Everyday Homesteading

Have you ever wondered about the health benefits that come with going "off-grid"? I had the privilege of chatting with Stacy of "Off-Grid with Doug & Stacy" to learn all about the secondary benefits she and her husband experienced when taking their home and lifestyle off-grid. To read more, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/health-benefits-of-going-of...

Join us for this Pantry Chat with Melissa K Norris from Pioneering Today as she shares with us how to successfully grow a year's worth of food without getting overwhelmed.  For more information, links, and step-by-step instructions, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-grow-a-years-worth-of-food Grab Melissa's book, The Family Garden Plan: https://homesteadingf...

We're answering the question "does homesteading really save you money?" in today's Pantry Chat.  We can't cover all areas of homesteading, so today we're focusing just on the food costs of growing and raising your own food vs buying the equivalent in quality at the grocery store.  For more information, visit the blog post: https://homesteadingfamily.com/does-homestead...

What preservation tools do we recommend for a beginner on a budget? What's worth it, and what's not? Watch today's episode of the Pantry Chat to hear our best recommendations on how to get started with preservation and resiliency in the kitchen. For more information and links to the preservation tools we love and use visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/preservat...

In this episode of the Pantry Chat, we're talking with Dr. Ramon Issa of Off-Grid Doc to learn more about the "off-grid" medical practice, otherwise referred to as Direct Primary Care.  If you're looking to take your healthcare into your own hands, this type of doctor may be just what you're looking for.  Learn more about what the DPC membership is like, what options are a...

This week's Pantry Chat we have a guest, and one of my best friends, Melissa K Norris! We're chatting about late winter in the garden and discussing growing onions from seed. Everything from when to start seeds indoors, how to grow them, what varieties are best, and even growing tips once they're in the garden. For more information, visit the blog post: https://homesteadingfamily.co...

We're diving even deeper into our garden planning strategies and sharing it with you so you can plan out your best gardens yet. We're talking about everything from the garden calendar, when to plant, how to avoid harvest and preservation overwhelm in the fall, soil health, and watering systems.  It's a jam-packed episode so grab a cup of coffee and come hang out with us! For more in...

Regardless of the space available to you, there are ways to maximize your garden space so you can grow as much as your area will allow. We're talking about garden planning basics in today's Pantry Chat! Learn practical ways to expand and extend your growing season, how to work WITH your climate rather than against it, what the MOST important thing in gardening is, plus other tips for get...

Should you go off-grid with your homestead? Maybe... or maybe not!  What does going "off-grid" actually mean, what does it look like, and what are we doing to get there?  We're sharing a few key concepts to consider before going off-grid, or deciding whether or not you should go off-grid for your homestead. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.c...

It's important to be prepared for emergency power outages whether you're living off-grid, on a large homestead, or even within the city. There are simple steps you can take to be prepared for short-term power outages. For a full list, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-prepare-for-power-outage Links Mentioned: - Hybrid Light: (Use code "homesteadingfamil...

Living the homesteading lifestyle is definitely harder on clothing than suburban or urban living. So how do you source high-quality clothing that can be passed down from kid to kid, or even clothing that will last adults longer while maintaining the homesteading lifestyle?  Here are our best tips! For more info, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/affordable-clothing-for-the-h...

Learning how to organize your property layout based on permaculture zones will help make homesteading an easier task without wasted energy. Learn about the permaculture zones and how to layout your own homestead in this episode of The Pantry Chat. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/permaculture-zones Time Stamps 00:00 - Chit chat 12:03 - Stringing Onions...

It's fall, harvest season is in full swing and the year has been long! Many of us are dreaming of a vacation. But how to you get away? Many of you have asked us about vacations and how to get time off from the farm. This week on The Pantry Chat: Food for Thought, we will be talking about vacations and how to plan them in to the homesteading life. It can be a challenge and we will share some o...

Buying a homestead, whether it is 1/4 or 40 acres, is a big investment. What's the best way to go about it? Buy with all cash if you've got it and then develop it as more resources come your way, or is getting a mortgage so you have some funds left over to build your dream a better way to go?  The answer may surprise you. Join Josh and Carolyn today on The Pantry Chat - Food for Thought...

Today we're covering one of Josh's favorite topics this week on The Pantry Chat- soil! Come join Josh and Carolyn as we discuss prepping your soil for a fall garden. See you there! And hey, don't forget to get on the waitlist for the upcoming release of Carolyn's new Master Class on easy homemade dairy- https://www.schooloftraditionalskills.com/dairy-class-waitlist-sign-up ~~~~...

If you’ve been wondering what to do with that constant overflow of kitchen and yard debris that’s left after cooking and pruning … this is the episode for you. In short, you need to compost! In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn get down and dirty with a short tutorial on the art and science of easy home composting. Grab your shovel (and a cold lemonade), and listen in! In this Episode:...

One of the most important aspects of a successful homestead is looking ahead. We’re constantly challenged by what needs to be done today, but with one eye fixed on what’s coming in the next few months as well. With a little planning, it doesn’t need to be overwhelming. In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn get practical with an episode on preparing your pantry for the coming preserving...

Raising chickens has been a staple practice of homesteads large and small for thousands of years. Our beautiful birds give us so much, from scratching and fertilizing the ground as they move across the property, to delivering that perfect unit of food called the egg. In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn dive deep into the art and science (and love) of egg-laying chickens. This is one o...

It’s time! It may not feel like it, depending on where you are in the world, but for Josh and Carolyn, it’s time to start making preparations for their early spring gardens. And of course, they’re here to share their thoughts on that with you ...  In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn get ready to bring the homestead around to spring, focusing specifically on getting early spring garden...

Q and A sessions are always needed! Whether you’re brand new to homesteading or have been at it for years new twists and turns can pop up at any time or ALL the time.  In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn are ready for your questions! Listen in to hear the ins and outs of everything from creating a great garden to building the perfect homestead.  In this Episode: Carolyn describes her...

We’re already moving fast through 2021 and it’s time to start thinking about garden planning! How can you optimize the most amount of food possible from whatever space you have available?  In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn talk about food production right in your backyard. Whether you have a large amount of space or a small balcony the methods discussed will work great for you! In t...

This year is over and that means it’s time to reflect! 2020 has been exhausting and stressful for many and the year at Riverbend was no exception. In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn look back at their past year at Riverbend to discuss successes, failures, and accomplishments while hinting at what might be coming up in 2021. In this Episode Josh and Carolyn discuss the challenges of l...

Homesteading can be a great adventure, but it can also present its fair share of challenges and a whole lot of questions!    In this episode of Pantry Chat, Josh and Carolyn have fun trying to answer some of your questions on everything from pressure canning beef stew to best practices for storing ancient eggnog, how to select the right wood cookstove, and so much more!  In this Episode: Josh and...

You’re going week to week buying groceries and spending way too much money… There has to be a better way, and there is! Buying in bulk and storing it!    But before you make the transition to being a bulk-buying homesteader, there are some basic rules you need to follow. Josh and Carolyn continue their series on food storage with some helpful strategies you can start putting in place now to grow y...

Winter should be a time for rest, relaxation and reflection, so the last thing you want to be doing is scrambling around trying to manage your homestead through the snow and ice and frigid temperatures.   In this episode of the Pantry Chat, Josh provides three core strategies to help you take stock of your winter needs, be more efficient and save money to make the overall management of your homest...