Some Good YouTube Homestead Channels

Whether just starting out in your homesteading journey or you are seeking information for the next step, there are many excellent YouTube channels dedicated to homesteading, offering a wealth of information and inspiration for those interested in this lifestyle. Here are some popular homesteading channels that you may find helpful:

Jack Spirko/The Survival Podcast: One hour episodes discussing current issues affecting our world and methods the average person can use to prepare for them, The Survival Podcast has a very simple guiding philosophy. Take steps to prepare for the worst and develop a plan to live the life you want, if times get tough, or even if they don't.

Nicole Sauce/Living Free in Tennessee: Living Free in Tennessee is a podcast done by Nicole Sauce about homesteading, self-reliance, building resilience into your life, food, freedom and fun.

Tag and Bee/Life Done Free:  Life Done Free is not a place it's a lifestyle shared by many Homesteads. Our purpose it to challenge every aspect of our life in order to live freer. From Energy produced by wind and solar to water from wells and rain catchment systems. We will strive to help each other produce everything we need. Our shared goal is to continuously push the definition of off grid. Join us as we highlight Homesteads who are breaking the chains of modern day slavery

The Hollar Homestead: A family that packed up their four kids to find their forever homestead, and are now revitalizing an old homestead in North Carolina! They live small, love hard, and have one major goal - to LIVE a life worth living.

Justin Rhodes: Justin and his family run a homestead in North Carolina and document their experiences on their YouTube channel. They cover a range of topics, including raising chickens, gardening, beekeeping, and more.

Roots and Refuge Farm: This channel features the experiences of a family homesteading in Arkansas. They offer advice and inspiration on topics such as raising goats, gardening, preserving food, and more.

Homesteading Family: This channel features the experiences of a family homesteading in Idaho. They cover a range of topics, including raising livestock, gardening, cooking from scratch, and more.

Living Traditions Homestead: This channel documents the experiences of a family homesteading in Missouri. They offer practical advice on topics such as raising cattle, preserving food, and building a self-sufficient homestead.

The Elliott Homestead: This channel features the experiences of a family homesteading in Washington State. They offer advice on topics such as raising dairy cows, gardening, and cooking from scratch.

Jill Winger - Old Fashioned On Purpose: This channel features the experiences of a family homesteading in Wyoming. They cover a range of topics, including raising chickens, preserving food, and using essential oils for natural health and wellness.

An American Homestead - This channel follows the journey of a family living off-grid on a homestead in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. They cover topics such as gardening, raising livestock, building structures, and living a self-sufficient lifestyle.

These are just a few examples of the many excellent homesteading channels available on YouTube. Depending on your interests and needs, you may find other channels that cater to specific aspects of homesteading, such as permaculture, herbal medicine, or off-grid living. As always, it's important to do your research and cross-reference information from multiple sources to ensure that you are getting reliable and accurate information. Happy homesteading and remember it's the simpler things in life that matter!

 

 

 

Good Books on Homesteading

 

There are many great books on homesteading that cover a wide range of topics, from gardening and animal husbandry to food preservation and self-sufficiency. Here are a few highly recommended books on homesteading:

1. "The Encyclopedia of Country Living" by Carla Emery: This comprehensive guide covers a wide range of homesteading topics, including gardening, animal husbandry, food preservation, and self-sufficiency. It's often considered a classic in the homesteading community and provides practical advice and techniques for living off the land.

2. "The Backyard Homestead" series by Carleen Madigan: This series includes several volumes, such as "The Backyard Homestead: Produce All the Food You Need on Just a Quarter Acre!" and "The Backyard Homestead Book of Building Projects." These books offer practical guidance on various homesteading skills, from gardening and food preservation to raising livestock and building structures.

3. "Storey's Basic Country Skills" series: This series includes multiple volumes, such as "Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Self-Reliance" and "Storey's Basic Country Skills: A Practical Guide to Living Off the Land." These books cover a wide range of homesteading skills, from gardening and livestock management to cooking, preserving food, and renewable energy.

4. "The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It" by John Seymour: This classic homesteading book covers a wide range of topics, including gardening, animal husbandry, food preservation, and more. It provides practical advice on living a self-sufficient lifestyle and includes illustrations and diagrams to help readers understand the techniques.

5. "The Resilient Farm and Homestead" by Ben Falk: This book focuses on regenerative farming practices and homesteading techniques for building a resilient and sustainable homestead. It covers topics such as water management, soil fertility, permaculture design, and more, and provides practical guidance on creating a sustainable homestead.

6. "Homesteading: A Back to Basics Guide to Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal Medicine, and More" by Abigail R. Gehring: This comprehensive book covers a wide range of homesteading skills, from gardening and food preservation to keeping livestock, making homemade remedies, and more. It provides step-by-step instructions and practical advice for living a self-sufficient lifestyle.

7. "The Joy of Keeping Chickens" by Jennifer Megyesi: This book provides practical advice on how to raise chickens for eggs and meat, as well as tips on building a coop and caring for your birds.

8. The Foxfire Book series is a collection of books that documents the traditional folk culture of the Southern Appalachians and are an important resource for those interested in traditional crafts, skills, and folk culture. The books are known for their down-to-earth style and emphasis on practical knowledge, as well as their focus on preserving the traditions and wisdom of rural Appalachian communities.

These are just a few examples of the many books available on homesteading. Depending on your interests and needs, you may find other books that cater to specific aspects of homesteading, such as permaculture, herbal medicine, or animal husbandry. It's always a good idea to read reviews and check the credentials of the authors to ensure that you are getting reliable and accurate information. Happy reading, homesteading, and remember that it's the simpler things in life that matter!

How Can I Learn New Homestead Skills?

 

With homesteading, there is always something new to learn or do and with that comes the question of, "How do I learn these new skills?" Very few people in today's world are brought up in a family or with a mentor who can teach one how to homestead, however there are several ways in which you can learn new homestead skills:

1. Take classes: Look for local classes or workshops that teach homesteading skills such as gardening, animal husbandry, and food preservation. Many agricultural extension offices and community colleges offer classes on homesteading topics.

2. Attend conferences: Homesteading conferences and events can be a great way to learn new skills and connect with other homesteaders. Look for events in your area or consider traveling to attend larger events.

3. Read books and articles: There are many books and articles available on homesteading topics. Look for books and articles written by experienced homesteaders who have successfully implemented the skills you want to learn. Books like the Foxfire Series
   

4. Watch videos: There are many instructional videos available online that can teach you homesteading skills. Look for videos on YouTube or other video-sharing platforms.

5. Join a homesteading group: Joining a homesteading group or organization can be a great way to connect with other homesteaders and learn new skills. Look for local groups or join online communities.

6. Seek guidance from experienced homesteaders: Reach out to experienced homesteaders in your area or online and ask for their guidance and advice. Many homesteaders are happy to share their knowledge and help others get started.

Remember that homesteading skills take time to learn and master, so be patient and persistent. Focus on one skill at a time and practice consistently to improve your skills over time.

How Do I Choose A Homestead Location?

 

Choosing a homestead location is a crucial decision that will impact your ability to succeed in your homesteading endeavors. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a homestead location:

1. Climate: The climate of your chosen location is an important factor to consider. You will want to choose a location that has a climate that is suitable for the type of crops you want to grow and animals you want to raise. You may also want to consider factors such as average rainfall and temperature extremes.

2. Soil quality: The soil quality of your homestead location is crucial for successful gardening and crop production. You will want to choose a location that has soil that is rich in nutrients and well-draining. You can have your soil tested by a local agricultural extension office to determine its quality.

3. Water availability: Access to water is crucial for successful homesteading. You will want to choose a location that has a reliable water source, such as a well or a stream. You should also consider the quality of the water and whether it is suitable for drinking and irrigation.

4. Zoning regulations: Zoning regulations vary by location and can impact your ability to homestead. You should research the zoning regulations in your chosen location to ensure that you can legally engage in homesteading activities.

5. Access to resources: Consider the availability of resources such as building supplies, feed, and seeds in your chosen location. You will also want to consider the proximity of medical facilities, schools, and other community resources.

6. Cost: The cost of land and living expenses can vary widely by location. You should consider the cost of purchasing land, building or renovating a home, and the cost of living in the area.

By carefully considering these factors, you can choose a homestead location that is well-suited for your needs and goals.

How Can I Get Started In Homesteading?

 

Getting started in homesteading can be an exciting and rewarding endeavor, but it requires careful planning, research, and preparation. 

Here are some steps to help you get started:

1. Determine your goals: Think about why you want to homestead and what you hope to achieve. Do you want to live more sustainably, grow your own food, or become more self-sufficient? Your goals will guide your decisions and actions as you begin your homesteading journey.

2. Choose a location: Look for a piece of land that meets your needs and budget. Consider factors such as soil quality, climate, access to water, and zoning regulations.

3. Learn new skills: Homesteading involves a wide range of skills, including gardening, animal husbandry, carpentry, and food preservation. Consider taking classes, reading books and articles, and seeking guidance from experienced homesteaders. There are a number of great YouTube creators that provide a lot of advice and help for aspiring homesteaders
   

4. Start small: It's easy to become overwhelmed when starting a homestead, so it's important to start small and focus on a few projects at a time. You can gradually expand your homestead as you gain experience and confidence.

5. Build a support network: Homesteading can be challenging and isolating, so it's important to build a support network of other homesteaders, farmers, and community members who share your values and goals.

6. Be prepared for setbacks: Homesteading is a learning process, and setbacks and failures are inevitable. Be patient and persistent, and be prepared to adapt and learn from your mistakes.

Homesteading can be a fulfilling and rewarding lifestyle, but it requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn and adapt. With careful planning and preparation, you can create a sustainable and self-sufficient homestead that meets your needs and goals.

What Is Homesteading?

Homesteading originally referred to a the process of acquiring and settling on a piece of land or property with the intention of establishing a permanent residence and cultivating the land. The term originated in the 19th century in the United States and referred to the government's practice of offering land to people for little or no cost, provided that they improve the land by building a dwelling, cultivating crops, and living on the land for a specified period of time.

Homesteading today refers to a modern-day movement that emphasizes self-sufficiency and living off the land. This may involve growing one's own food, raising livestock, and reducing reliance on modern technology and conveniences. Some homesteaders also prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship, using practices such as composting, rainwater harvesting, and renewable energy sources.

Find what you want to do and do it and remember, "It's the simpler things in life that matter!"

Helping With Chicken Egg Production - LED Lights

We created a new video to help others who may have a similar issue that we do in the Fall and Winter.  Egg production decreases during these months do to several factors including the cold weather and the reduced hours of daylight available.

Through the introduction of a timer and LED Christmas lights in the ceiling of the hen house and in the chicken run, we extend the hours of "daylight" for our chickens to 14 and help to keep their egg production up.

Helping With Chicken Egg Production - LED Lights

Get Alone Undistracted

I recently read an article called Get Alone Undistracted which talks about spending more time with
God in an increasingly technologically-connected world. The article was a review of an article in Time Magazine that mentions that in today's world that we are never offline.

There are computers in phones, watches, and in glasses. We are constantly checking our statuses, updating information, always checking on something and when we are not, we get alerts pushed to us.

We are constantly being assaulted by pings, beeps, dings and other sounds that constantly remind us that we are connected.

Although I realize the importance of not being so "hyper-connected", the article was a good reminder. I read that article, closed the computer, left the phone in the house and got some good work done.

Today around our homestead, I worked on our chicken coop, worked around our fruit trees, cut some grass, went to get feed, made dinner and went on a walk with our youngest daughter.

Now, it's towards the end of the day, I have that great feeling of a great, fruitful and fulfilling day.

There are little, simple things that can be done to unplug...

• I'd like to recommend setting a specific time to be on your computer. I remember my grandparents would watch the news at night after their day's work was done. Maybe set a time early in the morning to get your news, etc. and then put it away until close to the end of the day where you do the same.

• Leave your cell phone inside and set a specific time or times that you will check it for messages, etc. Not having the phone with you decreases the temptation to constantly check it, update Facebook statuses, etc.

• Don't end the day with a computer or TV. Our bodies react to the electronic stimulation and that affects our sleep. Instead, read a book before bed time.  

