Living Free In Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

And a listener shot me an email last week after hearing the garden section with a pretty important question that has led to today’s topic: Starting Seedlings for the Newbee. Also today, a comment on some of the divisiveness we have all been experiencing and some thoughts on why certain words are triggering bad behavior - especially online. More importantly, we will talk about something you might do to de-escalate these situations. Also, we will be re-upping the Toby Hemenway segment not THIS WEEK, but next week - Honestly - chapter 8 is taking me a long time to develop because there is so much information in it and I just don’t want to do a bad job for you. Be ready next week for that one. Notes at: http://livingfreeintennessee.com/2017/03/06/episode-26-starting-seedlings-for-the-newbee/  

On today’s show, I will walk you through a specific recipe you can try at home with produce purchased at the store for your first canning project. This is in advance of our soon to be produced youtube series: Learn Canning with 8 Home Preservation Projects. Also cued up for the show is another segment from Samantha the Savings Ninja! She will give us her top picks for phone apps that can save you money. Also, Holler Roast coffee is officially for sale online at livingfreeintennessee.com. It is $14 a pound plus shipping, and of course the best shipping rate is for 5 pounds, but two pounds ship for a fairly reasonable price too! More show notes at LivingFreeinTennessee.com

Do you ever give some advice to people, then realize the person who needs it the most is you? That’s basically how last week went here at the Holler Homestead. The ducks discovered the creek resulting in a cascading series of projects that were of top priority, and not originally on my list. Today, I will cover something promised from last week: potato preservation, go over questions to ask as a result of reading chapter 6 of Gaia’s Garden, there will be the first in a series of gardening economics discussions, and, last but not least, Dances with Ducks - a view into how keeping animals means you can’t depend on any plan you ever make. Justin Rhodes chicken tractor plans   Eating Seasonally Wild Garlic and Watercress still going strong Dead Nettle, Lamium purpureum , Identifying it (Salads, sautee’s and with eggs) Chickweed, more on this next week Getting the Gardens Ready Where we share what we are doing to get our food growing operation up and running. Sweet Potato Slip Update: The first slip is starting

Today we will take some time to review four strategies for managing a busy spring on the homestead without losing your mind. Spring has begun early this year and with it, a dangerous situation is in the works: The potential for an early April deep freeze. But what if it doesn’t?  What if we just go straight into a spring that no longer gets below 26 degrees and ends in a super hot May that kills all the peas and  lettuce? Our daffodils are blooming. Our trees are budding out. Our bees are madly bringing pollen to the nest. We might have swarms soon - they are already starting in Texas. And I am just one person on a homestead with a job, starting a new business, with limited time. It occurred to me, those of you listening to this for the first time probably have no idea what the segments are or why we have them. Living on a homestead requires a different, more simple approach to living, eating and planning. In the first few episodes, I was haphazardly sharing some of our experiences and eventually the fell int

Today we will talk about progress we are making here at the Holler Homestead, and along our own pathway toward more independence in Tennessee. I’ll give you an Independence Fund update, tell you how the newspaper is doing, share some of the progress we’ve made on or new farm concepts - and how they have already changed, and tell you some exciting things about the cookbook. Direct Download Eating Seasonally Wild Garlic Watercress Elephant garlic shallots Eggs Jerusalem artichokes Time to harvest the last of the carrots - they are about to become woody Getting Ready for Spring Planting Sweet Potato Slip Update Preparing potatoes for planting early Getting our beds ready with lots of manure and mulch Tree and vine trimming time - wish I had done this in December Horseradish Plant propagation Comfrey Propagation Moving the day lilies Tales from the Prepper Pantry The weekly squash - week 7: Squash A’Gratin Bake fried potatoes Roasted potato salad Pre-grated sweet potatoes for salad toppings Salad Corn and Gr

Thanks for humoring me last week as we took a step back together and walked through a how to podcast episode. I know you may be wondering what does that have to do with a walk to independence or homesteading? Well there is this thing we all need on the homestead - cash. And one way to generate income is to use tools like podcasting to promote your products. Plus, a podcast is a great way to capture what you are learning as you start on an adventure. You get the double bonus of helping others as they start a similar adventure. This week, though, we are back to a homesteading topic with a show about mushrooms. I have never seen so many oyster mushrooms as we have had this year here in the south and that has taken me on a bit of a foray in what to do with them all - Because when nature gives us bounty, it is best to take advantage of it! There must be a reason I need vitamin D this year because the mushrooms have the D - and come to think of it - it has been darker than usual this winter. We’ve passed a benchmar

