Let's Get Ready For 2026

Today we discuss how to apply the SWOT method to your own life plan, cover our usual Monday segments on pantry management and financial progress, and cover a question from a listener about erosion.

Let's get ready for 2026 with this replay episode!

Today is another #my3things episode with the primary focus being to develop your purpose. We will also include the usual Monday segments.

Let's get ready for 2026!

Today, we talk about what the #my3things method is, why a strategic plan for yourself and your life is a powerful tool, and we cover how to create a vision statement for your life strategic plan. (Or your family strategic plan).

This is the first in a series of episodes explaining how to use the #my3things method to become more successful, productive and to build the life you choose on your terms.

Today, we have the first in our Night Before Christmas series, beginning with Leos: The Intellectual Night Before Christmas.

Join us each night at 5pm leading up to Christmas

Tonight we have a reading of the Australian version of The Night Before Christmas by Aussieroo of the TSP Zello Group.

Join us each night at 5pm leading up to Christmas.

Join us for the another version of The Night Before Christmas for the Redneck version, read by The Tactical Redneck.

Join us each night at 5pm leading up to Christmas

Tonight we have a reading of the Pagan version of The Night Before Christmas by Mia of the LFTN Community.

Join us each night at 5pm leading up to Christmas.

Tonight we have a reading of the Cajun version of The Night Before Christmas by The Ellender Family - listeners of LFTN.

Join us every day at 5pm for a reading of a different version of the poem, "The Night Before Christmas."

Today is the last solo show of 2025. We examine something you may not want to look at: being too sensitive to criticism and ultimately letting other people decide who you are rather than be who you were meant to be. We will also do a final run through our usual Tuesday segments.

Featured Event: Combat Midwife Class. March 7 at the Basecamp Lodge.

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: StrongRootsResources.com

LFTN UPDATE:

• Tonight at 6pm is the last Tour Livestream on Youtube with all the festival crews.
• Nicole is closed BUT - The Night Before Christmas Series starts soon and will run every night ending on Christmas Eve.
• My3Things Series after Christmas.
• See you January 2, 2026
• I did a thing….

Tales From The Prepper Pantry

• Beef Math
  • 715 hanging weight Cow 1: 370 pounds: $285 + $2307. $7 a pound
  • 750 hanging weight Cow 2: 325 pounds: $376 + $2420. $8.60 a pound
• Getting ready to put out pickled things from this year at the Christmas event – we will see what ends up on the table. 
• Pre-making burger patties, breakfast sausage and meatloafs for convenience
• Next year I hope to have more cured meats!

Frugality Tip

The day after Christmas is coming. Need I say more?

Featured Forage

We had a deep freeze and nothing is left, right? WRONG! Now is a time to look at things below ground. One of my favorites at this time of year requires that you look for the plant in the fall, mark where it is, then dig: Jerusalem Artichoke. 

Cleaning

Favorite recipe: Steamed into a mash with butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Complements a steak beautifully without the glycemic impact of mashed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_artichoke for a picture.

These grow themselves and a little care will allow you to have many - but be careful about that many!

Operation Independence

PickTN store at the Dickens of a Christmas last weekend - SOLD OUT of tins! But you can still order them online: https://www.picktnstore.com/

The Exhausting Game No One Wins - Letting Other People Live Your Life For you

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

Community

• Follow me on Nostr: npub1u2vu695j5wfnxsxpwpth2jnzwxx5fat7vc63eth07dez9arnrezsdeafsv
• Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn
• Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup
• Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

• Holler Roast Coffee

• Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Today, I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead: the sheep acting “a little eminent,” a surprise community deer drop, and the brass water faucet we dug up while doing chores. We’ll cover ongoing projects like the compost bin design, the memory garden plan, the hillside garden reset, mushroom experiments, rabbit breeding, and the ever-important Operation Leaf Collection. We’ll wrap up with holiday touches around the Tajmaholler, the new Canoe Rose Bed, alternate routes home, and how we’re gearing up to cook a whole lamb.

