Growing Joy with Plants &#8211; Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

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How to Can and Ferment Vegetables and Fruits from Your Garden Sep 05, 2023

Show notes

When you grow an edible garden, you likely end up with a surplus of fresh produce at the peak of each growing season. Rather than letting those precious veggies and fruits go to waste, consider preserving them through time-tested techniques like canning and fermenting. These methods allow you to safely store your garden harvest so you can enjoy homemade jams, pickles, sauces, and more throughout the year! In this episode, you'll learn the basics of canning and fermenting from renowned homesteader, canning expert, and author Stephanie Thurow.

In this episode, we learn:

[06:06] How Stephanie got into canning and fermenting
[07:42] What's the strategy behind the timing of canning?
[09:53] Difference between canning and fermenting
[11:53] Is fermentation a shelf-stable process like canning, or does it require refrigeration?
[13:37] Why is it advised to consume a spoonful of fermented food each day, such as sauerkraut?
[14:31] What is the storage setup for Stephanie's canned and fermented goods?
[15:22] Materials you need for water bath canning
[16:43] Why is a rack required when using your 4th burner pot for canning?
[19:00] Where can you find premium, handcrafted wind chimes that are perfect for gifting?
[20:32] Where can you find potting mixes, composts, and fertilizers for indoor and outdoor gardening?
[23:05] Steps to prepare for a canning session
[28:28] Common mistakes beginners make when canning
[31:11] What are the basic requirements for fermenting vegetables?
[32:16] Why "The Cottage Garden" is your ultimate resource for understanding the history, evolution, and stunning modern interpretations of cottage garden design
[33:47] Difference between dry salting and brining in fermentation
[35:44] Are there any precautions or cleanliness practices to follow during fermentation?
[36:25] What do you need to know about fermenting basics?
[38:31] What is the recommended timeline for fermenting different types of foods?
[39:36] Common troubleshooting tips for fermenting to avoid issues like mold?
[40:24] Should you follow recipes?
[41:01] Where can you find trusted online recipes for fermentation and canning recipes?
[42:15] What are Stephanie's favorite fermentation and canning recipes?
[46:12] Unique or unusual items Stephanie has tried pickling
[49:12] Where can you find Stephanie’s books online?
[51:30] How do you break the seal on the tightly sealed jars?
[52:35] Where can you find Stephanie on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

For Stephanie's go-to recipes,

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Wind River Chimes

Bring more peace, serenity, and magic into your home with chimes. Wind River is a Virginia-based company creating premium handcrafted and hand-tuned wind chimes for over 35 years. If you are looking for a new way to grow joy in your life and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect addition for your home or garden. Plus, it's a perfect personalized gift for your loved ones!

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.

Espoma Organic

Ensure a thriving plant paradise with the right products! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar powered plant, zero waste manufacturing and eco-friendly packaging.

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Quarto: The Cottage Garden by Claus Dalby

Explore the history and draw inspiration from different cottage garden design-styles in this organically-written book filled with over 700 full-color photographs. Learn the fundamentals and the principles behind well-design cottage gardens as author Claus Dalby features famous and modern cottage gardeners and gardens from all over the world. This book is your ultimate resource for understanding and interpreting the cottage garden design, so you can create your own! Check out The Cottage Garden at your favorite local bookstore, quarto.com, Barnes and Noble, or amazon.com.

Follow Stephanie:

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Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

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Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

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How to Forage for Healing Plants in Your Backyard Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

For most of us, the plants growing in our backyards and neighborhoods go overlooked. We mow them down or walk right over them without a second glance. But did you know many of these plants have been used medicinally for centuries? In this episode, we'll share fundamental tips from an expert forager, herbalist, and hiker, Heather Houskeeper. You'll learn basic plant identification skills, foraging best practices, and uses for several common medicinal "weeds."

