A Homegrown Family

What in the world in ginger bug? Get introduced to this fermented beverage with my brother Lawrence. We also talk about morel mushrooms and native prairie plants that people can plant in Minnesota.  Resources: Benefits to Consuming Ginger How to Make a Ginger Bug   Follow on Instagram @ahomegrownfam email at ahomegrownfam@gmail.com Support the show

This chit-chat spring time episode with my brother David is timely as gardens are getting planted. In this episode, we talk about companion cropping and trap plants. Planting certain plants next to each can be beneficial for one or even both plants. Companion cropping can reduce insect pressure and improve the overall plant and soil health in your garden.  Resources: Companion Planting Guide: What...

Every family seems to have that person, whether a family relative or friend, that is more involved than most. For the Mettler family growing up, that person was our Aunt Kathy. She had a special talent in making and frosting cakes and cookies that were always a special treat we enjoyed. In this episode, Kathy shares a bit more about how she embarked on the journey and reflects on some of the baked...

Fruits. Garlic. Jerky. Joe shares his experience with dehydrating foods. He shares all the details: 1) food preparation and how thick the fruit slices should be 2) what temperature to dry at 3) how long to dry for.  It's a bit specific to the dehydrator used, but useful tips and tricks for any food preservation enthusiast.  Follow on Instagram @ahomegrownfam  email at ahomegrownfam@gmail.com...

In this interview style episode, we welcome back Joe's grandma who was previously featured on the "Good Ol' Days" and "Food Preservation of the Past" episodes. She is 100 years old and shares words of wisdom and insights to what was a simpler life style through questions stemming from general categories such as historical perspectives, family relationships, and life l...

This is a welcome back episode and an introduction to Season 2. The slowing of episode production and content output can be explained by the business of life, the changes in life, and the addition of life. This episode gets into that and much more. The long list of projects began with the purchase of a country house. Also in this episode I share my daughter's first hand experience with death...

In this episode, my friend Ryan Yurong shares some of his homesteading experience in Colorado while we reminisce about the past. I met Ryan when I lived in Yakima, WA and worked as an Agronomist for an Independent Crop Consultant Company. Ryan shares some helpful tips and some of his “absolutely do nots” when it comes to getting started. Homesteading is often a doing it and then learning it kind o...

Returning guest, Vince, and I believe that raising your own food and being self-sustainable is a large part of what it means to live on a homestead. Chickens are often thought of as the gateway animal to get started, but should they be? Let’s think more about milk cows and all the benefits and products that can be made from raw milk. And of course, the cow itself can make all the difference. Does...

Ever thought “there has to be a better, more flavorful way of cooking up a deer roast or a pheasant breast rather than just tossing it into the crock-pot”? Well, you’re in luck! In this episode, Jeff Benda, a cook and recipe developer of “Wild Game and Fish” shares his passion for cooking and how he fell in love with hunting and the State of North Dakota as a whole. As a result, North Dakota’s wil...

In a coffee break kind of chat, join three generations of Mettlers talking about “maple syruping”. Grandpa didn’t have trees to tap in South Dakota, but after migrating up to Minnesota, he found a new way to keep his sweet tooth satisfied.  Grandpa started the same way my Dad and now my brother Sam do by simply reducing the sap on the kitchen stove, but his with his ingenuity and desire for a larg...

Ever thought about getting a dehydrator to start preserving and drying food? Well, in this episode, Joe talks about his decision process and how he determined what dehydrator to get. He goes through his “Dehydrator Checklist” and relates it to a “Dating/Relationship Checklist”, just to keep it interesting. He walks through his personal “must-haves” and non-negotiables when it comes to the selectin...

Dipping back in time, all the way back to the roaring 20’s where cooking, processing and food preservation looked a whole lot different than it does today. Electricity was limited and indoor plumping was rare. Joined by my mother and 99-year-old Grandma we take a blast to the past. Salting and smoking meat and using a hot water bath for canning was common practice and hand milking cows by the ligh...

Join the brotherly chat, quite literally, as my brother David and I tie a bow around the garden activities of 2024 and look to the new and improved garden ideas for 2025. We talk about soil preparation and a bit about starting vegetable plants inside. What are some of our favorite cultivars we grow and what are we going to do new and differently in 2025? Pull up a seat and find out...or just check...

Lauren Jacobs, “The Cheerful Baker”, and I bonded over our similar upbringing and childhood memories, and how both of us were exposed to baking at a young age. In this episode, we talk about the importance of using quality ingredients and the difference between baking powder and baking soda. We also discuss all the things a baker needs to consider before even turning on the mixer. Follow Lauren on...

Re-live the journey with Sam and Andi as they share the birth stories of their 3 boys. From the hospital to the car and ultimately their very own home. They have experienced it all. The Business of Being Born - Trailer Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.com Instagram: ahomegrownfam A Homegrown Family on YouTube Support the show

The year COVID began sparked new interests and hobbies for many people. For Michelle, it was baking sour dough loaves. Pick up some of the basics and learn more about sour dough starters, discard, feeding, hooch, ratios, peak, banneton and other terminology of the sour dough community here in this episode. If you have any questions about sourdough just email Michelle at michellebsevigny@gmail.com...

Interested in learning a little more about growing fruit in Minnesota? In this episode, my brother David and I give an orchard/vineyard production update for 2024. We talk about the growing season, making juice, orchard maintaince, the importance of soil fertility and the benefits of family and friends being able to share produce and resources.    Resources: Elevate 50WDG Fungicide Manzate Fungici...

One aspect of A Homegrown Family podcast is growing, raising, hunting and gathering your own food. In this episode, my brother David and I share our experience of salmon fishing on Lake Michigan.  Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.com Instagram: ahomegrownfam Our YouTube Channel Support the show

This Fall is the first time I ever went pronghorn hunting. It was off to a slow start but ended in a successful hunt. Listen to the thrill of it all in this episode. It’s great to be able to put meat in the freezer!  If you enjoy listening to hunting stories, check out my brother in-law’s YouTube page Family Forged Outdoors Resources: Pronghorn - North Dakota Game and Fish Email: ahomegrownfam@gma...

Introducing my new cousin in-law, Ian, as we discuss his passion for foraging mushrooms and much more. From morels and lobster mushrooms to black caps and fiddle heads. The forest is our oyster.  Resources: Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To Plate Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide Oxygen Absorbers Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.com Instagram: ahomegrownfam Our YouTube Channel S...

When it comes to homeschooling, fathers are typically the bread winners while mothers are typically the home-makers and primary educators of the children. However, one, like my friend Vince, might say that a mixture of parental involvement is more ideal. Be present, be flexible, but ultimately tighten the belt and be the husband and parent you need to be.  Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.com Instagram:...

The calving season is over and boy was it a short one this year. My dad grew up raising cattle and has been raising cattle ever since. Things within the operation have changed throughout the years such as the breed of cattle or the size of the herd, but some of the basics of calving have remained the same.  Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.com Instagram: ahomegrownfam Our YouTube Channel Support the sho...

This episode explores a little bit about everything when it comes to farming. My friend Vince joins in to discuss his family farm operation along with topics such as crop rotation, water management, tillage and weed control. We also dip our toes into some of the differences between organic and conventional farming and the hot topic of glyphosate.   North Dakota State 2023 Agricultural Overview  In...

The college experience can really play a large role in the type of person one becomes. It was no different for me and I’m glad to have been a NDSU Bison! Here, my friend Vince and I share more about our college experience. Classes and fun memories, including bare-handed evangelization, broomball tournaments, half marathons, dancing and of course, bed bugs!   Book recommendations:                 W...

Happy Anniversary! This podcast has been going on for about a year now, so it’s probably time to learn a little more about our host, Joe Mettler. In this episode, we learn a bit more about his high school and college years. GO BISON! “Well, that’s not very interesting” you say. Joe also shares stories of prank wars and one particular story that could have taken a turn for the worst.   Email: ahome...