Simple Farmhouse Life

Latest Episodes:

148. Small Homestead Living: Raising and Sourcing Quality Animal Foods | Amy Sliffe of Blue Whistler Farm Sep 01, 2022

Show notes

What began as a conversation about options for sourcing quality meat turned into a fascinating discussion on all that you can accomplish on a small homestead. Amy homesteads less than five acres, and she is full of creative ideas for making the most of a small space. For those who are interested in raising their own meat, we dive into what that looks like on a small scale. For those who want to source high-quality meat without raising it themselves, we also share our best tips for that. And if you stick around until the end of our discussion, you might just find yourself adding dairy sheep to your homestead! May this episode inspire you to think creatively about producing and sourcing animal foods no matter the size of your homestead.

In this episode, we cover:

- The beauty of finding community as a homesteading mama

- Counting the cost of raising your own beef

- Where to begin sourcing food locally

- Options for raising your own meat on a small property

- Different approaches to weaning calves and lambs

- What to know when ordering meat in bulk

- Choosing and using the various cuts of meat

- Questions to ask your farmer about how your meat is raised

- Surprising benefits of dairy sheep over other dairy animals

- Why you might want to prioritize raising animals on your homestead

Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Toups and Co Organics uses nourishing, organic ingredients to create simple and safe skincare products. Toups and Co is offering my listeners 10% off any one purchase with the code FARMHOUSE. Visit ToupsandCo.com to order today. And check out my interview with the founder of Toups and Co, Emilie, to find out more about this amazing company and their products.

Azure Standard is a family-owned company dedicated to providing you with high quality, affordable organic, natural, and non-GMO groceries, health, and household products. Place your first order at AzureStandard.com and use the code FARMHOUSE10 to receive 10% off your purchase of $50 or more delivered to a local drop point. This promotion expires November 30, 2022, and is only available for the first time Azure customer order, with a minimum of $50 order or more (orders to drop locations only). One time use per customer.

Harvest Right has made preserving food accessible to anyone with their home freeze dryers. This method of preserving the harvest locks in flavor and nutrition and can last for years. Harvest Right is offering my listeners a discount on your purchase of a freeze dryer at bit.ly/farmhousefreezedryer.

CONNECT

Amy Sliffe of Blue Whistler Farm | Website | Instagram

Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram

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147. Vintage Shopping and Decorating | Deb Foglia of Seeking Lavender Lane Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

One of my favorite parts of homemaking is curating beautiful decor in my home. It’s no secret that I love coming across a great vintage find at an antique shop or on Facebook Marketplace. I’m so glad to have Deb of Seeking Lavender Lane joining me on the podcast again to talk all about how you can curate an elegant, vintage look in your own home without making it feel cluttered or junky. For those who aren’t sure if decorating with vintage pieces is right for them, we chat about defining your style and honing in on what you truly love. This is such a fun and practical discussion for anyone hoping to take their home decor to the next level!

In this episode, we cover:

How you can shop at Deb’s new online antique mall
How to begin curating your home when you aren’t sure what your style is
Thoughts on evolving your style over time and following trends
Taking design risks in your home
Should you define your style before you begin curating and decorating your home?
How assessing your lifestyle can help you define your decor style
Ideas for sourcing vintage finds based on Deb’s personal experience
The beauty of slowly piecing your home together over time
Figuring out what kinds of vintage art you like and how to find quality pieces
Favorite sources of inspiration for home decor

Thank you to our sponsor! Toups and Co Organics uses nourishing, organic ingredients to create simple and safe skincare products. Toups and Co is offering my listeners 10% off any one purchase with the code FARMHOUSE. Visit ToupsandCo.com to order today. And check out my interview with the founder of Toups and Co, Emilie, to find out more about this amazing company and their products.

Check out some of my current favorite products: activated charcoal face bar, seabuckthorn cleansing oil, frankincense tallow balm

CONNECT

Deb Foglia of Seeking Lavender Lane | Website | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook

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Watch this episode on YouTube + view full show notes and transcript on the blog.