In this episode, we learn:

[07:14] How Heather became a botanical hiker
[09:30] Juliet’s Chestnut School of Herbal Medicine
[13:14] What does sheep’s sorrel taste like?
[18:54] What should you know when trying to make foraging your new hobby?
[16:11] How does Heather's approach to foraging align with the concept of homesteading?
[20:04] Where can you find the best chimes for your lawn and garden?
[22:15] Why is plant identification key, especially specific to region, important?
[25:35] Why is a magnifying loop helpful in the process of identifying plants?
[26:36] Tips for your first foraging adventure
[28:35] How to approach and communicate with a plant while foraging
[30:51] How does sensory experience enhance plant-human connection?
[31:35] What are good harvesting practices, especially if you're on public land?
[36:21] General guideline for harvesting plants without causing harm to the overall population
[37:38] What is the best way to identify plants while foraging?
[38:34] Why is it important to use scientific names when searching for plant information?
[39:47] Botanical terms and concepts that beginner foragers should understand
[40:09] Radial and bilateral symmetry in flowers
[42:33] Parts of a flower
[44:22] Leaf arrangement and leaf shape
[48:18] Herbalist terms you should know for medicinal purposes
[50:44] Medicinal properties and uses of common plants
[54:04] Healing properties of sorrel plant family
[55:15] Healing properties of plantains
[59:14] Healing properties of yarrow
[01:02:37] Where can you find Heather online?

Mentioned in our conversation:

For five of the most common backyard healing plants and their uses,

School of Plant and Place Connection

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Wind River Chimes

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.

Follow Heather:

The Botanical Hiker

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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Common Houseplant Pest Identification and How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats, Spidermites, Scale, White Flies and Mealybugs: Grow Better with Leslie Aug 15, 2023

Show notes

As houseplant parents, most of us will inevitably encounter some type of pest infestation at some point. Seemingly overnight, our beautiful, thriving plants can become under attack by bugs we didn't even know existed! Pests can quickly damage and even kill our treasured plants if left unchecked. In Episode 2 of the Grow Better Series, my dear friend Leslie Halleck is back to teach us how to identify the most common houseplant pests and take action to get rid of them fast.

In this episode, we learn:

[02:07] Happy 200th episode, plant friends!
[07:29] Why experiencing plant infestations is common and not a sign of failure
[10:16] How do your plants become infested with insects?
[13:30] How fungal diseases and viruses spread through plants and insect vectors
[16:58] How overwatering or misting can activate fungal spores brought in on new plants
[17:14] What are the symptoms of a plant pest outbreak that we should regularly look for?
[18:20] #1 Identifying fungus gnats
[20:08] Where to find potting mixes, composts, and fertilizers for indoor and outdoor gardening?
[22:51] Say goodbye to dark corners with Soltech’s all-new LED grow bar light.
[24:52] How to deal with fungus gnats
[29:40] #2 Identifying spider mites
[31:32] What is the impact of spider mites on leaves?
[32:05] Using a handheld microscope for insect identification
[33:14] Why do you need to choose the right insecticide?
[39:47] #3 Identifying mealybugs
[40:43] How to combat mealybug infestations
[42:56] What are the different organic control methods to manage mealybugs?
[44:07] What is systemic pesticide?
[45:31] Other eco-friendly alternatives
[47:22] #4 Identifying scale insects
[48:09] How scales manifest and why they are difficult to manage
[50:11] How to deal with scale manifestations
[53:12] #5 Identifying thrips
[57:01] How to identify thrips damage
[58:42] #6 Identifying aphids
[58:57] How to get rid of aphids
[01:01:13] #7 Identifying whiteflies
[01:03:05] Why you should have a first-aid kit for plants
[01:04:10] Homemade pest control remedies
[01:07:14] When is a plant past the point of no return with pest outbreak?
[01:09:18] Can you propagate a plant under pest attack?
[01:13:00] Where can you find Leslie on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

For a detailed how-to of houseplant pest management,

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Soltech Solutions

Bring the beauty of nature into your home. Soltech Solutions makes the grow lights you’ve heard me talk about for years: whether you are looking for a pendant light, track lighting, or a simple bulb to screw into any standard light fixture, Soltech has got you covered. They offer quality products with great customer service, free shipping, and a 5-year warranty. Keep the sun shining and the plants green inside your home with Soltech Solutions.

Check them out at soltechsolutions.com and get 15% off with code "bloom15".

