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    Home & Garden

    Homesteading Made Simple I Joyfully Prepared

    Homesteading Made Simple is a podcast about practical homesteading skills for real life.

    Homesteading looks a lot different in real life than it does on the internet, and this podcast is about making it feel doable.

    I’m Wendi, and each episode focuses on homesteading skills that actually fit into everyday life. We talk about gardening, food storage, food preservation, kitchen skills, preparedness, and self-reliance. The calm, common-sense kind. Not extreme. Not fear-based.

    You’ll also hear about real estate, land, and choosing homes that support homesteading and self-reliant living. Whether you’re dreaming of land, managing a backyard homestead, or simply making better decisions where you live, real estate plays a big role in the life you’re building.

    This podcast is practical, honest, and rooted in real experience. Some lessons go smoothly. Others are learned the hard way. Either way, the goal is the same. Build skills. Build confidence. Keep it simple.
    New episodes release regularly.

    Subscribe and start building homesteading skills that support a more prepared, capable life.

    On Homesteading Made Simple, you’ll hear conversations around questions like:

    How do I start homesteading when I don’t have land or a perfect setup?
    What homesteading skills actually matter most for everyday life?
    How do I build real homesteading skills without getting overwhelmed?
    What does modern homesteading look like for families today?
    How do gardening, food storage, and kitchen skills work together on a homestead?
    How can homesteading make life feel calmer, not harder?
    What does preparedness look like for homesteaders who don’t want to live in fear?
    How do I become more self-reliant through simple homesteading skills?
    How does real estate and land choice affect homesteading success?
    How do I build confidence and capability at home, one skill at a time?

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2020-2024 Joyfully Prepared

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    3 Things to Know Before Buying Land for a Homestead Mar 10, 2026
    Show notes

    In this episode, Wendi shares three foundational principles for choosing property for a homestead.

    Homesteading dreams often begin with land, but many buyers focus on the house and overlook important details about zoning, soil, water, and long term sustainability.

    Wendi explains how the right property can support a self reliant lifestyle while the wrong property can limit what is possible.

    In This Episode

    • Why five acres does not always mean freedom
    • The surprising restrictions that HOAs and deed covenants can place on rural property
    • Questions to ask about zoning and land use before buying homestead property
    • Why sunlight, soil, and drainage matter more than the house itself
    • The importance of doing your own due diligence when buying land
    • Why buying within your means creates a more peaceful homesteading journey
    • How learning homesteading skills before buying land can set you up for success
    • Simple ways skills like gardening, food preservation, and herbs can grow into income opportunities on your property

    Wendi also shares stories from her own homesteading journey and explains why she became a Realtor to help others find property that truly supports the life they want to build.

    If you are dreaming about land, gardens, chickens, or a future homestead, this episode will help you think through the foundation before you buy.

    Episode 111 - Building Resilient Homes for Uncertain Times

    Episode 199 - How to Start Homesteading Without Land

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

    🏡Real Estate: https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/


    Biggest Canning Mistakes I See Every Year Mar 03, 2026
    Show notes

    Biggest Canning Mistakes I See Every Year

    Canning competitions aren’t just about ribbons. They’re about courage, skill stacking, community, and stewardship.

    As Chairperson of the Food Preservation Division at the Florida Strawberry Festival, Wendi shares what really happens behind the scenes — from checking processing times to guiding judges through taste evaluations.

    What Wendi Learned This Year

    Many new canners don’t realize food has changed over time

    Modern tomatoes are often lower in acid than older varieties

    USDA guidelines evolve because food and agriculture evolve

    pH matters because botulism cannot grow in high acid foods

    Water bath vs pressure canning isn’t optional — it’s science

    Modified recipes require modified processing methods

    Jars must be washed after processing and rings removed before storage

    Clean, classic flavors often win over complex combinations

    Common Mistakes That Lead to Disqualification

    Incorrect processing times

    Using water bath when pressure canning is required

    Adding low-acid ingredients like corn or extra onions without adjusting processing

    Not following jar size guidelines

    Leaving rings on and failing to wash jars after sealing

    Behind the Judging Table

    Judging is social and collaborative. Judges talk, compare notes, and influence each other. Over three years, a pattern has emerged:

    Simple, balanced, classic flavors tend to win.

