We all say we want the simple life. But have you noticed that what we call “simple” often looks a lot like more work?

And I get it. The simple life isn’t easy, but stick with me.

Because in this episode, I’m asking what the simple life really means, and why we keep equating it with old-fashioned everything. Because let’s be honest, in this modern world, doing things the old way doesn’t always make life easier. Sometimes it just makes us busier.

Let’s consider that maybe our great-grandparents weren’t chasing the past. Maybe they were actually trying to get away from it. Maybe they dreamed about washing machines, not washboards. Maybe they wanted running water, not a hand pump.

So what are we actually chasing when we say we want simple? Less noise? Less pressure? More meaning?

Let’s talk about what simplicity actually looks like right now. Not in 1920, not on Instagram, but in real, modern life.

10-21-25, Amy Dingmann

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I was watching old westerns during our cabin getaway last month and couldn’t help thinking about how hard life used to be. Kids riding horses (or walking) miles to school, women having babies and just hoping they’d survive, men heading to town not sure they’d make it back.

That was their normal. That was… their Tuesday.

And here we are, living in the cushiest time in history (climate control, grocery delivery, cars that tell us when the tire pressure is low) and yet we’ve got more anxiety, more depression, more people saying “I just can’t deal.”

So what happened? Is it that life get easier, so we just got softer?

Maybe.

Or maybe the story’s a little more complicated than that.

In this episode, we’re talking about what we might have lost when comfort became our default. We’ll ask the hard questions about progress, ease, and if this whole “people are getting so soft” has always been the assumption, regardless of what generation we’re in.

Grab your coffee. Pull up a chair on the front porch. Let’s talk about it.

– 10-14-25, Amy Dingmann

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon

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Comfort food means something different to everyone, but have you ever stopped to wonder why?

In this episode, I’m talking about how bread and mashed potatoes went from survival fuel to soul food, how abundance made us nostalgic for “simpler” times, and why what’s on our plate is really about the memories, people, and stories tied to it.

Grab a cup of coffee and join me on the front porch. Today we’re talking comfort food, connection, and what it all says about the world we live in now.

— Amy Dingmann, 10-7-25

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon

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Books I Wrote: Non-fiction books, Fiction books

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Know what I’ve been thinking about? I’m starting to wonder if I’ve got too many chickens.

See, we say we want the “simple life,” but then we load ourselves up with too many animals, too many projects, and too much everything. We decide we have to have an extra extra large garden, make as much as possible from scratch, and even mill our own flour (because honestly, Brenda, who doesn’t do that?)

But I’m starting to think about the fact that our great-great-grandparents worked hard and possibly dreamt of a day they wouldn’t have to do all the things… and yet here we are, trying to take on what they were trying to get away from?

Let’s talk about rethinking our why and what makes sense, instead of chasing what some could actually say is excess. And how weird is it to wrap our head around that? The idea that the simple life could be… excessive?

There are some honest questions in here, friends. Pull up a chair and have a listen!

Today’s episode is also my first episode after my two month break where I spent time figuring out where exactly this podcast is headed at almost 8 years old. So welcome back to what I foresee as a lot of casual “Farmish Front Porch Conversations!”

— Amy Dingmann, 9-30-25

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon

Where I’m at: Facebook page, Telegram chat group, Discord group, TikTok, YouTube

Books I Wrote: Non-fiction books, Fiction books

Join my Facebook group: The Get By Guys and Gals Group

Sometimes you reach a point in life where everything starts to shift, and the path that used to make sense suddenly… doesn’t.

That’s where I’m at. And maybe you are, too.

In today’s episode, I’m talking about:

This is a raw, honest look at where I’m at right now, and why I’ve decided to take a break from the podcast until October. Not because I’m quitting. But because I don’t want to keep punting through it. I want to rebuild on purpose.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, scattered, or unsure what’s next… this one’s for you.

If this episode resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you! Shoot me an email or a message on social media and let me know how you’re navigating the “what now” of this season.

Episode 316: Surviving Midlife on the Homestead

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Today’s episode is a bit of a heart-to-heart (literally and figuratively). After a couple weeks of unexpected health stuff, I found myself thinking a lot about the promises we often hear in the homesteading and simple living world. Namely, the insinuation that if you just live “right,” you’ll never get sick.

But in real life? It’s not that simple.

In this episode, we dive into:

(Main topic of the episode starts at 6:52, after updates from the lifestead!)

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Modern life has done a pretty good job of making movement optional. We sit to work, sit to relax, sit to eat, sit to connect—and we wonder why we feel off. But the truth is, we were made to move.

In today’s episode, I’m talking about what happens when we stop moving… and what changes when we start again.

This isn’t about burning calories or “getting shredded.” It’s about clarity, energy, strength, and staying connected to the life we’re trying to build.

Even if your version of movement looks different now than it used to (because let’s be real, 40 is not 20 and 70 is not 35) your body still needs it. And if you don’t give it what it was made for, it’s going to get loud about it.

This episode is for anyone who’s felt stiff, sluggish, overwhelmed, or just disconnected. Let’s talk about how we got here… and how we get back. Main topic starts at 6:07

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon!

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We live in a world obsessed with making everything easier. Faster. More convenient. From drive-thrus and pre-chopped veggies to content that disappears in 15 seconds or less, we’ve been sold the idea that “easy” and “fast” equals better.

We’re saving time to fit more in to our day… so why do we still always feel like we’re behind?

And if easy and fast gets the job done, why are we left feeling so… empty?

In this episode, I talk about why the satisfying stuff in life—real food, real work, real connection—is often the hard stuff. And how doing things the long way, the messy way, or the “I-can’t-believe-I-still-do-this-manually” way might actually be the secret to feeling more grounded and human.

Today I’m talking about choosing the version of life that does fill you up. Because this is not about doing everything the hard way. It’s about doing the right things in a way that actually matters.

Main topic starts at 5:55!

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon!

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Books I Wrote: Non-fiction books, Fiction books

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Ever set up a perfect system to keep your life or homestead running smoothly—only to wake up one day and realize it’s completely fallen apart?

Yeah. Me too.

In this week’s episode of the Farmish Kind of Life podcast, I’m sharing three mistakes I’ve made lately when it comes to routines, maintenance, and keeping the chaos in check—because real life happens. Sometimes we get busy. Sometimes we hit emotional survival mode. And sometimes, we just need a reset.

This is your (and my) gentle (but honest) kick in the pants to reassess what’s working, what’s not, and how to pull things back together—without shame.

Check out the main topic that starts at 6:24!

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon!

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I don’t care what you call this kind of life you’re living—homesteading, the farmish life, the simple life, whatever. But I’m here to tell you today that there are a lot of things you don’t have to do in order to be part of the club.

In this episode, we break down 5 things you don’t have to do to claim the homesteading life as your own. Because this thing we’re doing isn’t a competition—it’s real life. And real life is not a checklist.

Whether you’re doing all the simple life things or just a few here and there, you belong here. This life is about doing what works for you.

(After our lifestead updates, the main topic starts at 7:56!)

Grab a copy of my newest book, Peace, Love, and Bacon!

Where I’m at: Facebook page, Telegram chat group, Discord group, TikTok, YouTube

Monthly Snail Mail Newsletter: Subscribe here

Books I Wrote: Non-fiction books, Fiction books

Join my Facebook group: The Get By Guys and Gals Group

Buy my shirts!: The Farmish Kind of Life Bonfire Store