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Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

Homesteading, food, freedom and fun!
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Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce
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Now displaying: August, 2025
Aug 29, 2025

Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to discuss: Redneck Pie, subdividing paddocks, food forest whisperer’s latest action, and old garbage revealed through grazing.

Featured Event: Sunday Meetup and Demo From Hoff Grid Meat Company! 1pm this Sunday

Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast

Sponsor 2: AgoristtaxAdvice.com/LFTN

Redneck Pie

Fall is in the air - winter is coming!

SRF is so cool this year

Filling in rock wall with mint, oregano, thyme, and a sacrificial rosemary

Bean replacements are up

Ducks are in full molt

Cheese class update (Wild forage, fun, fellowship, reset)

Boys are out of jail and in the best paddock over here

The loud - paddock garbage revealed through grazing

Lambchop Rip cord

The roof is DONE at Basecamp Lodge

Comfrey in the swales

Hoff Grid Meat Company Order for the year (and why we are doing it this way)

The AI Class this weekend

Sweet potato flowers

Time to harvest Goldenrod

Passion flowers

Rose of sharon

Spice berry

Time to breed and process rabbits

Girls: Subdividing paddocks to increase density

Holler Hub/Basecamp Calendar

Wednesdays are back

The tomato wall problem

Finances - cheese class

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

 

Aug 27, 2025

 

Featured Event: SelfRelianceFestival.com Oct 4-5

Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

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

 

Aug 18, 2025

You’ve heard me drop the words “Holler Hub,” but what does that actually mean? Today I’m going off-script to share the real story of what’s happening here, why we built it, and where it’s headed next. 

Featured Event

Cheesemaking class at the Holler Homestead (with add-on Wild Edible Walk): https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/soft-cheese/

Sponsor 1

Strong Roots Resources – Permaculture consulting, education, and more

Sponsor 2

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

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Mold fog reset in the pantry
  • Making lots of cheese

Frugality Tip From Margo
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

Inherited “free” chickens for the Holler Hub — and they’re so friendly you can pet them!

Main Topic: The Holler Hub Story You Haven’t Heard Yet

What is the Holler Hub? Basecamp Lodge as the center of the community

Biggest recent change: new roof on Basecamp

Ryan Steva dropped off hens

Airbnb bedroom rental now open

Calendar of upcoming events

Classes like cheesemaking, Michelle learning elderberry syrup

Grocery buying club next on deck

Valerie’s affordable lodge outfitting list

Unplanned magic moments: Tactical + visitor campfire talk on alcoholism

Looking ahead this year: full calendar, RV spots, cabins, food systems clarity

Challenges & reset

Working so hard we weren’t resetting ourselves

PickTN Store at the State Fair: great exposure, but exhausting

Drawing a line: one full day off each week

The Holler Hub is where we stop talking about freedom and actually build it — one messy project at a time.

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

Aug 17, 2025

Today I am interviewing John Pugliano of The Wealthsteading Podcast - find out what it took for him to grow from rags to riches - and what that really means.

Featured Event: Curds and Connection: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/soft-cheese/

Sponsors:x

Connect With John: https://investablewealth.com/

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

Aug 16, 2025

 

 

Featured Event: SelfRelianceFestival.com Oct 4-5

Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

Tigger

Polyface - modular and scalable

  • Driving without getting hurt
  • Pig gates: los tn translation
  • Tractors
  • ?2 cows?
  • Grazing density discussion

PawPaws are very close and likely this week or next

Escaping Sheep and miscommunicating Rednecks

Burnout Project: Roofing, Cheese Class Prep, and Broken AC, OH MY!

This week’s Lodge Visitor: Michelle from Trippy Acres (Elderberry, pears, and okra)

  • Balancing projects and real time with real people - something will have to give or we need more stewards on site

Water System Meltdown

Eggless Ducks

Fall seeds are in and the watering system is simplified

Early morning dumpster work

A disappointing shopping experience

Finances: havent sold enough cheese tickets - give us a hand by telling a friend!

