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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: Category: Homesteading
Aug 18, 2023

Today we talk about the great duck reset of 2023, a new way to do green curry, community fun and more.

Featured Event: Midwest Preparedness Project: https://www.midwestpreparednessproject.com/ 

Sponsor 1: StrongRootsReources.com: https://bit.ly/42UPCgJ

Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com: https://bit.ly/3hDFWpa

Weather has been awesome - nice and cool relatively speaking.

Forage

  • Elderberries are ripe

Livestock

  • New baby ducks
  • The hatches are all meat birds
  • Teenagers are integrated with old flock and the other babies are learning to
  • Need to check sheep for work pressure - flokie’s ears are hanging down
  • Sheep love box elder

Harvest meals

  • Green curry turkey - roasted the leg quarter first and it tasted good
  • Tomato, cucumber, basil mozzarella salad

Grow

  • Ts peppers are coming on
  • Swimming in tomatoes
  • Green beans, harvest 3 this week
  • Reseeding beets, top watering each day
  • Swiss chard looks sad
  • Malabar spinach and forever spinach doing very well
  • Deciding if I feel like direct seeding lettuces, etc before my secret trip next week

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Island Mt Pat is back in town, bonfire with the whole neighborhood this weekend

Infrastructure

  • Shocking gutter
  • Seconds away from all cabin wiring being complete
  • Getting ready to fix the rest of my home joist problem

Finances

  • Sending another round to the auction

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, 2023

Best baked wings recipe, funny new "found" livestock and more.

Featured Event: Midwest Preparedness Festival

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: Harvest Right: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/1095.html  

Forage

  • Watercress is back
  • Pawpaws are about three weeks out
  • Creek mint
  • Yard mint
  • Echinacea seed

Livestock

  • Found Pet Rabbit
  • Strays I have found: cats, dogs, a pig, and this rabbit
  • Moved the boys from the girls (tell the story)
  • Girls are more outgoing without the rams around
  • Feed needs through the seasons

Grow

  • Did not get the beet seeds in before I left, hope to today
  • Tomatoes are coming on fast
  • Time to harvest the brussels sprouts - no really this time
  • Fall garden transition
  • Baby ducks are ready to integrate when we are ready to integrate them
  • No egg season is here (Typical timing for ducks)
  • Need a “hard” harvest today
  • There was a peach and we did not know it

Harvest Meals

  • New Wings Recipe

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Steve oversaw the installation of fiber here because they were about 4 hours late
  • Neighbor Pat is back in town the helicopters have also returned
  • Meetup update

Infrastructure

  • Gate is in for the chicken area - thank goodness
  • Still working on perimeter fence, a lesson

Finances

  • Making salsa from our tomatoes and Rick’s tomatoes he dropped off t the meetup

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

 

Aug 8, 2023

Today we talk about public policy in the US, what motivates police from an arresting and ticketing standpoint, why girls should do gun training, and more with Dana McLendon and John Willis.

Featured Event: Girl Gun Weekend: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/girl-gun-weekend-2023/

Sponsor 1: StrongRootsReources.com: https://bit.ly/42UPCgJ

Sponsor 2:   EMPShield.com: https://bit.ly/3MBBELx coupon code LFTN

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

DanaMcLendonLaw.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 7, 2023

Today we talk about real estate, AI, community gardens and more with Davian McKnight and John Willis.

Featured Event: Wednesday, August 9 - Meetup in Medford, Oregon at 6 pm. RSVP Online to let me know you will be there. We will meet at 6pm at Bricktown Brewery!

Sponsor 1: John Pugliano and the Wealthsteading Podcast

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

Top Notch Community Gardens Youtube

Davian McKnight’s Tiktok: @weightsandrealestate

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, 2023

Today, we talk about surprise baby rabbits, baby ducks in training, garden abundance, food preservation, ruining cheese, and more.

Featured Event: Girl Gun Weekend, Last Chance: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/girl-gun-weekend-2023/

Forage

  • Goldenrod
  • Red Clover
  • Paw Paws in about a month
  • Comfrey
  • Mullein flower

Livestock

  • New baby rabbits
  • Not breeding until september
  • Baby ducks did all ducks go to bed successfully
  • Time to separate the ewes from males
  • Ducks are integrating
  • Sheep have a second grounding rod and the fence shock is improved

Grow

  • Tomatoes are coming on
  • Direct seeding fall garden plants (Weather looks favorable)
  • Japanese beetle attack and wood vinegar
  • Observation about which plants got targeted 
  • Last round of summer squash is up - have gotten two zucchini off of 6 plants (SVB)
  • Covered up in cucumbers
  • Peppers starting to come on
  • Trying to root willow - aquaponics works best

Harvest Meals

  • Cheese class yielded ALL THE CHEESE: Chevre, mozzarella, cream cheese, cheese dip
  • Making cheddar after my Oregon trip

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • The stray dog
  • Weekend Meetup

Infrastructure

  • The gate to Holler Roost is up
  • Another round of hard fencing is in process
  • Still wiring

Finances

  • Hip camp

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

Jul 28, 2023

Today we talk about proper tire selection, the oven turning on, getting ready for fall, and the race to make salsa.

