Info

Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

Homesteading, food, freedom and fun!
RSS Feed
Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce
2024
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
July
June
May
April


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: December, 2022
Dec 24, 2022

Join me for a reading of the Night Before Christmas, Cajun Style – read by the Elender family.

Dec 23, 2022

Today we have Michael Leonido (also knows as the chef at the Spring Workshop) reading the Intellectual Night Before Christmas followed by the traditional text in song. Merry Christmas Y'all!

Dec 22, 2022


Join Aussie Ro as she reads the Night Before Christmas, Australian style.

Dec 21, 2022

Today, we have the Scottish version of The Night Before Christmas, read by Jaggy Little Thistle.

Dec 21, 2022

Today we talk about preparing for a house fire, resilient living vs “prepping,” how to build a following on Youtube, and more with with Ed Hubbell of Iridium Solutions and John Willis of Special Operations Equipment.

Show Sponsor: 

Brave Botanicals - Your source for high quality CBD and Kratom products at a reasonable price.

Get ready for January!

  • SRF Tickets, Sponsorships, and Vendor Booths
  • LFTN Spring Workshop
  • New YT Channel: Harvest Cooking
  • More…

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

Iridium Solutions

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 20, 2022

Each year we read variations of the classic poem, The Night Before Christmas. Today's version is the Redneck Night Before Christmas read to us by The Tactical Redneck.

Dec 19, 2022

Episode 673 - What is My 2023 Word of the Year?

Today is our last Monday Show until after the New Year is upon us! In keeping with tradition, I will share with you the word of the year, why it was chosen, and what I hope it will mean - even though we all know we find different lessons along the journey.

I will also let you know what is happening during the time between Christmas and New Years for content.

Livestream Schedule this week:

Today’s Sponsor: Paul Wheaton od Permies.com and Wheaton Labs

https://permies.com/link/lftn

Paul Wheaton has developed a truly passive greenhouse that can grow through the winter with no additional heating. Not only that, but it won't overheat in the summer months! How's that possible? 

Find out by watching the Truly Passive Greenhouse movie:

https://permies.com/link/lftn

Email feedback to nicole@livingfreeintennessee.com

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Every Nook and Cranny in the deep freezers are stuffed, as is the fridge with things to cook (Managed to decommission the two outdoor appliances)
  • Almost through the potatoes from the garden (had half a bushel)
  • End of year restock is primarily complete
  • Christmas Dinner from the pantry: Leg of lamb, roasted turnips and carrots, charcuterie and pickled things (Holler Neighbor Style)
  • In purge mode for a last push before the end of the year - lost the crap, keep the things we use

Weekly Shopping Report from Joe

The first stop was Walgreen's for some vitamins. Stock was mostly good, but there was only one left of a large size of "D," so we had to choose another size in order to use their buy one get one free.

Food City was next. Dry cat food was very limited, but they had a couple of 16 lb. bags of Meow Mix. They had a lot of Friskies boxed cans, so we added a box of those too.

Dollar Tree was next. We found some large 9Lives cans in there for the first time in months, and grabbed a few; not all our cats like those. The frozen food coolers were really sparse and most of the drink coolers are back to being nearly empty; I think it's the worst I've seen it. The health aisle is beginning to look picked again, but most other areas looked well stocked; there were less unrefrigerated canned drinks though. Both of the two lines they had open extended back into the aisles.

Same at Home Depot, which I ran in just to check the price of a 2x4x8. It's still $3.75. I did not look over any other areas, but it was fairly crowded, as spending season is at its peak.

Aldi was last. We got a few extra things in case we decide to put off next week's shopping, but grocery crowds shouldn't be too bad, so we'll likely go. We found what we wanted, including heavy cream. I didn't see any notable holes, but both lettuce and grapes did not look as good as usual.

Untainted regular gasoline remains at $3.999.

Frugality Tip from Margo

Here's a frugality tip on one of the most valuable things to me.....MY TIME (AND SANITY). For your holiday menu plan it out a month or so in advance. Gather the things you need and start cooking some things early and freeze it (and then take it out of the freezer the day before to thaw) Make sure you have all of the things you need the week before the holiday.  I did not make rolls this year, I bought rolls and put them in the freezer, FYI Hawaiian rolls freeze and thaw very well. And save your sanity during the holidays and keep a stocked pantry y'all! 

 

Operation Independence

  • The 3% checking account, emergency fund, and discipline

 

<WINTERBREAK!>

  • Night Before Christmas Countdown
  • Replay episode will not be replays - start your 2023 on the right foot. The importance of downtime.