•  I also like to end the day in prayer as it relaxes and grounds me and I can't think of anything nicer than falling asleep while talking to my Lord.

That's it for now and remember that it's the simpler things in life that matter!

A Homesteader's View of Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

The following is from Jack Spirko over at The Survival Podcast. The article was originally called "A Survivalist's View of Thanksgiving," but I feel that the running theme embodies the view of those who homestead as well. 

In this article, Jack goes through and debunks the myths that we commonly hear and think about Thanksgiving, but at the same time, gives us a good perspective that fits very well with homesteading. Although the talking points to this long article can be summarized in a few paragraphs, the article is quoted here in it's entirety as I believe that it has merit.

One, they didn't have mashed potatoes; they didn't grow potatoes in the northern colonies that first year. Number two they didn't have buckles. You know all those Pilgrims, little kids, buckles? The buckles didn't get in fashion until 1700s. No buckles. They were wearing black and white because they had the feast on a Sunday. And the Pilgrims wore black and white on Sundays; it was formal attire. They did not always run around in black and white while they were working in the fields, and hunting, and fishing, and farming. It's a myth. Women mostly wore colors like reds, greens, and tans. The men wore colors like tans, grays, greens, tweeds, beiges. So they weren't always running around in big top hats with buckles on and gaiters and things like that. Okay? So that's a myth—not a big myth.
 
Turkey they probably had. The original recorded journal entry of Thanksgiving says they shot as much fowl as they could. That would probably be a lot of ducks and geese that time in New England. Another belief is that they had this holiday the third week of November. They did not. It was somewhere between the end of September and beginning of October that they had the original Thanksgiving. If you've ever been to New England, you will know why.
 
Now here's the big myth that they had this first Thanksgiving feast and it immediately became a tradition. An original American tradition. And that every year thereafter they continued to have this holiday and that as the United States evolved and grew, wherever Americans went, wherever colonists went, the holiday went with them. That's not how it happened at all.
 
You see they didn't even have the feast the second year. Didn't happen a second year because the colony was ravaged with a lot of problems, diseases, and crop failures. And other colonists came and those other colonists didn't immediately pick up the holiday, but over time, as people began to settle, the United States, primarily initially in the northeastern United States, in the Virginia Colony, which ran from like the Hudson River area of New York down to what is Virginia. That whole thing was called Virginia Company.
 
And as that started to spread—and what I mean by spread is just that people started to spread out, started to set up actual, permanent places to live, building farms, starting to live normal lives, at least for the period and the time—the tradition of Thanksgiving, going back to that original meal began to be created. And people began to sit down at the end of the harvest season and sometimes there was some formality in certain regions and certain areas to we're going to do it on this day, or we're going to do it on that day. But there was no official holiday and there certainly was no colony-wide holiday. It was just something people did. And they did tell stories, and that's how the whole tradition of the original Pilgrims' and Indians' Thanksgiving got kept. It became part of history because people did tell that story by word of mouth.
 
And they would sit down at the end, once they had put everything away for the year, and finish making their winter preparations. And what does that remind you of? The ant and the grasshopper? Modern survivalism? That's exactly what it was, folks. That's exactly what Thanksgiving was in its origination. People would get ready for winter. They worked all spring, they worked hard all summer, they worked hard in the beginning of the fall. They put everything down in the root cellar; they did everything they possibly could. They went hunting, they went fishing, they stacked up the meat in the larder. They did everything they could to get ready because they knew, especially if you've ever experienced a winter in Connecticut, or New Jersey, or  Massachusetts, or Vermont, or New Hampshire, or Maine, or Upstate New York, then you understand what they were getting ready for. Brutal cold, short days. They didn't have greenhouses, folks. No ability to grow anything.
 
And even the game would get scarce by about December because it would be hard to find because it would go hole up somewhere to keep warm itself, and it would have to travel long distances, so wouldn't congregate anymore. So it'd be hard to even go out and harvest anything at that point. Besides, it was too damn cold. 

So hopefully they had enough wood chopped, they had enough food put in the larder, they had enough food in the root cellar. And remember, they didn't have refrigerators, freezers, electricity. But when they got everything is done as they could, they sat back, they came together, and they had a great, big meal.
 
I want you to think about something that most people will never, ever think about today. What they had done is put away enough that they hoped would be enough. And often people were quite hungry by the time the first days of spring started to come around. Sometimes a winter could go longer and it'd be later in the  season before you could plant crops. Sometimes you'd start your crops and you know what would happen, folks? A late frost would come in and put you back three, four, five weeks. That's a long time to go without food.
 
So you would think that after they put all this food away they would immediately begin rationing their food. This is how much we have today; this is how much we have tomorrow. We have to plan for the future. People that put that much planning and effort into preparing for winter, you'd think that's what they would do. And folks, it's the way they lived 99% of the time. Except for Thanksgiving.
 
On Thanksgiving, they covered the table with food. And it was—at times it was a three-day event; Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and you went to church on Sunday. And they would have relatives, and friends, and anybody that didn't have a real close family to go be with would be invited into the home if they were a family friend. And food would be shared, and people would eat just like we do today until they couldn't move.
 
You know what that was? It was a Thanksgiving; it was also a reassurance that we're going to be okay. We've been good ants; we've worked hard enough. We're going to make it through the winter. We will be here to see spring. It's okay to enjoy the fruits of our labor and our efforts. It's okay to share with others. It's okay to be grateful for all that we have. It will be enough.
 
I sure wish that instead of just teaching our children in school about the Indians, and the Pilgrims, and the fake buckles, that maybe a little bit more of that was going into our education system. A little bit more of an understanding that when people 200 years ago, 300 years ago, sat around a table and ate that much food and shared with that many people at one time, that it wasn't like today where if you needed more food you went to Kroger, or you went to Publix, or you went to Winn-Dixie. If they're even still in business. I'm not sure. Albertsons or whoever. There wasn't anything like that. In many of the colonies, there wasn't even a lot of stores around of any kind or shape. You know?
 
