Today, we talk about multiple ways to prepare squash — beyond just sautéing it — and cover all of our usual Monday segments.
Featured Event:
Strong Roots Resources: Foraging on the Farm – July 12
Details: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/foraging-on-the-farm-5/
Sponsor 1:
DiscountMylarBags.com – Long-term food storage supplies that won’t break the bank.
Sponsor 2:
AgoristTaxAdvice.com – Solid tax strategies for those of us living outside the system.
Tales from the Prepper Pantry
Question from Brent
Operation Independence
Main Topic of the Day: Multiple Ways to Prepare Squash
Why This Matters
Squash piles up fast — and it’s easy to get sick of it.
Most people fry it or make bread. There’s a lot more you can do.
Fresh & Fast (Use It Now)
Main Dishes
Preserved & Long-Term
Experimental / Less Common
Make it a great week.
Community Links:
Website: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com
Holler Roast Coffee: https://hollerroast.com
SRF Tickets: https://selfreliancefestival.com
Telegram Group: https://t.me/lftnchat
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/259439594823655
Today, I am joined by Scott Armstrong of Rebinked News and Grand Theft World to talk about his journey through addiction and choosing freedom.
Featured Event: Rabbit Meatup, June 29
Sponsor 1: HollerRoastCoffee.com
Sponsor 2: AbovePhone.com
Connect with Scott:
Https://rebunked.news
Today, I am joined by The Tactical Redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead: Garden to Table season, escaped rams reading the rules, shade structures for the raised beds, erosion mitigation and more!
Featured Event: Sunday Meetup: Potluck and Rabbit Processing - 1pm-4pm, LivingFreeinTennessee.com to sign up
Sponsor 1: TheWealthseadingPodcast.com
Sponsor 2: SelfRelianceFestival.com
Ask T: Doing work in the cool of the morning (I mean the less hot of the morning)
A week in the life at the Holler Homestead
Sunday: Heat, Hustle, and Sheep
Shade Structure Build
Roasting in the Heat + Sheep Escape
Evening Redneck Gift
Midweek: Workshop Prep & Deliveries
Dump Run in the Heat
Pickling + Interrupted by Coffee Delivery
Evening: Garden Grounding + Dinner Flow
Propagating plants to fill in areas where we want specific things
Planting for shade on the west side of the cabin
Canning beets outside is a blessing on the inside temperature of my house
Swim spa workouts
Blackberries, passion, flowers
Need to maintain the food forest and make sure the stuff I want living stays living
Update on squash in the compost
Elderberries in a few weeks
1st ripe tomato
Tim delivering rabbits for this weekend’s demo
Michelle is letting us harvest her garden this afternoon!!
Duck setting eggs on hillside
Eeeked the garden through with calmag and evening watering (Fire ant issue)
Green beans are about to pop here
Holler Neighbors/Community: Sunday dinner was fun - basecamp may be transitioning in August
Finances - the country store idea is growing
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
Today, we talk about Ways to Beat The Heat on The Homestead, as well as cover all of our usual Monday segments.
Thanks to everyone who reached out about last week’s interview with Tactical. We got a lot of feedback, and it’s clear that hearing more from him is something the community wants.
Featured Event: Rabbit Processing Meetup – June 29
Join us from 1–4pm at the Holler Homestead for a hands-on afternoon of learning, connection, and food. We’ll walk through the process of rabbit butchering from dispatch to chill tank. Bring a side dish and come prepared to learn.
Details here: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/2025/06/02/rabbit-processing/
Sponsor 1:
DiscountMylarBags.com – Long-term food storage supplies that won’t break the bank.
Sponsor 2:
AgoristTaxAdvice.com – Solid tax strategies for those of us living outside the system.
Tales from the Prepper Pantry
Operation Independence
We’re making steady moves on the Holler Hub setup. Lynne suggested we use the Basecamp basement and classroom for the country store — keycode access and posted hours. Also starting up GSD work weekends this summer.
Main Topic of the Day: Ways to Beat The Heat on The Homestead
Reminders
Make it a great week.
Community Links:
Website: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com
Holler Roast Coffee: https://hollerroast.com
SRF Tickets: https://selfreliancefestival.com
Telegram Group: https://t.me/lftnchat
Today, I am joined by The Tactical Redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead.
Featured Event: Solstice gathering at Haven Village
Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast - InvestableWealth.com
Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN
https://hollerroast.com/product/hvac-coffee-pre-buy/
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
Today I am interviewing The Tactical Redneck on the Living Free Podcast. he will tell his story of building freedom into his life which has included overcoming addiction, PTSD from being a combat veteran, and more.
Connect with us!
@nicolesauce on instagram
@LFTN on youtube
@lftngroup on Telegram
Today I am interviewing The Tactical Redneck on the Living Free Podcast. he will tell his story of building freedom into his life which has included overcoming addiction, PTSD from being a combat veteran, and more.
