteading couple, has to have a full-time job outside the homestead. Secondly, the homestead based business had to have grossed $1,000 or more. The Side Hustle common theme: lots of people aren't anywhere near profitable. Aust takes us back to his first failed business: selling custom POG slammers made out of Sculpy clay. Developing his business acumen through his youth via Pokemon cards and spare lunch burritos, Aust has learned throughout his lifetime as a "hustler" the basics of a profitable business. Now, as a homesteader, Aust shares with us that the farm is a side-hustle. Even six years in, he is not relying on his farm to be profitable or the main source of support for his family. There are three main areas where a business side hustle can fail: Failure to Plan: This results in wasting time, effort, and money. However, don't get stuck in analysis paralysis! A concrete goal is the best way to move forward. Starting without Sufficient Capital: Do you ACTUALLY know how much your business venture costs? Take note of all of your data: infrastructure, supplies, and repairs. Not Planning Ahead with your Time: Time is Money! Pay specific attention to the scalability of your enterprise. The number one way to stay safe? GROW SLOW. Make a plan, stick to it, and stay small. Remember that the business skills you learn along the way are infinitely applicable.  Freight Farms: grow food anywhere with the help of the Leafy Green Machine. Thanks for continuing to sponsor the podcast! Go to www.freightfarms.com/homesteady for access to a FREE Business planning guide! Join our email list, and don't miss any of the exciting updates we have coming up in 2018! We have a new addition to the Pioneer Program: A PIONEER ONLY FORUM! Learn from one another and get to talk with Accountant Mike, The Foraging Beard, Dave from Northeast Edible, Alexia The Suburban Escapee, and Allyson, our producer. Not a Pioneer? Join Today! Want even more ways to support the show? Do your Amazon shopping through our affiliate link- www.amsteady.com. The wait will be shorter than ever for the next episode, as Aust is now creating Homesteady Content FULL TIME. What does that mean? A daily YouTube Video and a NEW podcast every two weeks. We are looking forward to even more Homesteady in 2018! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fresh Blueberries, Raspberries and Strawberries... Theres nothing quite as good, except maybe homemade berry jam!  This month on Homesteady, PYO- Pick Your Own... Who doesn't want to do that? When your in the supermarket buying apples, you know your squeezing em' to see which is best... so why not skip the middle man! Go right to the farm that grows them and pick your own fruit at that perfect moment! This Month were discussing PYO Berries. June is prime strawberry season, July brings in the blueberries and raspberries! (and thats just the tip of the iceberg). And the fun doesn't stop with picking, when you bring home that goodness, you can make Jams, Jellies, and Preserves to last all year! Make Jam! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🚗 Join us on an Epic Journey from Pennsylvania to Alaska! 🏞️ In this thrilling episode of the Alaska Off-Grid Challenge, we embark on an unforgettable road trip from Pennsylvania to the untamed wilderness of Alaska. Our mission? To live entirely off the grid in a remote cabin. But before we dive into our off-grid adventure, we must take you along for the ride, filled with road mishaps, grizzly bear encounters, and unexpected twists! Pioneers... CLICK HERE to watch the next episode in the series, commercial free, in the Pioneer Library CLICK HERE to Become a Pioneer Here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Homesteading – On the Go!   “Seeing you don’t object, I’ve decided to go see the West. Are there any homesteaders amongst us who haven’t found inspiration in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House Series? As you know from our last podcast, Aust and Kendra are packing up the four kids and taking them West. Like the Ingalls family, they are looking for greener pastures. The desire to hit the road. What motivates this? Is homesteading so challenging that after awhile, everyone wants to quit? We realized many listeners were forlorn after learning we were selling the homestead to travel- “First Justin Rhodes (and wife Rebecca) and Dirtpatch Heaven (Julianne and John), now you guys-doesn’t anybody just want to keep farming?” Instead of ignoring this question, we figured we would attack it head on. There seems to be a common thread amongst homestead families. They want to give their families the best, but they can’t afford to when just starting off. So, to save a little money, they decide to do a few things themselves. One thing leads to another. Once this journey, all these families grew their homesteads, meeting challenge after challenge. They have collected a wealth of knowledge. Each of these families problem-solved their way down different paths. “Lifestyle Business” is a catchword these days, mostly invoking images of an individual earning money by producing content on the internet. After Lyme disease waylaid Justin Rhodes, he was forced to learn new ways to homestead and earn an income. His path led him to taking up permaculture, and making daily YouTube videos. John and Julianne found themselves in a precarious financial situation. With necessity always being the mother of invention, Julianne decided to go onto YouTube and share the day to day of her homestead. The ads that ran on her videos brought in the extra income that was so desperately needed to change the family’s situation. One thing that Justin and Rebecca, the folks at Dirtpatch Heaven, and Aust and Kendra at Homesteady all experienced is that once they developed internet content to support their homesteading business, they simultaneously began to do more on their homesteads than ever before. As you grow your homestead, one thing in your life decreases- the ability to travel. With crops and livestock needing constant care and attention, traveling goes on the back burner. For John and Julianne, a severe back injury for John changed the course of their homesteading journey. As his day job as a delivery driver became un-doable, a new opportunity presenting itself. As they looked at their finances, they decided that “van life”- or life on the road in a motor home- was the solution. With a generous gift of a motor home from a neighbor, they were on their way. Justin and Rebecca didn’t have to make a drastic change in their life, but an opportunity arose. They decided it was time to go on an adventure. So- are Justin and Rebecca, Julianne and John, and Aust…quitters? Justin and his wife, Rebecca, and Julianne and John of Dirtpatch Heaven, and Aust and Kendra want to travel to share their love of homesteading, not to quit! Travel allows them to share all of the skills they have learned, and tell the stories of their experiences. They want to visit other homesteaders and learn new skills, all while seeing new places. Is the personality of the homesteader to always strive to move forward and seek new challenges? For all you “Little House” fans out there, you know that Pa Ingalls moved the family multiple times, until Ma finally put an end to his insatiable wanderlust. The take-away? Homesteaders want to live free. So what IS going to happen to Homesteady? Don’t worry, the podcast will continue. You can also follow our adventures on the Homesteady YouTube Channel. What about the Pioneer Program? Are you a Pioneer? Do you want access to master classes by experts about orchards, food preservation, and so much more? We are having a sale- Pioneer membership is usually $5/mo, but for the month of December we are selling a year long membership for only $40. Thats only $3.30/mo! Click here to become a Pioneer today! Thanks to our new sponsor, Audible.com. Go to Audible.com/trynow for a free 30 day trial of Audible, and support Homesteady while listening to a good book. Want to have us Visit your Homestead while we are on the road?  CLICK HERE to fill out our invitation form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What can you expect with a first time freshener? What are the signs that a birth is going well, or not? What is it like to milk a cow for the first time? These are just some of the many topics we covered in PT 2 of Keeping a family milk cow, all about birth and milking! If you are planning on getting a dairy cow for your Homestead you wont wanna miss this episode! If you missed part 1 check it out HERE Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos or podcasts here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every year the woods explode with activity... The deer enter the RUT. What is is? How can it help you hunting?  And... A special HOMESTEADY Announcemnt! Click HERE to find out what it is! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE WHOLE START HOMESTEADING TODAY COURSE FOR FREE I feel one of the best things you can do for yourself, and especially for your children, is to raise some livestock, even if only for a short time. The connection you and your family will form to these animals that are so dependent on you is powerful. And the rewards livestock give back are hard to beat! If you are thinking about getting some livestock in the future but are not sure how, you will enjoy this excerpt of the 4th Lesson in the Start Homesteading Today course, Your First Livestock. In this 4th lesson we will talk about The Golden Rules of Livestock What are the best kind of livestock for beginners Basic infrastructure for livestock that will make your life easier And MORE!!!! HOMEWORK Raising Chickens Masterclass  Raising Feeder Pigs Masterclass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So… you want to stop shopping at the grocery store? You want to be more self-sufficient? Yep. us too. However, in today’s world, achieving this goal is far from easy. We don’t live in Pioneer times anymore, there’s no Homestead Act which gets us free land, we have insurance and taxes to pay, not to mention most of us drive cars… not cattle. This has led many people to wonder if true self-sufficiency is possible. Can you be 100% self sufficient as a homesteader? If no, what % should you shoot for? Learn what to expect in this episode of the Podcast! Youtube Videos to Check Out Grow a Years Worth of Chicken AND Stop Buying Chicken 10 Ways You are Killing Your Meat Chickens Without Realizing It Best and Worst Food to Grow for Self Sufficiency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to Start feeding your family from your land? There is NO EASIER WAY that raising meat birds! Join Us Today to talk Meat Chickens and how to grow enough to feed your family chicken all year long! My Family doesn't buy chicken, and we have not for years. How can you raise enough chicken for your own family? In this video we share our method for raising meat chickens on pasture in chicken tractors. RESOURSES John Suscovich Chicken Tractor Plans And Packets Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to start or grow a farm from scratch to be your full time income? Checkout Farm Builder... JORDANS YOUTUBE CHANNEL JORDANS FARM FARM BUILDER SCHOOLS CLICK HERE to watch the Homesteady Pioneer Version of this episode  WANT TO MAKE MONEY HOMESTEADING? The Pioneer Pro Program is a new program I am excited to announce here at Homesteady! You get access to the pioneer library, invited to all the interviews we have and all the bonus content pioneers get, AND it’s also bundled with the Make Money Homesteading course! This is a course that I designed to help you take the little baby steps it takes to go from wanting to make money from your homestead to actually having a product and the infrastructure in place to sell that product! It’s a one month long course but you can take it at your own pace and right now it’s bundled with the pioneer program to make this pioneer pro program! CLICK HERE to learn more about the Pioneer Pro Program!  MOST farmers don't make enough money from their efforts to live off their earnings.  It's a sad but true statement. An article written last year on the usda website stated that 96% of farm households get some income from off-farm sources and on average that off-farm income was 82 of their total income. Yep. Farming for a living is hard. And yet many of us want the life of a farmer... So, can it be done? Can we make a living... living the life we want, farming full time? YES. Jordan and his wife Laura figured out how to do this starting a regenerative multi-species pasture-based farm from scratch, both of them coming out of military jobs! How? He shares their story in the latest episode of our podcast! Jordan didn't exactly grow up farming. "I did not grow up on a farm per se. I grew up on what now would now be called a homestead. We had egg laying chickens, a few pigs, and a herd of dairy goats... CLICK HERE TO HEAD TO THE WEBSITE TO READ THE REST OF THE BLOG RECAP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, we examine the question: Should you get pigs on your Homestead? Aust brings us through history, recounting the trials of General Peter Stuyvesant in New Amsterdam to keeping pigs from destroying the Dutch fort with their rooting. Known as "mortgage lifters" for their dependable moneymaking attributes, Aust has been raising pigs on his homestead for five years, and sells them for his most profitable homestead business. We've discussed pigs many times before, on the blog and on the podcast (here, here, here, here, and here to give you a few.) Now, with experience as a guide, Aust and Mike are able to give detailed information on the financial and practical applications of raising pigs. What is the right kind of homestead for pigs? How do you know if pigs would be a good fit for you? From grass to woods, pigs are versatile and able to flourish in diverse landscapes. However, there are several things to consider before deciding to buy pigs for your property: How far are the neighbors? Even well kept pigs smell like, well, pigs. What are the zoning laws in your town and state regarding pigs? Is your infrastructure appropriate for easily bringing food and water to your pigs? What kind of pigs should you get? How many pigs are a good start? And what should you expect for them to give back to you? (For Accountant Mike, who only needs companionship from a pig, maybe a tea cup pig? Ok.. don't do a Tea Cup.. they are a scam ;) Stay away from rare, expensive breeds like this one. Reach out to local farmers, and buy what is available in your area. (Aust prefers the Yorkshire Landrace Cross.) Start with two and scale up based on your success. It's better to have more demand than supply. Rely on a larger pig farmer to maintain breeder pigs. Buy feeders. Purchase feed. Growing your own feed is not a cost savings unless you raise many pigs. Thomas Dexter, Aust's local source for his Yorkshire Landrace pigs, shares important information on raising pigs, and the care it takes to raise and maintain breeder pigs year round. Are pigs profitable? Listen to Accountant Mike do the cost breakdown to see if pigs are the "mortgage lifters" Aust wants them to be. On our next episode we are discussing fishing! Want to be part of next week's podcast? At 9:00 PM EST Tuesday on the Homesteady YouTube Channel and at the Prepperbroadcasting Network we are live! Not able to join us live but want to share your own fish story? Call 657-223-3276 to leave us a voicemail and you may hear your story on the air. Pioneers get an exclusive after show where you are able to chat with Aust and Accountant Mike about your specific questions. Not a Pioneer? Become one today for exclusive access to discounts, podcasts, how-tos, and more. A special thanks to our new sound engineer, Allyson Holley, who has been mixing the Homesteady Podcast since we've gone weekly. We couldn't do it without you! Thank you to our sponsors! Try Hello Fresh for fresh, delicious, perfectly portioned ingredients that even the most novice cook can turn into delicious meals. Enter promo Code "Homesteady30" for $30 off first week of delivery. I (the Suburban Escapee) love Hello Fresh. My family (including the kids!) still ask for the Mediterranean Meatballs on the regular. Their fresh, sustainably raised and sourced meats and produce are a delicious way to integrate healthy, easy meals into your week. Need to shop for some new products for your homestead? Or would it just be easier to have your toilet paper delivered? No matter what you buy, clicking on www.amsteady.com to make your Amazon purchases helps support the show through no cost to you.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes the most obvious way of solving a problem is not the best way. On this episode of Homesteady, we explore our most valuable non-renewable resource: time. Beginning with the story of the Village on the Hill, we see that looking outside the box for a different solution may be the best way for us to achieve our goals. In part two of our ten part Homestead Business Series (miss part one? Listen here ) we head to North Idaho to meet Dan Ohmann on his grassfed homestead. How did this police-officer-turned-stay-at-home-dad-and-farmer do it? On the surface, we see a couple and a child living on a homestead raising lamb and pastured poultry. Dan's spouse still works a traditional job in the software industry, and they gross approximately $2,250 from their meaty side hustle. Like so many of us, the arrival of his first child inspired Dan and his wife to escape their HOA-ruled suburb for something different. Dan decided he needed to take a lot more responsibility for his resources-namely, food, and increasing food security and self-sufficiency.  (An aside-food security is an incredibly weighty and important topic. Learn more here.) Dan's explorations led him to the concept of permaculture. Designing sustainable systems using the natural resources that are available led him to Geoff Lawton's work. "The primary goal of permaculture is to provide a permanence of culture on the earth for people and all living things." -Geoff Lawton So, what is permaculture, anyway? It is an amalgamation of social and agricultural systems that, like most things, is best defined by Wikipedia. Dan experienced a paradigm shift in watching Geoff Lawton's permaculture videos and taking his online permaculture course. Dan realized that like so many of us, he had designed his life according to the socially accepted success formula- good grades+ good college= good job, good money, good life. The permaculture model not only shifted Dan's thinking about sustainable agriculture, but showed him that he could apply these same principles to design a lifestyle that deviated from the acceptable success formula. Why? There has been a growing awareness though that firstly, there is the need to pay more attention to the peoplecare ethic, as it is often the dynamics of people that can interfere with projects, and secondly that the principles of permaculture can be used as effectively to create vibrant, healthy and productive people and communities as they have been in landscapes. (Wikipedia 2018) When Dan's son ran into health problems that were directly related to his diet, that was the final push he needed to start figuring out how to provide what he needed for his family himself. They were able to make a big change, and leave their home in suburban Atlanta when his wife got a big promotion at work where she received a large pay raise and could work remotely. Leaving the police force was a difficult transition for Dan. It was his entire career: he had worked his way through the ranks for many years. This was a meaningful job for Dan, with real value in serving his community, and he knew that he had continued career growth with his department. However, North Idaho was calling, with the land