It would be you'd have to get on a horse and ride for a day just to pick up a couple of sacks of grain for some extra provisions to make it through. And what if you had to do that in the winter because you ran out in the winter and the snow drifts were six feet high? That's how it was. We were still in the tail end of the Little Ice Age, folks, during the 1700s and 1800s. Early 1800s were cold. Long, cold winters, colder than you can imagine. But they had a feast. They had a feast and the main purpose of the feast, besides being thankful, was to reassure the family, to reassure everybody we're going to make it through winter. We're going to see spring.
 
It's an amazingly optimistic view of a holiday that many people that would like to go back and rewrite history have tried to tear down. But let me tell you a little bit more about Thanksgiving and why we should be thankful that there is a Thanksgiving today.
 
The first official declaration of Thanksgiving was by George Washington in 1789, but it was not made a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln did it in the middle of the Civil War. He was looking for a way to unify the nation, so he officially set a date of the third Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. After the Civil War was over, Thanksgiving was largely not celebrated in the entire southern United States. It was viewed as a damn Yankee holiday. And it was only over time as people began to relocate and the wounds between the states began to heal that the people of the South were willing to accept the holiday as an American holiday instead of a northern holiday.
 
Somebody tried to monkey with our holiday. His name was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. And I'm sorry. I think I said that Lincoln set the holiday for the third Thursday in November. It was the fourth Thursday in November, which it is today. If I made that mistake, I'm sorry. But it was Roosevelt who then moved it from the fourth Thursday to the third Thursday. Now why would somebody do that? Why would somebody mess with tradition?

What does everybody do on Friday after Thanksgiving? They go shopping. You'd like to believe that it was different during the Great Depression? It wasn't. People went shopping on Black Friday during the Great Depression. So Roosevelt thought if he moved Thanksgiving back a week, it would add one week to the Christmas shopping season and help spur the economy.

Eventually people got pissed off and complained about it and it got moved back where it is today, the fourth Thursday. That's how it became that day and that's how it was put back on that day. And that's how it's been ever since.
 
And I think one of the things we really need to understand about the spread of Thanksgiving through the United States is how it was commensurate with healing of the wounds between the states from the Civil War. And I think if you're 10 years younger than me, maybe my generation was the last to really see it for what it was. And I'm glad that it's gone, and I'm glad that it's dead, but I think we need to remember it so that we understand what a great nation we've actually formed today. Because sometimes I get real hard on our government, and I'll continue to do it, folks. You'll tune back in and you'll hear me tearing up a senator, or the president, or a chief justice for stepping on our Constitution. But overall, we have a pretty great country.
 
And what I remember when I was a child, very young child—I'm talking kindergarten, first, second grade—and I moved from Pennsylvania to Florida with my family. My grandfather and his friends in Pennsylvania would always tell me, "You're down them with them damn rebels." And the kids that I went to school with would sometimes call me a damn Yankee until I picked up that Florida accent. And it wasn't like it is today. 

I hear people call people Yankees today. And generally when you hear somebody call somebody a damn Yankee today, it's because you're putting them down for being a big government tax and spend liberal from Massachusetts or something like that. Or it's kind of like a Texas joke. Well, Yankees, where do they come from? They come from Oklahoma. Anything north of the Red River, you know that's the Mason-Dixon line in our opinion. But there's a joke and there's joviality to it.

I saw the last vestiges of the true animosity that was held over by my grandfather's generation and the generation before him that handed it down. I saw that. I saw it for what it was. You know? And I saw at the same time the last vestiges of true racism in this country where we were busing students for integration purposes and things like that and there was resistance to it. And all these other things. It was the tail end. It was the late '70s, early '80s. And that stuff's gone and behind us now.
 
But a lot of that healing, a lot of that unifying went right along with the spread of Thanksgiving as it slowly made its way through the United States. What I'm saying to you, folks, is in 1880 if you lived in South Georgia you didn't celebrate Thanksgiving at all. You didn't even notice. You didn't even care. If you had a kid in college up north, he'd write you a letter about it, you were like, "Yeah, you're with that damn Yankee holiday." And today, Thanksgiving is celebrated in all 50 states. And it's one of the first American traditions that's uniquely American, that legal immigrants, and even illegal immigrants—let me be fair—that come to our country adopt as one of their own. It is one of the most unifying things in America and it's why I get disgusted when people try to tear it down.

And on Thanksgiving Day we should not just get together and eat food and be thankful for the bounty in front of us. We should think of the other things that we're thankful for. So I ask you to pause today and just think what are you thankful for?
 
As you continue to prepare for the unknown future and try to make your life better, whether it gets bad or it doesn't, living the show credo as you continue to be an ant like those brave people before us that were  preppers and survivalists and didn't even know that that's what it was called. It was just living back then. Think about all the things that make your life easier. The fact that you can turn a switch and a light bulb will come on. The fact that if you're cold there's a little box on your wall that you can turn up and if you're hot you can turn it down. It will change the temperature of your home.

The fact that a person like me is free to get on the Internet and blast his government—and sometimes support it—and no one shows up at my house to take me away. That you're free to listen to it and no one shows up at your house and takes you away. That you're free to go to any church, temple, or synagogue that you want to worship God is your choice or you're free to not.
 
The freedom to do so and the freedom to not do so is something that long ago became uniquely American. It's prevalent in many places in the world today. But people often think of the Puritans and the Pilgrims being deeply religious. And they held their own community to deep religious standards, but they didn't try to force that onto other communities. They really didn't. It's a misnomer. They did try to spread it among the Indians, and that didn't work out real good, but you know nobody's perfect.
 
Think about how grateful you should be that you can walk up to a police officer in this nation and ask for help and get it because there's places where people so fear their police they would never go to a police officer for help.
 
Think about how grateful you are that despite the fact that our education system needs a massive overhaul, at least everybody learns how to read that wants to in this country. And that's true. No matter how bad you want to put down the education system, any kid that goes to our schools, any of them, even the crappiest one, that wants to learn to read, to write, and do basic math, they'll come out with that education. There's places in the world where you can't buy that education.
 
Be grateful for all that we have. And just remember that unique part of Thanksgiving that no one ever talks about that I talked to you earlier. Just remember that when people 200 years ago sat down to a massive banquet, it wasn't just patting themselves on the back. It wasn't just being thankful. It was we know winter's almost here. We know that the last days that the sun really is warm on our faces are almost over for a while. We know that we're going to go into a darkness, we know that we're going to into a time where there's not very much.
 