Connect with us!
@nicolesauce on instagram
@LFTN on youtube
@lftngroup on Telegram
Today I am interviewing The Tactical Redneck on the Living Free Podcast. he will tell his story of building freedom into his life which has included overcoming addiction, PTSD from being a combat veteran, and more.
NOTE: I will update this summary in the next few days will additional ways to reach Tactical and also a content summary.
Connect with us!
@nicolesauce on instagram
@LFTN on youtube
@lftngroup on Telegram
Today, we talk about the hidden cost of constant distraction, as well as cover all of our usual Monday segments.
Featured Event: June 29 Meetup and Rabbit Processing Event. Join us for an in-person meetup and hands-on rabbit processing workshop right here at the Holler. Learn how to humanely dispatch, clean, and prepare rabbit for the freezer or dinner plate.
Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com Long-term food storage supplies that won’t break the bank.
Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN Helping entrepreneurs, homesteaders, and freedom-minded folks handle taxes the smart way.
Tales from the Prepper Pantry
Frugality Tip
A little weekly effort saves you tons of money in convenience food over time. I’ve been making 8 pounds of meatloaf at a time lately—when meatloaf is on the meal plan, I shape and freeze extras for future, easy-to-serve meals.
In fact, once a week, I pick something to batch like this—whether it’s blanching and freezing extra broccoli, or making carnivore pizza crusts. When life gets busy, I can just pull, cook, and serve—faster than driving into town or grabbing premade, low-quality food.
This habit saves money, improves nutrition, and helps prevent impulse spending. It also keeps us healthier, which could mean fewer medical bills later.
So here’s your challenge: Look at your meal plan this week and find one thing you can double and freeze. Future you will thank you.
Operation Independence
I finished my taxes! One more round to go and I’ll be fully caught up.
This process hasn’t just been about checking a box—it’s given me real insight into where money is flowing (and where it’s not). That clarity has helped me reprioritize how I spend my time and energy moving forward. Sometimes, independence means getting your financial house in order—even if it’s uncomfortable.
Main Topic of the Day: If I Were Starting a Homestead Today - a question from Ian who is about to buy his homestead from across the country and move…
FIRST THE BAD STUFF I DID
Make it fun more often and from the start -
Bulldoze the house and build new in a better location -
Emotional attachment to the goats
Maybe Not Get Goats
Moved the garden to zone 1
Retaining wall and French drain system - easy maintenance plan
1 animal or major change at a time until it is easy -
Hard reset on stuff
Infrastructure before animals (see above)
Time on the property to observe the seasons -
Overseen contractors and helpers more closely -
Build with profit in mind - 1 thing financing the next thing
Addressed the negative energy issue -
Better use of on-site resources - like junk trees - morel story -
Get good at compost first - grazing - soil
Water system - repair versus fix once and for all -
Learn from the local community regarding what grows well here, hydrology, local knowledge and dependable contractors
take classes
development relationships
talk to neighbors
Hydrology/water, access, then the rest is the order to plan in
I waited ten years to bring in a permaculture consultant and that was wrong
5 Things You Should Do When Starting a Homestead (From 18 Years of Hard Lessons)
Too many new homesteaders try to make existing structures or systems work—even when they don’t. That old house, random infrastructure, or legacy garden spot can lock you into years of wasted time and money. Don’t get emotionally attached to what’s there.
Design from scratch based on what works, not what exists.
The smartest first year move is not to plant trees, build a barn, or install major systems - unless you just have to as part of your plan. It’s to study your land and build soil health. Hydrology, sun, wind, and microclimates matter more than what you think you want to do.
Compost, watch water flow, graze slowly, and improve soil.
Piling on animals, gardens, or outbuildings without the infrastructure in place leads to burnout and chaos. If you’re chasing goats while digging fenceposts, you’re doing it wrong.
Add systems only when the current one runs easily.
You don’t need to figure everything out yourself. Local growers, neighbors, county experts, and consultants can save you years of mistakes—if you listen.
The culvert story
Build relationships and take advice. Pay consultants when it counts.
Homesteading isn’t just physical work. There is a spiritual signature from before you were ever there and you may have attracted some haters over time - take control of the bad energy, get your property blessed or whatever you need to do to protect it, and yourself, from unnecessarily bad baggage. This is ongoing.
Clear bad energy, maintain spiritual health, and set firm boundaries.
The Holler Roast Prebuy is live! Support the shack, get coffee credit, and score digital goodies. HollerRoast.com
Self-Reliance Festival tickets—Only a few left at the $95 price point. Don’t miss it before the next price jump.
Make sure you’re on the newsletter list for updates, events, and all things Holler.
Make it a great week.
GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce.