and lifestyle that Dan and his wife wanted for their family. After a two year search for the right property was finally completed, Dan started developing his homestead right away. Sheep were delivered less than 48 hours after move-in day, and they were off! Currently, they are in their second season of raising animals, with a focus on grassfed lamb. How is Dan growing his business? Start small and with with people you know. Dan raised four lambs his first season. Sending strategic emails that resulted in a friend buying a half a lamb, Dan networked his way into selling two lambs, which left two for his family to eat. Make a marketing plan based upon on-the-ground feedback from your possible customer base. When Dan was marketing his lamb, everyone asked, "But how do you cook lamb?" With a series of YouTube cooking videos, he answered this question for his consumers. He developed these videos over the winter to share at a local food advocacy group event. In alignment with slow food principles, Dan showed his consumer where their food came from and what to do with it. Have reasonable growth expectations. Through word of mouth, Dan has sold six lambs and cut off sales. He has since been turning people away. "I can't meet the demand-yet," says Dan. Also- is the business profitable? Let's get down to brass tacks, shall we? (What does that even mean, anyway?) Aust invokes the spirit of Accountant Mike to get down to the nitty gritty dollars-and-cents with Dan. Through a value system that incorporates money as only ONE part of the value of an enterprise, however: is Dan's homestead profitable? Through a permaculture lens, yes. Despite challenges, Dan has built many different forms of capital into the value of his endeavor. Namely? Control over his life- specifically, his TIME. He values being able to schedule his work around his son. As parents, the truth of the matter is that we have to spend time on commutes, on working out of the home- time doing what I call "The Things" that take us away from our children. However, you ARE able to build your OWN system to optimize your opportunities for fulfillment. Shout out to The Survival Podcast for inspiring the story of the village on the hill. Thank you to our sponsor Freight Farms: grow food anywhere with the help of the Leafy Green Machine. Thanks for continuing to sponsor the podcast! Go to www.freightfarms.com/homesteady for access to a FREE Business planning guide! Join our email list, and don't miss any of the exciting updates we have coming up in 2018! We have a new addition to the Pioneer Program: A PIONEER ONLY FORUM! Learn from one another and get to talk with Accountant Mike, The Foraging Beard, Dave from Northeast Edible, Alexia The Suburban Escapee, and Allyson, our producer. Our podcast guests will also be in the forums! Ask Dan any questions you may have in our forum. Not a Pioneer? Join today and get TWENTY bonus podcast episodes with just one click! Want even more ways to support the show? Do your Amazon shopping through our affiliate link- www.amsteady.com. The wait will be shorter than ever for the next episode, as Aust is now creating Homesteady Content FULL TIME. What does that mean? A daily YouTube Video and a NEW podcast every two weeks. Subscribe now to make sure you don't miss part three of our Homestead Business Series, as we once again tackle...GOATS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, Kendra and Aust pack up the family and record on location at Local Farm-, a dairy farm in Cornwall, Connecticut. The reason for the trip? Kendra and Aust are interviewing cows and farmers to figure out for themselves: Is a family cow a good fit for our homestead? Debra Tyler, the dairy farmer of Local Farm, compares a relationship with a cow to a marriage. "Somebody I used to milk with said milking cows is worse than being married...and I say, there are good marriages out there, and a lot of advantages to good marriages. And there are a lot of advantages to the needs of a cow."  As Aust concurs, it makes sense to "court" a cow, the way you would court a partner, as becoming the owner of a cow affects every aspect of daily life on the homestead. Deb shares with us,"My main focus is getting people and cows together." With this mission, Deb has opened her farm to interested cow owners. Twice yearly, she runs workshops on what the lifestyle of a family cow is like. She also offers other opportunities to individuals and groups on her farm, such as milking and tours, by appointment.  Not ready for a family cow? Even buying milk from a local farm can facilitate a lifestyle change. Deb has noticed amongst her customers, picking up weekly gallons of raw milk leads to the creation of family rituals; separating the cream, making butter, and spending time on the farm each week. She says she finds families spending more time together, and more time at home, when they embrace any part of the "cow lifestyle." Aust and Kendra are particularly interested in a Miniature Jersey Cow. This is the type of cow Deb breeds on her farm. These cows are more expensive to purchase, as they are a specialty breed, but they hold several advantages over a full-sized cow. As they are five to ten inches shorter than the standard Jersey cow, they take up less space, and require less feed. They produce, on average, one to one and half gallons of milk per day, which is a useable amount for a family of four or more people. It is possible to feed them exclusively on grass and hay, which saves on the cost of purchasing grain for a larger cow. While owning a cow is a big time and financial commitment, Debra, Kendra, and Aust are quick to note the priceless intangibles of cow ownership. Taking care of an animal such as a cow necessitates a family to develop a rhythm, as cows need to be milked regularly both to maintain their milk production and for their own comfort. In families with children, cows provide "meaningful" chores, as it is immediately evident to children the effect care taking has a on a cow. Will Aust and Kendra commit to a family cow? It appears they are still in the courting stage ;) Want more Homesteady? Are you a Pioneer yet? If not, with spring just around the corner, now is an AMAZING time to become a Pioneer! Membership is only $5 per month, and gives you access to free classes, tutorials, and extended podcasts on sheep, hunting, and more. Join today! Another great option is to join our mailing list, where you will be the FIRST to receive updates on new podcasts, live web events, our YouTube Channel (we are live streaming our new ducklings!), and so much more.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us today to talk about new farm animals, choosing breeds, putting chickens out on pasture, starting homestead businesses and more! LINKS FOR TODAY'S SHOW WYZE CAM - https://amzn.to/3a2n5gc MOUSE CREEK FARM - https://www.facebook.com/mousecreekfarm JODI'S BOOK - https://amzn.to/3a2mYRO VALORIE'S SOAP SHOP - https://allay-handmade-naturals.myshopify.com/ WAITING LIST FOR BUSINESS CLASS - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/time-make-money-homesteading/ SYMAN SAYS FARM YOUTUBE CHANNEL - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPresk6FCncOSvqZIq3iLgA Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/join-homesteady-movement/ LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link http://www.amsteady.com Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. SUBSCRIBE to our PODCAST HERE - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/subscribe-podcast/ AFFILIATE LINKS To The HOMESTEADING GEAR I use everyday -https://www.thisishomesteady.com/gear-use/ Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/go/parsons-homesteady-shop/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you think about when you hear, "The Rat Race?" On this episode of Homesteady, we will explore the idea of the "rat race." What is it? And, most importantly, how do you escape it? We will explore these ideas, and give you some steps on how to escape it and live your idea of your ideal life. The term "the rat race" finds its origins in a series of experiments where rats, motivated first by hunger, and then by avoiding pain (behaviorism's operant and classical conditioning for you fellow psychology enthusiasts out there) develop patterns of repetitive behavior based upon the ease or difficulty of attaining the goal set up by the experiment. When we say, "I want to escape the rat race, buy a homestead, and move out to the country," how do we do it? In order to escape the rat race, we need to understand it. Using the aforementioned experiment as a guide, there are essentially four elements to the rat race: The rat The race The stress The reward Let's break down each piece. The Rat. There is scientific proof that humans and rats, despite our obvious physical difference, have a lot in common. (Did you know rats laugh when tickled? Check it out.) Rats have empathy, a sense of humor and fun, and they are able to think about thinking. If we go directly back to our rats in the experiment, these are rats that did not self-select to be lab rats, who were motivated by their stressors to find a solution that relieves their stressors. Sound relatable? We often find ourselves, as humans, in lifestyles we did not choose, being motivated by our own stressors of feeding our families or escaping a painful situation. Unlike the rat, however, we are able to make a plan to change our lives. The Race. What is this race, and how did we enter? What were your dreams when you were in middle school? How about high school? Are you on a path of following your dreams as they have evolved, or have you found yourself placed in a lifestyle that feels like an unnatural fit? What about each part of your lifestyle: does your commute, how you spend your workday, and how your breakdown of hours, work for you? Lastly, are you working to achieve your own goals, or are you advancing someone else's