Featured Event: Dec 20 LFTN Christmas Reception - LivingFreeinTennessee.com

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: The Wealthsteading Podcast: InvestableWealth.com

Are the Sheep Really eminent?

Community Deer Drop from a neighbor

Found Treasure: Brass Water Faucet

Explain the Compost Bin Design

Planning a Memory Garden

Operation Leaf Collection

Hillside Garden Reset In Process

Mushroom Experiment update

Ghost Light Disappointment

Rabbits Bred

Canoe Rose Bed

Christmas Lights and Tajmaholler

Alternative Routs Home

Preparing to cook a whole lamb

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

• Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn
• Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup
• Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b

Advisory Board

• The Booze Whisperer
• The Tactical Redneck
• Chef Brett
• Samantha the Savings Ninja

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

• Holler Roast Coffee
• Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Today, we will talk about the word of the year, how mine went in 2025, why to even choose one and how it related to building the life you choose on your terms. We will also cover our usual Tuesday segments

Featured Event: Tonight. 6pm, So You Bought a Whole Pig — Now What?

• How to read and navigate the cut sheet
• Ways to save money by doing certain cuts at home
• Planning storage so nothing goes to waste
• Light overview of the odd bits and what to ask the butcher for

Sponsors 1: Strong Roots Resources — StrongRootsResources.com

Sponsor 2: Discount Mylar Bags — DiscountMylarBags.com

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Two cows added to the freezers
• Garlic planted; raised beds mulched
• Mushroom tent producing well
• Mushroom coffee  block experiment looking promising
• Burning through green beans at an alarming rate

Featured Forage: Watercress

• Slow moving water - check water quality
• Fresh green for salads until it gets too too cold
• Great in a cream of watercress soup or saute as well
• Tastes like radished

Operation Independence

The Venison Story

Main Topic of the Day: Word of the Year

• What is the word of the year
• Why choose one
• What is the dark side of the word of the year
• What is the upside of the word of the year
• How does it fit in with #my3Things
• My 2025 WOTY update: Enrich
  • SRF changes
  • Holler Hub and Smaller Events
  • Lessons: Focus on fewer things to do them better, invest in learning, sometimes you must take a financial hit to set a better foundation, Holler Roast Holiday progress, RESULT:  stronger inner circle network & connection with God
• My 2026 word of the year: characteristics - return to home and homestead, hub development, personal physical improvement (invest in mental and physical health), increase wealth.

Combat Midwife Course — March 7, 2026 at the Holler Hub

Tickets half off right now

Make it a great week.

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

Community

• Follow me on Nostr: npub1u2vu695j5wfnxsxpwpth2jnzwxx5fat7vc63eth07dez9arnrezsdeafsv
• Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup
• Facebook

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

• Holler Roast Coffee
• Stay at  Basecamp Lodge

• Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Today, I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to talk about updated from the Holler Homestead!

Featured Event: Dec 20 LFTN Christmas Reception - LivingFreeinTennessee.com

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: The Wealthsteading Podcast: InvestableWealth.com

Join me for the December first Tuesday chat with John Willis and Jack Spirko.

Today, I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to talk about Holler Thanksgiving, the stubbornest Ewe and more!

Featured Event: Dec 20 LFTN Christmas Reception - LivingFreeinTennessee.com

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: The Wealthsteading Podcast: InvestableWealth.com

Today we’re talking about something that matters more than most of us care to admit: accepting help, and more importantly — taking responsibility for the role we play when help doesn’t go the way we imagined.
Featured Event
Dec 9 – Member Webinar (also available to purchase)
“So You Bought A Whole Pig, Now What?”
Details + sign-up: https://livingfreeintennessee.com/event/so-you-bought-a-whole-pig-now-what-webinar/