Event: Chicken Processing with Joel Salatin

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

Email feedback to nicole@livingfreeintennessee.com

Homesteader Alliance and Freedom Cell Meetup Aug 5 at 4:30 in the Holler

Forage

  • Goldenrod
  • Red clover is needing to be picked now
  • Surprise sunflower
  • Root willow cuttings

Livestock

  • 2 dead baby ducks
  • Egg laying desert
  • Teen ducks found pond
  • Teen ducks are trained to go to bed
  • Chickens are all set
  • Ants

Grow

  • Tomatoes are coming on
  • Peppers about to be ready
  • Removed first row of beans
  • Egyptian walking onions seeds
  • Tactical cant identify basil in Nicole’s garden
  • Shade cloth needed
  • Propagating comfrey
  • Fall garden starts in 2 weeks

Homegrown Cooking

  • Ham hock roasted
  • Cucumber Recipe of the week

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Zello and emergencies
  • Hipcamp dog

Infrastructure

  • Cabin electrical
  • Fencing 3.0

Finances

  • Hipcamp income

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

Jul 24, 2023

Today, I am going to talk about being ready for first aid needs on the homestead.

Event: Girl Gun Weekend: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/girl-gun-weekend-2023/

Sponsor 1: Strong Roots Resources: https://bit.ly/42UPCgJ

Sponsor 2: Freesteading.com: https://bit.ly/3o2BcMR

Homestead Advanced Wound Care Class. https://selfreliancefestival.com/product/homestead-medical/

Livestream Schedule: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-PX-bHfC3AEOUPWgJ5d40g

  • Tuesday 12:30pm CT Live with Toolman Tim Cook: Build Your Empire
  • Thursday 7pm CT Live for SRF
  • Friday 8am CT Homestead Happenings

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • More Green Beans to put up
  • Sioux Vide Venison Roast
  • Drying more mint for winter teas
  • Redoing the prepper pantry since we wont be remodeling it this year
  • Kitchen Remodel Update

Weekly Shopping Report

Our trip was a little abbreviated this week. Not needing anything there, we skipped Home Depot; I figured to check the price of a 2x4x8 online, but it's not clear which product I've been viewing; it might be $3.67, but it may have dropped a lot, to $2.98. I'll have to actually go inside next time.

The first stop, as usual, was Dollar Tree. No big changes were evident. The shelves all look pretty well stocked, although there is some duplication.

Aldi was next and last. We found everything we wanted, which for some reason was a short list this week; perhaps because the garden is producing. 

Some staple prices are:

Eggs, $1.12; milk: $2.92; heavy cream: $4.69; butter: $3.19; bacon: $3.99; flour: $2.19; sugar (jumped): $3.09. 

Hearing of shortages, I expected to see the 70% chocolate I like going up, but it is still $1.99 (I don't think it has ever changed that I remember); and OJ is $3.19 (that's at least a quart, but I need to recheck to be sure; it's a large glass bottle).

Untainted regular gasoline remains at $3.899/gallon.

Frugality Tip: Nothing in this week

Operation Independence

  • Around 8 jars of green beans added for “free” this week 

Main topic of the Show: First Aid on the Homestead

Why it is important: Often the hospital is far away, things go wrong on the homestead quickly. It becomes up to you to handle things.

  • Chuck People's Class at SRF on Wound Care got me thinking
  • Clean, Covered to protect from dirt, Observe
  • The Zello Message
  • What we did: Pressure, Cleaning, Etc – but the hair
  • Sewing scissors (Have a sharp pair of scissors on hand)

Butterfly, steri strips, etc, Good quality clippers

  • Some things to audit:
    • Bandages, supplies, guaze etc
    • Bentadine vs alcohol
    • Stop Bleed, Wound Care, Signs of a concussion, etc
    • Ointments and meds
    • Organization - we moved things around and did not communicate well about it (oops)
    • COMMS

Turns out the animal first aid kit was more together for today’s incident than my generalist human one so that got used.

What to do to prepare

  • Stop the bleed class
  • Wound care class
  • Learn how to handle snake bites and bee stings gone wrong
  • Learn about dealing with illness and herbal remedies

Homesteading can look like all baby goats and garden abundance, but it is a very physical lifestyle. This means that you are exposed to getting hurt, and responsible one it does happen.