plan? Often, people work long hard hours at jobs they hate, to earn money to buy things they don't need, to impress people they don't like. — Nigel Marsh The Stress. What do we do if we find ourselves acting like a stressed out rat? We often begin our journey by wanting to take care of our families and fulfill our basic needs. Humans do need to eat, and as adults, we often find ourselves with older or younger family members to take care of. However, as we satisfy our basic needs, we often find our need for "more" growing. We stop feeling satisfied by fulfilling our needs for food and shelter and begin to accumulate more materialistic needs for "more." Also, how, like the rats, are we motivated to learn behaviors to avoid pain? Often the pain we want to avoid is psychological as opposed to physical. When we have the "right" jobs and possessions, we do not need to feel the pain of others showing skepticism or disappointment in our choices. Feeling like a "success" is a strong motivator for keeping up with others. We are also often motivated by debt. We go into debt to buy the things we don't need, and are motivated by keeping up with payments to avoid the pain of falling behind financially. The Reward. What is the reward? How do we know when we have found the reward in our own lives? In the rat race, we often find a ladder of career promotions that come with greater efforts and earnings. With more success in a traditional corporate career path, we see individuals with beautiful cars, bigger homes, and more social influence. However, there is always a "next" on this path to happiness. Whatever level of achievement we reach, there will always be a nicer car, a bigger house, or more money. But what if we are just trying to stay away from the "shocks" of life? We live paycheck to paycheck, just getting by, staying ahead, paying our debts. Why did we even sign up for this? Mostly, because public school has taught us to do this, all of our lives. We learned to work for rewards, to do what others told us to do, and the feel the "shocks" of grades. Don't despair! You CAN get out of the rat race. Unlike rats, we can make a difference in our own lives. TODAY: Tell yourself, "I will NOT be a lab rat. I have control over my OWN life." Regardless of your work and life circumstances today, you are able to take steps to develop your own path in life. RECOGNIZE Your own Rat Race. Once you realize what your own "rat race" is, evaluate what works, what doesn't work, and what needs to change. Write down what needs to change, and hold yourself accountable to finding an exit strategy. Maybe this book will help? Avoid Stress. The most common stressor we all share? Debt. Avoid debt if at all possible. Dave Ramsey's book can assist you in evaluating your financial choices. If we avoid debt and save money, we will feel more satiated. Redefine the Reward. Is the reward buying things? If you are stuck in a cycle of buying things in order to satiate your appetite, try to decide what would satiate it instead. More free time? More social time? What about more time with your family? Know that this takes time, and start to develop an exit strategy. Make a Vision Board like Alexia the Suburban Escapee, who is an Expressive Arts Therapist (and who is writing this now because she has DROPPED OUT of the rat race), uses to keep her eye on her reward. Are you enjoying the podcast coming out weekly? Thinking of dropping out of the rat race, but need to gain more skills? Become a Homesteady Pioneer! For only $5/month you get access to extended podcasts, exclusive videos, online live chats, how-to courses, discount codes, and more. Already an Amazon Shopper? If you go to Amazon through www.amsteady.com, you support the show by doing your regular shopping and spending ZERO extra dollars. Amazon gives the show a "referral bonus," and you get what you were shopping for without spending an extra dime. Join us for our live episode with Dave of Northeast Edible, as well as some other homesteader who have left the rat race, and learn about fruit trees and orchards this Tuesday at 9 PM on our YouTube Channel. We will have a Pioneers Only Q&A at 10. Excited about planting orchards? We have an exciting on-farm opportunity for you to join us! Learn more here.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Okay, I think I'm just going to lead with the headline: "We're Going to Alaska." This isn't a joke. Kay, the kids, and I are going to Alaska this summer. To understand why, let's rewind back to last summer when we announced that we were going to build an off-grid home on a property called Sunny Mountain... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Months ago our oldest daughter started talking about missing goats. She was the caretaker of our last bunch of Nubians, and she really liked them. K and I love letting our kids have animals of their own to care for. We both feel they learn so much from animal husbandry.  But could we do goats again? We have had so many problems over the years with them!  After a few months of planning and infrastructure changes, we decided to give our daughter the green light.  Find out what we plan on doing differently this time around, what kind of goats we got, and some of my Daughters plans for her animals in this Podcast! Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Container Gardening. In this episode, we discuss the best way to start growing your own food. You will learn how to start a container garden, or raised bed, and what it will cost you up front, as well as what you will earn from it. Enjoy the freshest food around... From your own backyard!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I was having an embarrassing issue. Using deodorant was irritating my skin, and so I went looking for a more "natural" solution. My search led me to Laurel Mountain Soaps. Tim and Jocelyn started making soap because their baby girl was getting severe diaper rashes. The skin products they were buying were irritating their daughters skin to the point of blisters, and they decided if no one made a natural product that worked for their baby girl, they would just do it themselves. They started experimenting with goat milk soap, and saw it work wonders on their daughters skin condition. Years later they run a business making TRULY NATURAL goat milk soap that not only cleans your body, but makes you FEEL better too! In this episode Tim and Jocelyn teach us WHY GOAT MILK SOAP IS the BEST SOAP for your body, and how you can make your own! If you can't make your own soap you can buy some incredible stuff from Tim and Jocelyn! CLICK HERE TO Visit Laurel Mountain Soaps Online and use Coupon Code "homesteady22" for 10% off all their products! Jocelyn Suggested these good books for learning about Soap Making Soap Crafting     The Everything Soap Making Book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we got the worst news about our cow ladybug. A routine disease test for our cows showed that Ladybug may be sick with Johnes Disease.  Johnes Disease is devastating. It is a wasting disease, that prevents a cow from absorbing nutrients from the food it is eating. It can infect a calf before it is even born, and yet it will not kill that animal for a few years. It lies, secretly, beyond detection, for years, and when some stressful event happens in the cows life, for example, a calving, like the one ladybug had back in the fall, the disease goes active and quickly can turn a healthy looking cow into a skeleton, killing somewhere around 90% of cows that test positive with it. Because it can infect a cow for years without killing it, it spreads through cow herds quite easily. It is believed that all major diary and beef herds have Johnes positive cows. That is specifically why, when we purchased our first dairy cow, we found a herd of cows that was believed to be free of all cow diseases, including Johnes. Sadly this appears not to have been the case. In this episode of the podcast we talk about the sad news, and what will happen going forward. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are 3 Things you need to grow on your homestead if you want to be more Self Sufficient, and a few other things you should NOT Grow.. why? I'm guessing you are not a full time farmer. Your growing time is limited. SO instead of trying to grow everything, focus on growing the most productive things… How do we know what the most productive things to grow are? We found over 100 homesteaders who were growing around 75% of their food. What are they growing? More importantly, what are they NOT wasting their time on? We will share that in this video! This episode brought to you by - LAUREL MOUNTAIN SOAPS - All Natural Homemade Soaps and Skin Products made from Goat Milk! Tim and Jocelyn started making soap for their baby, and grew that hobby into a business! Parents... Try their new Diaper Balm! CLICK HERE TO BUY and Use coupon code "homesteady" for 10% off! PIONEER EPISODE - BEEF WITH A FULL TIME JOB CLICK HERE TO BECOME A PIONEER CLICK HERE TO GET ON THE EMAIL LIST HOMESTEADS THAT HELPED WITH THIS VIDEO Steph from Red Pine Pastures RAISES MEAT! Matt and Sara GROW VEGGIES - @mattsara2802  Dana Raises CHICKENS in NEW ZEALAND  @FantailValleyHomestead  Liv LOVES MILK COWS - https://www.instagram.com/livsalittlefarm/ Codi's GROWING TONS OF FOOD...  @morethanfarmers  Steph and Chris are SQUASH'in the competition -  @HickorycroftFarm ​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you leave a home to go on vacation you always worry about a few things... THat's why so many people will hire a house sitter to look after the house, pet, garden, etc. Now add a few cows, pigs and camels to that mix... Yeah! Leaving the homestead can be a bit of an ordeal! What do we do when we leave the Homestead? How do we make sure everything not only survives while we are away, but thrives?  