It is getting hot out there, friends. While you may be able to walk into your air-conditioned homes to cool off, your animals can’t so they need your help to stay cool. Because heat stress is a major concern for livestock during hot months, it is important for you to know the signs of heat stress and have systems in place for keeping livestock cool in the summer heat. How to Identify Heat Stress in Livestock Livestock species aren’t all able to regulate their body heat the way we do. For example, chickens and pigs don’t sweat so they have to be intentional about reducing their body temperat ..read more

It’s an exercise which far too many people are finding themselves doing. Open the refrigerator, take out the bag of veggies or tray of meat, and check whether the contents are involved in the latest food recall. The newest scandals to hit the news involve romaine lettuce and ground beef. Dozens of people from nearly 20 states have been sickened (one has died) by lettuce originating in Yuma, Arizona contaminated with E. coli. Then a North Carolina food processor recalled more than 35,000 pounds of ground beef for possible contamination with plastic bits. Do You Know Where ..read more

We talk a lot on this podcast about raising our own food, but today we are chatting all about preparing and serving the food we have worked so hard to produce!  Stacy Lyn Harris is the perfect person to join us for this conversation because she has been using produce from her garden and meat from her husband’s hunting trips to prepare delicious meals for her large southern family for decades.  We are not only diving into the practicals of creating amazing meals, but we are also digging into the heart of hospitality.  Feeding good food to our families and friends is a beautiful ..read more

Keeping a family milk cow (or dairy goats) is a wonderful way to increase the sustainability of your homestead and the quality of food your family consumes. However, you can quickly become overrun with excess milk if you don’t know how to utilize the milk that you are not able to drink fresh. In this post, you will see a curated list of recipes that you can make with raw milk. 12 Raw Milk Recipes to Use Excess Milk Even if you do not have your own dairy cow, you can use raw milk from a local producer- or even pasteurized milk from the store if it is your only option- to make these recipes.&nb ..read more

This DIY project will leave you with a beautiful and functional cedar raised bed to add to your homestead garden! Raised garden beds are a popular choice for many homestead gardens. There are a few reasons for choosing a raised bed over an in-ground garden: Soil Quality: Control over soil without needing to amend or wait years to build quality garden soil Ergonomics: Raised garden beds allow you to work without stooping all the way to the ground Pest Control: Pests and wildlife are easier to control with raised beds because the bed itself adds an extra barrier that they have to get through ..read more

You are going to love hearing the Fuhrmanns inspiring homestead story in this episode!  They share about the health scare that led them to the homesteading life, how their homestead has become a blessing to their community, what it’s like to raise and homeschool nine children, and what has led their children to stay involved in the family business as they have become adults.  The Fuhrmann family’s hearts for the Lord, for true health, for their family, and for community will encourage you to cast an intentional vision for your own family and homestead. In this episode, we cover: Ho ..read more

Foraging for edible weeds and wild greens is an age-old practice, and here in Ohio, it’s the perfect time of year to grab a bucket and take a hike to search for supper ingredients. Interested in growing herbs for more than just food? Many herbs and edible weeds are wonderful herbal allies for our health. Learn How to Start a Medicinal Herb Garden for more self-sufficient wellness! Spring Foraging: Identifying Edible Weeds Why Should You Forage Wild Edible Weeds Foraging wild edibles isn’t just a fun spring pastime. It is a skill that, when done properly, can uplevel your sustainability by pro ..read more

On a recent episode of the podcast, we talked about how the homesteading lifestyle is a call back to home-centered living: homesteading, homemaking, home cooking, home business, homeschooling, etc.  Today’s conversation ventures off from farm and homestead topics and dives into an equally important aspect of homestead life: raising our kids. This chat with Durenda, author and homeschooling mother of eight children (five sons), takes us through the importance of raising our boys into strong men who will lead homes and communities.  When the world teaches us to devalue the role of men ..read more

Bringing baby chicks onto the homestead is always exciting whether you are a chicken newbie or a seasoned chicken keeper. Don’t let the excitement get you too far ahead of yourself, though. Before you bring your first (or next) batch of birds home, be sure to take a few steps to prepare for baby chicks so you can make the most out of your time, effort, and energy and take the best care of your animals possible.  What to Do to Prepare for Baby Chicks 1. Choose the Right Breed Before you bring chicks onto your homestead, take some time to research and choose the chicken breed that suits yo ..read more

Knowing the right time to plant seeds and seedlings in your vegetable garden is important if you’re trying to grow as much food as possible in your homestead garden. Let’s dive deep and learn about how you can know when is the perfect time to plant your garden using our Homesteaders of America Growing Guides! There are backyard gardeners and then there are homestead gardeners.  Want to know the difference? A backyard gardener is a person who plants vegetables in their garden each spring and happily gets some fresh produce out their doorstep for a couple of months each year. They’re conte ..read more