Membership Plug

MeWe reminder

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

 

Jul 21, 2023

Today we talk about the overall gardening season

 

Featured event: Foraging Walk by Kerry Brown

On Saturday August 12th, around 10 am at Solomon Park in Wartburg, TN I'll be holding a foraging walk as a guest of the Morgan County, TN Homesteaders Group. They have a group on Facebook if you search that particular title. Location: Wartburg Civic Center- Solomon Park 132 Carter Street Wartburg, TN 37887



Sponsor 1: John Pugliano of The Wealthsteading Podcast

Sponsor 2: Agoristtaxadvice.com

 

Forage

  • Wine berries

  • Watercress is coming back

  • Mint is all over the place

  • Yarrow

 

Livestock

  • Trapped!

  • Baby ducks got free

  • Compost area is built for chickens

  • Rabbits are moving to grass next week - took us a long time to get that set up because of sheep being added (talk about adding too much at once)

  • Separating the boys from the girls (why)

 

Grow

  • Overall season update

  • Last seeding of summer things and rotation into fall

  • Processing garlic

  • More on the onion harvest

  • Green beans and shade cloth

 

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Update on Jenni

  • Meat curing class

 

Infrastructure

  • Rain assists with analyzing hydrology of the land

  • Solar and power outages

 

Finances

  • $15 for 16 jars of homemade relish

 

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

 

Jul 17, 2023

Today, we talk about learning new things and how that fits in with a happy and productive life. I also highlight a new side hustle that one of our community has launched, and review the results of a recent survey that came from the weekly mail.

Have you signed up for the weekly mail? Do so here.

Featured Event: Early Bird Prices are about to be a thing of the past for Self Reliance Festival

Sponsor 1: TheHomesteadConsultant.com: https://bit.ly/43aLbid

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com: https://bit.ly/3MBBELx

Livestream Schedule

  • Tuesday Live with Davian McNight, 2:30 PM Central
  • Friday Homestead Happenings, 10:30 Central Time 

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Getting ready for the canning webinar: Bone in chicken
  • Failed to notice a rotting butternut squash “What’s that smell?”
  • Spicy Pickle relish (thoughts on condiments)
  • Return of the Dinner for One concept
  • Quick Cube Steak Recipe
  • Send me pictures of 4% vinegar if you find them at your store (And how to react to information like that)

Side Hustle Feature: BovineBits

Operation Independence

  • New Round of Items for Auction
  • Chicken Composting System is Beginning to Work
  • Holler Roast Update

Main topic of the Show: Learn New Things or Die

Evocative headline, no?

They say if you are not growing, you are failing in business - the same goes for building your life. If you are not learning something new, you are dying.

  • 75hard, one more day (LEARN new things)
  • Spinning Wheel Community Story
  • Setting it up: attempt | Learning | Attempt | Learning | ATTEMPT | jury rigged part filed | Ordered new part
    • Youtube university
    • Revisited the drop spindle
  • So now yall are going to her for the next few months all about me learning how to spin wool - and this is a good thing
  • Chicken Processing Story (LEARN new things)
  • When things become habitual they seem easy, yet for a first timer, they can be quite hard
  • Are you cruising right now? Or pushing yourself?
  • LEARN new things
  • What is that one thing you have been avoiding because you do not know how to do it? (LEARN new things)

Weekly Mail Survey Results:

  • Community Update, Events, Recipes and Tips (Avoiding the greater reset)

Social connection: Medford Oregon Meetup on August 9 - RSVP Here.

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

 

Jul 14, 2023

Today we give a midsummer update on the homestead, talk about community, and celebrate some things that have made life a little easier this year.

Featured event: Pressure Canning Class Wednesday at 5pm Central

DiscountMylarBags.com: https://bit.ly/43r4dkx

StrongRootsReources.com: https://bit.ly/42UPCgJ

LAST CALL: Paul Wheaton’s Permaculture Adventure Bundle, $35

Holler Roost Plans on Etsy

Rainy year is good

Schedule based on weather: Early morning, midday break, later afternoon (Lots of breaks)

Forage

  • Paw paw update
  • Red clover, mullein, echinacea, chocolate mint
  • Creek mint
  • Lambs quarter (final round)
  • Mullain seed
  • Elderberries acting differently this year
  • Yarrow 

Livestock

  • Baby rabbits
  • Feeding dogs raw is a challenge
  • 8 baby ducks - all girls again
  • Go to bed training
  • Working with automation and the chickens
  • Sheep pregnancy assessment
  • Getting ready to move boys to my place
  • Goat is foraging