THE MINDFUL HOMESTEAD DAKOTA'S RABBITS AND HOMESTEAD ITEMS WE USE TO KEEP TABS WHILE WE ARE AWAY Wyze Cam Brinsea CHicken Coop Auto Door Halo Collar Bar Bar A Collar Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wile you are waiting for the next episodes in the Alaska Off Grid Challenge to come out... I had the pleasure of being a guest on Jill Winger's show Old Fashioned on Purpose We covered some real hot button topics.. CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join myself and a special guest for a live discussion on planning a great year on the homestead! Become a Pioneer HERE - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/homesteadyshow/ SUBMIT HOMESTEAD LESSONS LEARNED VIDEOS HERE - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h_VAsoscsEM1WyG4p88X9XBoj0vmm8JI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is something that could be on your farm that has the power to kill. You may not even remember that you own it. You may not realize how dangerous it is. We didnt realize when we purchased it 4 years ago, and then forgot about it.    Until our Labrador Retriever puppy found it. Listen to hear this warning tale.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Misty and Clay wanted to start a Blueberry farm in the worst way. So they bought a piece of land and planted some blueberry bushes. But things did not go as they planned.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE PIONEER VERSION CLICK HERE TO BECOME A PIONEER HERE MISTY'S INSTAGRAM MISTY on Wild and Whole CLAY'S INSTAGRAM CLAY'S PODAST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Episode of Homesteady is brought to you by KUJO YARDWEAR - Work shoes, pants and more! Checkout kujo.com for all your yard wear and use coupon code "homesteady" for a 10% discount! It is TRUE! We are leaving our farm... WHY? Find out in this episode of the Podcast. Checkout THESE YOUTUBE VIDEOS for MORE INFO We are LEAVING THE HOMESTEAD 7 Things we will DO DIFFERENT at our NEXT HOMESTEAD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Years ago when Aaron and Liz started their first farm, they had no idea it would free them from corporate life. Fast forward years later, and these once "fake farmers" are now farming full time! Through their Syman Says Farms Youtube Channel, Liz and Aaron have opened up their home and farm to help teach and inspire the next generation of farmers. They feel a strong sense of purpose to give back and share their love animals and knowledge of husbandry with those who may never otherwise step foot on a farm. Together, they shared their tips and tricks of how they manage and keep their goats, chickens and rabbits healthy. In early 2019, Aaron suggested setting up a live stream in the goat barn during kidding season. What better way to educate than to share the birthing process Live?!? A few weeks before the first doe was due to kid, Aaron hit the button that would forever change everything! The Live Cam quickly became a place of refuge, peace, solitude and community to a great deal of people. Affectionately called Goat Aunties and Uncles, the "Village" supports, uplifts, celebrates, cries and laughs together daily. It's become a place of acceptance and healing.Aaron & Liz have received countless emails and messages of thanks and gratitude from people all over the world who have said the Live Cam and the goats literally saved their lives or allowed them to be strong enough to seek help for their own struggles. Liz & Aaron's passion for sharing their knowledge and animals with the community, quickly became about sharing the power of animal therapy AND husbandry with the world!In this episode we talk about their favorite dairy breeds of goats, selling farm products, and how that lead to them leaving corporate life behind! Checkout their Website to find all their products and their videos and more! Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here -  LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link  http://www.amsteady.com Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Heritage Craft Butchers didn't learn to cut meat in the super market.  They learned in a barn. Cutting up their own home grown pigs, and curing the meat in an old refrigerator, the guys decided they would try to follow their passion and start a butcher shop.  They found an old bank in the middle of Pennsylvania farm country. Perfect. Lots of elbow grease, experimenting with old world recipes, and bourbon, and here they are running a successful butcher business from scratch.  Check them out at their Facebook Page or at Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A father who comes from a long line of hunters takes his daughter on a elk hunt. The spend the day following a set of tracks, calling, and chasing a good size bull elk. When he finaly steps out into the clearing, its all in Abbey's hands to make history.  This story was shared with us by Rae Elliot. You can see all of her work at raeelliotbooks.com and listen to her science fiction podcast Fractured in iTunes.    To hear the behind the scenes episode, where we discuss hunting and the making of the score for this story, become a Homesteady Pioneer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, we are exploring the delights and dangers of foraging, or looking for and gathering wild foods. After a scare gathering mushrooms on the Homestead, Aust shares with us information on how to safely start your own foraging hobby. ******* Disclaimer: this blog and podcast are NOT a source for identifying wild plants************************************ Our guest, Jared White, is an extreme foraging enthusiast and hobbyist of The Foraging Beard on Instagram and YouTube is our guest on the show, to give us education and guidance on learning to forage. As a stay at home dad, Jared has dived into homesteading, with foraging emerging as his prominent interest. An avid photographer, his research into the flora he was photographing led him to the knowledge that lots of the plants he was photographing were edible! With his trusty Audobon Field Guide and the help of Google, Jared began to learn more and more about identifying wild edibles. But-how do we determine what is edible? And to NOT panic when we take a bite? Jared recommends starting with the onions. The allium tricoccum, or ramps, in particular, are great for the beginning forager. With their distinctive aroma and taste, the beginner can feel secure that they are eating the wild onion they think they are eating. Mushrooms, however, are trickier. Local and regional names can confuse a forager looking for the safely eaten variety. Using scientific names for all foraged plants helps ensure that no one finds an unwelcome variety on their dinner plate, and allows foodie enthusiasts to savor their chanterelles without fear. What other kinds of wild edibles are out there? Depending upon your region, the edible plants available vary. The best way to find them? Just keep looking. And looking. And looking. After your search, how do you decide whether to take a bite? What protocols do you follow to determine whether dinner is deadly? Jared, who had his own scare after thinking he ate a death cap when he meant to eat a russula, shares these safety tips: If it looks like food, take a picture or a plant home, and research it thoroughly. Learn to identify poisonous plants, so you don't take an accidental nibble! Use three sources to confirm what you found. Start with the foolproof four. Immediately go to your local ER and call Poison Control if you fear you have made a mistake. This cautionary tale shows you can never be too careful. Does Accountant Mike think foraging is worth the risks? Could he possibly be anti FREE FOOD? Or does the math add up in a surprising way? Listen to find out if gathering gourmet food pays off not only for your curiosity, but your wallet. Thank you to our sponsors! When your schedule prevents you from foraging your dinner, let HelloFresh deliver dinner to you in an  easy, pre-portioned kit. Use promocode Homesteady30 to get $30 off your first meal delivery. Are you  huge fan of the show? Join the Homesteady Pioneers by following this link and for only five dollars a month, you get bonus podcasts, free online webinars, discount codes (on awesome products like these, or maybe some Russian comfrey), and more! Dave from Northeast Edible will also give you a Pioneer discount on planning your orchard. Become a Pioneer today! We love hearing from you! Have you filled out our survey? You will be entered to win a $100 gift card from Tractor Supply Co. Want to hear more about what's coming up next? Join our mailing list for up to the minute updates on our YouTube Channel and podcast. Want still more Homesteady? Follow us on Instagram! You can follow Aust @homesteadyshow (see the morels for yourself) and Alexia, The Suburban Escapee, @suburbanescapee (I have finally grown something as opposed to killing it!).   