Today, I am joined by Jessica Arno, The Combat Midwife, to discuss keeping women and children alive when you can't just drive to the hospital. More that that, we will discuss how building these skills is a foundation for improving health even if you CAN drive to the hospital.
Sponsors
Resources
Today, I am joined by Kerry Brown from Strong Roots Resources to talk through the new approach we are taking with the LFTN food forest and how he is using mother nature to progress the system through to maturity one season at a time. Tapping into what we know about the soil and conditions here, native plants, what the people in our community want to eat, and working toward a system that does not require many hours to maintain. When you work with nature, you develop systems that you can help along rather than battle with constantly.
Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com
Sponsor 2: StrongRootsResources.com
Featured Event: March 7 Combat Midwife Training
Today, I am joined by The Tactical Redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead: Rabbits, Domestic Day, Helpers and more!
Featured Event: PickTN Products Conference - Jan 15-17. Holler Roast featured Jan 15 in the morning. Homestead Panel at lunch on Jan 16.
Come support small food!
https://www.picktnconference.com/
Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com
Sponsor 2: The Wealthsteading Podcast: 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. It makes a great Christmas Gift!
Community
Advisory Board
Resources
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:
Tales From The Prepper Pantry
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/
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: 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
Advisory Board
Resources
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?
Sponsors 1: Strong Roots Resources — StrongRootsResources.com
Sponsor 2: Discount Mylar Bags — DiscountMylarBags.com
Tales from the Prepper Pantry
Featured Forage: Watercress
Operation Independence
The Venison Story
Main Topic of the Day: Word of the Year
Combat Midwife Course — March 7, 2026 at the Holler Hub
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 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
Broccoli rip cord
TSP left over saute
Peppers from Rick
Ready for whole cows
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).
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
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).
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.
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?
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
Resources
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.
Discount Mylar Bags: DiscountMylarBags.com
Agorist Tax Advice: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/lftn
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.
Make it a great week!
GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce.