Everyday Homesteading

With a busy household and homestead, it's imperative that we stay organized. In this blog post and Pantry Chat podcast, we're sharing some of our best tools and tips for staying organized on the homestead. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/staying-organized-on-the-homestead/ American Blossom Linens: Get 20% off (plus FREE shipping) when you us...

When it comes to root cellaring, there are a lot of restrictions that can keep us from creating the ideal temperatures. Remembering that we're essentially just trying to mitigate decay of our crops, we want to prolong this as much as we're able. Join me with guest Sam Knapp from @offbeetfarm as we discuss various root cellaring methods and ways to manipulate your storage conditions. - Fo...

This time of year seems pretty quiet on the homestead. We're generally enjoying shorter days curled up by the fireplace, getting caught up on book reading, crafts or other projects. - Join the Homestead Kitchen membership here: https://classes.homesteadingfamily.com/homestead-kitchen-membership-evergreen - Get your copy of the Homestead Kitchen magazine here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/in...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MORE ABOUT US! WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our nine children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us! Visit us on our blog: https://www.homes...

We're hoping to clear the air about the misconception that homesteading is EASY. While we don't maintain that this lifestyle is easy, there are aspects of it that have become second nature to us, so in a sense, yes, it's easy. There's much more to it than that, and we genuinely believe that though homesteading may be difficult at times, it's most certainly worth it. For mo...

Have you ever wondered if you can truly homestead from anywhere? I'm not just talking about acres of land, but how about an apartment in the city? My answer may surprise you, but it's the reason why I'm hosting the first annual How to Homestead Anywhere Crash Course! If you've been wanting to start learning homesteading skills (and adopting a homesteading mindset), then this cr...

Join us as we sit down in the Harvest Kitchen to reflect on 2024 and look forward in anticipation and excitement for 2025. For more information and any links mentioned, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/2024-year-in-review - Fermented Cranberry Sauce Recipe: https://homesteadingfamily.com/easy-homemade-fermented-cranberry-sauce-recipe/ - Shop ForJars kitchen timers and use c...

Join us for part three of our series on starting a homestead business. This week we're covering other jobs you can do remotely to allow you to still work from home. If you missed parts one or two, you can find the links below. You can also watch or listen to all three Pantry Chat podcasts on our website here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-make-money-from-your-homestead/ Sign up for Ca...

Join me for this podcast interview with guest Jason Ross as we discuss the Black Autumn book series and the Homestead movie and TV series. We’re also discussing many homesteading ideals and concepts for a well-prepared life. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/the-homestead-movie-tv-series/ Grab your Homestead movie tickets and a chance to win the grand p...

When we feel our bodies need a boost in nutrition, it's common to reach for a supplement. But how can we know that the supplements we're reaching for are pure and not filled with toxins that will do more harm than good? Let's dive into this topic with H.R. from AzureWell. To learn more, check out the blog post that accompanies this episode here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/safe-s...

We're back with part TWO of our series on starting a homestead business. Today's topic is turning your homestead into a farm. Join us as we dive into what you should know before starting a business, and the four pillars of business we think every entrepreneur should know. If you missed the first part of the series, you can find it, along with this episode and more details in the blog pos...

Being a man today can be hard, especially if you're listening to what the world says is "right." Join us with guest John Lovell from @WarriorPoetSociety as we discuss what being a Warrior Poet means and how we can live counter-culturally in this modern world and walk worthy of our calling. For more information and any links mentioned in this podcast, visit the blog post here: https:...

Welcome to our monthly podcast where we're discussing everything that's been going on here at Riverbend. Throughout the seasons, our daily and weekly tasks change quite a bit, and because this homesteading journey is never-ending, we're always learning and making adjustments to our systems and routines. For links and any other information, visit the blog post here: https://homestead...

Building a family economy was commonplace in history. Now, it’s less likely that a family builds a generational economy. Join me and our guest, Rory Groves from @thegrovestead , as we discuss what the family economy means and the benefits that can come from home-centered living. For links and more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/the-family-economy/ Grab The Fa...

Learn the difference between apparel manufacturing in the USA and those from other countries and discover why buying USA-made apparel is so important. Plus, learn the basic steps you can take now to help strengthen the US textile industry. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/apparel-manufacturing-in-the-usa/ To check out more of the USA Brands, click the...

There are a lot of people who want to start a homestead business. Learning how to make money from your homestead and living off your homestead are two very different things. In this series, we'll discuss the three different homestead businesses that provide income to make money or live from your homestead. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-m...

For today's Pantry Chat, I'm joined by Lisa Bass from @FarmhouseonBoone and we're diving into the most common sourdough misconceptions and putting these myths to rest! Both Lisa and I have been baking with sourdough for over a decade and have come to learn that you don't always have to "follow the rules" or be so strict. If you'd like to learn even more myths (or...

Joel Salatin says the average homesteader burns out after about six years of homesteading. We've found that homesteaders are some of the hardest-working people out there and will often work themselves into the ground. Without intentionally taking a rest, it's easy to push yourself until you burn out. Read more in the accompanying blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/seventh-yea...

What does it mean to you to eat seasonally? For us, that's eating as much fresh produce as possible during the growing season. But it looks different once the garden stops producing! Today's Pantry Chat is all about how our family eats seasonally to save time, energy AND money in the kitchen. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/meal-planning-on-...

Designing a food forest can be overwhelming. Today's podcast guest, Matthew Britt from @FoodForestAbundanceOfficial is sharing some tips to help remove the guesswork and make growing an edible landscape something that's enjoyable and productive. Once your food forest is established, it should provide food for years to come with very little maintenance. For links and additional info, chec...

Have you ever considered what you're growing in the garden to know if it's actually working for you or against you? This week on the Pantry Chat we're diving deeper into this topic and sharing some of the changes in our mindset (and gardening strategies) that we've made. Get more details here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/making-your-garden-work-for-you/ Sign up for the third...

Join me and guest Mary Colvin as we discuss building and maintaining a home apothecary. We'll discuss what it is, the tools necessary to build a well-stocked apothecary, some common terms, and recommended herbs to start with. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/building-a-home-apothecary/ Find Mary Colvin's book, The Herbalist's Guide: How...

Freeze drying is a very basic and straightforward process - if you know some of these simple tips! Don't make the same mistakes I made when I first started freeze-drying. Follow my seven simple steps for freeze-drying, and you'll be well on your way to lining your pantry full of preserved food. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/7-steps-of-free...

Though you'll still find us canning, fermenting, dehydrating and preserving our foods in other ways, freeze-drying has quickly moved to the top of the list for my favorite preservation method. And for good reason! Here are the ten reasons why we love freeze-drying. For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/10-reasons-we-love-freeze-drying/ To get on the wa...

Join me with CEO and Truly Free founder Stephen Ezell as we discuss the importance of cleaning up the toxins in our home! For more information, visit the blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/toxins-in-common-household-cleaners/ Check out Truly Free (and get 50 FREE loads of laundry detergent) here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/My-Green-Fills ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MORE ABOUT US! WELCOME! We&a...