Follow Leslie:

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

https://www.theprairiehomestead.com/old-fashioned-on-purpose-podcast

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

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Check Out the Old Fashioned On Purpose Podcast Aug 10, 2023

Show notes

I hope you LOVED this weeks episode on How to Grow Garlic with Jill Winger!

Jill was an amazing and has an incredible podcast of her own all about homesteading and slow living called Old Fashioned On Purpose

I wanted to introduce you to in, incase you dream of a homestead or slower way of living.

Type in "Old Fashioned On Purpose" into the podcast player search bar and go subscribe or click this link!

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How to Grow Garlic Aug 08, 2023

Show notes

Garlic is a staple in so many savory dishes, but if you've only ever cooked with the sad grocery store bulbs, it's time to see garlic's true potential by growing your own. The depth of flavor and variety that homegrown garlic offers blows store-bought out of the water. Lucky for us, plant friends, growing our own garlic at home is so easy! In this episode, homesteader extraordinaire Jill Winger walks us through how to grow garlic step-by-step, select varieties, grow, harvest, and store your own garlic for a steady supply of flavorful garlic all year long.

In this episode, we learn:

[03:09] Garden Society shoutout
[05:17] What led Jill to embrace homesteading?
[07:01] Check out Jill’s blog and podcast!
[09:29] How Jill's garden has evolved over the years
[11:23] Jill’s early years of homesteading and its long-term evolution
[13:18] Why homesteading involves continuous trial and error
[13:54] How long has Jill been growing garlic?
[14:59] Homegrown vs. store-bought garlic
[15:57] How to select the right garlic to grow
[16:08] Choosing a reputable garlic seed source
[17:24] Softneck vs. hardneck garlic
[19:19] Where to find a wide variety of hardneck and softneck garlic for pre-order?
[21:07] Where to get quality potting mix and soil for garlic growth over the winter?
[24:05] What else is needed to grow garlic besides cloves?
[25:37] When is the best time to plant garlic?
[26:41] Why garlic is low maintenance
[27:28] What steps should be taken to prepare garlic for planting?
[28:32] How deep should you plant the clove under the soil?
[29:21] Why garlic doesn't rot or freeze despite delayed stalk growth in winter
[30:32] What’s the next step after planting garlic?
[32:39] How does the harvest timing affect the taste and texture of garlic scapes and bulbs?
[33:52] How do you know the garlic is ready to harvest?
[35:03] How do you “cure” fresh garlic?
[37:01] Tips for storing garlic for a long time
[38:35] Common garlic growing issues and how to address them
[39:36] Jill’s favorite garlic recipes
[41:35] How did Jill’s homestead slowly evolve?
[43:48] How reconnecting with nature and sustainable living creates a natural ecosystem

Mentioned in our conversation:

Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe
How to Braid Garlic
How to Plant Garlic
How to Braid Onions
Lomi Tabletop Composter
Territorial Seed Garden Garlic Catalogue
Upcoming Book by Jill Old-Fashioned on Purpose
Growing Joy Episode 123 How To Manage Deer, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Moles, Voles And Other Animals In Your Garden With Brie The Plant Lady

For a step-by-step guide on growing your own garlic,

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Territorial Seed Company

Growing garlic for the first time does not have to be a struggle! Skip the lines at the garden center and let Territorial Seed Company deliver top-of-the-line, healthy and hardy plants right to your door. They have a great line of pre-grown plants, an expansive seed catalog, and over 40 years of experience delivering the best seeds and plants for everyone's garden. Whether you are looking for leafy veggies, flowers or edible plants in either seed or seedling form, Territorial Seed Company has your back.

Get 10% off by visiting territorialseed.com/growingjoy - discount applied at checkout.

Espoma Organic

Ensure a thriving garden with the right products! Espoma Organic is dedicated to making safe indoor and outdoor gardening products for people, pets, and the planet. They have an amazing variety of high-quality, organic potting mixes, garden soil, fertilizers, and pest control products that are organic and eco-friendly. To top it all off, they have a huge sustainability commitment with a 100% solar powered plant, zero waste manufacturing and eco-friendly packaging.

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Follow Jill:

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

PRE-ORDER THE GROVE GROW BAR!

