Surviving Hard Times

Joining us today is Dr. Richard M. Cruse, a professor in the Agronomy Department at Iowa State University and Director of the Iowa Water Center. Dr. Cruse is an expert in water quality and soil erosion, which impacts more than you may think…

Dr. Cruse grew up on a farm in Iowa, which led him to develop a profound love for natural resources. Presently, he researches the ways that erosion is affected by rainfall, soil type, soil slope, and management. 

In this episode, you will discover:

• The importance of soil as a resource.
• The properties that make up healthy soil.
• Why controlling water-driven erosion is critical to agricultural stability.

So why is it so important to support healthy soil? Dr. Cruse addresses this question and others like it in this informative podcast!

You can find out more about Dr. Cruse by visiting faculty.sites.iastate.edu.

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

In this episode, Stacy Zivicki from Sustainable Stewards takes the time to chat with us about preparation tactics, sustainable agriculture, and homesteading. Stacy’s mission with Sustainable Stewards is to show her viewers how to achieve authentic self-sufficiency – free from reliance on civilization.

On her channel, Stacy covers everything from permaculture to animal husbandry and food freedom. She informs her viewers so that they too can learn how to be independent of feed mills, grocery stores, and our society’s approach to debt.

Join us now to hear Stacy discuss:

• How her background shaped her perspective on self-sufficiency.
• The importance of becoming your own producer of resources.
• How Stacy utilizes Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) for her food distribution.
• The benefits of working with your community to support sustainable agriculture and livestock production.

What does true self-sufficiency look like? Tune in to find out!

To watch Stacy’s educational content click here, and to purchase Sustainable Stewards merchandise click here. 

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Joining us in this episode is Aaron Dukes from Dukes Legal, P.A. In addition to his work as an attorney, Aaron is also a farmer and cattle ranch owner that has cultivated a successful agricultural and livestock operation.

Having the skills needed to raise and grow your own food may very well come in handy during these uncertain times – but what does it take to achieve this level of self-sufficiency?

Press play to discover:

• The intricacies involved in meat production.
• Why having a substantial stock of food is important as we face supply shortages.
• How fertilizers are properly used in vegetable farming.

Want to get to know more about Aaron Duke and his distinct approach to farming and livestock cultivation? Join this informative conversation now!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Today’s world news is prompting more and more people to look into future preparation tactics. If our society takes a turn for the worse, are you ready?

Joining us in this episode to discuss the fundamentals of prepping is Jason Charles. Known as “The Angry Prepper” on Youtube, Jason uses his platform to provide his viewers with useful economic survival strategies and unique political insight. 

In this podcast, you will discover:

• What you can do to prepare for uncertain times.
• Situations that could cause mass chaos in cities, and what the timeline for collapse would look like. 
• The importance of stockpiling water and other resources.

As tensions rise throughout the United States and the rest of the world, it is more important than ever to be prepared for anything. Those that are paying attention will likely fare much better than those who are not…

To watch Jason’s channel for yourself, make sure you subscribe to his Youtube channel!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

In this episode, we chat with Joe Foster about all things DIY gardening. Joe has a Youtube channel called Growit Buildit, where he provides viewers with thorough information on how to grow their own farms. 

From garden setup to composting methods, Joe educates people on the foundational principles of self-sufficient living. With the uncertainty that the future holds, these techniques could prove to be very useful for those who take the time to learn them… 

Join us now to hear Joe discuss: 

• How cheap and easy it can be to start your own garden.
• The best way to get started with effective composting.
• How to improve the quality of your soil.
• Self-sufficient strategies to employ when doing small-scale farming.

Want to see Joe’s videos for yourself? Make sure you visit his website and Youtube channel!

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Bringing home a newborn baby is an incredibly exciting time for parents, but it can also be pretty challenging when it comes to breastfeeding. If you’re planning to breastfeed, having a tough time with it, or know someone who is, this episode is for you.

Tune in to learn:

• Why babies are expected to lose about 5% of their birth weight within the first 24 hours of life
• The protective characteristics of colostrum, and when it should be produced in abundance
• What proper latching should look and feel like, and why it’s important for the baby
• Why and skipping feedings slows milk production, and the process of re-lactation

Kassi Reyes is a registered nurse specializing in human lactation. With additional training as a lactation consultant and a mother herself, she works both virtually and in person with families who are struggling with the breastfeeding process. Reyes provides online courses and has a lactation-specific YouTube channel with informational videos for families all over the world.

She discusses the most common issues parents have when trying to breastfeed, such as poor and/or painful latching, tongue tie in babies, and too much or not enough weight gain in the days following birth. She shares recommendations for re-lactation, how long to breastfeed, and so much more.

Visit https://www.kassireyes.com/ to learn more. 

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

When Jay’s first baby was born, the hospital staff bottle-fed her against Jay’s wishes; it might seem harmless, but it had a profound and long-lasting effect on her baby’s ability to latch and feed from her breast instead of a bottle.

Jay wanted to share her experiences with other mothers who might benefit from the information, and before long, she was invited to be a part of the YouTube Partner Program. She now provides practical breastfeeding education for families all over the world.

Tune in to learn:

• What nipple confusion is and how it can develop
• Slow-healing nipple infections – how they develop and how to heal them
• The importance of immediate skin-to-skin contact with your newborn
• Clogged breast ducts? – How your baby can help!
• Oversexualization of the breast as a challenge for breastfeeding mothers
• Benefits of baby-led weaning
• Why some mothers choose not to breastfeed or discontinue too early
• What causes mastitis and how to address it

Interested in learning more?

Check out https://thefamousmommy.com/.

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

When Ammie Harris brought home her newborn son, she quickly realized there was a problem: he wasn’t latching well, and she had a low breast milk supply. Her son was losing weight and she needed to act quickly.

The pediatrician recommended a commercial formula, but it didn't work -- not a single commercial formula did -- and her son still wasn’t gaining weight. Then she stumbled upon a controversial article about the benefits of homemade cow’s milk formula.

She was scared to try it and unsure about whether she was making the right decision, but having exhausted other options, what else could she do?

Within days of trying this homemade formula, her son’s weight was skyrocketing and he was thriving.

For anyone interested in using food as medicine, this isn’t an episode to miss. 

You’ll learn:

• The recipe for bone broth hot chocolate that’ll be a hit with both kids and adults
• The practical and important difference between homesteading and living off the grid
• Whether sunburns are avoidable – an unbelievable story about why Ammie says they are
• How you can make small improvements to your diet and health even if you have no land to work with
• Tips for sneaking extra nutrition into your kids’ diet

Press play to learn about all this and so much more, and check out Ammie’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/AmmieHarris.

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

Nurse-turned-farmer, Karis Johnston, explains what drove her to completely change her lifestyle, and the myriad health benefits she and her family have enjoyed because of it.

Press play to discover:

• Which documentary changed Karis and her husband’s life
• Raw dairy – could it eliminate dairy allergies?
• The health benefits Karis and her family have experienced since changing their eating habits and cutting out all toxic chemicals from their life
• How to start creating a self-sustaining system at home
• The specific bugs that present the biggest challenges to growing crops
• Unexpected challenges when establishing a homestead or sustainable farm
• Advice for someone who doesn’t have the land to grow their own crops, but wants resources for a healthier and more sustainable life

Tune in to hear the full conversation.

Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q

While other 10-year-old boys might have been playing with toy trucks and sports balls, Joel Salatin was selling chickens to local schools, churches, and other organizations.

When he was just a few years old, his family purchased an abused and worn-out farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Rebuilding and fostering it from the ground up, it now supports four generations, thousands of families, and about 50 restaurants.

Tune in to learn:

• What percentage of edible food in the U.S. is regularly thrown away 
• Why world hunger is still an issue (hint: it’s not because there’s not enough food)
• The role of size-prejudicial regulations in food shortages
• What turns a food item into a “manufactured” item
• Practical advice for people who’ve never grown anything but want greater food security and health moving forward

Press play to hear the full conversation and check out https://www.polyfacefarms.com/ and https://www.thelunaticfarmer.com/ to learn more. Episode also available on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3bO8R6q