The Homestead Challenge Podcast | Suburban Homesteading, Gardening, Food From Scratch, Sustainable Living - Brittany Gibson - Beginner Homesteader - TopPodcast.com

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The Homestead Challenge Podcast | Suburban Homesteading, Gardening, Food From Scratch, Sustainable Living – Brittany Gibson – Beginner Homesteader — Home & Garden
The Homestead Challenge Podcast | Suburban Homesteading, Gardening, Food From Scratch, Sustainable Living – Brittany Gibson – Beginner Homesteader

Do you feel like you never have time to cook from scratch the way you want to? Tried diving into the homesteading lifestyle only to end up feeling burnt out? Maybe you’re not even sure where to start.

Are you ready to navigate the world of homesteading in a way that suits your modern life?

In this podcast, you will find modern and practical solutions for your suburban homestead.

I’m here to dish out quick and straightforward homesteading tips and home management systems, all geared towards intentional living and finding contentment. If you’re itching to kick off your homesteading journey on your terms, bid farewell to overwhelm and guilt—you’re in the right spot.

Hey friend. I’m Brittany. Crunchy mom and wannabe homesteader. I’ve been down the road of trying to learn all the homesteady things… and then I hit the burnout wall. Attempting to master every internet-suggested skill all at once led to wasted time and, let’s be honest, quite a bit of wasted money.

But guess what? It doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing ordeal. I’ve found a way to live out homesteading principles in my own modern style, letting go of some things and crafting a plan that sticks. And now, I’m here to guide you to do the same.

If you’re ready to homestead in a way that meshes with your busy life— Join me and let’s make your homesteading goals a reality! Grab that sourdough starter from the back of your fridge, it’s time to rise.

Copyright: © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.

Latest Episodes:

Ep 220. What Do You Actually Want From Homesteading? Oct 06, 2026

Show notes

This episode started with something I've been noticing through the farmstand: people aren't necessarily looking to completely change their lives—they're looking for simple ways to make the lives they already have a little better. And honestly? That's what I want from homesteading too. Pasted text

Homesteading can quickly become an endless list of things we're supposed to learn, grow, preserve, bake, make and buy. But instead of constantly asking, “What should I learn next?” I want us to start asking, “What do I actually want homesteading to give me?”

In this episode, we chat about:

Why convenience doesn't have to be the enemy of homesteading
Creating convenience for your future self through preserving, freezer meals and pantry staples
Why I recommend replacing something instead of adding something
Figuring out what you actually want a homesteading skill to give you
Four questions to ask before taking on another skill or project
Getting rid of the things sitting on your “guilt shelf”
Why you don't have to be completely self-sufficient
Using local farms, bakeries, makers and other community resources as part of your homesteading lifestyle
Why there really isn't a line you have to cross before you're allowed to call yourself a homesteader
Choosing skills that align with your actual goals instead of someone else's version of homesteading

You don't need acreage, livestock or a pantry filled with everything you've ever canned to live a homesteading lifestyle. You can slowly build skills, make better swaps for your household and create a life that feels healthier, more capable and more connected—without doing everything yourself.

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com/

Ep 219. What If You Had to Rely on What You Already Have for Preparedness? Sep 30, 2026

Show notes

Do you actually need more food, supplies, and preparedness gear—or could you become more prepared simply by making better use of what you already have?

In this final episode of my pantry preparedness series, I’m challenging you to imagine what would happen if you couldn’t go to the grocery store for two weeks. Could you make breakfasts, lunches, and dinners from what’s already in your pantry and freezer? Do you know how to turn basic ingredients into meals? And if the power went out, do you know what’s in your freezer, where your flashlights are, or how you’d handle the food you already have?

We’re also talking about something I think is just as valuable as the food on your shelves: skills. Knowing how to cook from scratch, bake bread, preserve food, can, freeze, ferment, grow food, make broth, or simply get creative with ingredients can make your household more resilient without building a giant stockpile.

I’m also touching on financial preparedness, finding the weak spots in your household, and the constant temptation to believe that one more gadget, freezer, generator, or dream freeze dryer will finally make us “prepared enough.”

The goal isn’t to prepare for every possible scenario or create another massive to-do list. Take inventory, learn how to use what you already have, identify one weak spot, and choose one small thing you can do this week to make your household a little more resilient.

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com

Ep 218. How I Made 14 Freezer Meals: What Pantry Preparedness Actually Looks Like for Me Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

What does pantry preparedness actually look like when you’re not interested in stockpiling a year’s worth of food?

This week, I’m taking you behind the scenes of what preparedness looks like in my own home—and it turns out it’s a lot less about filling shelves and a lot more about creating a food system that keeps moving.

I recently bought food in bulk and spent about four hours preparing 14 freezer meals for busy school nights, sports, workdays, holidays, and all of those evenings when having dinner ready can keep us from spending money on takeout. But finding room for 14 new meals meant finally dealing with the tomatoes I’d been freezing from the garden all summer, so now those tomatoes are moving from the freezer to the canner and eventually onto my pantry shelves as enchilada sauce and barbecue sauce.

In this episode, I’m also talking about how I decide what’s actually worth stocking up on at Costco, why a 20-pound bag of rice makes absolutely no sense for my family, how preparedness can save time as well as money, and why having the skills, supplies, and systems to handle the food you already have can be more valuable than simply accumulating more.