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How They Built a Million Dollar Company: Plantrepreneur Profile with Soltech Aug 01, 2023

Show notes

Soltech has achieved remarkable success in recent years, growing from a small startup to a million-dollar business. For long-time listeners, you probably bought their grow lights already using my coupon code Bloom15, and I’m sure you love them as much as I do! And for those who haven’t, join me in this episode as we talk in-depth with Soltech’s founders and my dear plant friends—Chris, Mike, and Paul—about their remarkable journey, the challenges they overcame, and the strategies that propelled them to the pinnacle of success.

In this episode, we learn:

[06:13] Get to know the three people behind SolTech
[09:33] What is it like to create a multi-million dollar plant brand?
[11:28] Which came first, their friendship or the business?
[12:19] What role did plants play in their college lives?
[12:58] When did they realize the untapped potential and demand for high-quality grow lights
[15:58] The tale of Soltech grow lights
[19:17] Where can you find premium, handcrafted wind chimes that are perfect for gifting?
[24:03] Difficult sacrifices the founders had to make
[25:45] Living together and building Soltech
[26:52] What was their method of accountability and reinforcement for their shared vision?
[30:48] Reassuring signs of progress amid challenges and doubts
[34:19] How did community development become integral to Soltech?
[37:34] Low-cost strategies that resulted in significant results
[44:02] House plant grow lights vs. cannabis cultivation lights
[45:26] Why is manipulating the photosynthetic spectrum important in creating a full spectrum grow light?
[47:02] Why different plants require different colors in the spectrum
[49:12] New product launching soon: Grove LED bar light
[54:27] Tips for installing a grow light and ideal plant distance
[58:38] Obstacles and teachable moments
[01:08:13] What were some notable moments or achievements in the past year that Soltech's founders go "holy shit"?
[01:16:38] Where can you find Soltech on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

Curious about the ups and downs of starting a plant business?

Check out the full show notes and blog here!

PRE-ORDER THE GROVE GROW BAR!

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Wind River Chimes

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.

Follow Soltech Solutions:

PRE-ORDER THE GROVE GROW BAR!

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Power of a Therapeutic Garden to Help Us Feel Better Jul 25, 2023

Show notes

Gardening has long been known for its therapeutic advantages and as a place of calm and peace in the middle of a hectic schedule. Garden therapy can relieve stress and enhance our mental and emotional health. In this episode, we'll look at 9 gardening practices that can help you develop a deeper connection with nature—and yourself.

In this episode, we learn:

[05:11] Therapeutic benefits of gardening during tough times
[09:40] How gardening can help you with focus and monotasking
[10:55] The connection between gardening and mindfulness
[12:55] 9 therapeutic garden activities for a more joyful gardening experience
[13:01] #1 Turn your garden visits into a self-care reflection moment
[17:08] Where can you find the best tone fertilizers for your indoor and outdoor plants?
[21:09] Engage your 5 senses!
[21:18] #2 Sight (being fully present in the beauty of nature)
[22:53] #3 Smell (enjoy aromas and incorporate them into daily routines)
[24:56] #4 Sound (especially bird songs!)
[26:54] #5 Touch (trace leaf outlines and feel their textures)
[28:38] #6 Taste (try your homegrown produce!)
[29:56] #7 Affirmations (to your plants and yourself)
[33:24] #8 Grow flowers
[35:39] #9 Look for plant/life parallels

Mentioned in our conversation:

Merlin Bird ID
GJWM Episode 186 The History Of Houseplants With Jane Perrone
GJWM 188 The Art Of Aromatic Gardening With Amy Of NYC Aromatica

For a closer look into these therapeutic gardening practices,

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Espoma Organic

Visit espoma.com to find your local Espoma dealer or check my Amazon storefront.

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Overwatered vs Underwatered Plants, How Much Light Do Indoor Plants Need and More Common Houseplant Problems: Grow Better with Leslie Jul 18, 2023

Show notes

Do your plants get enough water and light? These questions are typically asked, and the answer is often "It depends." But this answer is more meaningful than you might think, which will be explained in today's episode of our new series, "Grow Better," featuring Leslie Halleck. As a certified horticulturist with extensive experience in plant care, Leslie is here to share her insights on the subject of overwatering and underwatering, offer valuable insights into the optimal light requirements for plants, and explore the common challenges plants encounter.