Sponsors 
Strong Roots Resources
If you want solid, boots-on-the-ground homesteading and preparedness consulting, these are your people.
👉

StrongRootsResources.com
Holler Roast Coffee
Coffee for Doers — roasted right here at the Holler Homestead.
👉 HollerRoast.com

Tales from the Prepper Pantry
* Pantry challenge update
* Pulling from the pantry for Thanksgiving
* Using up the last of the 2024 cow – recipes

Frugality Tip from Margo
“When you are looking at making a large dollar purchase, check multiple websites. I came across an offer that was impossible to refuse. With a purchase of $1000 or more, online only, they were giving a $100 gift card. So we ordered online and picked up in store and got $100 to spend later. With a little time spent looking around, you never know who wants to give you extra money for buying what you were going to buy anyway.
Happy Savings Y'all
Margo
p.s. This was Northern Tool”

Operation Independence
* 4 lbs of blue oyster mushrooms — testing the market

Main Topic: Accepting Help (and Why It Matters)
We’re talking about help — asking for it, accepting it, and dealing with the truth that when people “do it wrong,” it’s usually because we didn’t set them up for success. This is also where homesteading meets real life meets Thanksgiving — and yes, there will be a cat-and-chipmunk story.

Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck for an update from the Holler Homestead all about sheep, communication, late fall and more.

Featured Event: LFTN Christmas Reception: https://livingfreeintennessee.com/event/lftn-christmas-reception-3/

Sponsor 1: StrongRootsResources.com

Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN

Today, we are diving deep into what it truly means to be fearless—whether you're launching a business, standing up to the local government, or just trying to live a sustainable life.

• Featured Event: Mark your calendars for the Dec 20 LFTN Christmas Reception—sign up now!

• Sponsors:

• Wealthsteading Podcast: InvestableWealth.com

• DiscountMylarBags.com

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Broccoli rip cord

• TSP left over saute

• Peppers from Rick

• Ready for whole cows

Shopping Report: Should we reboot this segment? Who wants to start going to Aldi on a weekly basis?

Frugality Tip

I was randomly looking at Etsy and saw someone selling something I was interested in that was local to me.  I messaged them and asked about local pick up and cash price.  They were very interested in cash money with pick up and I saved some money on my purchase.  So ask, it will never kill you, and might save you a few dollars.

Operation Independence

3-Month Rental at Basecamp: $800/month, Event Rental Launch

Main Topic: Fearless Living – The Two Sides of "Go For It"

We are talking about two forms of courage today: Professional Courage (to launch and critique) and Personal Courage (to be vulnerable and stand up).

1. The Courage to Launch and Critique: The Farm-to-Table AAR

The Farm-to-Table Dinner was a huge "Go For It" moment. The real courage is in the fearless honesty of the After Action Review (AAR): Is this financially viable? $155 - 13/hour

The Diagnostic Tool: The Homestead Revenue Stack

We put the Dinner through our Homestead Revenue Stack to analyze where it sits and what it needs to succeed.

• The Dinner sits primarily in the Service Layer (Dinner/Class).

AAR Findings & Action Plan

• Logistics Check: Reality vs. plan mismatch. Example: "Sunset on paper vs. Sunset in the holler (30 min BUBBLE)."

• Venue Needs: The oven/stove at BC needs an upgrade.

• Experience Flow: Need better arrival/mingling flow.

• Financial Fixes: We need to Price up, increase numbers at the dinner,  and rely on Upsells.

• Opportunity: There is an opportunity for a premium cherry add-on for the dinner service.

• Action: Get the chef on the wild edible walk (to enhance the product layer).

• Action: If connected to a Farm-to-Table meal delivery service, that would be amazing.

2. The Courage to Stand Up and Be Vulnerable: Local Politics

Sometimes "Go For It" means stepping outside your established comfort zone for a cause greater than your business.

• The Event: Giving public testimony in front of county officials.