Community
Resources
Today, I am joined by The Tactical Redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead: Disruptive energy, sheep ear scab, garlic harvest and more.
Featured Event: SOE PARTY tomorrow! SOEParty.com
Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast - InvestableWealth.com
Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com - Prebuy!!
Sheep Ear Scab
Disruptive energy on the Homestead
Rock Garden Installed
Duck Nests
How are we going to shade the garden
Forage: Everything is ready so it is hard to keep up!
1st tomato is close
Arranging to be out of a Saturday and still getting veggies
Nicole’s Garlic
Goat Garlic
Old Garden Getting attacked by goats, on purpose
Canning is ramping up - Broccoli and pickled beets
Time to do cucumbers, but I am booked so here is what I am hoping for
Black Board? How is it working
Garden is getting taxed by sudden heat uptick - add calcium and magnesium?
Discussion of moving the shed
Event update and finanances
https://hollerroast.com/product/hvac-coffee-pre-buy/
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
Today, I am joined by Cynthia Tina to talk about intentional communities and her journey away from a traditional path via a traditional college to her current life in community, building her own home.
Sponsor 1: AbovePhone.com
Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com
Connect With Cynthia
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
Today, we talk about the hidden cost of constant distraction, as well as cover all of our usual Monday segments.
Featured Event: June 29 Meetup and Rabbit Processing Event
https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/2025/06/02/rabbit-processing/
Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com
Long-term food storage supplies that won’t break the bank.
Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com
Helping entrepreneurs, homesteaders, and freedom-minded folks handle taxes the smart way.
Tales from the Prepper Pantry
Weekly Shopping Report From Joe:
Food City: The pet food aisle was well-stocked. Then we hit the usual places, next stopping at Dollar Tree. The drink selection continues to change, although the shelves remain full. There’s not a lot of Monster left, and I’m seeing a distressing number of “zero sugar” alternatives. These typically contain liver toxins disguised as artificial sweeteners. Fortunately I’m seeing a few choices made with cane sugar. They don’t have caffeine, but I’m trying to cut down on that anyway.
The tag in the store has lately been missing, but the online price of a 2x4x8 stud at Home Depot is still $3.85.
Aldi was last. Other than my preferred chocolate (I had to choose the 85% alternate), we found everything else we wanted. There have been a few more price changes since the last report, with decreases bigger than increases. Staple prices were:
Untainted regular gasoline at Weigels is still $3.59/gallon.
No frugality tip this week.
Operation Independence
Attempt to launch the glamper rental LOL
Main Topic of the Day: The Hidden Cost of Constant Distractio
What happened when I deleted tiktok from my phone - it got me to observing.
So I did a test - I became hardcore about interruptions, including leaving my phone away from me completely for hours at a time, setting alarms for benchmark tasks, and setting better boundaries.
Why do people resist stillness so hard?
Then it hit me - distractions aren’t just digital—boundary violators are distractions too. We all have encountered people who don’t care a whit about your boundaries because what they need is more important to them. Who push beyond what is reasonable. And who seek to manipulate you when they realize that you are not going to play along.
What happens next is:
But what about being available to your true friends and your family?
The delio is this - If you need space to accomplish things, then your true friends and family will not only understand when you create that space, but they will help you do it. And if they won’t one of two things is true:
Because you are building YOUR life on YOUR terms to fulfill YOUR purpose
And that NEED to be constantly available and responsive? Is it truly a need because your Mom is in the hospital? Or is it a way to feel important? And what price are you paying by letting the distractions happen without end?
Just some food for thought.
REMEMBER
The Holler Roast Prebuy is live! Support the shack, get coffee credit, and score digital goodies. HollerRoast.com
Self-Reliance Festival tickets—Only a few left at the $95 price point. Don’t miss it before the next price jump.
Make sure you’re on the newsletter list for updates, events, and all things Holler.
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
Resources
Today, I am joined by The Tactical Redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead: Sheep Ear Scab, Zebra Fun, Losing Focus - and recovering from it, Lemon balm and more. Come on out and ask us anything. 12:30pm CT
Featured Event: June 8, 2025, 1pm-4pm - Tomato Wall Hydro Build. RSVP LivingFreeinTennessee.com
Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN
Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon Code LFTN
Foxglove Is blooming
Goat gets cut out of fence
Lemonbalm harvest challenges: Better step planning for under 6ft tall people
Mushroom update
Zebra on the loose
Saturday of rest
Standing water audit
Running toilet and the water system
Homestead with profit in mind and tracking - read the email
Sheep ear scab
You got to close the gate...efficiency and sop
INTERRUPTIONS FROM THE PHONE - what is the solution?
Coffee pre-sale goodies from Paul Wheaton! https://hollerroast.com/product/hvac-coffee-pre-buy/
What we are doing about out of control areas?
Mailbox ants
Black raspberry but not blackberries yet
Yarrow
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
Join me for a group discussion with John Willis of Special Operations Equipment and Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast.
