When you look around the homesteading world and see other people doing all the things, it can be overwhelming to know how to get started.  In this episode, Melissa K. Norris, a homesteader for over 20 years, joins me to talk about where to start when you want to learn new homesteading skills.  She reminds us not to be afraid of starting small and learning as you go.  She also provides many tangible tips for getting started.  Whether you have been homesteading your whole life or are still contemplating jumping into this lifestyle, there will always be more to learn, so these tips on self-education are for you!

In this episode, we cover:


 One prerequisite for becoming a homesteader

 Deciding what to start with on your homestead

 How to start researching a new skill or endeavor

 What made Melissa decide to get a dairy cow

  Questions to consider when adding livestock to your homestead

  What Melissa’s 20-year homesteading journey has looked like

  The mindset shift that makes homesteading accessible to anyone


Thank you to our sponsor!  Toups and Co Organics uses nourishing, organic ingredients to create simple and safe skincare products.  Toups and Co is offering my listeners 10% off any one purchase with the code FARMHOUSE.  Visit https://toupsandco.com/ to order today.

Check out some of my current favorite products: frankincense face balm, seabuckthorn cleansing oil, reparative serum, activated charcoal face bar.

CONNECT

Melissa K. Norris | Website | YouTube | Podcast | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest

Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest

Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

GET MORE FROM THIS EPISODE

Watch this episode on YouTube.

View full show notes, transcript, and links to resources on the blog.

125. Learning New Skills on the Homestead | Melissa K. Norris

With over ten years experience making a home, author and mom of eight, Lisa Bass, shares her love for from scratch cooking, natural living and all things handmade. As a full-time blogger and homeschooler, Lisa also mixes in a little mom life and business tips.

Home & Garden

Leisure

As homemakers and mothers, our role extends beyond completing the daily tasks of housekeeping and child rearing. We are the ones who nurture the atmosphere of our homes and infuse life into our families. I am so happy to have Jennifer back on the podcast to talk about her latest book, Habits for a Sacred Home. This conversation is rich with ideas and real life examples of the everyday practices that make our homes come alive and impact our children for decades to come. May this episode inspire you as you create live-giving rhythms in your own family.
In this episode, we cover:

How the everyday tasks of motherhood might actually be the most impactful things we can do

The long-term power of gathering together for morning time

What to do about regret in your parenting journey

Starting small when establishing new habits and rhythms in your home

Recognizing the uniqueness of your family and avoiding comparison

Balancing community rhythms and protecting family time

Embracing relationships with those who are different from us

Simplifying education by living real life and engaging living stories


View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
Thank you to our sponsor!
Toups and Co Organics | Use code FOB15 at ToupsandCo.com
ABOUT JENNIFER
Jenifer Pepito is the host of Restoration Home podcast, author of Mothering by the Book, and founder of The Peaceful Press. Jennifer is on a mission to help moms overcome fear and live with wonder and purpose. Her homeschool curriculum empowers this mission through heroic stories, heartwarming poetry, and engaging life skill development. Her resources create joyful memories among families, which lead to deeper connections and lasting relationships. She has made guest appearances on popular podcasts such as 1000 Hours Outside, At Home with Sally, and Read Aloud Revival. Jennifer lives in the mountains with her beloved family, where she enjoys reading aloud, working in her garden, and watching the sunset. Learn more at ThePeacefulPress.com.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Habits for a Sacred Home: 9 Practices from History to Anchor and Restore Modern Families by Jennifer Pepito
Restoration Home Podcast
CONNECT
Jennifer Pepito | Website | Podcast | Instagram | Facebook
Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest
Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

233. Bringing Our Homes to Life through Sacred Rhythms | Jennifer Pepito

In her early days as a homemaker, Mystie found the role to be more difficult than she had expected. It was in acknowledging how truly valuable the role of a homemaker is that Mystie found joy and peace and purpose in the tasks of homemaking. If you struggle to embrace the role of homemaker or you are drowning in the mundanity, this episode will be a great encouragement to you!
In this episode, we cover:

The mindset that makes homemaking harder than it has to be

What happens when you decide to value the work of homemaking

Breaking down the overwhelming tasks of homemaking into baby steps

Prioritizing your many roles in the home

How to decide what to do first when you are overwhelmed

The power of acknowledging small progress along the way

Ideas for troubleshooting what isn’t working in your homemaking systems

Adjusting your expectations for your season and your specific family

The importance of your mindset in forming new homemaking habits

View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Azure Standard is a family-owned company dedicated to providing you with high quality, affordable organic, natural, and non-GMO groceries, health, and household products. Place your order at AzureStandard.com and use the code SIMPLEFARMHOUSE10 to receive 10% off your purchase. This promotion expires May 31, 2024, and is only available for the first-time Azure customer order, with a minimum of $50 order (orders to drop locations only). One time use per customer.
ABOUT MYSTIE
Mystie Winckler and her husband Matt live in Moscow, Idaho, and have five children, including two adult sons and three kids they still homeschool. Mystie is the author of The Convivial Homeschool and Simplified Organization. She writes and podcasts at Simply Convivial to encourage moms to tackle their responsibilities with joy.
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done by Mystie Winckler
Listen to Mystie’s podcast: Simplified Organization
CONNECT
Mystie Winckler of Simply Convivial | Website | YouTube | Podcast
Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest
Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

232. Why Your Mindset as a Homemaker Matters | Mystie Winckler of Simply Convivial

I’m sitting down to answer your questions about finances, cooking from scratch, and minimalism!  If you have been around here for long, you know I am passionate about debt freedom.  I’m diving into our financial mindsets and the major pitfalls we avoid as a debt-free family.  I’ll also explain how cooking from scratch is the best way to stretch your grocery budget and how minimalism is a non-negotiable for us as a family of ten!
In this episode, we cover:

How monthly payments create financial traps and sabotage your long-term goals

Considering the opportunity cost of carrying debt

Making unpopular sacrifices to maintain peace in your finances

The surprisingly simple answer to saving money on groceries

The key to keeping meals on the table in your from-scratch kitchen

Organizing my time for maximum efficiency in my business

My strategy for maintaining minimal wardrobes for our large family

View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
CONNECT
Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest
Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

231. Staying out of debt, simplifying food from scratch, and living with less | Answering more of your questions!

I am excited to bring Kali back on the podcast to chat about what she has been up to lately! For anyone who is entrepreneurial or creative, you will relate to a lot of what we discuss in this episode. We tackle the topic of burnout: how it can happen, what you can do to overcome it, how to know when to step back. But just because you need a break from something, it doesn’t mean you have to quit forever. Kali shares about returning to creative work in a way that supports the life you want to live. Also, if you have ever considered taking my blogging course, don’t miss this peek behind the curtain of what it’s like to be one of my blog students!
In this episode, we cover:

The surprising gifts of taking a sabbatical from creative work

Kali’s journey of starting a blog last year

A look at how blogging has changed over the years

Navigating which kind of content is right for which platform

Thinking through what platform and strategy is right for your unique goals

What your schedule can look like as a full-time mom and blogger

Thoughts on imposter syndrome and moving forward in confidence

View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Toups and Co Organics uses nourishing, organic ingredients to create simple and safe skincare products. Toups and Co is offering my listeners 10% off any one purchase with the code FOB15. Visit ToupsandCo.com to order today. And check out my interview with the founder of Toups and Co, Emilie, to find out more about this amazing company and their products.
In my brand new Simple Sourdough course, I am sharing every step of the sourdough process and the tips and tricks I have learned along the way. This 7-module course covers everything you need to know about sourdough starters, beginner bread recipes, advanced skills, and more. You’ll also gain access to an exclusive members-only Facebook group where fellow sourdough enthusiasts will share and learn together. Visit bit.ly/farmhousesourdoughcourse to enroll today!
ABOUT KALI
Oregon mama, farmer's wife, and creator of the Potager book and blog.
RESOURCES
Listen to Kali’s previous episodes on Simple Farmhouse Life:
All Things Spring: Home Decor, Gardening, Cooking
Finding Contentment in Your Home Decor & Homemaking
CONNECT
Kali Ramey Martin | Website | Instagram
Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest
Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

230. An honest conversation about burnout, taking a break from creative work, and finding your place in online business | Kali Ramey Martin

Do you feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information available to us today? Having answers and research available at our fingertips can be incredibly helpful, but it also brings the challenge of stress and overwhelm around deciding which voices to listen to and which changes to implement. Fallon Lee is joining me on the podcast again to tackle this complex topic, and I’m confident this conversation will be a blessing to you! We each share portions of our own journeys and our decision making criteria in hopes of helping you navigate this overwhelming information age with grace and sustainability.
In this episode, we cover:

The problem with having access to so much information

A few tangible criteria for evaluating new information

Why it is important to acknowledge the specific season you are in

Identifying when it may be time to pursue new knowledge

Zooming out and taking on an intuitive and historical lens

Discerning which voices and sources to trust

Why our intuition is a valid piece of our decision making

Laying a solid foundation for health through grace-based nutrition

Prioritizing our goals and establishing habits around them

Healthy habits to prioritize as a new mom

Prioritizing a healthy diet while on a budget

View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Blogging Success Masterclass | Visit bit.ly/farmhousebloggingschool
Free 5 Day Blog Challenge | Visit bit.ly/5dayblogchallenge
ABOUT FALLON
Fallon was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s after the birth of her second son, and within a few years of going the “cutting foods” & chasing symptoms route, she was down to eating only seven foods. When she came across the world of metabolic health, she was both amazed and a little offended that she realized she did not have to claim this identity of restrictive eating & autoimmunity for life. She could heal?! And that’s exactly what she did. Today she is walking in absolute food freedom (including dairy & gluten), she is off of all medication, & she is teaching other women that they can do the same while curating delicious recipes along the way. Aside from being a metabolic recipe queen, she is also a wife & homeschool mom of 3 boys in Texas. 
RESOURCES MENTIONED
Take Fallon’s meal plan and calorie quiz
Check out Fallon’s cookbooks and meal plans
CONNECT
Fallon Lee | Website | Instagram
Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest
Join us in the Simple Farmhouse Life Facebook community!

125. Learning New Skills on the Homestead | Melissa K. Norris

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