• Why we decided to raise our own meat chickens instead of just buying “better” meat
• How seeing someone else do it made us realize we could try
• Whether you need land, special equipment, or a farm setup
• Meat chickens vs laying hens and which makes sense for beginners
• What “raising meat chickens well” actually means in real life
• Early mistakes we made and what we wouldn’t repeat
• Feeding chickens too much and what we learned about healthier growth
• The emotional side of raising and processing your own meat
• How our kids were involved and what they learned
• Staying calm, respectful, and grounded on processing day
• How raising our own meat changed how we cook and waste food
• Why using the whole chicken matters
• How one small food skill can shift your confidence and mindset

If you’d like a more in-depth, step-by-step series on raising and processing meat chickens, let me know. I’m happy to go deeper if that would be helpful.

You can reach me through my website or by email.
 

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

When Wendi moved her family to Florida, she left behind something she now deeply misses.
Not furniture.
Farm tools.

That realization became the heart of this episode.

Why homesteading value lives in skills, not stuff

How to homestead on a budget without waiting for “someday”

Learning to see abundance in your home, yard, and even clutter

Why buckets, tools, pallets, and scraps matter more than aesthetics

The power of foraging and learning what already grows around you

How weeds like dandelions are only weeds until you know their purpose

Building functional chicken coops and pens without expensive materials

Growing food from seeds and turning small starts into food or income

Using grocery scraps like tomatoes, onions, and radishes to grow more food

Why mistakes are part of building self-reliant confidence

How resilience is formed through learning, trying, and adjusting

A gentle invitation to learn skills inside the Joyfully Prepared Library: www.joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

This episode is for anyone who feels drawn to homesteading but worries they cannot afford it.
It is a reminder that confidence comes from learning, not buying.

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

Why Container Gardening Works Almost Anywhere
You do not need land. Or a perfect setup. Just a place to start.

Choosing Containers Without Buying Anything New
Buckets, bags, bowls, and things you already own can work just fine.

Soil Basics Without the Overwhelm
What matters. What doesn’t. And what to skip entirely.

Beginner Plants That Are Hard to Kill
Easy wins that build confidence fast.

Why Mulch Makes Container Gardening Easier
A simple layer that saves water and prevents problems.

Where to Find Good Seeds
Including favorites like 

• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
• Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
• Strictly Medicinal Seeds

** Joyfully Prepared Container Gardening  Workbook **

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

Celebrating episode 200 and four years of podcasting

Why Wendi started the podcast and what Joyfully Prepared is really about

Milling grain and baking whole wheat bread as a lesson in learning through failure

A simple, everyday definition of anti-fragility

How homesteading naturally builds anti-fragile skills

Skill stacking and why learning one skill makes the next easier

Building a fence solo and choosing hard things on purpose

Recognizing and shifting out of victim thinking

Asking the question that changes everything: “What can I do with what I have right now?”

Creating anti-fragile moments intentionally in low-stakes spaces

Applying anti-fragility to quilting, real estate, and everyday life

Why preparedness creates calm and reduces panic

Using a transformation journal to document growth and progress

A gentle reminder that being clumsy and unfinished is part of becoming capable

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Container Gardening Course - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/containergardeningcourse

Podcast Episode: Mastering the Art of Skill Stacking for Ultimate Preparedness
 

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

Why homesteading is about skills, not land

How homesteading looked before it had a trendy name

Growing up with a garden, jars on the shelf, and clothes on the line

Why homesteading skills are an investment and a form of self-care

Setting a boundary around learning and practicing skills

Why food is foundational to confidence and self-reliance

Starting with one meal, one recipe, or one jar

The blackberry jam story and learning by doing

Why confidence comes from proximity, not over-researching

Letting systems reveal themselves through repetition

Finding mentors and learning in community

How homesteading skills transfer to apartments, RVs, and everywhere else

Why skills can never be taken away from you

Relearning skills and getting back into rhythm

Homesteading as an adventure and a lifelong practice

A warm welcome into the homesteader identity

Mentioned Resource:
🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

Welcome to the last episode of 2025. Instead of forcing goals or rushing a fresh start, we do something softer and more realistic: a homestead reset. We walk through three simple categories — keep, release, pause — to clear space in your mind, your home, and your heart before the new year begins.

In this episode:
• why resets feel better than resolutions
• how tiny habits and “showing up” actually built your year
• what worked for you in 2025 (hint: more than you think)
• how releasing expectations makes room to breathe
• pausing without quitting
• why January is a recovery month for moms
• how journaling keeps you honest about your growth

Simple reflection invitation:
Write down 3 things you’ll keep, 3 you’ll release, and 3 you’ll pause as you move into 2026.
That tiny list is a reset. It’s space. It’s permission.

Reminder:
The Joyfully Prepared New Year begins February 1st.
January is for recovery, naps, leftovers, and slower days.

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

In this episode of The Joyfully Prepared Podcast, I’m sharing what happened when I didn’t hit the goals I set at the beginning of the year and why that didn’t mean the year was a failure. As I looked back, I realized something surprising. My life changed in big, meaningful ways I never planned, and I would have forgotten most of it if I hadn’t written it down.

This episode is an invitation to slow down and notice what actually changed in your life, even if your goals didn’t turn out the way you expected. Growth doesn’t always look like accomplishment. Sometimes it looks like becoming kinder to yourself, stronger in your faith, or more aware of what truly matters. You’re not behind. You’re becoming. And that kind of growth matters.

Joyfully Prepared Library
A growing collection of classes, guides, and resources focused on self-reliance, homemaking skills, preparedness, and mindset.

The Bean Book
A practical guide to buying, storing, preparing, and using dried beans in everyday meals.

The Wheat Book
A beginner-friendly guide to wheat, including storage, preparation, and ways to use wheat to feed your family well.

Transformation Journal Pages
Simple printable pages to help you track daily wins, spiritual insights, and personal growth.

Future Transformation Journal Group
A possible upcoming group experience focused on journaling, reflection, accountability, and growth.

Why we’re officially starting the new year on February 1

The magic of treating January as a recovery month

Why moms need breathing room before setting goals

How to choose one tiny, steady goal for the new year

What you want more of in your home and life

Wendi’s two-year decluttering story and why slow progress still counts

Learning one skill a year versus overwhelming yourself

Why a February start gives your brain permission to calm down

The One Thing Challenge for February

Encouragement for setting boundaries and making space for yourself

BooksRun app for decluttering books (add your affiliate link)

Previous episode about prioritizing yourself

You are not behind.
You are not late.
You are allowed to rest.
And a February 1 start is still a start… honestly, it might be the best one.

We’ll continue our year-end series with a gentle look at what we learned this past year… and what we’re ready to release moving into 2026.

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

A warm, real talk about unmet goals

Why homesteading is more about mindset than land

The honest reasons we get stuck: tiredness, overwhelm, fear, perfectionism

My personal stories about sourdough and the overwhelming quilt

How to recognize your tiny wins and let go of guilt

Why starting your “new year” on February 1 might be the most freeing thing ever

A nightly practice to track your progress and stay grounded

Transformation Journal Page
A simple printable to jot down your daily wins, mercies, miracles, and next-day goals.

Podcast Episode: You Prioritize What You Love

You didn’t fail.
You didn’t fall behind.
You’re learning, growing, and building the life you want in small, beautiful ways.

We’ll talk about simple homesteading resolutions you can actually keep — especially if you’re joining the “New Year Starts February 1” club.

🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com

In This Episode
• Why gratitude works even when life feels upside down
• How gratitude is a skill, not just a personality trait
• The difference between reacting and dwelling
• Why negativity is the “easy slope” our brains love
• How God teaches us through opportunities to grow
• Wendi’s “I’ll just be grateful” mantra
• Funny but true gratitude list items
• How gratitude strengthens resilience and self-reliance
• Why controlling your thoughts changes everything
• A simple challenge to jumpstart your own gratitude practice

Takeaways
• Gratitude interrupts the mental spiral and rewires your thoughts.
• You don’t have to pretend hard things aren’t hard. You just don’t have to stay there.
• Small moments of gratitude move you closer to God’s solutions.
• Your brain will follow your lead if you tell it what to look for.
• Fun gratitude items make the practice easier to stick with.

Wendi’s Invitations

Make a list of your top 5–10 “go-to gratitudes.”

Use the mantra: “I’ll just be grateful.” Let it flip your brain into gratitude mode.

Links
🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com

📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com

🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning

🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate

📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper

👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com