Featured Event: Tomato Wall Open House June 8: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/june-8-homestead-open-house-tomato-wall-build-at-the-holler/
Sponsors:x
Show Resources
Main content of the show
Make it a great week!
GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce.
Community
Resources
Today, I take your questions in an old-school LFTN Variety Show: Pickling beets, more about our new farmstand, how to prioritize what you grow in your smaller garden space, how to prioritize your time on the homestead and more. We will also cover our usual Monday segments.
Featured Event: River and Imanee’s Solstice Meetup at Haven Villiage, June 21 - I will be making cheese in case you want to come see that.
Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com
Sponsor 2: The Wealthsteading Podcast, InvestableWealth.com
Tales from the Prepper Pantry
Weekly Shopping Report
Dollar Tree was first. The drink selection always changes, but there was plenty of stock. That’s all we needed in there this time, after adding a variety of storage containers and the like, and minor health items over the past several weeks.
The online price of a 2x4x8 stud at Home Depot is still $3.85.
Aldi was last. We found everything we wanted. There have been a number of price changes since the last report, but nothing dramatic. Egg and milk prices have definitely come down. Staple prices were: bread (20 oz. white): $1.39; eggs: $3.46 (-); whole milk: $2.66 (-); heavy cream: $5.29; OJ: $4.25 (+); butter: $3.75 (+); bacon: $3.99; potatoes: $4.39; sugar: $3.29 (+); flour: $2.35; and 80% ground beef: $4.69 (+).
I may make an additional trip tomorrow to Walgreens as I recently opened my last melatonin, and I want another wrist brace. I will likely also stop at the adjacent Food City for another bag of Meow Mix (that our cats ask for by name).
Untainted regular gasoline at Weigels is still $3.59/gallon.
Frugality Tip from Margo
Down here in Florida we are getting ready for the Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday. For two weeks we get to purchase things such as batteries, coolers, tarps, radios, fuel tanks, and generators and not have to pay sales tax. We are currently in the market for a new generator and we are going to save about $100 buying that during this break. So look up your states tax holidays and see what you can purchase during them and save some money.
Happy Savings y'all
Main topic of the Show: A variety show
Tina in Arkansas asks:
“I’ve got more beets than we can eat—how do you preserve them?
Nicole Sauce’s Pickled Beet Recipe
1/4 bushel beets makes about seven quarts
Brine:
1/2 cup pickling or kosher salt
5.5 cups 5% vinegar
6 cups water
Per quart jar spice mix (add to jar)
2 heads dill weed
2-4 cloves garlic
1-2 hot peppers (cayenne or jalapeno)
6 peppercorns
Process method: Cold pack
Process time: 20 minutes for pints, 25 minutes for quarts
(wait 6 weeks before eating so everything tastes well blended)
Aunt Helen’s Beet Pickles with an extra step (Courtesy of Mama Sauce)
1/4 bushel beets makes about 10 pints.
Brine (make enough batched to cover beets)
1 qt vinegar (5% acidity)
6 c sugar
2 TBSP salt (plain, kosher, or pickling: may not be iodized)
2 tsp pickling spice
Lots of beets
Boil beets in water. Skin and slice more thinly than for a regular pickled beet: say 1/8” or thinner. Pack in glass container or containers. Keep track of how many beets you’ve pickled (for backpack portion control.)
Bring brine to boil. Completely cover beets. If you plan to eat these without further processing, pack and seal in wide-mouth Mason jars in the usual fashion. If you plan to dehydrate, why not pickle in a single glass bowl?
Cover and let pickle for 2 weeks. Then you can eat or dehydrate them.
To dehydrate:
Drain beets. You can save and reuse the pickling solution a time or two before you should dump it and make fresh, so you can run successive batches.
Mark from middle Tennessee asks:
“What’s your setup for the new farmstand—how are you building it, and how are you handling payment without having someone there full time?”
Lisa from Kentucky writes:
“We’ve downsized our garden space this year—how do you decide what to plant when you’re working with limited square footage but still want to preserve food?”
David in Texas asks:
“What’s the cheapest way to test a product idea from your homestead before going all-in? I’ve got eggs, herbs, and soap—but don’t want to waste time.”
Nate in Kentucky asks:
“How do you approach banking and online payments without getting sucked deeper into centralized control?”
Rachel from North Carolina asks:
“How do you keep your business tasks organized when your farm life, podcast, and everything else are constantly pulling at you?”
Ian in Alabama says:
“I'm thinking about building a greenhouse—what lessons did you learn from the swim spa greenhouse idea that might save me time and money?”
Patrick from Ohio asks:
“I want to host a small event on my property—what’s the best way to start without getting overwhelmed by logistics or liability?”
Make it a great week!
GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce.
Community
Resources