    Strawberry jam.
    Apple jelly.
    Clean Christmas jam.

    That doesn’t mean creative flavors are wrong. It simply means familiar flavors are easier for a group to agree on.

    Wendi’s Encouragement

    Entering a competition is skill stacking in action:

    Learning to can

    Following a tested recipe

    Filling out paperwork

    Showing up prepared

    Receiving feedback

    Even if you don’t win, you gain:

    Confidence

    Experience

    Community connection

    Improved technique

    And that matters more than the ribbon.


    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    Surviving Survivor w/ Liz Wilcox Feb 24, 2026
    Show notes

    What we cover

    Why Wendi wanted the survival side of Survivor, not just gameplay

    The bathroom reality: no toilet paper, “Coconut Grove,” and leaf roulette

    The pre game survival briefing and what it does and does not teach you

    Fire making in Fiji, and why moisture makes everything harder

    Why digging a fire pit is basically impossible on volcanic rock

    The rule about losing flint, and how banking embers can save you

    Wildlife risks and what they warned contestants about

    The surprising reason bigger fish are discouraged

    What they actually ate: crabs, small fish, worms, and the hunt for fruit

    Food allergies on the island and how that changes everything

    The stingray moment: how it was caught, how it was killed, and how it got ruined

    Bug bites, scent differences, and why some people get wrecked and others do not

    Parasites, water concerns, and what contestants do after the show

    The deeper lesson Liz brought home: receiving grace, not just giving it

    Wendi’s closing message: skills are a bank account that never depletes

    Memorable moments and quotes

    “Survivor is real baby. They do not give you toilet paper.”

    “Do not boil a stingray.”

    “Skills are what brings freedom.”

    “You can never deplete the reservoir of skills.”

    Listener question

    Would you go on Survivor?
    Be honest. Indoor toilets matter.

    Guest

    Liz Wilcox
    Instagram: @thelizwilcox (as mentioned in the episode)

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    How Small Homestead Skills Create Big Confidence Feb 17, 2026
    Show notes

    In This Episode:

    Why Wendi is identifying as a quilter before making her first quilt

    The power of practicing simple foundational skills like sewing straight seams

    Raising and processing 42 meat chickens and what that teaches about confidence

    How tweaking systems makes homesteading smoother over time

    A Florida cold snap that damaged the food forest and what resilience looks like

    Losing a rooster and making the next right decision for the homestead

    Combining flocks and preparing for a new generation of laying hens

    Bringing home two bottle-fed baby goats and trying a new approach

    Why self-reliance is a form of self-care

    How skills compound and build lasting confidence

    Referenced Episodes:

    Episode 203: Raising Meat Chickens

    Connect with Wendi:

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    Email: wendi@joyfulprep.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    Raising Meat Chickens: Questions People Always Ask Feb 10, 2026
    Show notes
    • Why we decided to raise our own meat chickens instead of just buying “better” meat
    • How seeing someone else do it made us realize we could try
    • Whether you need land, special equipment, or a farm setup
    • Meat chickens vs laying hens and which makes sense for beginners
    • What “raising meat chickens well” actually means in real life
    • Early mistakes we made and what we wouldn’t repeat
    • Feeding chickens too much and what we learned about healthier growth
    • The emotional side of raising and processing your own meat
    • How our kids were involved and what they learned
    • Staying calm, respectful, and grounded on processing day
    • How raising our own meat changed how we cook and waste food
    • Why using the whole chicken matters
    • How one small food skill can shift your confidence and mindset

    If you’d like a more in-depth, step-by-step series on raising and processing meat chickens, let me know. I’m happy to go deeper if that would be helpful.

    You can reach me through my website or by email.

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    Homesteading on a Budget Feb 03, 2026
    Show notes

    When Wendi moved her family to Florida, she left behind something she now deeply misses.
    Not furniture.
    Farm tools.

    That realization became the heart of this episode.