 

Main topic of the Show: What is my 2023 Word of the Year

 

No year has ever been so hard as this year for finding the right word. Even last night, I knew the concept but not the word. Part of the problem is that I knew the concept I wanted but was not finding a single word to describe it. And the two word option I had was only a close fit, not the full breadth of what I wanted to focus on.

 

What is a word of the year?

Why do it?

 

Past words:

  • Grow (It is a choice and it is up to me)
  • Balance (You have to want it and boundaries)
  • Courage (The power of no. Letting go of insecurities. Sooner is better.)

 

Then we have this year. I strove for MORE. I worked harder. I played harder. I undid every lesson I leaned in the year of balance. I GREW my businesses. I made it over a really important personal hump: Increased cash flow to where I could finally take some from the businesses.

 

What the last five years have been like building LFTN and Holler Roast Coffee.

 

Had to have the courage to

  • Say no to things I was doing to earn money but that are distractions from the primary objective
  • Address conflict head on
  • Openly admit weaknesses
  • Stand my ground
  • Build personal talents from good to great
  • Become unapologetic

 

Where it has led - 

  • Priority on things that are important to me on the non business side like the food forest, redoing my bathroom, box seats at the symphony, hiking, relationships
  • More opportunities of the kind I want
  • I am singing rock n roll again
  • Poised for fast growth

 

The words that did not change: Step-change, 10x

  • What it means
  • Problem: Balance

 

So what could I do? There is a glass ceiling that is not ok and I need to break it. It isnt due to my gender, my background, my level of education or what anyone thinks of me. It is there because of me. My mindset. My perception of what is possible. My hangups. The glass ceiling is of my own making.

 

The worst part is this: It is glass so I can see through it. 

 

There are lots of reasons why it is there. Every one of them is an excuse.

 

The other side of that glass ceiling looks great. I want to go there. But there is this glass ceiling that needs to be broken. 

 

And the cool thing about glass is that it will break. And 2023 is the year I break it. With whatever I can use to do so. My hands, a hammer, a rhinoceros, my head. Whatever it takes.

 

For every word there is a flip side too: The sharp shards that will hit me as I make my way through the glass. I expect that to be there too.

 

So my word of the year, which encompasses both the goal to move beyond my perceived constraints. The word that also prioritizes balance and priority to my spirit, body and heart. The word for 2023 is <WORD>.

 

I don’t know exactly how things will go, but I am excited to start, have already started. And you will see the first steps in January

 

This is the last non-interview podcast before the break so rather than our usual closing, I leave you with this - Make it a great break yall.

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

Dec 18, 2022

Every Friday, we record our Homestead Happenings update, followed by a questions and answers session. Today’s podcast is the questions and answers session from yesterday’s podcast. We cover: favorite holiday cookies, where to prioritize investments into your homestead as a new homesteader, how many pets are too many, and more

Sponsor of the day: Agorist Tax Advice

AgoristTaxAdvice.com/lftn 

Agorist Tax Advice. Do you want to give Uncle Sam fewer of your hard-earned dollars? Do you wonder if the time has come to set up your LLC? Are you confused about what kind of business to establish? Are you wanting to pass along wealth you have built to your kids, but not sure the best way to do that?

Matthew Sercely of Agorist Tax Advice can help you make sense of all the options, understand how to stay on top of tracking write-offs, and see new ways of organizing your finances so that you keep more of the money you earn in your pockets. 

Matthew has a broad knowledge of business finance, real estate and rentals, end of life planning and more which means that he can help you find legal tax loopholes and understand risks. 

Head on over to AgoristTaxAdvice.com/lftn to sign up for a free consultation.

Speaking at next-steps.info Feb 22-25 near Atlanta. Use Coupon Code SAUCE10 for a ticket discount. 

Main content of the show

@Nicolesauce What do you think about the role of "pets" (non working/producing animals) on the homestead and when do you draw the line of "no more pets"?

@Nicolesauce what's everyone's favorite holiday cookie

@Nicolesauce if you were starting over on a homestead with all the knowledge you have now, what's the first thing you would choose to sink larger amounts money into? (ex. Fencing, buildings, garden, machinery...)

@Nicolesauce what one important thing you've learned about yourself or your land this year

@Nicolesauce straw or pine shaving for ground cover during the cold months for animals, either in runs or enclosures?

@Nicolesauce Are you planning any new perennials at the Holler in the spring?

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 16, 2022

Today we talk about the BIG DEEP FREEZE, babies on the homestead, brainstorming local revenue ideas and more.

Forage

  • Pasture seed is germinated and looking good
  • Next week is time to trim/pollard
  • Juniper Berries
  • Wreath evergreens
  • Jerusalem artichoke

 

Livestock

  • Baby bunnies - 3 or 4 - are doing well (We are very hands off right now)
  • Sheep Birth Watch
  • Preparing the pasture sheep for incoming ice (We are actually growing more grass now than we did this summer)
  • Ducks still not laying - chicken is and she is OLD
  • Hoof trimming this weekend

Harvest Meals

  • Eggs and bacon (2 weeks)
  • Beef Neckbones
  • Red curry turkey

Homesteading in Winter

  • Single digit deep free and snow on the way
  • Stacking Osage logs inside as I find them
  • Removing all stuff from outdoor freezers and fridge, unplugging
  • Testing the kerosene heaters and staging them 
  • Setting up electric heater in prepper pantry
  • Stuffing holes in the pump house
  • AP System drain
  • Extra sump needs a stock tank heater
  • Water heat tape and heating systems (electric JUST finished for goats)
  • More mulch

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • We’ve been innerly focused (Final coffee push is right now)
  • LFTN Spring Workshop Presale

Infrastructure

  • Close to perimeter fence
  • electric

Finances

  • Rental 

Membership Plug

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 14, 2022

Today we talk about farming, lifestyle design, getting off your dime and more with Porterhouse of Porterhouse and Teal and John Willis.

Today’s Sponsor: Live Free Academy - Check out this free webinar on Crypto Currency

Reminder: Spring Workshop Prerelease tickets go on Sale Saturday at 9am

 

Fountain.fm Boost o grams

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

PorterhouseandTeal

 

Main content of the show

Replay of the Tuesday Live on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/live/FMGRoZKwVAg?feature=share



Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

Dec 12, 2022

Today I talk with Sue Zoldak about how she has built the life she wants, her transition into Manhattan Living, and her new project counteracting big tech censorship.

 

Livestream Schedule This week

 

Show Resources

 

Main content of the show: Interview with Sue

 

Make it a great week

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 10, 2022

Every Friday, we record our Homestead Happenings update, followed by a questions and answers session. Today’s podcast is the questions and answers session from yesterday’s podcast. We cover: rat poison, sheep, 

Main content of the show

From Jenni

advice on being patient for the big picture when you want to see movement on your goals

From Ken

 and when to make a decision to take a loss and switch to a different goal

From Nathan

How do you prioritize your task list?

Filling in the available time with forward progress and achievables, when things like {shortness of available time segments}{supply chain issues}{weather}{missing piece of puzzle} might otherwise leave one in a frozen "paralysis analysis" state. ?What helps you realize, that which might have temporarily sidelined <The One Big Goal That I Believe In My Heart Must Be Accomplished First> does not necessarily grind you to a halt on every bit of your life simultaneously--unless YOU yourself DECIDE to stop your own progress.

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 9, 2022

Today we talk about new winter lives on the homestead, pregnant sheep, MUD SEASON, the portable sheep shelter and more.

Today’s Sponsor: Freesteading.com

Surprise live with Sue Zoldak at 5pm Central today: https://youtu.be/fTBL3IaOxqo

Email feedback to nicole@livingfreeintennessee.com

Forage

  • Lettuces from the Aquaponics system
  • Red Sorrel is coming back (dragged the pots out into the rain)
  • Ground Nuts
  • Watercress died back but is reappearing

Livestock

  • 2 rabbits gave birth, 1 litter is still alive
  • Pregnant sheep has an even bigger udder but no lamb yet
  • Pairing off of other ewe with the ram is not going well so far (She runs away)
  • Still have not clipped muscovy wings but it is time
  • LGDs are sitting on command better - it is all we have worked on 
  • Need to trim hooves
  • Conserving hay as best we can - boys just moved to grassy area
  • Chicken egg 3 in the last week - all we are getting
  • Mortimer pulled his dewclaw open - treating it with topical antibiotics

Harvest Meals

  • Brisket baked in the oven
  • Venison roast - bone in
  • Lamb Shepherd’s Pie

Winter on the Homestead

  • Grass is coming back in
  • Working on improving the animal water set up for rabbits (heat tape) and other anti water freezing things
  • Nice warm spell right now - if it stays dry will do the final two garden beds
  • Restocked on winter clothing during Black Friday sales

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Game night was fun
  • Animal Care Fill in for my concert

Infrastructure

  • Sheep shelter saga
  • Update on fencing workshop
  • Electrical for the shed - outlets not working and we are not certain why
  • Cleaning out the workshop

Finances

  • $50 temporary shelter cost $50 and lasted 2 weeks, lumber that is not strong enough cost $ $ too so it is disappointing to have the failures of this kind

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 7, 2022

Today we talk about food shortages, inflation, aquaponics and aquaculture, panic prepping, and more with Jack Spirko and John Willis.