Today is Monday, January 23, 2017 and this is episode 20 of Living Free in Tennessee. When I think back to that first episode, all the ums and edits, the starts and restarts, it is with lots of gratefulness. I am grateful for that special friend who helped me get the one piece of equipment I needed to grow from built-in computer mic to a nice recording setup. Grateful for my friends over on the TSP Zello channel who have kept me going through that low point we all get to on a podcast. And to Jack Spirko and Nick Ferguson who probably have no idea that they inspired me to get off my bum and do something for myself last summer as I was watching all the other parts of my world start to crumble. And then there is Ford. You know who you are. That day I was going to trash the whole project you asked me a simple question: “When is the next podcast coming out?” That simple question was what it took to make me ask myself. “Am I really gonna do this thing? Why? Where could I take it if I did it right? How can I arrange

With episode 20 looming large I decided to talk longer about some of our regular segments today and to review ten things that new homesteaders should consider as they start working on a their piece of land. We have a new development! Samantha the Savings Ninja has agreed to give us a monthly savings segment. I asked her a question about couponing because I am just now relearning how to use them in the modern age of rewards cards, cell phones and rapidly intensifying technology. Do you have a question for Samantha? Send me an email with the subject line: LFTN Savings Ninja and I’ll see about getting your question on the next show. Things to ask a consultant before bringing them to your property: Who have they worked with before and what do those folks say about them? How forthcoming with their experience are they? Have they done a PDC or are they rather new to the discipline? Will they let you come visit their farm before you decide? (which can tell you what they have implemented.) What mother nature is prov

With a fresh year in front of us, I thought we could take some time today to review a strategy for planning your spring garden. We will also talk about three minor changes you can make this week to set yourself up for a great year. It’s a great time to tap into your perception of a fresh start to change just one thing. We often underestimate the power of how a few small changes can have a long term impact for the better for us, our families and those around us. What mother nature is providing Water and snow (Duck Story) Oyster Mushrooms - frozen solid Stinging Nettle Carrots! Tales from the Prepper Pantry The weekly squash - week 3:  Sauteed Spaghetti Squash Olive oil, garlic, basil --- add parmesan and salt at the end. Using left overs - Venison Stroganoff: 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 3 cups diced fresh mushrooms, flour, oil/fat, white wine, milk, cream (or stock and sour cream) Cow Update - It fit! And we had the easiest processing ever - here is what we did Cabbage and grated sweet potato salad - tastes g

Today we will talk about how we did with our family strategic plan this year, begin diving into a book I’ve been reading about home-scale permaculture, and talk a bit about where I hope to see this show go in the coming months. Big news my friends - we have made it to Stitcher! We are on iTunes too! Today is Monday, December 26, 2016 and this is episode 17 of Living Free in Tennessee. We are on a week off here at the Holler Homestead. For years, the week between Christmas and New Year’s has been our time to rest up, think about the past, plan for the future, clean out and reset ourselves. What mother nature is providing Mushrooms Fingers crossed: Stinging Nettle Watercress Tales from the Prepper Pantry The weekly squash - week 3: Butternut Squash Soup Apples are getting soft - so it is time to make applesauce - and begin to eat the canned fruits. Incoming cow means reorganizing the Pantry because of how the onions are stored. Lessons learned from Toby Hemenway Gaia's Garden: http://amzn.to/2ikwnrE Are yo

Listed to a reading of The Night Before Christmas - both the traditional version and one from down under.   Merry Christmas all!  

Today is Monday, December 19, 2016 and this is episode 16 of Living Free in Tennessee. 12/20 Update: re-recorded the first 5 minutes due to unpleasant audio. What mother nature is providing Cabbage Persimmons Mo’ Mushrooms The watercress is still here! Using the Prepper Pantry Venison Braised Cabbage Recipe on crack: Venison Braised Cabbage Bierock The weekly squash - week 2: Spaghetti spaghetti squash Stories from the Holler A postoffice story Neighborhood Break In Maybe a new neighbor? Kittens Interview with Samantha Comfort First steps to getting your finances ready to save more money Three tips to save money now: Store Rewards Programs, Get smart on using credit card rewards programs, Find ways to get cash back. Ibotta upromise.com Zello Channel... Christmas Dinner from the pantry Roemertopf Chestnut Dressing Potato pancakes Cabbage salad with Watercress Persimmon Chutney Home baked rolls Green bean casserole with wild mushroom sauce and homemade “funions” Holler roast coffee Christmas Cookies a