But we also are going to feast and we're not going to ration today, or tomorrow, or the next day. We're going to feast for three days because we know we'll see spring. And folks, there could be no better time than to think of that than today. Because today, our nation is headed for some very tough times. Our government has pumped $7 trillion of phony money into our economy. They've done it. There's no way to pull it back now. It's already happened. Right now we're seeing prices come down. Prices on everything will go up; they have to. You can't put $7 trillion into an economy without devaluing money. Can't be done.
 
We're going to go through some dark times but even while you're prepping, even while you're saving, even while you're preparing, I want you to stop not just on Thanksgiving, but every once in a while I want you to stop, I want you to gather around your family, your friends, people that don't have other people, I want you to sit down and I want you to feast. Doesn't always have to be with food, sometimes it can be with words, sometimes it can be with activities, but every once in a while I want you to just splurge on yourself with emotion, and even money, and certainly with food, and just enjoy it. And make it something special.
 
And make it part of remembering that even though you have to be smart about how you spend, you have to be smart about how you store, you have to be smart about how you work, how you save, that every once in a while you need to remind yourself that spring will come and that you're going to be there to see it.
 
That's really all I have for you today. This has been Jack Spirko with a Thanksgiving edition of The Survival Podcast, hoping that I've helped you figure out today how to live that better life if times get tough, or even if they don't.

I hope that you've enjoyed reading this article and that you have a Happy Thanksgiving!

The Farm Hand Who Could Sleep Through Anything

This is the the re-telling of a story that I found on "Another Voice of Warning", which an Latter Day Saints Preparedness web site. While I am not LDS, I admire their resolve for preparedness.

Ironically, one of our sons said that I was the farm hand who couldn't sleep through anything. True, I am a light sleeper, but it's not because we don't try to be prepared or because preparedness isn't important.

For those who would rather watch a video of the telling of the story, please see my video here.

Anyway the story goes like this...

There once was a farmer looking for a young man to help out at the farm. There were several young men who interviewed for the job and as far as the farmer could tell, they were about equally well qualified. He then asked them each one final question, "Tell me," he would say, "why should I hire you above the others?"

Of all of the applicants and their replies, there was one that was really different. One young man said, "Because I can sleep through anything." At first the farmer thought it was just strange. The more he thought, the more he was intrigued and mystified by the response. So he figured, well I will give this young man a chance, and hired him.

Weeks went by and the farmer was pretty happy with the young man's work. He still wondered sometimes what the young man had meant by his strange reply, but he never got around to asking about it. Then one night the farmer was awakened in the middle of the night with a phone call from a neighbor. "There's a big storm coming in with lots of wind, maybe a tornado. Better get ready for it." was the quick message.

Indeed as the farmer went to the door and looked out, he found that the wind was strong and rising, and rain had started. He quickly ran and tried to awaken the young man to help him get everything ready for the blow. Try as he might, the young man couldn't be stirred. Muttering to himself about what a stupid thing he had done in hiring a lazy boy who wouldn't wake up when he really needed him, the farmer went out to the farm.

He went out to tie down the hay, but discovered that the hay was already tied down securely. Next he went to the barn and the corrals. Everywhere he looked, everything had already been prepared. After a time of just wandering around the farm, learning that there was nothing that needed to be done at the last minute, because it had all been done (prepared) before, the farmer returned to his house, but instead of muttering, he actually found himself singing the praises of this young man. He had realized, to his great joy, that the reason the young man could sleep through anything was because before he went to bed each and every night he had already prepared for the very worst. And so the farmer followed the example of the young man, since everything was already prepared, he undressed and was soon fast asleep, with a huge smile of peace on his face.

This young man had nothing to fear and was not stricken with panic at the onset of the storm because he was fully prepared. He had put forth the necessary time and effort to secure everything well in advance so he could rest the night through with little concern for the howling winds outside.

I hoped that you enjoyed reading this story and that it provides motivation to help you either get started or to continue to live your life prepared.

Around The Homestead - Tetanus Shot

Last night, I was working on a shelving project in our garage. During this time, I went out to work barefoot (I really like the freeing feeling of not wearing shoes) and was working fine for about an hour. I got to a part of the project that needed a drill, so I leaned over a storage bin to plug my drill in and when I leaned back, my left foot caught the edge of a 4" metal bracket that was laying randomly on the garage floor and cut the sole of my foot.

After getting the cut, I immediately went in the house to wash the wound out and apply an anti-biotic and bandage. Hey, I was foolish enough to get cut, but I was not going to get an infection as well.

When my wife saw me walking on the side of my foot through the living room, the first thing that she asked me was, “Have you had a tetanus shot in the last 10 years?”  I thought and I thought, thinking back to projects that both ended well and had a Tim Allen-like result and I couldn't remember. "I don't think so," I replied and really didn't think much about it until this morning.

Around mid-morning, my curiosity got the best of me as to what *may* happen if I got tetanus. What I read wasn't pretty. I went from not really giving the matter too much thought to thinking about and hoping that I wouldn't die of suffocation (see next paragraph)... OK, enough drama :)

For those wondering what tetanus is...

Tetanus is a serious and potentially fatal infection caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria that enters the body through cuts, deep puncture wounds, insect bites, burns or possibly any breaks in the skin.  The bacteria produces a toxin that affects the nervous system and brain, beginning with stiffness of the muscles and jaw, thus the term “lockjaw.”  The stiffness can initially lead to difficulty swallowing, spasms, leading to the more serious complications such as suffocation, heart attack, blood poisoning and death.

Today after calling around and hoping that I wasn't going to have to pay $100.00 for a shot caused by my stupidity, I contacted my insurance company who informed my that tetanus shots are 100% covered if I hadn't had one it the past 10 years.  I set up the appointment with my regular doctor and was in and out in less that 10 minutes, still leaving time for lunch.