Cheese Class Menu

Retraining the sheep on electric

Increasing mowability of fence lines at the Holler Homestead

Finances: Facebook Funds LOL

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

 

Aug 11, 2025

Today, we talk about homestead burnout, why many new homesteaders feel tempted (and do) give up after only a year or three, and what to do about it. We also cover our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event
August 23: Wild Edible Walk with Kerry Brown of Strong Roots Resources – 8:30 AM before Curds and Connection at the Holler Homestead.

Sponsor 1
Strong Roots Resources – Permaculture consulting, education, and more.

Sponsor 2
AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN – Helping entrepreneurs, homesteaders, and freedom-minded folks handle taxes the smart way.

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Setting up Basecamp for long-term storage

     

  • Road food from the pantry

     

  • Fall garden focus

     

  • Pushing for more dried herbs

     

Frugality Tip
From Margo: Before making a large purchase, check multiple sites. Margo scored a $100 gift card from Northern Tool by ordering online (over $1000 purchase), then picking up in-store. A little research can literally pay off.

Operation Independence
Adding value can make all the difference — like offering a Wild Edible Walk add-on for the cheese class.

Main Topic of the Day: How to Fix Homestead Burnout

  • Discussion with Tactical about my dead garden bed

     

  • Why so many homesteads give up after 1–3 years

     

    • Striving for perfection

       

    • Using 1 person to do the work of 2, 3, or even 4

       

    • Instagram homesteads vs. reality

       

    • The same reasons we burn out on anything

       

    • The homestead is always there — and you live there

       

  • Why people get into homesteading

     

    • The homesteader’s curse

       

    • My 140 tomato story

       

    • If you’re not on a homestead yet, what you can do

       

  • How to avoid homestead burnout

     

    • Create a space where you can truly let go and reset

       

    • Have other interests or hobbies

       

    • Adjust expectations before you start

       

    • Create goals that aren’t fear-based

       

    • Learn to spot burnout early:

       

      • Constant fatigue

         

      • Irritability or loss of excitement

         

      • Letting maintenance slide

         

      • Avoiding certain areas or projects

         

      • More arguments or isolation

         

      • Spending more time on screens than outside

         

      • Self-check questions:

         

        1. When’s the last time I felt genuinely excited about a homestead task?

           

        2. Am I doing chores because I want to or just because they have to be done?

           

        3. Have I been skipping or half-doing maintenance I used to stay on top of?

           

        4. Am I avoiding certain areas, animals, or projects because they feel overwhelming?

           

  • How to address burnout if you’re already there

     

    • Make space to get away for 2–3 days and stay off social media

       

    • Take a true day of rest

       

    • Move your body

       

    • Assess eating and drinking habits

       

    • Follow homesteaders who show their failures and lessons learned

       

    • Scale back without feeling like you’ve failed

       

The world, and we, are messy. Do three things anyway and see how far you can go in a month, then 2 months, then a year!

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

 

Aug 8, 2025

 

Today we talk about farm sitters, basecamp, rogue lawn mowers and more.

Featured Event: SelfRelianceFestival.com Oct 4-5

Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast

Sponsor 2: StrongRootsResources.com

What is a Food Forest Whisperer?

Looking at places for a bath house and cabins at Basecamp

1st Airbnb guest

Beans need harvesting

Retraining the Boys on electric fence

Duck Nests

State Fair Preparations and Angrotourism

Preparing for a new roof at Basecamp

Mower Hijinks and repair

Camper parking spot next steps

Getting Fall Seedlings going

Freezer Reorganization Finally in Process

Frankentomato

Need to harvest creek mint

Watercress coming in

Time to harvest Passion flower

Proof that ducks are racist

Holler Neighbor Dinner, schnitzel

Finances - Basecamp Wishlist Idea

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

 

Aug 8, 2025

 

Join me for a group discussion with John Willis of Special Operations Equipment and Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast.