My preparedness isn’t ever really “finished.” Summer is for growing, harvesting, eating fresh, and freezing. Fall is for preserving and stocking. Winter is for eating through what we’ve stored, making soups and stocks, and eventually looking ahead to what we want to grow again next year.

It’s a constantly moving system—and I think that’s a much more practical way to think about preparedness for busy families.

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com/

Ep 217. Why I'm Preparing My Pantry Differently This Fall Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

With grocery prices rising and uncertainty making headlines, it’s easy to feel like you should be stocking up—but pantry preparedness doesn’t have to mean panic buying or filling your basement with food you’ll never eat. In this episode, we’re kicking off a new pantry preparedness series by talking about what it actually means to have a resilient, useful pantry, how preparedness differs from stockpiling, and the simple questions that can help you figure out what your household really needs. Before you buy a single extra thing, I’m challenging you to shop your own pantry, freezer, and fridge and start building food security around the way your family actually eats.

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com/

Ep 216. Everything on my Farmstand is Something I Actually Use Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Before most of these things ever made it onto my farmstand, they had a place on my own shelves. In this episode, I’m taking you behind the stand to share everything from pantry mixes, jams, teas, and homemade cleaning products to sugar scrubs, simmer pots, bug spray, fresh herbs, flowers, and more. I’m sharing how I actually use them in my own home, what makes a great homemade gift, and why you absolutely don’t need to learn how to make everything at once.
https://thehomesteadchallenge.com

Ep 215. The August Reset. What Worked, What Didn't & Getting Back to a Homesteading Rhythm Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

After a busy summer away from the podcast, I’m back for an honest late-summer homestead check-in! We’re talking about what worked this summer, what definitely didn’t, garden wins and failures, what I’ve actually been preserving, and the lessons I’m taking into next year. Plus, I’m sharing my realistic August reset as we head toward back-to-school season and figuring out how to get back into routines without wishing summer away.

Ep 214. How I Decide What Gets Preserved (and What Doesn't) Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

When it comes to preserving your harvest, there isn't one "right" method. In this episode, I'm walking you through the decision-making process I use for every crop in my garden and explaining why some vegetables go straight into the freezer, others get dried or fermented, and some are best enjoyed fresh.

Rather than preserving food because we feel like we should, I'm sharing how I think about convenience, storage space, family preferences, and how Future Brittany will actually use each ingredient months from now.

In this episode, we cover:

Why canning isn't always the best preservation method
The question I ask before preserving any harvest
Why I dry nearly all of my herbs
My favorite ways to preserve tomatoes
Why I ferment cucumbers instead of canning them
Freezing versus canning green beans
The easiest way to preserve peppers
Storing potatoes and winter squash
What I do with zucchini and yellow squash
Preserving broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage
How storage space affects preservation decisions
Taking inventory before preserving another season's harvest

The biggest takeaway

Instead of asking, "How should I preserve this?" ask yourself, "How will I actually use this six months from now?" That one simple question can help you save time, reduce waste, and build a pantry you'll truly enjoy using.

Ep 213. Harvesting with a Purpose. Why I'm Already Thinking About Christmas in July Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

Don't let your summer herb harvest go to waste! In this episode of The Homestead Challenge Podcast, Brittany shares how she's preserving herbs now to create thoughtful homemade Christmas gifts later. From herbal salts and tea blends to drying herbs, cut flower bouquets, and experimenting with herbal chapsticks, you'll learn practical ways to make the most of your garden while preparing for the holidays months in advance. Whether you're growing herbs in a backyard garden or a few containers on the porch, this episode will inspire you to harvest with purpose and help future you enjoy a less stressful holiday season.

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com/drying-and-storing-fresh-herbs/

Ep 212. Why I am Planting More Seeds... All Summer Long Jun 26, 2026

Show notes

One of the biggest gardening mistakes I made for years?

Thinking that once everything was planted in the spring... I was done.

This year, every time a spot opens up in my garden, I'm putting more seeds in the ground. More lettuce. More beans. More carrots. It's such a simple habit, but I think it's going to make a huge difference in how much fresh food we get to enjoy this season.

In this week's podcast episode, I'm sharing my very relaxed approach to succession sowing. No complicated spreadsheets or perfect timing required—just a few extra seed packets and a willingness to keep planting.

Are you still planting things in your garden? What are you sowing this week? 🌱

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com

Ep 211. How I am Opening a Farmstand in the City (Every Decision I Had to Make) Jun 23, 2026

Show notes

Have you ever dreamed of opening a farm stand, even if you live in the city? In this episode, I'm sharing the real behind-the-scenes process of starting my front yard farm stand, Falls City Farmstead, in suburban Ohio. From choosing products and navigating Ohio cottage food laws to pricing handmade herbal products, managing liability concerns, and overcoming the fear of theft, I'm walking you through every decision I made along the way.

Whether you want to sell flowers, extra garden produce, homemade goods, eggs, or herbal products, this episode will encourage you to start where you are and build something that fits your life. If you've ever wondered how to start a farm stand, create a small homestead business, or turn your hobby into a source of income, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

How to start a farm stand in the city
Choosing what to sell from your homestead
Ohio cottage food laws and labeling considerations
Pricing homemade products
Farm stand theft concerns and liability
Marketing a small local business
Why community matters more than competition

Follow @falls.city.farmstead on instagram :)

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review to help more people discover practical, no-pressure homesteading.

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