    In this episode, we talk about:

    Why homesteading value lives in skills, not stuff

    How to homestead on a budget without waiting for “someday”

    Learning to see abundance in your home, yard, and even clutter

    Why buckets, tools, pallets, and scraps matter more than aesthetics

    The power of foraging and learning what already grows around you

    How weeds like dandelions are only weeds until you know their purpose

    Building functional chicken coops and pens without expensive materials

    Growing food from seeds and turning small starts into food or income

    Using grocery scraps like tomatoes, onions, and radishes to grow more food

    Why mistakes are part of building self-reliant confidence

    How resilience is formed through learning, trying, and adjusting

    A gentle invitation to learn skills inside the Joyfully Prepared Library: www.joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    This episode is for anyone who feels drawn to homesteading but worries they cannot afford it.
    It is a reminder that confidence comes from learning, not buying.

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    Gardening Feels Hard Until You Do This Jan 27, 2026
    Show notes

    Why Container Gardening Works Almost Anywhere
    You do not need land. Or a perfect setup. Just a place to start.

    Choosing Containers Without Buying Anything New
    Buckets, bags, bowls, and things you already own can work just fine.

    Soil Basics Without the Overwhelm
    What matters. What doesn’t. And what to skip entirely.

    Beginner Plants That Are Hard to Kill
    Easy wins that build confidence fast.

    Why Mulch Makes Container Gardening Easier
    A simple layer that saves water and prevents problems.

    Where to Find Good Seeds
    Including favorites like

    • Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
    • Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
    • Strictly Medicinal Seeds

    ** Joyfully Prepared Container Gardening Workbook **

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    How Homesteading Builds Confidence Through Failure Jan 13, 2026
    Show notes

    Celebrating episode 200 and four years of podcasting

    Why Wendi started the podcast and what Joyfully Prepared is really about

    Milling grain and baking whole wheat bread as a lesson in learning through failure

    A simple, everyday definition of anti-fragility

    How homesteading naturally builds anti-fragile skills

    Skill stacking and why learning one skill makes the next easier

    Building a fence solo and choosing hard things on purpose

    Recognizing and shifting out of victim thinking

    Asking the question that changes everything: “What can I do with what I have right now?”

    Creating anti-fragile moments intentionally in low-stakes spaces

    Applying anti-fragility to quilting, real estate, and everyday life

    Why preparedness creates calm and reduces panic

    Using a transformation journal to document growth and progress

    A gentle reminder that being clumsy and unfinished is part of becoming capable

    ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Container Gardening Course - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/containergardeningcourse

    Podcast Episode: Mastering the Art of Skill Stacking for Ultimate Preparedness

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    How to Start Homesteading Without Land Jan 06, 2026
    Show notes

    Why homesteading is about skills, not land

    How homesteading looked before it had a trendy name

    Growing up with a garden, jars on the shelf, and clothes on the line

    Why homesteading skills are an investment and a form of self-care

    Setting a boundary around learning and practicing skills

    Why food is foundational to confidence and self-reliance

    Starting with one meal, one recipe, or one jar

    The blackberry jam story and learning by doing

    Why confidence comes from proximity, not over-researching

    Letting systems reveal themselves through repetition

    Finding mentors and learning in community

    How homesteading skills transfer to apartments, RVs, and everywhere else

    Why skills can never be taken away from you

    Relearning skills and getting back into rhythm

    Homesteading as an adventure and a lifelong practice

    A warm welcome into the homesteader identity

    Mentioned Resource:
    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


    How to Make Space Before You Start Again Dec 30, 2025
    Show notes

    Welcome to the last episode of 2025. Instead of forcing goals or rushing a fresh start, we do something softer and more realistic: a homestead reset. We walk through three simple categories — keep, release, pause — to clear space in your mind, your home, and your heart before the new year begins.

    In this episode:
    • why resets feel better than resolutions
    • how tiny habits and “showing up” actually built your year
    • what worked for you in 2025 (hint: more than you think)
    • how releasing expectations makes room to breathe
    • pausing without quitting
    • why January is a recovery month for moms
    • how journaling keeps you honest about your growth

    Simple reflection invitation:
    Write down 3 things you’ll keep, 3 you’ll release, and 3 you’ll pause as you move into 2026.
    That tiny list is a reset. It’s space. It’s permission.

    Reminder:
    The Joyfully Prepared New Year begins February 1st.
    January is for recovery, naps, leftovers, and slower days.

    🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

    📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

    🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

    🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

    📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

    👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com


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