Grow

  • Tomato blight experiment
  • T has pet projects for food
  • Reset mottled shade bed for thorny berries
  • Green beans are banging
  • 1st zucchini
  • Brussels sprouts still not ready (Under seeding with squash)
  • Beets sucked this year
  • Onion update
  • Potato update
  • Chard is a perfect balance
  • Cucumber update: volunteer versus planted
  • Malabar spinach and forever spinach doing well
  • Pigs planted squash

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Holler Neighbor Dinner
  • Spinning Wheel Story

Infrastructure

  • Maintain or make forward progress when Nicole is gone, hammering hard when Nicole is here
  • Disturbing ground so that things can grow back before winter
  • Collecting supplies for a subpanel project for the solar system
  • Setting plans for a mini solar system for the main house that will run the oven and some lights
  • 4wd 4 wheeler, game changer

Finances

  • No new income at the moment

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

Jul 10, 2023

Join me as we explore what seven years of podcasting has taught me about getting started, gear, monetizing and more.

Featured Event: Self Reliance Festival: https://selfreliancefestival.com/?aff=nicolesauce

Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast: https://bit.ly/3oPLTmr

Sponsor 2: Senior Chief Electric: https://bit.ly/3MKKbuu

Livestream Schedule:

  • Tuesday, 9:30M CT, Live with Jack Spirko and John Willis
  • Thursday, 7AM CT, Self Reliance Festival Livestream
  • Friday, 10:30AM CT, Homestead Happenings

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Moved and inventoried last year’s canned goods
  • Herb Garden Pick Me Up Tea
  • 21 jars of green beans are put up for 2023/24
  • Beets did poorly this year :(
  • Got to use the All American Canner that was gifted to me last fall and LOVED IT. Will be selling the Presto Canners I have (⅔)
  • Wednesday at 5pm CT, Preserve It! Overview and  Waterbath Canning: https://nicolesauce.podia.com/waterbath-canning

Frugality Tip: Cherry Pitter

DIY Quick, inexpensive, easy way to pit cherries!

 

Operation Independence

  • “Fast” food
  • $50 Travel Spend

Main topic of the Show: Lessons from 7 Years of Podcasting

From Micah

How about podcasting?

Equipment, guest form, interview tips, how it fits in with a business, how it incorporates with other areas of life, etc.

Software, workflow

Podcast lessons:

  • The how it happens matters less than the actual happening
  • Consistency and predictability
  • Developing categories or segments helps keep focus (Also scripting vs outlines vs winging it)
  • Committing to a co host can get you in trouble
  • Streamlining the process:
    • The Guest Form (From Jack Spirko)
    • Audio Editing for Mistakes
    • Prepopulating the website and social posts, etc.
  • Community, Network, Keeping Things Growing
  • The Money: webinars, books, events, coffee, podcasting 2.0 and fountain, social capital
  • how it fits in with a business, how it incorporates with other areas of life, etc.
  • Successful Interviewing: (Research, Do not be afraid to ask, have things you can bring up ready to go if things lag. Only interview people you think are interesting, THE FORM)
  • Ok, I will talk about gear and software: Scarlett solo box, Rhode NT 1, Alesis studio mixing set, Lighting, Garage Band, Levelator, iMovie, Canva – other options!!!
  • It doesn’t matter - just start recording, create your rss feed, and register on itunes – from there you will find other places that require registration or adjustment and add them as people complain that you are not on one platform or another.

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

Jul 1, 2023

Today we talk about the heat of summer, interesting new forge things I have discovered here, chicken nuggets, baby ducklings, and processing garlic.

Featured Event: Sunday at 4pm Central, A live Auction for Jenni

Livestream Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QisNMJGOETA

Come tell your Jenni Story: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/2023/06/28/share-your-jenni-story-live-this-sunday/

Sponsors:

Heat and livestock on the homestead: A brainstorm.

Forage

  • Mullein is tall with flowers
  • Yarrow
  • Wood Sorrel (Just learning about this one)
  • Last of the day lilies
  • Gooseberries
  • All the mints and herbs!

Livestock

  • Rabbit Is due
  • Eggs hatching in the next week
  • LGD vet appointment
  • Chicken compost yard is set up
  • Baby ducks first time swimming
  • Integrating two duck flocks
  • Goats are out and grazing

Grow

  • Green beans are ready
  • First tomato usually happens this week - we will see
  • Planting last round of cucumber, squash, bean seeds (shade cloth)
  • Brussels sprouts are about to be ready - hope they make it through the 100 degree days
  • Swiss chard is still going strong
  • Peas are done
  • About time to harvest onions
  • REALLY need to get the garlic out of the ground before I go to Montana
  • weeds

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Stomach flu with community
  • Chick class update (Oxy and Holler Neighbors)
  • Jenni’s fundraiser

Infrastructure

  • Nothing new this week

Finances

  • Chicken class: $480 profit (Did not cover chicken costs, which is fine)

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

Jun 26, 2023

Today we talk about we talk about one of the most important things you can do to opt out of having your life lived for you, and beginning to build the life you choose yon your terms: Decide.

Livestream Schedule

  • Tuesday: 12:30PM CT Live with John Willis and Bear Independent
  • Friday: 9:00AM CT Homestead Happenings

Featured Event: Permaculture Technology Jambouree starts next week and you can still BOGO! https://wheaton-labs.com/permaculture-tech/?f=495

(Spokane Meetup July 6)

Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast: https://bit.ly/3oPLTmr

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com: https://bit.ly/3MBBELx

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Chickens in the freezer in parts this year (why we did this)
  • Dehydrated Oregano in volume
  • Preparing to be gone for 5 days - Meatloaf, crockpot meal, reheatable meals
  • Time to resupply paper goods
  • Been buying keto road snacks: pork rinds, meat sticks, egg wraps
  • Fried fish with pork rinds
  • Working on amounts for the salisbury steak recipe from the spring workshop

Weekly Shopping Report from Joe

We made our usual three stops this Saturday, however I have added some more useful information I hope to continue.

Dollar Tree was first. They are well-stocked, although the coolers are filled with mostly name-brand drinks, not the ones I prefer. Oh well. I think they may have hired another person, as the lone woman at the registers was able to call for assistance when her line got long.

Home Depot was next. A 2x4x8 remains at $3.35. It's rather a shame we didn't need any lumber, as the cull cart had a lot of good long pieces on it. The battery carrels up front remain mostly full, although there's very little lithium AA or AAA; I think just some 2-packs.

Aldi was last. Here, I've added some staple prices, and will try to update them:

Milk: $3.06

Eggs: $1.23 (up a little)

Heavy cream (32 oz): $4.69

All-purpose flour: $2.19

Sugar (4 lbs): $2.68

Butter (1 lb): $3.18

We found everything we wanted except pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds, which I've been having as a snack at work). I did find out that the one muzzled clerk is not waiting for bite training, but is the primary caregiver for her Mom, a cancer survivor; she would therefor likely be muzzled anyway.

A gallon of untainted regular gasoline remains at $3.899.

Frugality Tip

  • None this week

Operation Independence

  • Replaced the pressure tank for our water system - they go bad about every 5 years - ($350 in labor last time I did this)
  • Started feeding the chickens household scraps

Main topic of the Show: Decide

I’ve got a newsflash for you: Not deciding is deciding. Usually this doest get you where you want to be.

  • Indecision is a luxury that comes from gentle consequences
  • It is kinder to rip off the bandaid than to remove it gently - same goes for saying no
  • Being overwhelmed gets worse when you do not decide and makes a terrible excuse

What does it mean to decide

  • Prioritizing communication
  • Clarity of priority - (Story of today’s to do list)
  • Accepting responsibility for outcomes (consequences)
  • Knowing what you can’t or won’t do

Shiny object syndrome and deciding

You stand at a crossroad each day where your first decision is this: Do you want to be better, or do you want to keep your unhealthy identity? (the Alcoholic example) Will you put on your oxygen mask first then help others, or will you bury yourself in indecision to mute the pain of knowing you did not decide, and therefore things were decided for you.

  • Emotional attachment to bad identities

Living the life that others chose for you - vs living your life starts each morning (Job story) - boils down to one thing: Decide. Decide to do something. Decide you will never do something. Decide to let go of the crap. Decide you want to be crap. Decide to grow. Decide no. J

Just go out and decide - because when you decide, you change the metric by which your minutes, hours and days are measured. You bring it back to the things you can control. And you stop stagnating in apathy.

Decide

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

Jun 23, 2023

Today we talk about the busy season of the homestead, canning update, garden abundance, weeds, chicken graduation weekend and more.

Featured event: October Chicken Processing with Joel Salatin, Oct 16

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com: https://bit.ly/43r4dkx

Sponsor 2: Freesteading.com: https://bit.ly/3o2BcMR

Forage

  • Elderflower
  • Mullein flower soon to be hee
  • Wild Raspberry
  • Gooseberry
  • Stinging nettle
  • Might have found butternut
  • Sassafrass leaves
  • Willow and comfrey cuttings 

Livestock

  • Chicken graduation weekend
  • Rabbit graduation weekend
  • New baby rabbits on the way
  • Bresse chickens have figured out how to go in an out of Holler Roost
  • Ducklings are also starting to learn the Holler Roost ramp (took 5 days)
  • Setting up compost area in the chicken yard
  • Weird sheep behavior
  • Low eggs from old duck flock - usual for July

Grow

  • Harvest fodder trees
  • Broccoli 2.0 harvest
  • First cabbages for the year and ever
  • Tomato wall update
  • Peas ending
  • Greenbeans will be ready this week
  • Planting more cucumbers
  • Pulling pepper flowers to let the plants grow
  • Lettuce is finished
  • Reconfiguring the rockwall gardens
  • Betts looking a bit sad this year - may try a special bed next week

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Processing the communal birds: Set up tonight
  • Thank you to the community for all your support these past weeks

Infrastructure

  • Working on final fencing for the Holler Roost
  • Updating the rock wall behind my house
  • Replacing spring pump

Finances

  • THE FEED: meat birds, goats, bresse chickens are getting feed - compost will reduce this
  • Sheep do not require much and free range ducks do not require much

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

 

Jun 20, 2023

Episode 761 - You Need To Fire Someone

 

When you are making lots of policies, you need to fire someone, and other words of wisdom.

 

Featured event: The Homestead Starter Pack, a 7-week course: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/homesteading-starter-pack-a-seven-week-course/

 

Sponsor 1: TheHomesteadConsultant.com: https://bit.ly/43aLbid

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com: https://bit.ly/3MBBELx

 

Livestream Schedule

  • No Tuesday Live

  • Thursday 7pm SRF Live

  • Friday at 10:30am CT - Homestead Happenings

 

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Chicken Workshop Prep

  • Chili and Smoked pork enchiladas

  • Redoing the shelving in the prepper pantry

  • Intervention

 

Operation Independence

  • Thank you to the community

 

Main topic of the Show: You Need To Fire Someone

 

When you are making lots of policies, you need to fire someone.

Call people back. (on their terms)

If you are having trouble focusing go work out.

 

Anyone can die at any time: Embrace that.

 

Membership Plug

 

MeWe reminder

 

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



Consistency wins over skill in the long run.

Invest time in what matters, not in endless distractions.

Not my monkeys, not my circus - and none of my business.

Pushing through no matter what, matters. So does prioritizing yourself.

 

Jun 9, 2023

Today we talk about newest forage in the Holler, injuries and homesteading, and garden success. 

Featured Event: Featured Event: Chicken Processing: https://bit.ly/3MU6xLr

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com: https://bit.ly/43r4dkx

Sponsor 2: Freesteading.com: https://bit.ly/3o2BcMR

Forage

  • Bee balm is blooming
  • Lemon balm and mint are in high production
  • Elderflower - fritters
  • Honeysuckle
  • Jewel weed
  • Queen Anne’s lace versus Poison Hemlock
  • Wild raspberries
  • Lambsquarter

Livestock

  • Duck jail, 
  • Incubating duck eggs, 
  • Bunny processing (chicken workshop june 24)

Grow

  • brassicas and wood vinegar, 
  • lettuce, 
  • peas, 
  • chard, 
  • nasturtium, 
  • radishes, 
  • basil, 
  • sage, 
  • oregano, 
  • thyme. 
  • Garlic is close. 
  • 1st tomato...not mine
  • Suckers
  • carrots!!

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Getting ready to drop a car to Jenni
  • The Auction Website: jennihill.livingfreeintennessee.com

Infrastructure

  • Still reshaping places on the property to calm water runoff

Finances

  • Hipcamp is working!

Homesteading Starter Kit Starts June 14, 2023, members, you know what to do.

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

Jun 8, 2023

Today I welcome Jason Sparks and Jake Snyder from Kentucky Sustainable Living to talk about how their community grew in just three years, what it takes to be a homesteader, and how to get a regional festival up and running.

Featured Event: Kentucky Sustainable Living Festival

Sponsor 1: TheHomesteadConsultant.com: https://bit.ly/43aLbid

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com: https://bit.ly/3MBBELx

Show Resources

Kentucky Sustainable Living Festival

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

Advisory Board

Resources

Jun 2, 2023

Join me for an early summer update about what is happening on the Homestead. Chicken processing class is coming soon, more babies than we know what to do with, garden update, dry weather and more.

Featured Event: John Willis’ Chainsaw Event, June 17 in Camden, TN

Sponsor 1: TheHomesteadConsultant.com

Sponsor 2:  AgoristTaxAdvice.comm

Forage

  • Honeysuckle
  • Last wild rose harvest (until there are rosehips in the fall)
  • Day lilies
  • Harvesting seed heads from pasture grasses
  • Perilla
  • About time for wild raspberries but I haven't seen any

Livestock

  • Breeding one rabbit
  • 28 babies so far this year, starting raw diet
  • Baby chicken and duck update - looks like all female ducks but we are waiting before I claim that
  • Meat birds are about ready to process - Join our 6th annual Chicken Class, June 24
  • New dogfood for lgd’s, costs less and better quality - pairing with rabbits

Grow

  • It has been dry
  • 1st fodder tree harvest
  • Strawberries are slowing down
  • Chard, scapes, peas, broccoli, nasturtium
  • Last round of lettuce
  • Tomato wall update (1st flowers)
  • Slowly managing the food forest from a pioneering species standpoint
  • Harvested: peppermint, tarragon
  • Garlic almost ready to harvest
  • Time to thin out strawberries

Harvest Meals

  • Sautes, salads, and time management
  • Bone broth

Holler Neighbors/Community

 

Infrastructure

  • Kitchen forward momentum
  • Solar water is a thing now - grounding and breakers were addressed
  • Runoff adjustments - keeping water on property even though it is dry
  • Final push on perimeter fence

Finances

  • 100% eating off the homestead

Thoughts on the busy season and keeping sanity.

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

May 26, 2023

Today we talk about how the dual bird incubation project went, our first dry spell of spring, and getting ready for food preservation season at the Holler Homestead.

Featured Event: The LFTN 7th Annual Chicken Processing Class

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon code: LFTN

Forage

  • Mullein
  • Wild rose petals
  • Oyster Mushrooms
  • Day lilies should come in shortly
  • Faux strawberries

Livestock

  • Update on the egg hatching
  • Baby ducklings and chicks are growing fast
  • Put feeders in pots to cut down waste - much less waste
  • Moving the tractor a bunch with the chickens: 
  • May process all but the class chickens early
  • Wing clipping
  • Strawberry experiment - fail
  • Sheep are well, Bruny is on pregnancy watch

Grow

  • Broccoli looks great, getting cabbage worms though
  • Squash, peas, onions, chard, herbs beginning to take off
  • Tomato wall is up and we are working on balancing nutrient
  • Time to rotate the late spring plants where the early spring plants go
  • Beets look terrible
  • 30 minutes a day on the food forest is required due to weed growth: thoughts on leaf mulch
  • Strawberries are slowing, may water the patch and see if the rejuvenate (A word on “june bearing”

Harvest meals

  • Garden salad season - how they change
  • Quick meal: steaks
  • Shoulder roast in the crockpot

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Pew Pew Class

Infrastructure

  • Nothing new or big to report

Finances

  • Cashflow low this month

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

May 23, 2023

Today we talk about building from a small side hustle to a full time business with Kerry Brown of Strong Roots Resources and John Willis of Special Operations Equipment.

Featured Event: The SMART Homesteading Webinar, $45

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com

Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

NicoleSauce.com

Strong Roots Resources

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

 

May 22, 2023

Today we have an interview with a former colleague of mine, Mark Johnson. Mark has just purchased land to develop into a retreat for veterans in Sparta, Tennessee. Where there is a will there is a way!

Featured Event: SelfRelianceFestival.com

Sponsor 1: Strong Roots Resources, StrongRootsResources.com

Sponsor 2: Freesteading.com

Show Resources

LibertyOakOasis.com

Facebook.com/LibertyOakOasis

@LibertyOakOasis -- Insta

libertyoakoasis@gmail.com

Main content of the show

Former interwebs political consultant. Photographer. Historian at heart. Nine year Army National Guard Veteran. Former Blog Talk Radio host covering Illinois Politics. Married to Vicki who is a nurse of 33 years. Proud West Highland White Terrier Owner: Named Willow. Relocating to TN to escape Illinois and create a retreat space for Veterans and Ministry leaders struggling with life issues.

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

May 18, 2023

Today is a homestead happenings show and I have NO IDEA what will happen because the Tactical Redneck is hijacking my show.

Enjoy!

Featured Event: Wild Edible Walk with Kerry Brown in Lenoir City, TN

Saturday, May 20th 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, rsvp to strongrootsresources@gmail.com

Sponsor 1: TheHomesteadConsultant.com

Sponsor 2: SelfRelianceFestival.com

Make it a Great Week!

May 16, 2023

What happens when you get John Willis, Joel Salatin and Nicole Sauce together? We have a conversation about heritage skills, the economic fragility of the US, developing community, knowing your neighbors, and growing clean food.

Featured Event: Mike Shelby’s Surveillance Event in Nashville, TN, June 2-4, 2023, $500

https://grayzonestore.com/store/p/isr-nashville-2-4-june-2023

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com

Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com

Show Resources

Get Tickets for The Self Reliance Festival

The Lunatic Farmer Website

Polyface Farms

Joel’s Books & DVDs

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

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

May 15, 2023

How has my homegrown cooking world been with an on site freeze dryer? Join me today as I talk about that and all our usual Monday topics! 

Featured Event: Exit and Build Land Summit, https://livefree.academy/op/exit-and-build-land-summit-iii-registration/?ref=183

Sponsor 1: Strong Roots Resources, StrongRootsResources.com

Sponsor 2: Freesteading.com

Harvet Right Affiliate Link: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/1095.html

Livestream Schedule

Tuesday

Join John Willis and I as we talk with Joel Salatin about the state of the world, building resilience into your lives, permaculture and more.

12:30 Central:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-PX-bHfC3AEOUPWgJ5d40g

Friday

Hijacked by a redneck! Tactical Redneck grabs my channel for our weekly Homestead Happenings update at 10:30 Central.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhk2HWA-byY

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Drying herbs and flowers this week, particularly rose petals and red clover (explain why)
  • Packaging up dried morels
  • Meal planning from the freezer
  • Getting ready to be gone for five days - meals here and on the road
  • Have not restocked since the spring workshop and probably will not for a bit if at all
  • Next week is home canned good audit week

Weekly Shopping Report, May 13

Dollar Tree was first. They've added a couple of cases of Monster to the rear drink coolers. In addition to my usual caffeine-delivery mechanism, I noted a decent stock of plastics while picking up a few other items. The food aisles seemed a little less haphazard, and there were a couple of people in there stocking shelves. The health aisle had a lot more stuff on it.

Next was Home Depot. There was no tag on the stacks of 2x4x8 studs, so I looked online and found the price still at $3.35.

Last on this trip was Aldi. We found everything we wanted. Eggs are down another dime, to $1.87. Whole milk was $3.50/gallon

I did notice that people were friendly with no one seeming tense or worried. I think I only saw one muzzled sheep, during the second trip. Untainted regular gasoline remains at $3.999/gallon.

Frugality Tip from Margot

Hey all. I'm going to tell you to spend some money. But this is a frugality tip....yes it is. Sometimes you need to spend money to get something of value. We just got back from our first LFTN workshop and the ticket price was well worth the value we received. The price of the ticket can not buy the connections we made. The bonus was all of the things we learned. If you feel like you can't afford a ticket to a workshop, grab a can, and everytime you break, let's say a $20, put the change in a jar. Before you know it you will be able to "afford" things you didn't think you could. I can not stress how important community is, and without going to workshops that follow your interests, you will not find your most important community members. (You have almost a year to save up for the next LFTN)

Operation Independence

  • Nothing to report

Main topic of the Show: Homegrown Cooking with a Freeze Dryer

Why I got a freeze dryer (originally)

What I learned getting started

Frequency of using the machine year one versus now

  • Every time I could run it, I did
    • Left overs
    • Surplus garden things
    • Surplus milk and eggs
    • Candy experiments
  • How I use it now
    • Goal to use the food within 2 years (why, resilience = regeneration)
    • Keto travel snacks (cold cuts, etc)
    • Targeted surplus
    • Herbs, herbs, herbs, garlic, onion
    • Frequency of use: Once a week when not pressed for time

Is it worth it?

  • Quality
  • Convenience
  • Longevity
  • Business ideas: candy, whole meals, load rental

There is a webinar on getting started in the membership portal for those who decide to get one this year. A word on Harvest Right and customer support. (Keep calling)

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

May 12, 2023

Join me for a discussion of what to do to catch up on your spring gardening, exciting spring forage, update on the incubation project. 

Featured Event: June 24 Poultry Processing Workshop at the Holler Homestead

https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/poultry-processing-workshop-ticket/

Sponsor number 1: Permies.com - PTJ, https://wheaton-labs.com/permaculture-tech/?f=496 BOGO

Sponsor number 2: EMP Shield, https://www.empshield.com/ Use coupon code LFTN for 25% off

Forage

  • Red clover (Harvesting recommendation game)
  • Vetch
  • Wild rose petals
  • Dandelion flower
  • Last chance on watercress for awhile (Flavor is quite peppery)

Livestock

  • Keeping an eye on the sheep with the spring rains
  • More baby rabbits due - and our space challenge
  • Incubator project update
  • Goats and garden weeds
  • Still no bresse babies…

Harvest meals

  • Spring greens and mouth feel
  • Holler Stew goulasch style

Grow

  • These 3 peas!
  • Strawberries are off the charts, too many to eat
  • Brassicas look good (finger’s crossed)
  • Catching up on the garden when you are behind
  • Worm castings
  • Comfrey Harvest 1.0
  • Planting more fodder trees propagated from the first round

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Quiet week

Infrastructure

Finances

  • Auctioned off things to buy a zero turn mower - not sure how that went yet

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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