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Homesteady, we explore the lifestyle of the modern hunter. We will be examining both the facts and the feelings that come into play when decided whether hunting is an ethical option for feeding one's family. With scenes from Bambi resonating within the formative memories of Aust's childhood, we are going to re-examine the discussion on hunting: Is it wrong? With such easy access to food, do we need to head into the woods with a gun? This episode is for those of you who are not currently hunters. We ask that you listen to this episode with an open mind as we present the facts and feelings on hunting from multiple perspectives.We know that Aust is a hunter now- but we learn that he wasn't always this way. After learning about factory farming, Aust and Kendra wanted a healthier option for their growing family. Once figuring out that hunting was the most affordable option for his family, Aust became a self-taught hunter, and soon after harvested his first deer. "At a base level, every single one of us is a hunter." Tyler Sharp, the founder and creative director of Modern Huntsman, our first hunting interviewee, takes an historical perspective on hunting that he is aware can be polarizing amongst mixed company. Growing up in Texas, he grew up with hunting as a typical part of his culture. Once he moved to California to college, and disclosed his experience filming hunts to his peers in his photography and film classes, he was made aware that many regarded his experiences with gross disdain. As friends close to him expressed they found hunting appalling, Tyler was pushed to search within himself why hunting was an ethical choice. Spending several years in Tanzania filming safaris post-college, Tyler filmed and photographed the hunting safaris for an established outfitter on a game reserve. Living in the Kilombero region for several years, Tyler had the opportunity to learn outdoor skills from those in the region- and come face to face with a lion. The takeaway? To be a good hunter, you have to be a good outdoorsman, and be comfortable spending a lot of time there. Also- hunters love animals. Surprised? It was after his encounters with animals that Tyler decided that hunting was actually the best thing one can do to take care of wildlife. After three years living in the bush and hunting in Africa, Tyler shares these facts about hunting that support his perspective: Fact #1: There is a difference between hunters and poachers. Fact #2: Hunters produce more money than any other group when it comes to taking care of our animals. Despite the fact that it is unfashionable to be a hunter, Tyler argues that hunting can be an ethical lifestyle choice. Brad Neathery, our next guest, is the co-founder and CEO of Modern Huntsman. Since childhood, Brad has seen a different side of what a modern hunter could be. "Hunting was essentially a medium to pull together some father-son bonding time. To be honest, we'd rarely pull a trigger, because we got lost in conversation more than anything else." Brad does, however, have an issue with mainstream general media, and mainstream hunting media, in its portrayal of hunters. He feels that the image portrayed has been homogenized to one stereotype in most American media. Instead, hunters need to be portrayed in all the diversity they represent- traditional tribal hunters in Tanzania, master trackers, fathers and sons in Texas, husbands and wives learning together to hunt in adulthood. The media celebrates those who are in it for shooting, as opposed to those who use and respect all parts of the animals they harvest. BUT HEY- Did you know you can purchase meat at the supermarket? So why hunt? The emotions you experience while hunting, as beautifully detailed here, by Eamon Waddington, are not the same as those you experience when finding ground beef for 99 cents a pound in your grocer's meat case. "My anticipation had my heart pounding – whatever was in front of him was close. I hold back every urge in my body to get closer and peek over his shoulder like a curious child – the suspense was killing me." The Modern Huntsman Magazine portrays this alternative view of hunters. In finding and sharing stories about hunting that sit with the hunter's remorse of taking a life, and their gratefulness for the harvest of the animal, and the details of their acquired skills, Brad shows that many hunters are thoughtful, respectful, and keepers of tradition. The alternative narrative he presents is a stark counterpoint to mainstream media's homogenous bloodthirsty portrayal of the hunter. Food for thought, to be sure. Thank you to Brad and Tyler at the Modern Huntsman Huntsman for sharing their stories, perspective, and their mission. To make Modern Huntsman a reality, visit their Kickstarter campaign to support the first issue. $5 off an edition of Modern Huntsman for Homesteady backers! Are you homesteady? Help us find YOU on social media with the hashtag #iamhomesteady. Thanks for your patience with our current slow production schedule! Stay tuned for our plans for 2018 in our December podcast! Also, have you supported us by becoming a Pioneer? If not, you can join us here for tons of free classes, videos, bonus podcasts, and discount codes for some of our favorite vendors.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A broken lawn mover has led Aust to ponder...should he buy a new ride-on lawnmower? Or pass over a new machine and invest in some sheep to eat the lawn? Aust pulls out all the stops and brings in Accountant Mike to develop a comprehensive pro/con list to investigate this completely new venture for the homestead. Have you ever thought about the ways lawnmowers are dangerous? And we all know from the last episode the downside of growing useless grass. Sheep, however, cannot simply be parked in the shed once they're done dining. They require food in the winter, when the lawns of New England are covered in snow, medical attention, and shelter. As opposed to lawnmowers, when they are fully grown, they can be butchered and either sold or served for dinner. There is also the possibility of shearing sheep and selling wool. Do these ventures create a profit that make sheep a good business decision? Accountant Mike and Aust battle it out: To mow or not to mow? Do the numbers add up in favor of sheep?Find out on Part 1 of this FIRST serialized episode of Homesteady! Know a lot about lawn mowers, but nothing about sheep? Aust shares his entire conversation with Susan Napotnik about selecting the perfect breed of sheep here on the Pioneer sheep episode. Not a Pioneer? Join here. P.S.: Did you know Accountant Mike is a reality star? From the Suburban Escapee: I began to write an reflection of this episode where I waxed poetic about lawns, livestock, and this episode of Curious George. (Which, yes, is about goats, but it's relevant.) I mean, I'm from the suburbs. Is there anything more suburban than lawnmowers? The backbone of this episode, however, isn't so much about the topic itself, or the debate of Animal vs. Machine. This is the first time we have Aust step out from behind the curtain of his homestead in a particularly vulnerable position: as a newbie. Despite his success in other areas of his homestead, many of which have been shared on the podcast, Aust is revealing that decisions on the farm aren't made in a vacuum. They are made after hours of research, consulting with experienced mentors, and running numbers about the cost of any new venture vs. any possible revenue. Decision-making is an art and a science. In my own life, with a family, a job, and multiple interests, needs, and dreams, learning to make decisions has become a necessary skill. A biography of my early adulthood could be called "The Consequences of the Poorly Thought Out Choices." In trying to reverse that trend, the Country Boy and I have grown more cautious and methodical. After living in the city, we found a town where we could afford enough land (not a farm, just a big yard) to start experimenting with homesteading. After two seasons of growing plants based upon capricious wants (see here for how that turned out), we finally began to do research to inform ourselves on the best possible way to grow the vegetables and plants we want and enjoy. This year, we have purchased a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmshare with two goals in mind: increase the variety of vegetables in our freezer, and meet local farmers to begin the make the relationships that could possibly gain us a few mentors for our homestead journey. And yet, despite the careful mathematical calculations of profit margins, and scientific research on varieties and methods, and the technical ins and out of any pursuit, there is also that most incalculable of all variables: passion. Regardless of how much logical, financial, or any other type of sense any decision makes, without passion to fuel the effort, I truly believe success is limited. I believe that passion is what largely fuels this community. Passion for eating whole, fresh food. Passion for the outdoors. Passion for animals, hard work, and being a "maker" as opposed to strictly a consumer. Making smart, well-researched decisions is what allows us to pursue our particular passion in a sustainable, fiscally responsible way. Rather than listening to this episode and thinking "wow, I should look into livestock," I urge you all to take away the larger message and ask yourself: What is ONE decision I can make to further my passion? Add to our blog community by sharing that step in the comments!   A special thanks to our partner: RJS Bee Farm. Pioneers get 10% off beekeeping equipment. Raising chickens? Our sponsor The Power Plucker will make your life easier. Save 20 days of your life you would otherwise spend plucking chickens! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morgan wasn't happy. He had a "great job" that paid well in the city. But it was not what he really wanted. Morgan's dream was to build a farm! After he quit his finance job in Washington, DC, his wife and he moved to a farm in a remote part of Northern Vermont. He planted a 600 tree integrated orchard consisting of chestnuts, hazelnuts, elderberries, mulberries, apple, black locust and many others. He also established a flock of 40 egg-laying ducks that will live in a mobile duck house that travels through our orchard. His ultimate goal is to develop a long-lasting sustainable farm that is sustainable on three levels - environmentally, financially and personally. Morgan has been documenting his farm's development through a YouTube channel and a newly launched podcast. Enjoy listening to this podcast episode as Aust and Morgan talk making the leap from living in places like New York City and Washington, DC to town of 700 people in Northern Vermont, planting a 600 tree orchard, being a duck farmer who is allergic to duck eggs, and so much more! CHECKOUT MORGANS YOUTUBE CHANNEL and PODCAST Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't heard the prologue to this episode:Emergency on the Farm, Just One More, we highly suggest you stop and listen to this episode first. It's about an hour, and highly emotional, so don't forget those tissues! Thank you, listeners, for your support regarding the loss of Boone. We were, and continue to be, profoundly moved by your outpouring of empathy. Your stories of the beloved companion animals you have lost help heal the hole in our own heart. We are heartened by  how many of you told us that you have made changes on your own properties- reducing and eliminating your own use of poisons-in honor of Boone. This is why we shared Boone's story. You have shared these stories with the #forboone Hashtag. PLEASE, keep doing so. It makes his loss continue to have meaning for us and others. On the podcast, we share parts of several of your stories- of your much-loved pets, of the changes you've made on your properties. Our hearts are so grateful for this podcast community. As you may remember, I was able to get a spot put on the waiting list of Three Cedar's Retrievers list for JUST ONE MORE puppy sired by the same parents as Boone. How did this selection process go for us? Watch this video to find out. It will be the cutest thing you see all day. With the help of Jack's matchmaking skills, we selected "Socks" to come home with us to the farm.   Or maybe, "Socks" picked us. To be honest, it was hard to get a new puppy while still grieving Boone's loss. But we moved forward and started to build a spot in our family for our puppy. All purebred animals are registered, with a an official name. We re-named Socks "Bones" for his call name, a name that honored Boone. His official name? Three Cedars Boone's Little Brother. After earning the nickname Lazy Bones, for his marked lack of interest in any training activities, Bone matured into an eager retriever.   Which will it be? This one? Hmm... Seems to like us... Yep. That face. THAT face... Hansome pup Winston Churchill Bones. #forboone   More than that, he has filled the hole next to me, and has become my new best friend. This episode of Homesteady really highlighted how this podcast engenders community. Want to be a bigger part of this community? Become a Pioneer today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A year ago this podcast disappeared. We announced we were moving, selling our homestead in CT, and headed to a new farm in PA. We said that you would be getting updates from us as we went on this journey to our new home in the state of PA.  Then silence.  In our official Season 2 of Homesteady, we start to fill you in on what happened, where we went, and what is going to happen going forward. In this first episode, brought to you by the Homesteady Pioneers (BECOME ONE HERE) we talk about selling Squash Hollow Farm, our farm in CT and Moving to PA. The truth is we have been talking about doing this for years. K's Dad has been trying to get us to move to PA for the last decade.  K grew up on the 100 acre family farm, and her dad wanted us to take it over. K loved the land, the location, and was excited about the idea of being close to her family again. I was the hold out.  My entire life was spent in CT. My friends, family, all my roots were there. The older a tree gets the HARDER it is to uproot it.  Every year K's dad would pitch us the idea to move back home, and farm off the family farm. And every year I had an easy out. My business, my clients, the means of feeding my family, all of that was located in CT. Honestly it was too scary to shake that up. The idea of building a new business in a new place, searching for new clients, with a ever growing family to feed, that was too scary for me. But over the last few years something was slowly changing... As Homesteady grew, K and I started pushing towards making it our full time work and means of income. My business went from a local client based operation, to an internet business that allowed us to earn a living anywhere. Last winter K and I decided it was time to try to jump into doing Homesteady full time.  This meant we were now making all our money off our online show, and no longer did it matter where we lived, as long as we could homestead and produce our show. We started discussing the idea of moving to a new place with a lower cost of living than Connecticut, and where we could own a larger farm. About that time K's Dad made his annual pitch to take over the family farm. Suddenly it all made sense. Taking over the family farm in PA would be the perfect move. Still, it was scary, and I needed a nudge. So I called the guy I always call when making big decisions... Accountant Mike.  After a long discussion of goals, what we wanted in life, and looking at the hard logic of it all, it became clearer. PA was the right move for us. 10 Years of saying no, it was time to say yes to taking over the family farm.  Before we could move to PA we needed to sell our farm in CT. Selling a farm is not easy, but we were able to get the offer we wanted in just 10 days. HOW?  STEP 1 - CLEAN YOUR PROPERTY UP The first thing we did to our farm to sell it was to CLEAN IT!  As a homesteader, we save a lot of random things that we think we could use to build infrastructure. These random things included random old metal bunk beds, lots of plastic barrels, pallets, pallets and more pallets.... These junk piles make your property look less valuable to a potential customer, and should be removed.  SETP 2 - FIX WHAT'S BROKE You don't want potential buyers to see glaring issues. So walk your property, see what is broken, cracked, etc, and fix it. This does NOT mean remodel your farm, just find cracks in drywall, broken windows, or unfinished projects and make finish and fix them!  STEP 3 - STAGE YOUR PLACE TO SELL Once the property is clean and fixed up, you want it to look like a place anyone could see themselves living in. This means removing your personality from your home and property, and make it a more blank pallet. We took down bunk beds, family photos, and even changed the sheets on beds to bright white sheets. The goal was to make the home look bright, white and warm, and the property big, beautiful and clean.  STEP 4 - TAKE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES (and Marketing Materials) When your property is all staged and ready to be seen, help more people see it online with beautiful pictures. This does NOT mean snap a couple quick pics on your phone. We bought a lighting kit ($90 kit like THIS one) and used a wide angle lens - ( LIKE THIS ONE ) on our canon camera to get the best looking photos. Good lighting and a wide angle lens makes your rooms look large, bright and beautiful. Then we put these in a brochure with our story and history of the property.  Once the house was sold it was time to start packing up. This was NO small feat, with all the animals, farm equipment, feed, etc.  But the hardest part of it all was saying goodbye to the homestead we loved so much...  After spending years building a beautiful little homestead from the ground up, we were leaving Squash Hollow Farm forever. While we were excited to go to our new home, leaving the place with so many memories, a home we brought 3 little babies home to, was very hard to do. Selling and Moving was just the beginning, stay tuned to a future episode of the Homesteady Podcast, which will talk about Day 1 in PA, and living in a tiny home for 9 months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people are worried, with this pandemic spreading, have they missed their opportunity to grow their own food? NO! You can grow your own food even now! In this episode we share a few ways you can grow food now, and fast! CAN YOU HELP SOMEONE ELSE? FILL OUT THIS FORM BECOME A PIONEER Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready to hear the saddest statistic we may have ever shared here at Homesteady? 90% of goat owners report having a goat die, for a reason other than old age. That means most of us who own goats are going to experience some really heartbreaking death at some point in our goat journey. The sad truth is, although they're super cute, they can be really hard to keep alive. That's why we talked to Deborah Neiman, the author of Raising Goats Naturally and Goats Giving Birth all about these major problems facing goat owners and how we can overcome them. So let's tackle these three major obstacles with Deborah... she shares some expert advice on how to keep our goats happy and healthy! Pioneer Version of this episode Click Here to Become a Pioneer Checkout Deborah Niemann Main Website Youtube Channel Podcast Instagram This episode brought to you by - LAUREL MOUNTAIN SOAP - All Natural Homemade Soaps and Skin Products made from Goat Milk! Tim and Jocelyn started making soap for their baby, and grew that hobby into a business! Try their lotion bars during the dry winter months! CLICK HERE TO BUY and Use coupon code "homesteady" for 10% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Eli from Kencove joins us to talk about designing and building your farms fence! Sponsored by Kencove  https://kencove.com/ Kencove Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/KencoveFarmFence Kencove Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kencovefarmfence/ Eli Instagram  https://www.instagram.com/mackfarms/ Eli's Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pennsylvania-grazier-podcast/id1583879921 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes we find ourselves playing a game of “what if” in the world of homesteading and prepping. What if the grid went down? What if there was another world war? What if there was a pandemic? These games of what if can be a fun mental exercise. But the reality is that these disasters will probably not ever happen to us. BUT… That does not mean we will not experience disasters in our life. We absolutely will experience disasters. The disasters that will happen to us may not harm