Today, we talk about homestead burnout, why many new homesteaders feel tempted (and do) give up after only a year or three, and what to do about it. We also cover our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event August 23: Wild Edible Walk with Kerry Brown of Strong Roots Resources – 8:30 AM before Curds and Connection at the Holler Homestead.

Sponsor 1 Strong Roots Resources – Permaculture consulting, education, and more.

Sponsor 2 AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN – Helping entrepreneurs, homesteaders, and freedom-minded folks handle taxes the smart way.

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Setting up Basecamp for long-term storage

   

• Road food from the pantry

   

• Fall garden focus

   

• Pushing for more dried herbs

   

Frugality Tip From Margo: Before making a large purchase, check multiple sites. Margo scored a $100 gift card from Northern Tool by ordering online (over $1000 purchase), then picking up in-store. A little research can literally pay off.

Operation Independence Adding value can make all the difference — like offering a Wild Edible Walk add-on for the cheese class.

Main Topic of the Day: How to Fix Homestead Burnout

• Discussion with Tactical about my dead garden bed

   

• Why so many homesteads give up after 1–3 years

   

  • Striving for perfection

     

  • Using 1 person to do the work of 2, 3, or even 4

     

  • Instagram homesteads vs. reality

     

  • The same reasons we burn out on anything

     

  • The homestead is always there — and you live there

     

• Why people get into homesteading

   

  • The homesteader’s curse

     

  • My 140 tomato story

     

  • If you’re not on a homestead yet, what you can do

     

• How to avoid homestead burnout

   

  • Create a space where you can truly let go and reset

     

  • Have other interests or hobbies

     

  • Adjust expectations before you start

     

  • Create goals that aren’t fear-based

     

  • Learn to spot burnout early:

     

    • Constant fatigue

       

    • Irritability or loss of excitement

       

    • Letting maintenance slide

       

    • Avoiding certain areas or projects

       

    • More arguments or isolation

       

    • Spending more time on screens than outside

       

    • Self-check questions:

       

      1. When’s the last time I felt genuinely excited about a homestead task?

          

      2. Am I doing chores because I want to or just because they have to be done?

          

      3. Have I been skipping or half-doing maintenance I used to stay on top of?

          

      4. Am I avoiding certain areas, animals, or projects because they feel overwhelming?

          

• How to address burnout if you’re already there

   

  • Make space to get away for 2–3 days and stay off social media

     

  • Take a true day of rest

     

  • Move your body

     

  • Assess eating and drinking habits

     

  • Follow homesteaders who show their failures and lessons learned

     

  • Scale back without feeling like you’ve failed

     

The world, and we, are messy. Do three things anyway and see how far you can go in a month, then 2 months, then a year!

Make it a great week.

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

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Resources

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