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146. Misconceptions About Homesteading | Ash Turner of Turner Farm Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

With the growing popularity of homesteading on Instagram, it’s easy to look at this lifestyle through a romanticized filter. No one would say that the homesteading life is 100% glamorous, but it’s hard to fully grasp the weight of the difficult moments until you are in them. Ash of Turner Farm wrote a beautiful article for Homestead Mamas on this very topic, so I’m excited to bring her on the podcast to dive deeper into this conversation. Ash shares about the ups and downs of starting and growing her homestead from scratch— everything from losing newborn livestock to milking her cow in a field under a beautiful sunset. Whether you are dreaming of starting a homestead or you are already in the trenches, may this episode inform and encourage you about the challenges and blessings of this lifestyle.

In this episode, we cover:

How most of us aren’t prepared to experience the hard parts of homesteading until we get there
Some of the challenges that come with livestock births and deaths on the homestead
The surprising moments of beauty that make homesteading worth it
How you can start a homestead with modest resources
Stories of different animals’ fencing needs
Does homesteading truly save you money on food?
Why you might want to wean a calf from its mother
The best ways to learn about homesteading if you don’t have a background in it
Why now is the perfect time to start homesteading
Ash’s favorite sourdough recipes and what she is currently experimenting with in her kitchen

Thank you to our sponsors!

Toups and Co Organics | Use code FARMHOUSE for 10% off at ToupsandCo.com

Redmond Real Salt | Use code FARMHOUSE for 15% off at bit.ly/FarmhouseRedmond

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Ash Turner of Turner Farm | Website | Instagram

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Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

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145. Health Priorities and Compromises + Herbalism for Beginners | Amy of The Fewell Homestead Aug 11, 2022

Show notes

Because of the pervasiveness of harmful ingredients in food and household products, living a toxin-free lifestyle requires swimming upstream! We have to be intentional about sourcing our food well, reading labels carefully, and monitoring what we allow into our homes. However, there may be certain compromises we must make along the way, and those compromises will look different for everyone. Amy Fewell has been living this homesteading lifestyle for years, and she started on this path in search of healing for her son. I knew Amy would be perfect to discuss this topic with because she brings balance to the conversation. While we can’t do it all when it comes to taking care of our families’ health, we can prioritize the things that make the biggest impact for us. We also chat about herbalism and the importance of learning our bodies and how to support them!

In this episode, we cover:

The health challenge that led Amy’s family to herbalism and homesteading
Why it’s important to take an individualized approach to health
One major ingredient that Amy keeps out of her family’s diet
How organic food can save you money in the long run
What food standards we adhere to when we are traveling
The few foods to prioritize in your diet when you are away from your normal routine
Why you need fewer cleaning products than you think
Recognizing marketing that makes you think you need to do or have more
Our real-world approaches to the topic of EMF exposure
Embracing slow medicine through herbalism
The importance of learning about the human body and how to support it yourself
What it looks like to take your family’s health into your own hands

Thank you to our sponsors!

Toups and Co Organics | Use code FARMHOUSE for 10% off at ToupsandCo.com

Redmond Real Salt | Use code FARMHOUSE for 15% off at bit.ly/FarmhouseRedmond

CONNECT

Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

144. Easy Swaps for a Natural Home + Q&A with My Sister! | Laura of Our Oily House Aug 04, 2022

Show notes

I asked who you all wanted to hear on the podcast, and you answered! My sister Laura of Our Oily House is joining me today to talk all about where to start when you are swapping out toxic products in your home. We cover cleaning your home, caring for your hair and skin, and how to fit these projects into a full schedule. Then we answer some of the questions that you all submitted through Instagram. We dive into motherhood, pregnancy, online business, our childhoods, living a natural lifestyle, our differences. We laughed a lot in the episode, and I hope you will enjoy listening in on this chat with my sister!

In this episode, we cover:

Simple, non-toxic recipes to replace all your household cleaners
How to find time in your busy life to make natural household products
The few simple ingredients you can keep in your home to make almost every product you need
How to use lye in soap making; it’s not as scary as you think!
What the relationships between our kids look like
Our theory on why we have both had so many boys in a row
How you can have time to yourself even with a big family
Recognizing and appreciating the differences in kids’ personalities
Making sure you aren’t working 24/7 when you run an online business

Thank you to our sponsors!

Toups and Co Organics | ToupsandCo.com | Code: FARMHOUSE

Redmond Real Salt | bit.ly/FarmhouseRedmond | Code: FARMHOUSE

RESOURCES

Laura’s Essential Oils Masterclass

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Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

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143. Fears When Putting Yourself Out There and Starting Something New | Megan Fox Unlocked | YouTuber and Mennonite Mom Jul 28, 2022

Show notes

Fear is one of the main things that holds people back from going after a goal or dream. Anyone who has taken the leap to start something new has felt this intimidation at first and has found a way to push through it. I loved having this chat with Megan all about what it was like to start her successful YouTube channel, Megan Fox Unlocked. She shares all about why she started her channel, how she moves past the fear of what people think of her, her perspective on the negative comments, and the unique gifts of this job! Whether you are thinking of starting your own YouTube channel, online business, Etsy shop, or even a new hobby, Megan’s story is sure to help you move past your doubts and take the risk!

In this episode, we cover:

How Megan took the leap to start her YouTube channel
Why people with ordinary lives can be successful on YouTube
Finding the balance between producing what’s popular and producing what you love
Budgeting your time when you are making room for a new pursuit
Options to consider when the work becomes too much for you to do alone
Determining when it’s worth it to hire help in your home or business
A mindset shift when fear is holding you back
What it takes to handle failure and negative feedback
Ways to learn the skills you need to know in your industry
Behind the scenes of how Megan plans and executes her videos
Discerning when to ramp up your business and when to scale back
The importance of zooming out to determine where you need to make changes
Does an online business owner need to be active on every platform?

Thank you to our sponsors!

Toups and Co Organics uses nourishing, organic ingredients to create simple and safe skincare products. Toups and Co is offering my listeners 10% off any one purchase with the code FARMHOUSE. Visit ToupsandCo.com to order today.

Redmond Real Salt brings you salt exactly as nature created it – unrefined, ancient sea salt with a complete blend of minerals and a subtle, sweet flavor unlike any salt on earth. Redmond Real Salt is offering my listeners 15% off your first purchase with the code FARMHOUSE. Visit bit.ly/farmhouseredmond to order today.

CONNECT

Megan Fox of Megan Fox Unlocked | Website | YouTube | Instagram

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View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

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142. Avoiding Burnout as a Homemaker, Homesteader, Homeschooling Mom, and Business Owner | Kate of Venison for Dinner Jul 21, 2022

Show notes

It’s easy to look at someone like Kate and wonder how she does it all. Between homemaking, homeschooling her five children, maintaining her Canada homestead, and running her successful online business, Kate’s plate is certainly full. In our conversation, we discuss the realities of what it looks like to manage all of these responsibilities well without burning yourself out. A little spoiler alert: Kate doesn’t do it all alone and neither do I! If you have a goal of pursuing a new opportunity—a business or homestead or some other dream—but you wonder how you will manage it all, may you be inspired by this honest look behind the scenes of the lives of two fellow homemakers and business owners.

In this episode, we cover:

How Kate started her online business and grew it to where it is today
Scheduling work hours when you work from home
How to navigate seasons of burnout when your plate is full
Letting go of the pressure to do it all yourself
Setting boundaries in your business around what opportunities to pursue
The power of outsourcing in your business
A typical day in the life on Kate’s homestead
A hard look at wasting time and accomplishing your goals
One helpful tip for seasons of living in survival mode

Thank you to our sponsors!

RESOURCES

Venison for Dinner Insiders Club

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Kate Schat of Venison for Dinner | Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

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View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

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141. Traditional Eating When You Have Food Sensitivities | Dr. Ashley Turner of Restorative Wellness Center Jul 14, 2022

Show notes

It is simple to embrace traditional ways of eating when there are no food groups that are off-limits to you. But when you or someone in your family lives with a food allergy or sensitivity, even meals made with the simplest of ingredients can become a challenge. As a mother and functional medicine practitioner who has walked the path of food sensitivities with her own child and many patients, I knew Dr. Ashley Turner would be the perfect person to join me in this conversation! We also delve into the topic of supplementation. In holistic and functional medicine spheres, it can be easy to get overwhelmed at the vast array of supplement recommendations and options. Dr. Ashley shares her simplified approach to supplementation that won’t break the bank. Whether there are food sensitivities in your house or not, you’ll learn so much from this episode about gut healing, the immune system, beneficial supplements, food sourcing, and more!

In this episode, we cover:

Replacing dairy milks with DIY options
How you can make sourdough bread without gluten
Making dairy-free yogurt at home
Sourcing quality dairy-free and gluten-free ingredients
Tips for finding local food sources
Nature’s multivitamin: the one food you should consider adding to your daily diet
A minimalistic, whole-foods approach to supplements
Ashley’s process of figuring out exactly what healing her daughter needed
Going beyond food sensitivity testing to get to the root cause
The best supplements to have on hand to use when needed

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GET MORE FROM THIS EPISODE

Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

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140. How to Ease Into a Natural Lifestyle | Roxanne Ahern of Happy Holistic Homestead Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

If you desire to live a natural lifestyle—whole foods, less toxins, holistic health—it can be intimidating to know where to start. Many people are also concerned about the cost of living this way. In this episode with Roxanne of Happy Holistic Homestead, we tackle the question of where to start if you simply can’t afford to jump all in. What changes make the biggest impact on your family’s health? We also bust the myth that it takes a lot of money or a lot of land to begin prioritizing your health by sourcing high quality foods. You might be surprised by some of our money saving tips! No matter where you are starting from, may this episode encourage you to take the next step in your journey towards a more natural lifestyle.

In this episode, we cover:

How a health retreat changed Roxanne’s health trajectory
The easiest place to start if you want to live a homesteading life with limited space
Simple ways to use raw milk on your homestead
How producing your own food can simplify your meal planning
Tips for sourcing quality foods while on a budget
Encouraging our kids to follow their interests
An important perspective for the young mom who has big dreams
The benefits of giving older siblings responsibility in the home
How learning to forage can improve your gardening skills
A list of go-to quick and easy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
The no-brainer meal prepping strategy that will keep you eating home cooked meals all week

Check out some of my current favorite products: activated charcoal face bar, seabuckthorn cleansing oil, frankincense face balm, liquid foundation

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Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

GET MORE FROM THIS EPISODE

Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

139. Building a Debt-Free Homestead from Scratch | Katie Metka: Mother of 9, Photographer, Homesteader Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

If you dream of starting your own homestead but worry that you don’t have the skills or time or money, you’ve got to hear Katie’s story. Six weeks after giving birth to her ninth daughter, Katie and her husband moved their family from their established homestead in Texas to a piece of raw land in Missouri to start over. They are building everything themselves and doing it debt-free! Katie shares how she and her family of 11 found joy in the simple pace of living in a small shanty without electricity or running water. Whether you have a homesteading dream or are pursuing another goal, may Katie’s story remind you of all that is possible with patience, sacrifice, and hard work.

In this episode, we cover:

How Katie’s family of 11 is living in a one-room shanty
The sacrifices Katie and her family have made to build their homestead debt-free
Several creative ways they plan to make money from their farm
How Katie moved her family and farm animals from an 11-acre homestead in Texas to an 80-acre piece of land in Missouri
What to look for when searching for property to build a homestead from scratch
The surprising blessing of living in a shanty with no electricity and no running water with nine kids
What mistakes they have made along the way and what they might have done differently
Involving your kids on the homestead without using chore charts
How to enjoy the in-between stages while building your dreams
How to pursue a homestead dream even if you don’t have a lot of money or skills

Thank you to our sponsor! Toups and Co Organics uses nourishing, organic ingredients to create simple and safe skincare products. Toups and Co is offering my listeners 15% off any one purchase with the code FARMHOUSE15. Visit ToupsandCo.com to order today.

Check out some of my current favorite products: activated charcoal face bar, seabuckthorn cleansing oil, frankincense face balm, liquid foundation

RESOURCES

Luli Metka’s Etsy Shop

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Katie Metka | Instagram

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GET MORE FROM THIS EPISODE

Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes and transcript on the blog.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.