• The Experience: I got nervous! My voice sounded emotional instead of my usual assertive self.

• The Takeaway: The vulnerability made the testimony more powerful. Being involved in important local matters is one of the few ways we can truly make a difference for our communities, food freedom, and farmers.

Bringing it Home: Your Challenge to Go For It

Courage is action, not the absence of fear. Don't wait until you're "ready."

• 1. Fearlessly Audit a Project: Go For It and audit a side hustle or homestead project using a framework like the Revenue Stack. Be honest about where you need to price up, fix it, or drop it.

• 2. Go For the Hard Conversation: Go For It and speak up about a local issue or personal matter you know you should address. Your passion is more powerful than silence.

• 3. Take the First Small Step: What is the one small, specific step you can take today to move toward a big goal?

Final Thought

Sometimes, you just need to go for it.

Make it a great week.

Song:

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

Community

• Follow me on Nostr: npub1u2vu695j5wfnxsxpwpth2jnzwxx5fat7vc63eth07dez9arnrezsdeafsv

• Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn

• Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup

• Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

• Holler Roast Coffee

• Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Join us for our monthly conversation about the world, business, and whateer strikes yall's fancy!

Join the Tactical Redneck for an update from the Holler Homestead. While the cat's away the sheep will escape.

Today, we hear the session that I hosted at the Self Reliance Festival about developing your revenue on your homestead, including stories from the network.

Sponsors

Discount Mylar Bags: DiscountMylarBags.com

Agorist Tax Advice: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/lftn

Episode Links

• Farm-to-Table Dinner – Nov 15 LivingFreeinTennessee.com/product/farm-to-table
• North Spore Martha Tent (Affiliate): northspore.sjv.io/N9qEe2
• LFTN Christmas Stocking Exchange: Sign Up Here
• Holler Roast Coffee: HollerRoast.com

Summary

Sometimes the best thing you can do—whether it’s growing food or running a business—is stop forcing it. This week I share what mushrooms taught me about systems, patience, and letting things grow on their own.

In this episode:

• Why I started cultivating mushrooms and how it ties to the Holler Roast coffee-grounds waste stream
• Early failures with DIY bins and Tennessee humidity
• The easy automated setup that finally worked
• First-round lessons (including a moldy pink oyster experiment)
• Cooking payoff: duck-fat blue oysters worth the wait
• And the big picture—how the “don’t force it” mindset applies to business and life
• You don’t make mushrooms grow, you make it easy for them to show up. Same goes for your business.
• The Takeaway
• Mushrooms—and systems—thrive when you build the right environment and step back. Stop forcing it, build your setup, and let the good stuff show up.

Make it a great week!

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

Today, we talk about how the Airbnb at the Holler Hub became a real revenue stream — what’s working, what isn’t, and what we’ve learned along the way. If you’ve ever thought about turning a space on your property into income, this one’s for you. We’ll also cover our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event

Farm to Table Dinner
Friday, November 15
Basecamp Lodge, Lancaster, TN

Join us for an unforgettable evening featuring a full-course dinner sourced entirely from Tennessee farms. Real, local food, cooked from scratch, and shared in community.

Sponsors

• AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN – Helping entrepreneurs, homesteaders, and freedom-minded folks handle taxes the smart way.

   

• StrongRootsResources.com – Homestead design, consulting, and high-quality plants to help you build resilient systems that last.

LFTN Stocking Exchange
Time is running out to sign up! We’ll assign your Secret Stocking Santa on November 1, so don’t miss out on this fun community tradition.
Sign Up Here

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Lambs came in, lambs went out! Processing and rotation are in full swing.
  
• Time to harvest the sweet potatoes.
  
• The restackening of the firewood has begun — getting ready for cold weather.
  
• Starting to tap into the canned goods, especially green beans.
  
• Made powdered sugar from regular sugar after realizing I forgot to buy it.

