January isn’t too early — it’s intentional.

While the land rests under frost, this is when the real work begins: choosing seeds, reading light, warming soil, and planning growth before spring ever arrives. In this episode of Old Ways New Days, we explore why January seed starting matters, what actually thrives when started early, and how quiet winter prep leads to stronger, more resilient gardens.

Because before anything grows above ground…
 it begins in the dark.

🌱🎧 Listen now.

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What does self-reliance really look like when the internet goes quiet and the grid feels fragile?

In this episode of Old Ways New Days, we take a thoughtful look at Backwoods Home Magazine — its roots, its philosophy, and its place in modern homesteading culture. From practical skills and off-grid living to the deeper mindset of preparedness and independence, we explore what this long-running publication gets right, where it shows its age, and whether it still holds value for today’s sustainable, earth-connected households.

Is it just nostalgia — or a quiet manual for resilience?

Listener Resource:

Backwoods Home Magazine Website:

https://www.backwoodshome.com/

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In this FREE bonus episode we announce our winner and get to speak with them on the phone; followed by a compilation of bloopers that were edited out from our December episodes. Enjoy!!

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Winter may slow the world outside, but a homestead never truly sleeps. In this week’s episode, we’re diving into midwinter maintenance—the quiet, essential work that keeps the hearth warm, the tools ready, and the home resilient. From practical tips to old seasonal traditions, join us as we tend the heart of the homestead during the coldest days of the year. 

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When December's darkness falls and the year breathes its last cold breath, ancient fires are kindled. Long before modern winter holidays, our ancestors gathered to celebrate the returning light, honor the gods of winter, and feast in defiance of the dark. In this episode, we journey through the sacred December traditions of our pagan past — from Yule fires and Saturnalia feasts to the Wild Hunt and the rebirth of the sun. Discover the rituals, the deities, the foods, and the magic that made midwinter a time of both reverence and revelry. 

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Before the first shoot breaks the soil, before the garden hums with bees and sun-warm leaves, there is a quieter kind of magic—the moment we place a tiny seed into waiting earth and trust it to become more. In this episode, we step into that early, hopeful space and explore the rituals, techniques, and old traditions of seed starting. If you’re ready to coax life from the stillness of winter and awaken the first green sparks of spring, this one’s for you.

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This week we’re pulling back the curtain on the cottagecore fantasy and diving into the raw, sacred, often messy reality of land-based pagan living. From ancient multipurpose homes to modern anti-consumer magic, we explore what it truly means to live with the Earth—not just pose beside it.
 

Authentic. Grounded. Magical.
 Listen now on your favorite platform. 

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Discover how sound shapes the body, mind, and spirit — from ancient chants to modern sound therapy. In this episode, we’ll explore the science of vibration, the magic of intent, and how simple rituals using sound can restore balance in our daily lives. 

Listener Resources:

Dr. Masaru Emoto's water experiment: https://youtu.be/1qQUFvufXp4?si=hzx7bC5IvqQqeA-u

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As the days grow shorter and the nights stretch longer, many of us feel the weight of winter settling into our bones. It's more than just the cold — it's a heaviness in the heart, a fog in the mind, a longing for light. In this episode, we're talking about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — what it is, why it happens, and how to find your way back to balance when the darkness feels overwhelming. Whether through light therapy, herbal allies, or simple daily rituals, there are ways to honor this season without letting it consume you. 

Listener Resources

 Crisis Support:

- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: **988** (call or text)

- Crisis Text Line: Text **HOME** to **741741**

- International Association for Suicide Prevention: [www.iasp.info](https://www.iasp.info)

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SAD & Mental Health Information:

- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): [www.nimh.nih.gov](https://www.nimh.nih.gov)

- Seasonal Affective Disorder Association: [www.sada.org.uk](https://www.sada.org.uk) 

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Before we tend our first garden bed or harvest our first herbs, we must ask: whose land are we standing on? This Indigenous Peoples Day, we explore how pagan homesteaders can honor the original caretakers of these lands — not through appropriation, but through reciprocity, respect, and action. Discover how to homestead with awareness, give back to indigenous communities, and walk humbly on land that has been tended for tens of thousands of years.

Resources for Listeners

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Books:

- *Braiding Sweetgrass* by Robin Wall Kimmerer

- *An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States* by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

- *Red Nation Rising* by Nick Estes

- *The Seed Keeper* by Diane Wilson

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Organizations to Support:

- NDN Collective

- Indigenous Environmental Network

- Native American Rights Fund

- Seeding Sovereignty

- Honor the Earth

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Tools:

- Native-Land.ca (find out whose land you're on)

- Indigenous-led seed companies and farms in your region

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This episode is offered with humility and the understanding that the work of decolonization is ongoing. We encourage all listeners to continue learning from indigenous voices and to take meaningful action in support of indigenous sovereignty and justice.

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