For those wondering, yes, there were lessons learned:

1. Make sure that your work area is clear of any obstacles.
2. Take the time to wear protective gear, if appropriate. A pair of shoes would've lessened the likelihood that I would have gotten cut, although increased the chances that bacteria would've made it into the wound. (With 4 children you pick up little gems like this from the doctors in the emergency room)

Would I get another tetanus shot when the time comes?  Yes, absolutely! Especially with the the uncertainties in life right now, you never really know what is going to happen. I always tell my children to "Expect the best, but prepare for the worst." The tetanus shot gives me a 10 year window of one less thing to worry about in homesteading and prepping.

Give Us Tall Trees!

One of the things that I like to do in my journey to live a self-sufficient life is to study, or at least read some of the books and works of pioneers in this area. Below are some quotes from Daniel Carter "Uncle Dan" Beard (June 21, 1850 – June 11, 1941), specifically from his book The American Boys’ Handbook of Camplore and Woodcraft. 

He was an American illustrator, author, youth leader, and social reformer who founded the Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905, which Beard later merged with the Boy Scouts of America. I like his insight into nature and how the human spirit craves to belong in it and I believe that that is reflected in a lot of his writing for in addition to practical knowledge, there is a lost of wisdom woven into his pages.

 

There is life in the roar of plunging streams,

There is joy in the campfire's blaze at night.

Hark! the elk bugles, the panther screams!

And the shaggy bison roll and fight.

Let your throbbing heart surge and bound,

List to the whoop of the painted Reds;

Pass the flapjacks merrily round

As the gray wolf howls in the river beds.

We weary of our cushions of rest;

God of our Fathers, give back our West.

What care we for luxury and ease?

Darn the tall houses, give us tall trees!
 

However crude these verses may be, the sentiment is all right. But may be it will express our idea better if we do not attempt rhyme. Suppose we try it this way

The hooting of the barred owl, the bugling of the elk!

The yap, yap, yap of the coyote, the wild laugh of the loon;

The dismal howl of the timber wolf,

The grunting of the bull moose, the roaring of the torrent. 

And the crashing thunder of the avalanche!

Ah, that's the talk ; these are the words and sounds that

make the blood in one's veins tingle like ginger ale. 

Why do all red-blooded men and real American boys like to hear

The crunching of the dry snow; 

The flap, flap, flap of snowshoes; 

The clinking of the spurs and bits; 

The creaking of the saddle leather;

The breathing of the bronco; 

The babbling of the rivulet; 

The whisper of the pines, 

The twitter of the birds, 

And the droning of bees.

Why? Because in these sounds we get the dampness of the moss, the almond-like odor of twin flowers, the burning dryness of the sand, the sting of the frost, the grit of the rocks and the tang of old mother earth! They possess the magic power of suggestion. By simply repeating these words we transport our souls to the wilderness, set our spirits free, and we are once again what God made us; natural and normal boys, listening to nature's great runes, odes, epics, lyrics, poems, ballads and roundelays, as sung by God's own bards!

Oh, that we could leave to our children a legacy of the love of God's Nature and the understanding of how importantly intertwined we are with it. I love walking and talking with my children about the majesty, creativity and wonder of Creation.

On a hunting trip, a pastor friend of ours once helped us (our boys and myself) to understand a little more about nature when we were hunting. We had gotten up at 3:30 in the morning to get ready and to be in the woods ready to hunt at sun-up. "Listen.," he would say. "The sounds of crickets and the owls give way to various bird songs as the woods slowly woke from it's slumber."

We had a great conversation about appreciating the woods and learning the cycle of things.We also had a similar conversation at dusk as well as bird songs gave way to crickets, frogs and toads. There are a number of things that we can learn from just being out in the woods.

Nature continually speaks whether we listen or not. Take the time today and listen to what it's telling you.

Get out amongst the tall trees!

Homemade Bread

Some of the earliest memories that I have are of going down our family friend, Mamie's house. Mamie and her husband Jim lived a simple life. She cooked everything fresh from scratch and he hunted. I remember going out back and looking at all of the hunting dogs who always seemed to be incessantly barking.

Mamie used to sit with me on her front porch and tell me stories and share some old wives tales as well.

One of the things that I really liked was going over her house and smelling fresh homemade bread being baked with the scent filling the whole house and even drifting outside. Even going inside and seeing bread pans covered with dish clothes was enough to make my mouth water.

Since then, I've been hooked on homemade bread. The recipe below is not Mamie's recipe, but is a basic one for homemade white bread.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup warm water
• 1½ T yeast
• 1 T sugar

• 1 cup boiling water
• ⅓ cup oil
• ⅙ cup sugar
• 2 t. salt

• 1¼ cups cold water
• 6½ cups flour

  

Instructions:

---

Step1

In a small bowl mix the ½ cup warm water, 1½ T yeast, and 1 T. sugar.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes or so.

---

Step 2



In a mixer or in another bowl mix the 1 cup of boiling water, ⅓ cup oil, ⅙ cup sugar, and 2 t salt.

Stir until it dissolves.

---

Step 3


Add in the cold water and mix and then add in the yeast mixture. (You want the mixture temp to be lukewarm before you add the yeast and thats why do you do this.)

---

Step 4



Add in 3 cups of flour and stir.
Let this mixture rise for 30 minutes.

---

Step 5


After 30 minutes, the mixture should have some bubbles from the yeast.

Add in 3 cups of flour. It should form a nice not sticky dough. Let this rest for about 30 minutes.

---

Step 6



Add in remaining 3 to 3½ cups of flour. It should form a nice not sticky dough.

Let this rest for about 30 minutes.

---

Step 7



Grease (with butter) and lightly flour the bread pans. This will help the bread to release from the pan and to come out easier.

---

Step 8


Separate dough into bread pans.

Cover with a dish towel and let these rise for about an hour (or until the dough has doubled in size) in a warm place.

Bake bread at 350°F for 35-40 minutes.

---

Step 9



Remove the loaves from the oven and brush the tops with butter.

---

Step 10


 Enjoy with butter or your favorite jam or jelly spread!

Getting Started with Homesteading

I have come to find that one of the best things that we can do as homesteaders is to encourage those who have a similar mindset. I am still trying to escape the bonds of “the Great American Success Story” and return to a more simpler time and lifestyle of self-reliance and sufficiency, but want to encourage anyone who may read this.