Featured Event: Curds and Connection: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/soft-cheese/

Sponsors:x

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

TheSurvivalPodcast.com

Living Free in Tennessee

NicoleSauce.com

HollerRoast.com 

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

 

Aug 4, 2025

Today, we discuss how to navigate all the options out there as you seek your ideal homestead property. We also cover our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event

August 9: Foraging on the Farm at Strong Roots Resources

Strongrootsresources.com

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.

Surprise Guest JOHN WILLIS - Buy his cool tactical gear here.

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • We topped off green bean canning for the year — another seasonal task checked off the list. We're also setting up long-term canned goods storage at Basecamp so it’s easier to rotate and access what we’ve put up.
  • While I was away, Tactical survived thanks to the stash of homemade convenience meals we’d prepped in advance. Proof that a little forethought goes a long way.
  • And this week, we’re finally getting seedlings started for the fall garden — about a week later than planned, but they’re going in.

Frugality Tip

If you’ve got a spare room sitting empty, it might be time to put it to work. We brought in $150 this week just by renting out a bedroom on Airbnb —  just a clean space, a good description, and letting the system do its thing. Sometimes the easiest money is already inside your house.

Operation Independence

We’re gearing up for a trip to Polyface Farm to see Joel Salatin’s systems in action. The goal? Learn what we can, adapt what fits, and scale up operations here at the Holler. Always learning, always building.

Main Topic of the Day: Finding the Ideal Homestead

Everybody wants the perfect homestead. Creek in the back, rich soil, gentle slopes, friendly neighbors, no codes, low taxes, a vast homeschooling network, hospital that is close but not TOO close…Oh — and under $200,000, please.

Today, we're digging into how to actually find the IDEAL land for your homestead — starting with the real questions, not the fantasy map.

  • Where to go in the state

  • How to choose land

  • Where the best community is

  • Regulatory environment

  • To rent or to own?

What does ideal mean? WHY ARE YOUR DOING THIS?

  1. What does your ideal day on your land actually look like?
  2. Is this about freedom? Fear? Feeding your family?
  3. Are you chasing a dream… or running from a disaster?

Zac Bauer of  An American Homestead’s thoughts on water

List what is important to you:

  • Family

  • Hospitals?

  • Entertainment

  • Supplies

  • Church

  • Crime/Safety

  • Kid stuff

  • Tax regulations

  • Cultural mix

 

HERE IS THE TRUTH THOUGH

: the ideal property? It’s either taken or priced much higher than you will expect  - and those super nice properties also have hidden problems. That’s the problem we’re really solving today — what do you do when your dream and your budget don’t match?

That is when you have to prioritize = prioritize what you truly need in a piece of land as Zac pointed out. 

In Fact the best homesteaders I know didn’t start with perfect property. They started with a good enough place and made it work.

EXAMPLES

  • John Willis, Rock Quarry
  • The Eversoles (bare land)
  • Kerry Brown (off grid)
  • Ryan & Steve (local partners)
  • Shawn Mills (off grid)

They didn’t find a unicorn property — they built a life anyway.

Don’t forget — Self-Reliance Festival tickets are still available, but the price goes up soon. If you’ve been thinking about joining us in Camden this October, now’s the time to grab your pass and make a plan. Details are at SelfRelianceFestival.com.

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

Aug 4, 2025

 

Today we talk about steep sheep, the Holler Hub project progress, a canning class update, automations on the homestead we wished we had in place and more.

Featured event: Curds and Connection: August 23 at 9:30 central

Sponsor 1: AbovePhone.com

Sponsor 2: Holler Roast Coffee - HollerRoast.com - see us at the Tennessee State Fair!

Am I crazy for running sheep on the steep?

Skid steer progress

Canning class lessons

Placement for next 3 beds are ready - need t hand check

Automated watering and travel

Holler Neighbors Dinner

Finances: Canning class broke even

The airbnb is open

What needs to be  harvested

Seedlings 

Goldenrod season just in time for the food forest haircut

Mullein seed heads are flowered - harvest the blooms or wait for seed

Holler Roast at the State Fair

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

 

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