 

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

The Survival Podcast

 

Main content of the show

Replay of the Tuesday Live on Youtube.

https://youtu.be/HKfWAOy8kSI



Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 5, 2022

Today we talk about some homemade holiday gift ideas put together by the Holler Neighbors for this year.

Today’s Sponsor, Paul Wheaton of Wheaton Labs and Permies.com

Love listening to podcasts? Check out Paul Wheaton's huge bundle of podcasts, videos, and stuff so you can learn all about permaculture from The Duke of Permaculture himself!

 

https://permies.com/link/lftn

 

Livestream Schedule

 

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Cow is safely in the freezer
  • Meal plan by broken vacuum seal
  • VakPakIt brand Vacuum Sealer Update (No longer recommend and why)
  • Cruisin’ through the canned goods (Almost out of stewed tomatoes, using green beans)
  • Still need to do the year end resupply and the Cozi Tool I use

 

Weekly Shopping Report from Joe

 

There's likely to be yucky weather off and on all weekend, so we went during a pause in precipitation this afternoon (Saturday). Friday evening, however, a lot of the pumps at the Weigel's I use most often were bagged. I went to my secondary choice, and it was fine. A gallon of untainted regular had dropped to $3.999; this was at both stations.

 

Today's first stop was Dollar Tree. The drink coolers were in better shape, but still had a lot of empty spaces. They had lots of canned goods, but we didn't see any of the lentils we've previously seen there, and the only beans were Northern White. We hadn't bought any lentils in a while, so I don't know if they've been missing for longer. The store was otherwise normally stocked. It was also busier than we've often seen it, especially for a poor-weather day.

 

Home Depot was next. Every open area had islands with a lot of smaller items. The prices looked reasonable. We found the couple of items we wanted without difficulty. A 2x4x8 remains at $3.75.

 

Aldi was last. We found everything on our list, including heavy cream (at least two boxes in the cooler). Stock everywhere looked good. They have more of that generically-packed chicken.

 

Frugality Tip from Christina

I find myself traveling quite a bit. Recently, I found myself on the road without good coffee (gasp!!!). Long story short - and leaving out the scary days of gas station coffee - I went to the store and bought a pack of coffee filters for $1.50 and a cheap coffee grinder. Someone could do this without the coffee grinder by also buying pre-ground coffee but I had a couple pounds of whole bean bouncing around the truck. I took out my trusty Coleman thermos, put a coffee filter in the top so it was hanging over an inch or so then filled it with coffee. I heated water and poured it through the filter. Voila! Redneck pour-over coffee. Hope this helps someone! I’ve learned so much from you and this community. I’m grateful to have a chance to give back.

 

Operation Independence

  • Turned a corner from panic minimums to progress

 

Main topic of the Show: Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas

 

Past episodes on this topic:

 

Why homemade?

Thoughts on the expectations surrounding gifts 

Declare independence from debt, but have fun gifting people

Toxicity and gifts

 

Ideas

  • Pine shaving ornaments (Reference)
  • Preserved lemons and decorated jar (10 lemons, ½ cup salt, water or lemon juice to pack) Clean lemons, put 2 tbsp salt in quart jar, cut lemons into a blooming onion in quarters, sprinkle with salt, pack, press, fill with liquid, seal and refrigerate)
  • Juniper berries (Or other spices)
  • Handmade walking stick
  • Homemade granola (reference)
  • Homemade tea blend in mason jar, or in a decorative bag with a tea infuser

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Dec 2, 2022

Join me for a Homestead happenings update: pregnant sheep, assessing progress, rain has finally come, black garlic and more.

 

Today’s Sponsor: FreeSteading.com

LFTN on Free Steading: https://freesteading.com/groups/living-free-in-tennessee/

 

Forage

  • Watercress 
  • Creek Mint
  • Garden lettuce and chard
  • Roots
  • Must plan garlic this week

 

Livestock

  • Still no baby sheep but we have udders
  • Set up Brownie with Brunie - no romance to date
  • Rabbits due next week
  • Ducks appear to be through the molt but still no eggs
  • LGDs getting more training

 

Harvest Meals

  • Holler Stew
  • The Dry Roast
  • Black garlic
  • Sauerkraut pork roast

 

Winter on the Homestead

  • Musical plants - still alive but not looking very good
  • Collecting leaves and mulching
  • Rains finally came and there is some green
  • Kinds of wood and temperature in the house

 

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Fun Holler Neighbor Dinners
  • Christmas is coming - let’s buy from each other

 

Infrastructure

  • Outlet covers on water tank redo project, making it done and powering the fence
  • Pulling perimeter fence one section at a time

 

Finances

  • Local, grass fed beef for $4-5 a pound
  • Buying a roll of fence

 

Assessing progress

 

Membership Plug

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

1