as many people as a WWIII or Global Pandemic. But they have the same ability to ruin our own life, and maybe those around us. What is the disaster that WILL happen to you? It could be… A loss of a Job A Health emergency (You or a loved one) A local natural disaster (depending on where you live) These disasters actually happen all the time, and to all of us. The truth is that someday you or a close loved one will absolutely experience one of these 3 disasters, if not all of them. Are you ready? Not for the Zombies or Plagues… But for the day your handed a pink slip? The day your child is rushed to the Emergency Room? The day you need to evacuate from an approaching hurricane? This week our family experienced an emergency. My 8 month old was rushed to the emergency room, and hours later to a second hospital for an emergency surgery. All this, at the same time a major blizzard was headed our way. We learned some very real lessons on Emergency Preparedness, and we want to share them with you. Join us for a discussion about prepping for the disasters that WILL happen to you, and learn all about Family Emergency Planning, Go Bags, and Basic Preparedness. We will tell our story, and then be joined by J.J. Johnson from the popular Youtube Channel Reality Survival https://www.youtube.com/user/RealitySurvival to discuss how to get the basic preparedness covered for the disaster that will happen to you. Go to Listen and Chat This Tuesday 9pm/Est. 6pm/Pt Visit Homesteady… See all we do at www.thisishomesteady.com Get access to the Pioneers Only library by becoming a Homesteady Pioneer HERE! https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you need to get started beekeeping? Why should you bring bees to your homestead in the first place? Find out in this episode of the Homesteady Podcast. Checkout the Honeystead here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB2BKzY2HgpTEgYeba78KHA Sign up to our email list so you don't miss any of our videos here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/join-homesteady-movement/ SUBSCRIBE to our PODCAST HERE - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/subscribe-podcast/ LOVE HOMESTEADY? Help us keep it going! Becoming a Pioneer - You get instant access to the new forum, discounts, and homesteading classes and podcasts! https://www.thisishomesteady.com/head-west-become-pioneer/ Are you shopping at Amazon? Shop through our Amsteady Link http://www.amsteady.com Just click that link then do your regular shopping, it doesn’t cost you any extra but we earn a commission for sending you there. AFFILIATE LINKS To The HOMESTEADING GEAR I use everyday -https://www.thisishomesteady.com/gear-use/ Get Homesteady Tee Shirts (and other clothing) Here - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/go/parsons-homesteady-shop/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today Kerry from  @Homesteadhow  shares HOW his family make a living full time from their homestead! Checkout Kerry's Channel MAKE MONEY HOMESTEADING COURSE - https://www.thisishomesteady.com/time-make-money-homesteading-2/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ariel has been living off grid in a tiny house nestled into the western mountains of Wyoming, a little over 6000 feet above sea level for six years now. She splits her own wood for heat, carries water by hand, uses a composting toilet, and attempts to grow as much of her own food as possible between the weather and wildlife she's surrounded by. As a child, she was fortunate enough to be able to spend much of her free time exploring and playing in the woods. Little has changed now that she older. She moved to a place with a bigger woods and still enjoys spending her time outside hiking, gardening, and photographing the natural world.  As the eldest of seven children who grew up in a homeschooling family Ariel had the opportunity, not always appreciated at the time, to learn to do quite a bit of work. She's enjoyed a wide range of jobs, everything from greenhouses and flower arranging, to wilderness therapy with teens, to milking cows. Mostly, she enjoys doing the kinds of things that try to provide a real service or value to others. Some of her other hobbies include backpacking, hosting people, cooking, preserving food, anything to do with nutrition, skiing, reading, journalling, and sitting around a fire and talking to close friends. You can follow Ariel's adventures here at her Youtube Channel - youtube.com/fynyth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meat Chickens are a great gateway animal into raising your own meat and becoming, overall, more sustainable. On this episode of Homesteady, we revisit chicken ownership. As we examine homestead chickens closer, we have to wonder: are chickens a "gateway animal?" Does buying chickens lead to more chickens, then to pigs, goats, sheep, and even (perhaps) a cow? John Suscovich from the Growings Farms Podcast and Farm Marketing Solutions became a full-time farmer. But First: We've got some changes happening on Homesteady! We are going weekly! For the next two months, we are going to broadcast weekly. We are hosting a LIVE SHOW at 9:00 PM EST, every week, live with Accountant Mike. Watch us on YouTube, on the Homesteady Channel, or on Prepperbroadcasting.com. Today is our first time using our YouTube live-stream from last Tuesday evening! Did you know we will be live AGAIN this and EVERY Thursday event at 9:00 PM EST Cornish Crosses' were Aust's first meat bird. Purchased at Tractor Supply Co, and treated more as pets, it was a very different experience at the beginning. Aust is able to reflect by re-reading an old Homesteady blog post on how his perception of raising chickens for meat has changed with experience. Now, Aust raises pastured pork along with meat chickens, and that pork is one of the most profitable of his homestead endeavors. For Aust and Kendra, meat chickens were a gateway to raising pastured pigs; for John, chickens were the gateway into a career. John and his wife both wanted to farm; but they didn't own any land. Not only that, they had been homeless for two years, embarking on a cross-country bike trip across the United States. After touring farms and craft breweries, they knew that living on the farm was the life for them. But, John had a fascination with chickens, and knew how to process meat birds. Becoming a pastured poultry farmer seemed the next logical step. NO money, NO job, NO land; John saw only opportunities. The broad decision of going into agriculture was passion-based...but it had to work on a spreadsheet before it was going to work on the field. John went door to door until he had accumulated several offers from landowners with hay fields he could use to begin his chicken business. He used chicken tractors to develop a mobile pastured chicken business. John started with Joel Salatin's chicken tractor design, and then...innovated. He designed a custom chicken tractor to meet his own needs. With a background in technical theater design, John was able to parlay his skills into his ideal chicken tractor. (See! EVEN THEATER can help on your homestead journey!) As John was selling chickens, people started to ask, "Where did you get those chicken tractors?" and another arm to his business was born. Chickens for meat are great for a homesteader. Their infrastructure is mobile, they are affordable, they only take eight weeks to mature to processing if you use Cornish Cross chickens, and they are a very manageable animal. Running two or three groups of ten chickens will fertilize your lawn and fill your freezer. John has progressed from leasing open land to now running Camps Road Farm. He has diversified to not only raise chickens, but grows hops for his on-farm brewery and an apple orchard for his off-farm distillery. There are two great resources John shares with us. The pastured poultry packet breaks down the process from purchase to processing. And of course the plans for his chicken tractor. If you'd like to build a John Suscovich chicken tractor, you can buy his book here. Homesteady Pioneers get ten percent off! Log into the discount section of the pioneer library. You can see the extended version of this podcast- an hour and a half long video- in the pioneer library. You can do this. But what will you need to make the leap? And what about the butchering? You know, when the time comes to "process" the bird. While it is possible to process the chickens yourself, you are looking at a significant time commitment. At the very least, get a Power Plucker to help you pluck the feathers off the chickens. What does Accountant Mike have to say? Is there a large enough profit margin? Does it get a thumbs up? Listen to find out. With this being the THIRD Homesteady chicken episode, there is lots of material in our pioneer library about egg laying chickens, and now meat birds. Inspired after this episode to start with meat birds? John's books, the power plucker, and so much more have discount codes available in the Pioneer portal. We are a growing internet community! You can follow Aust on Instagram at @homesteadyshow and Alexia, The Suburban Escapee, at @suburbanescapee. Tag your homesteading posts with #iamhomesteady and we will find you and see what you are up to, as well as connect with other homesteaders and fans of the show. Do your Amazon shopping through the www.amsteady.com link and benefit the podcast!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Pugliano from the Wealthsteading Podcast joins us to explain how to build wealth from our homesteads Wealthsteading TV Youtube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnPuglianoWEALTHSTEADING Podcast - https://www.wealthsteading.com/ CHECKOUT SARAH ROWE'S PODCAST CLICK HERE TO listen to the Episode I WAS ON Robyn from CHEESE FROM SCRATCH'S MILKMAID SOCIETY PIONEER DISCOUNT HERE CLICK HERE FOR COOLBOT GIVEAWAY and VIDEO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices