The Vernacular Life Podcast

Latest Episodes:

EPISODE 19: Identifying Antiques: Know Your Time Periods Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

How old is that dresser? Or that old chair? Or that to-die-for-table? Well, with a bit of research and a lot of experience, you can know for sure! Some antiques are a dime a dozen, while others are nearly impossible to find. I’ll help you sort out the valuables from the chaff so you can find the perfect additions to your home!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Why dating your favorite pieces might be harder than you’d hoped (but finding the style might be easier!)

How to sort the originals from the revivals from the dreaded reproductions

Why that heart-stopping chair you just found may not be as vintage (or as rare) as it felt when you found it

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/19 to learn more.

EPISODE 18: How to Listen to the House Nov 09, 2021

Show notes

I have spoken many times about the relationship I have with my house. My house talks to me, and I listen. If you have ever felt like your house “preferred” the chair to be here or there, or if your house “wanted” the walls to be blue, you know exactly what I’m talking about! But if your house hasn’t expressed an opinion, I’m here to help you tune into the vibes your house is sending you.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How the history of the house and architecture influence my research

What happens when a historical house meets modern needs, like electricity and indoor plumbing

Why there’s no replacement for your gut instinct

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/18 to learn more.

EPISODE 17: Getting Started with Food Preservation Nov 02, 2021

Show notes

There’s nothing quite like a pantry full of bright and colorful foods in glistening glass jars to make an old-fashioned heart swoon! I fell in love with canning in 2020 for very personal reasons, but the habit has stuck because it’s such a valuable life skill. Never preserved food before? Then this episode is for you!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

A quick run-down of all the kinds of food preservation that you can do, from dehydration to canning

Why food security is so much more than just prepping for the end of times

How I got started canning in the dead of winter, and you can too!

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/17 to learn more.

EPISODE 16: Halloween Episode: Spooky Things in the House Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

Attention: this episode is not for the faint of heart! If you aren’t into spooky specters, ghost sightings, or spirited old homes, go ahead and hit skip. ‘Cause it’s Halloween and it’s about to get creepy up in here!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

The often sad (but true!) history of my house across the last 30 owners

Why I’m so confident that this house has a spirit (and that I’m in direct communication with it)

The pearly specters and poltergeist-like occurrences that have happened around our old home

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/16 to learn more.

EPISODE 15: Form or Function? Making Beautiful but Practical Spaces Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

How do you make a space both beautiful and practical? There are plenty of efficient spaces that are, ahem, ugly. And I shall not be living in such a space. And yet, my highly aesthetic, veeeery pretty, dramatic, and Densely Packed Fancy house is also jam packed with efficiencies and practicalities.

So, how do you make a room wonderful and workable? That’s what I’ll share with you today!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How to find your style aesthetic using the Favorite Things Challenge

Why you should solve functional problems around your house with simple fixes first (before dropping tons of money on “solutions!”)

When to upgrade the aesthetics without having to sacrifice the functionality

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/15 to learn more.

EPISODE 14: First Time Chickens: How to Get Started Oct 12, 2021

Show notes

There’s just something about living on a farm that makes you say to yourself, “Should I have chickens?” And, if you’re me, you say to yourself, “yes.” Yes, I should have chickens. And once you’ve got one, you might as well have a dozen! What I learned is that it’s not as hard to keep chickens as you might think. So if you’re considering getting a brood of your own, you’ll find this episode very helpful!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

The difference between meat chickens and laying hens

What color eggs you’ll get when you start raising your own chickens

How to protect and feed your flock for happy layers

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/14 to learn more.

EPISODE 13: Winter in an Old House: How to Stay Warm Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

As the seasons begin to change here at the farmhouse, I am finally donning sweaters again. Which means that winter, too, is on its way. If you’ve lived your whole life in newer-built houses, you may not be familiar with the positively Victorian lengths we old house owners will go to in order to stay warm in our own homes. Fingerless gloves anyone?

In this episode, you’ll hear:

My top 10 tips for keeping warm in an older house

Why insulation is something I will always splurge on

The tragic (and frigid) tale of Paige, who hastily removed nasty carpet to let in the actual ice goblins all winter

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/13 to learn more.

EPISODE 12: Farmhouse Q&A: Answering Your Questions Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

My wifi is down, so to my Instagram messages I go for a little Q&A! You asked and I’m answering your burning questions about our home renovation, me as a kid, paint colors, and family planning. Oh yes, I’m going there!

In this episode, you’ll hear:

Which renovation projects I’m most looking forward to doing next

How we have avoided divorce while rebuilding a house together for the last 3 years

Why I can’t remember which room I loved finishing the most (spoiler, because I love them all equally!)

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/12 to learn more.

EPISODE 11: Moving to the Country: How Life is Different Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

Life in the country is… different. It’s wonderful, it’s amazing, I would never trade it for anything in the world. But if you’re used to living in the city or the suburbs? IT’S AN ADJUSTMENT. If you’ve never seen a car disintegrating into the ground in front of every house on your rural lane, you might start to question what’s happening out here with us country folk! But for those of us who love it, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

The different kinds of “country” life, from the sub-rural to the remote

Why it does cost more to live the country (but not in the way you might expect)

How a rural life can be more alone but not lonely

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/11 to learn more.

EPISODE 10: Things I Would Do Differently in Renovation Sep 14, 2021

Show notes

Brandon and I have renovated every bit of this house ourselves, which means we got to do it all the way WE wanted to. So you would think that everything is done exactly the way we wanted it. Right? Well, not exactly. There are still some, let’s say, mistakes that I wish we had done differently in this house.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

My soapbox advocacy for saving old windows if you have them

Why half an inch is all it takes to have tedious door-related drama

How the third time’s the charm with trim materials in this house

And so much more!

For more, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/10 to learn more.