Winter is coming and so are the holidays this week at the Holler Homestead.  Today we will go over this week’s pantry tip, talk about winterizing the homestead and I’ll share 5 country gift ideas. What mother nature is providing Cabbage Venison - bacon wrapped loin Mushrooms Using the Prepper Pantry Why is it called the prepper pantry? Potato soup (Bacon) Protection from freezing Honey Extraction The weekly squash - week 1: Roasted butternut squash Tip on how to cube it without losing a finger tip Winter is coming Cabin draining Duck water Pump house Attic Root Cellar Bad Windows Screened in porch Five Country Gift Ideas: Look around - what do you have or what can you make that would be special? 1.Chestnuts with a pretty instructions sheet 2. Fancied up preserves, canned goods, or other homemade items like vanilla extract 3. SachetsLavendar on Amazon.... 4. Repurposed country items: horse hames, horseshoes, etched bottles 5. Meal in a jar (Take any recipe, put the dried parts in the jar. Write fan

Holler Homestead living is the topic of the day. Today is Monday, December 5, 2016 and this is episode 14 of Living Free in Tennessee. With the production of the Center Hill Sun absorbing the whole weekend, I thought it would be a good day to talk about what day to day life is looking like in December. Show Sponsor: The Genesis House http://www.genesishouseinc.com/ What mother nature is providing Watercress Mushrooms The super kale plant Stories from the prepper pantry Easy pantry management - load from the back, take from the front! The Survival Podcast Recommended Episode: http://www.thesurvivalpodcast.com/1759-food-storage, FOOD STORAGE FOR MODERN SURVIVALISM First thing’s first: Soft potatoes, potatoes with eyes, squash that looks at me wrong, soft onions The last week of Watercress -time to freeze it for winter stews Using up the canned goods from 2015 - by pulling them out Stories from the Holler The fires in the Smokies - 13 people dead so far New Chestnut Recipe The WOODSTOVE Tennessee Food Summi

Today we will talk about how to tap into one of the easiest foods to grow on your land in our area: Chestnuts! Specifically how to harvest, store, grow and prepare them. What mother nature is providing Drought -  That means all the usual mushrooms that we harvest at this time of year are not blooming. The good side of this is that firewood has seasoned on the forest floor over the summer and is dry and easy to burn - Creek mint Venison What we are preserving this week Stocks and stews The final set of frozen summer tomatoes Before the freeze: harvested comfrey and other herbs and they are hanging to dry in the kitchen Preparing Chestnuts (Look you can buy them on Amazon!) Scoring: I like to use this tool. It operates like a stamp and makes me fear less for my fingers! Roasting Boiling The open fire method Three ways to eat chestnuts Roasted Added to stuff: Casseroles (like the dressing, tuna, etc), breads you are baking, dressing Chestnut griddle cakes: 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 4 cups chestnuts (in shell)

Today, we will have a Holler Homestead update. I want to share with you some of the stories from our part of the country that have happened in the last few weeks, take a look at where our focus is as we seek to increase the food we produce on site and talk about what we are focusing on moving into the new year. What we are preserving this week... Apple cider - the final round Apple sauce Drying herbs: Basil, comfrey, peppermint Sauerkraut What mother nature is providing... Watercress! Oyster mushrooms! Tomatoes Chilies A cabbage update - we have some :-) and carrots too! Stories from the Holler A deer from the neighbor Holy Helicopter Batman Sweet potatoes successful for the first time CANT OPEN ONE OF MY HIVES Firewood - ho! The great cleanup of 2016 Advice on my cookbook: 365 pages, one recipe each? 12 months? A weekly recipe? Song: Thanks Dave, by Kirk VanDerveer

Today, we talk a bit about the importance of community, explore five ways to prepare hatch chilies, and discuss how to preserve the chilies for winter. Highlight Recipe: Southwestern Broccoli Casserole Ingredients: 4 heads broccoli. Steam, chop, drain 1c celery, chopped 1/2 c onion, chopped 16 oz can green chiles, chopped (or similar volume fresh or roasted) 1 c sour cream 1 c Cheddar, shredded 1/2 c almonds, chopped or slivered Combine in 1.5 qt casserole dish: broccoli, celery, onion, green chiles, sour cream Top w/ cheese. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle w/ almonds. Serve. Song: Tripped Out by Sauce

After a personal break, we are back at it and today I chat about a few health care options and our experience with health insurance and healthshares.  Also today, a bit of a homestead update.

Squash, Squash, Squash! The many ways to eat squash is the name of the game in this 8th episode of Living Free in Tennessee. Today we will take a look at four ways to use squash that you may not have thought of and that can be used as a basis for many fantastic dishes as you work through your summer squash. We will also talk a little bit about elderberries and I will share a tip with you about canning tomato sauce when you don’t have enough tomatoes to process at one time. Evo Sprayer I love more than the Misto one - and yes this is an affiliate link. Song of the show: Learning What Leaving Is by Sauce