In this episode, we learn:

[07:04] Who is Leslie Halleck and what is her background in plant care?
[08:24] How has social media impacted plant parenthood and gardening? (aka green guilt)
[10:32] Why losing plants is normal even for horticulturalists
[12:06] Why do plants need time to adapt when moving from a greenhouse to our homes?
[16:51] How are watering and light related in plant care?
[20:39] Where can you find stylish grow lights with full spectrum warm white light?
[25:04] How relative humidity affects houseplants
[27:24] Other key challenges that gardeners face with outdoor plants
[31:52] How can you tell if a plant is dying?
[38:10] How does excessive light affect plants? What is phytotoxicity?
[41:18] Other effects of low light on plants
[41:54] Signs and symptoms of overwatering and underwatering in plants
[48:10] What causes leaf drop?
[51:35] What are the key indicators and signs of nutrient deficiency in both houseplants and garden plants
[57:06] How can you distinguish between healthy and unhealthy yellow or pink foliage on plants like Cissus discolor that lack green leaves?
[01:00:05] Why it is important to know the plant's environment and care habits
[01:03:03] When is the right time to dispose of a plant?
[01:10:30] Where can you find Leslie Halleck on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

For an in-depth look on overwatering vs underwatering,

Thank you to our episode sponsor:

Soltech Solutions

Check them out at soltechsolutions.com and get 15% off with code "bloom15".

Follow Leslie:

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants)by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!

Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria

Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria

Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Homesteading for Beginners with Michelle Bruhn and Stephanie Thurow: Best of Growing Joy Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a homesteader? A growing number of people are turning to self-sufficiency and sustainability in their way of living. However, homesteading can seem intimidating, especially when social media portrays it as an exclusive lifestyle requiring acres of land and living off the grid. The good news is that it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing lifestyle! In this episode, learn how Stephanie Thurow and Michelle Bruhn, co-authors of the book Small Scale Homesteading and absolute BFFs, are making homesteading accessible to everyone—no matter how much land you have. They share their experiences with gardening, chicken keeping, maple sugaring, and more, all while living on less than an acre in the suburbs of Minneapolis.

In this episode, we learn:

[06:43] Stephanie & Michelle’s homesteading journey
[13:08] The challenges of gardening in different regions (know your last frost date)
[16:24] How Stephanie & Michelle’s friendship and shared interests led to their book “Small-Scale Homesteading”
[17:55] Where can you find a range of cold-tolerant crops for your fall and winter gardens?
[19:58] Where can you find the perfect wind chimes to add a touch of beauty and mindfulness to your surroundings?
[17:51] What is the role of community in their homesteading journeys?
[24:32] What is the difference between gardening and homesteading?
[26:40] What inspired Michelle and Stephanie’s move from gardening to homesteading
[30:50] Tips for transitioning from gardening to homesteading
[40:21] Michelle on seed starting
[43:36] What are the easiest seeds to save?
[44:59] How can you preserve your homegrown food?
[46:45] Fermentation vs pickling
[48:36] What is water bath canning?
[51:21] Things you should know about raising chickens!
[01:01:13] Further homesteading stories and experiences from Michelle & Stephanie

Mentioned in our conversation:

Book by Stephanie Thurow & Michelle Bruhn Small-Scale Homesteading: A Sustainable Guide to Gardening, Keeping Chickens, Maple Sugaring, Preserving the Harvest, and More
Can It & Ferment It: More Than 75 Satisfying Small-Batch Canning and Fermentation Recipes for the Whole Year
WECK Home Preserving: Made-from-Scratch Recipes for Water-Bath Canning, Fermenting, Pickling, and More
WECK Small-Batch Preserving: Year-Round Recipes for Canning, Fermenting, Pickling, and MoreFood Preservation Cookbooks by Stephanie Thurow:
Chicken Pens at Tractor Supply Co.

For honest tips and recommendations on raising your own chickens,