There were some things that I thought about that really help get one started, which is the key. The journey, is the goal. I've found that is important to try to do something... anything on a daily basis that helps move you towards your goal of self-sufficiency. Some things to think about to get you started include:
not the destination really

Getting out of debt
Once this is tackled, a whole new word of opportunities open up and you have the funds to not only achieve your dreams, but help others as well.

Become more informed of the world events around you
In order to make a change in the world, even if it's your world, you have to be aware of what is happening. It may, according to what is happening in the world, or with the economy, make sense to make a more to a more rural location at a certain time over another.

Plan your work, then work your plan
Once you know what you want to do, purpose it in your heart to work a little more towards your goals every day, even if it's just planning or talking to others about being self-sufficient.

Learn new “old” skills (gardening, hunting, fishing, foraging, canning, sewing, etc.)
With the passing of each generation, I am firmly convinced that there are a lot of skills that simply vanish. I've heard it said over and over again, "My grandfather used to hunt," or "My grandmother used to sew." We've become so accustomed to being a microwave (I want it now) society that the "old ways" are simply not taught anymore.

Plant a garden
Do you know where your food comes from?... What's sprayed on them?... What genetic manipulation was done to the food?... What could be better than taking control of what you and your family eat to ensure that it is healthy, nutritious and grown with your own two hands?

Raise chickens
Similarly to the statement above. Do you know what is in the chicken that you buy at the grocery store?... What hormones are in it? Not to mention that chickens are a remarkable (and easy) animal to start of with.

Take personal responsibility
It seems like we (as a culture) have lost a sense of personal responsibility. There is always some excuse for mistakes that we made. People are always looking for someone, increasingly the government, to bail them out, give them food, provide a house, transportation, a cell phone, etc. There is little that is more rewarding than being the master of your own destiny, in a matter of speaking. God is the ultimate Master of us, but there is such incredible personal satisfaction in knowing and celebrating your accomplishments. Imagine, eating a meal provided by your garden and own animals in a house that you and your family built.

Learn how to store food
This goes hand-in-hand with growing your own. There are times of surplus. These are the times that you put back food either through canning, dehydrating, smoking or freezing to preserve it for future lean times. Having stored food also lets you be a blessing to others in need. A pastor once told me that we are blessed to be a blessing. How true that is!

Do something everyday, no matter how small, to further your goal
This goes along to what I've said a few times above. Do something, anything, everyday. You will not regret it and it will help to keep you focused on living the lifestyle that you want to live.

Homestead/Self-Sufficient Series - Alaska: The Last Frontier

I previously posted about watching some homestead/self-sufficient television shows in my sparse downtime and talked about a show called Mountain Men.

This time, I would like to discuss a show called, Alaska: The Last Frontier. For those who do not know, Alaska: The Last Frontier follows the adventures of the Kilcher family, Atz Lee Kilcher, Eivin Kilcher, Otto Kilcher, Atz Kilcher, Eve Kilcher, Jane Kilcher, Charlotte Kilcher at their homestead in Homer, Alaska.

The following is taken from Alaska: The Last Frontier's Facebook...

Alaska: The Last Frontier introduces viewers to the Kilcher family and their isolated community outside Homer, Alaska. The Kilchers have cultivated and lived on their homestead for generations. These men and women of the wild live off the land, spending the limited months of summer and fall gardening, hunting and fishing for food, gathering supplies from the land and preparing their animals' safety in preparation for surviving the harsh Alaskan winters. 

What can I say about the Kiltcher family? They are the real deal. Honest. Hardworking and well,... real. The new season is almost upon us, but in reflecting on the previous seasons, we see the struggles and triumphs that define a true frontier family.

For those interested in watching the show, this season just premiered on October 6th at 8PM CST

Sharing Our Stories

As I have mentioned previously, I believe that one of the best things that we can do as homesteaders is to encourage those who have a similar mindset. I have written a really brief post about "our Homesteading story", or the point when one wakes up and realizes what one really wants in a self-sufficient lifestyle.

My story is one where I am in the process of breaking free, but also am wanting to. I woke up several years ago thanks to Jack Spiko and the Survival Podcast, however my family wasn’t on board.

At the time, I saw that we were chasing the Great American Nightmare of consumerism and the things that Jack was talking about really resonated with me. I changed my focus and the family has come along in little steps, but I would say that I am not at the ”I’ve broken free” stage yet.

We have done projects along the way to enable us to make small steps towards our goals. We took up camping, hunting and fishing. We made rain barrels to help collect water, started planting a yearly garden, put in peach and apple trees, blueberry bushes, grapes and have a small flock of chickens. We learned how to water bath and pressure can as well as dehydrate. (I love our Excalibur!). We also cover ”long term” ideas and preps like having an emergency bag for each family member and one for each vehicle. We also go over concepts of awareness; of our surroundings, news in the nation and the world and try to practice Operational Security when whenever we can.

There are some more long term goals that I would like to see us achieve like purchasing a nice tract of land, etc., but that comes with time. The main thing that we have found is that you must have a plan (how do you know if you’ve arrived at the destination if you don’t know what the destination is?) and work towards it a little every day. The other key is that our goals are not the end-all be-all. It’s the journey that matters. Everytime we help educate someone is a step. Everytime we pull out a needed item (ie: first aid during games) from our vehicle or personal bags to help someone is a step for us, but also for the person who thinks, ”Yeah. I should probably be more prepared.”

I hope that be sharing a little bit of our story that it helps you along your journey and encourages you to share with others as well.

Around our homestead - It's molting time

I've been noticing that our chickens have been producing fewer and fewer eggs lately. We have a timer that turns on LED lights in the hen house and then lights in the chicken run during the shorter Winter months, so I went ahead and checked our timer. Yep, it was working just fine.

I then looked in the yard and in the hen house and noticed feathers everywhere. After counting chickens to make sure that there wasn't a predator issue, I remembered that our girls went into molt around this time last year.

"What is molting?" and "Why should I care? you may ask. Well, to put it succinctly, chickens stop laying during their molt as their bodies turn to replenishing their feathers to get ready for the colder Fall and Winter months.

