Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

Join us in the series in the first in a series for 2017 of poems read from throughout the world. This version of The Night Before Christmas comes from our friend "Jaggy Little Thistle" who listens from Scottland. Thanks for the recording Jaggy!

Today’s show is the last one until next year! In this episode, we will take a look at 2017. The good, the bad, the sad. We will also cover holidays, navigating them, being with your family who you may love, may find frustrating, or may even find abusive. I’ll share what this time means to all of us here in the Holler Homestead. Share some recipes we will try this year. Marvel at the bounty that surrounds us, talk about bitcoin and two-factor authentication, share some cool thoughts from listeners.

Today, we have a special episode with Kurt Dugger to discuss bitcoin and crypto currency basics. In Simple terms. This is a beginner's intro to bitcoin starting with "What it bitcoin anyway?" Resources Webinar Sigh Up: Bitcoin in Plain English - Dec 19, 5:30pm (FREE!!) https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W7kB5iXuR7St0UBBW2umLw Coinbase Affiliate Link: https://www.coinbase.com/join/55c39991371c072c7000016a Jaxx Wallet: https://jaxx.io/ Make it a great week! Song: Learning What Leaving Is by Sa

Today, we have a fun one cued up. We will  review the pig processing workshop over at Cider Hollow Farm and I will describe for you some of the things that David Oswalt built that made the whole day go a bit easier, we will dive a bit further in the the independence fund assessment for the year and what that has meant for all of us here at the Holler Homestead, and I will walk give you a much-needed goat update!

Today, I want to go back to our core mission with this podcast and talk about building independence into your life. It all started with an article I read aimed at this new tax bill that congress is considering. It left me wondering when we all became so spineless and unable to take care of ourselves, quite frankly! We will examine the totally missed point of the author of the article, and learn from that for use in our own lives.

Today, I address a number of questions about turkey, stock, try a new coffee from Australia, talk about freedom, and much more as we head into a rural American winter. Holler Roast is growing and we are finding new pathways to standing on our own, without steady employer oversight. There is still a pig here who wandered onto the land. And, while the goats do not make an appearance in the podcast, I do say the word goat at least one time. Also, I didn't burn the house down on Sunday, so ...

It’s Thanksgiving week and you all know what that means. We are in full holiday season mode. It’s time to buy the children of all your friends some cheap plastic toys, go into debt buying that heirloom ham, and run frantically around attending all the parties and gatherings, including a thing called “Friendsgiving” so that by January 3rd you are broke, sick, and surrounded by clutter. This is one of my favorite times of year because if you get it under control, there is so much fun to be had.

Part of our lifestyle here on the homestead is about building resilience into our day to day activities. Because no matter what happens, we only know one thing: change is coming. This idea that you work one job your whole life and retire to play golf – and that this is the norm – was a nice dream, but it is really a fiction.

Today I want to talk with you about stress and more importantly letting it go because life is too precious to waste on worry and fussing. And this year has been a doozy of a year for stress in my personal life, as well as professionally. So many ups and downs, so many reasons to lose confidence, so many reasons to thank friends and family, and so much potential for new things to come. Also today, I will share with you some of the latest Holler Homestead happenings, along with a holiday announcement!

Today, I will give you a big goaty update - loosely organized around five things that the goats have taught me about fencing. I also have an update on the caramel recipe I covered last week, and someone asked me a question about vanilla extract.

Today, we talk now about some homemade holiday gift ideas that you can start now so that they are fantastic by December! Also today, we have a coffee business update, and a special announcement!  

Today, we have a new interview with Dori. Remember Dori? She reached out earlier this year because she had purchased a dreamy sounding property in Missouri complete with deteriorating cabins and a home built onto the side of a cliff and into a cave! We had a fun interview right after her first weekend at the property and talked about her plans for the land. Dori will be on after our regular segments to give us an update on how things have developed in the last six months. 

As we rutch into fall season, and to prepare you for the coming night where the screen between the world of the dead and the world of the living, I thought we could talk about the most important of homesteading plants to foster on your land: Garlic. Garlic is one of those cure-all vegetable with its antiseptic properties, bug deterring scent, sauce-flavor-boosting characteristics, and it even keeps vampires at bay! 

Today we will take a look at what fall means on the homestead - or rather falling into winter. The sprint has started. Everything is ripe. Animals must have winter-ready food, water and shelter. Firewood must be cut and stored. Harvest festivals are in full swing. For those of you who do not live on a homestead, fall feels more busy than spring because each week, the weather gets a little colder. And the last two weeks have been zingers at the Holler Homestead. Tune in to find out why.

Today, I run through stories and do a debrief after having spent a week helping with logistics (from Tennessee) for bringing aid to victims of Hurricane Harvey. This was recorded from my car using the Zello app because with all the time needed to help with on the ground logistics, the only time I could carve out to record was in the car, driving someone to the airport.