Frugality Tip

I like a little lemon juice in my water. Some of those bottles pour out like a waterfall, which is wasteful and makes something I do not want to drink. So this is a hack and a tip in one. The cap from Worcestershire sauce bottles fits on a lot of other things, including every lemon juice bottle I have purchased. So keep the lids that help you regulate the amount of "stuff" coming out of a bottle so you do not end up wasting product.

Happy savings y'all
~Margo

Operation Independence

The Airbnb has been renting well since we got back from SRF! It’s great to see the Basecamp space generate steady revenue while serving the broader Holler Hub vision.

Main Topic: Airbnb Revenue Stream – Lessons Learned

Every property should have a purpose, not just be a payment.

Turning Space Into a System

• The Airbnb wasn’t about renting space — it was about keeping the Basecamp Lodge working for the mission.

   

• Formerly a long-term rental ($1,600/month). Now a flexible, short-term system that:

   

  • Generates income when not used for training.

     

  • Brings new people into the Holler Hub community.

     

  • Connects us to potential partners and collaborators.

     

• Tools like Airbnb and VRBO open us to audiences beyond LFTN, expanding both reach and opportunity.

What’s Working

• Booked every available weekend in October by opening to tourists during fall travel season.

   

• Earned ~$650 in October while still hosting events — a deliberate tradeoff between revenue and flexibility.

   

• Low cleaning fee + clear expectations → relaxed guests and repeat visitors.

   

• Purposefully low nightly rate to earn initial 5-star reviews and build credibility.

   

• Making meaningful connections with guests — one couple with 10 glampers in California, another moving to Tennessee for homesteading.

Where It Got Messy

• One guest left it a wreck → 8 hours of cleanup.

   

  • Result: added language about cleaning expectations.

     

  • Next step: keep a vacuum for pet-friendly stays.

     

• “Clean beats new every time.”

   

• Set boundaries early: check-out policies, no parties, pet rules.

Pricing & Positioning

• Set nightly rate (~$100) based on $3,000/month gross goal if fully booked.

   

• Kept pricing low to reflect the space (one usable bedroom, not remodeled).

   

• Using Airbnb’s automated pricing to test how it behaves during peak season.

   

• Cleaning service quote revealed current pricing barely covers costs — future plan to add modest cleaning fee.

   

• Focus remains on mission-aligned guests first, not just volume bookings.

Systems That Keep It Running

• Reset takes 45–60 minutes; double linens to avoid bottlenecks.

   

• Pet stays add 1 hour for vacuuming and extra laundry.

   

• Critical practice: always start cleaning immediately after checkout to stay ready for last-minute bookings.

   

• Personal touch: greet guests, tell the Holler Hub story, collect feedback, and build relationships.

How to Apply It

• Don’t build the Taj-Ma-Rental — start minimum viable and test.

   

• Clean trumps new every time.

   

• The biggest mindset shift: being comfortable letting strangers on your land.

   

• Most people with bad intentions aren’t paying hundreds to sleep in your barn.

   

Reality Check

• Short-term rentals aren’t easy money there’s always time involved:

   

  • Responding to messages, building a guidebook, handling maintenance.

     

  • Be available when problems arise — or you’ll hate the process.

     

• The fast reset is key: handle the “yucky” stuff early so it never piles up.

What’s Next

• Goal: book events at Basecamp that aren’t led by you — already in the works.

   

• Next expansion: a miner’s cabin/tent rental to diversify the property’s offerings.

   

• Each step builds toward the broader Holler Hub vision — systems that connect people, sustain the land, and generate reliable income.

Every property should have a purpose, not just a payment.

Make it a great week.

Make it a great week.

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

Community

• Follow me on Nostr: npub1u2vu695j5wfnxsxpwpth2jnzwxx5fat7vc63eth07dez9arnrezsdeafsv
• Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn
• Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup
• Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

• Holler Roast Coffee

• Harvest Right Affiliate Link