The following quote from The Poultry Site explains it a bit more:

After a hen has been producing eggs for several months, she becomes increasingly likely to molt. Molting and egg production are not mutually compatible, so when molting occurs, egg production ceases. The rest from egg laying allows the hen to restore its plumage condition by shedding old feathers and growing new ones. At the same time, the hen’s reproductive tract is rejuvenated, allowing it to increase its rate of egg production and produce higher quality eggs when it returns to lay. Under natural day lengths, molting tends to coincide with the change in season so that hens molt in the fall after they cease egg production due to declining day lengths. In these circumstances, it is normal for all the hens in a flock to go out of production and molt more or less in synchrony. However, if artificial lighting is provided, a hen may molt at any time of year and not in synchrony with other hens. If this happens, she should return to lay in several weeks. 

So all you chicken farmers/ranchers who may be new to this, take heart. Your girls should be back to laying in a few weeks.

 

Homestead/Self-Sufficient Series - Mountain Men

As one who is trying to live a self-sufficient, homesteader life, I find myself drawn to several "reality-based" TV shows that deal with the topic.

"Wait, you watch TV?," you might ask. Well, I don't watch a lot of television. In fact, I try to watch as little as possible, but on the occasions where I do watch TV, I am drawn to these types of shows that showcase the lifestyle that I love and am trying my hardest to live.

Shows like Mountain Men, Alaska: The Last Frontier and even (some) Doomsday Preppers have made it into my schedule... well, not really my schedule, I record them and watch during downtime at night.

Mountain Men
I got addicted to Mountain Men last year (it's not a problem if I admit I have a problem, right?) during its premiere season. Living with one foot in the "modern world" and one foot in the word where I wish to live leaves me looking to connect with stories and experiences of others living the self-sufficient lifestyle.

Never heard of Mountain Men? Here is a quote from the History Channel's series:

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live your life off the grid? Have you wished you could shed the complications of modern society and live in the wilderness, using only the things nature has provided? Meet Eustace Conway, Tom Oar and Marty Meierotto of the new History series Mountain Men, three men who have devoted their lives to survival in its simplest form. But how simple is it really?

From the rugged Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to the seven-month-long winters on the Yaak River in Montana to the frigid northern range of Alaska, the country is full of some very unforgiving terrain. Watch as these men face off against mudslides, falling trees, ravaging weather and even hungry animals, to make sure they obtain the food and supplies they will need to make it through the brutal winter months ahead.

The show itself has been on now for two seasons and I think has done a pretty decent job in showcasing how these modern pioneers live. From the isolated Yaak Valley of northwest Montana to the frozen wilds of Alaska’s Great Northern Range to North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, we see the struggles of disappointing trapping seasons, struggles of dealing with the weather, etc., but through it all, the true spirit of these people come out.



Being in Nature is more than living there, it's being a part of Nature and finding happiness and satisfaction in a simple (but hard) life well lived.

To quote Nancy Oar, “It feeds our soul,” she said of the scenery.

She said she hopes viewers of “Mountain Men” will come away with a sense that they are in control of their lives. “Maybe people can look at their own lives and find happiness and satisfaction.”


Next season , there will be a new addition, a guy with his son. I think that it will be a really nice addition in that it will show that there are some families that are trying to/living this lifestyle.

Yes, it is a television show. Yes, parts of it are scripted, but all things being equal, it's a great show and I can't wait for next season!

Yearning For The Country? It Could Be Barnheart!

I came across this Mother Earth News article that describes what I think is how most people who want to homestead feel. To some, it may seem foolish to want to leave "civilization" and "the real word" for a harder life. To me, I see no other way. It's so hard at times to explain to others the incessant longing to live a simple, self-sufficient lifestyle. While it may seen strange at times that I live for the spare moments of time when I can do some work around our homestead. I don't mind getting up early and working around our place.

Our youngest son, is similarly minded. If at all possible, he'll be outside building or working on something. Heck, last week without asking, he cut down brush around one of our wood piles and then reorganized some of the wood. I guess when it's in you, it's in you. Maybe it's hereditary?

 

I am doing some of the things to bring me closer to my homesteading goal (fruit trees and berries, chickens, rain barrels, canning, hunting, etc.) but still fall into the "trying to break free" category. I have to remember that it's the journey, not the destination that matters.

Anyway, this is a really cool article for what I have… Barnheart!

http://www.motherearthnews.com/homes...#axzz2bxYeFwrl

3 Sisters Garden

When looking at trying to make our garden more productive, we learned about a method of companion planting called a 3 sisters garden that I believe came from the Native Americans.

 

The 3 Sisters Garden is a grouping (I guess that pairing isn’t the right word here) of corn, beans and squash. They all compliment each other in a symbiotic relationship. The corn provides a natural structure for the beans to climb on. The beans “fix” nitrogen on their roots, improving the overall fertility of area. The beans also help stabilize the corn so that they are less vulnerable to blowing over in the wind. Squash vines, which are shallow rooted, help to retain water in the soil as well as shade out any weeds that may come along. 

Corn, beans and squash also complement each other nutritionally. The corn provides carbohydrates, the dried beans are rich in protein and the squash contains.

 

In addition, after harvest, all of this can be mulched to improve the soil for next year. 

When you plan this out, this garden has to be planted in full sun.

Below is the layout for the mounds and the corn placement. We'll then look at how the rest of the garden is laid out.

 

 

To plant corn, you first make 18” diameter mounds (with flattened tops), each one 5 feet apart from the previous one. You then plant the corn in a 6” square with each corn plant in the middle of the line of the square. See figures.

Allow the corn to grow by itself until it is 4” high. Now, weed the area and plant the beans and squash. The beans should be planted on the corners of each square as shown below.

Following planting the beans, plant the squash by creating 18” mounds in the middle of the corn and bean mounds. Plant 3 squash seeds in a 4” x 4” x 4” triangle in the center of the mound. Later you will have to thin the squash to 2 plants.

The varieties that we’ve used have been Silver Queen corn, Kentucky Wonder Pole Beans and Summer Squash.

This was our first attempt at planting this type of garden and in spite of that, it turned out wonderfully!

I hope that this helps you with your 3 sisters garden.