The Kettle with Meagan Francis

In our culture we put a lot of emphasis on building wealth - but what, exactly, does that mean, and how does our view of wealth contribute to (or detract from) our flourishing as humans? In this continuation of Episode 39's conversation with author and farmer Shannon Hayes, we delve more into the economics of home and family life, the difference between an extractive and what Shannon calls a "life-giving" economy, and what wealth can really look like if we are willing to define it on our own terms.

Episode Links:

Read Shannon's blog and check out her family's farm

The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow (Shannon's podcast)

Find all of Shannon's books, including Redefining Rich

Episode 38, The Tea's Made: Eating locally, preserving, and establishing your own “flow” in the kitchen

Episode 39, The Tea's Made: The hidden cost (and value!) of food, with farmer and author Shannon Hayes

Check out my recent blog post about developing a relationship with your kitchen

Brand Partners:

Find all of my brand partners and the latest deals on my Shop page!

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

Everyone is talking about rising food prices these days, but we spend very little time talking about the value of food. In this episode I speak with Shannon Hayes, farmer and author, about her journey from academia back to the farm she grew up on. She tells us about her unconventional upbringing and how it led her to value a life connected to land and community - and the power of a home-cooked meal.

Shannon also explains the real costs that impact the prices at her family farm, how those costs are often hidden from consumers at the supermarket, and the true value you're getting from nutrient-dense, farm-fresh, locally-grown food.

For me this conversation raised the question: what if we all stopped talking about food in terms of its cost, and shifted the conversation to its value?

Episode Links:

Read Shannon's blog and check out her family's farm

(I also noticed that Shannon is offering a free seminar called "Freedom in the Kitchen" as part of the School of Traditional Skills. Definitely worth signing up!)

The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow (Shannon's podcast)

Find all of Shannon's books (I recently read and adored Redefining Rich!)

Check out my recent blog post about developing a relationship with your kitchen

Brand Partners:

Find all of my brand partners and the latest deals on my Shop page!

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

Does shopping, cooking and eating locally and seasonally have to be time-consuming and difficult? As I've slowly added new kitchen skills to my repertoire, I've come to realize that the key to meal planning and preparation without burnout is developing the rhythms and routines that allow us to find "flow" in our kitchens.

From preserving produce to dreaming about a root cellar to experimenting with sourdough bread, I'll let you in on some of the projects I'm working on in my kitchen right now and share what a typical day in my "food life" looks like, as well as a mindset shift that can help you stay in flow and keep from getting discouraged as you're learning new skills.

Episode Links:

Episode 17: What's happening in my kitchen right now

Episode 36: What is eating “ancestrally”? with Alison Kay of Ancestral Kitchen

Episode 37: Why connecting with our food matters, with Alison Kay of Ancestral Kitchen

My steel-cut overnight oatmeal, made in the rice cooker

The Sunday Steep #4: Eighty pounds of goat meat

Check out my weekly newsletter about creativity and connection - and, of course, tea! - The Deep Steep

Brand Partners:

Find all of my brand partners and the latest deals on my Shop page!

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

"But who actually has the time to cook this way?" Our guest Alison Kay hears that a lot when she shares about her passion for ancestral eating. But for Alison, sourcing ingredients locally and preparing it in a way inspired by our great-great-grandmothers isn't a chore or a time-suck, and it's definitely not romanticizing the past. Instead, it's a crucial way she expresses her creativity, connects with her community and the land around her, and cares for herself and her family.

In this episode, a continuation of our conversation from Episode 36, Alison explains why this way of cooking and eating has been so life-changing for her, and offers a close-up look at how she actually incorporates ancestral philosophies into her modern kitchen.

Episode Links:

Ancestral Kitchen, Alison's site

The Ancestral Kitchen podcast

What ancestral eating isn't - the article we discuss in today's episode

Episode 36 of The Tea's Made: What is eating "ancestrally" with Alison Kay of Ancestral Kitchen. This is the first half of this conversation.

A couple episodes of the Ancestral Kitchen Podcast that I love:

#70 Fermenting Oats - this is the episode that convinced me to start souring my morning oatmeal!

#66 50 Ways To Save Money On An Ancestral Diet - a great starting point if you're just learning about ancestral eating; especially if you're concerned about your budget.

Check out my weekly newsletter about creativity and connection - and, of course, tea! - The Deep Steep

Brand Partners:

Find all of my brand partners and the latest deals on my Shop page!

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

With all the diets and nutrition trends that focus on exclusion and restriction, it can feel like food is being reduced to its components - not something I personally think is a very satisfying way to eat.

But what if there was another way to view food - a way that leans on the wisdom of our great-great grandmothers, yet is adaptable to a modern kitchen?

After a fraught relationship with eating impacted her mental, emotional and physical health for decades, our guest Alison Kay of ancestralkitchen.com and The Ancestral Kitchen Podcast found a path to health via ancestral eating and developing a true connection with her food. In this episode, Alison shares her backstory - including losing half her body weight as a young woman and later, struggling to conceive - and how ancestral eating helped her heal and thrive. Alison also explains what ancestral eating is - and isn't, how this way of eating works for her, and why the prices we see in the supermarket don't reflect the true cost of food.

Episode Links:

Ancestral Kitchen, Alison's site

The Ancestral Kitchen podcast

What ancestral eating isn't - the article we discuss in today's episode

Check out my weekly newsletter about creativity and connection - and, of course, tea! - The Deep Steep

Brand Partners:

Find all of my brand partners and the latest deals on my Shop page!

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

Why did I go the traditional publishing route vs. self-publishing? What did the writing process look like, beginning to end? And how do I feel about the idea of sh*tty first drafts? In this episode of The Tea's Made I answer all of these questions and more.

Episode Links:

Taking a book idea from proposal to contract. In this episode I answer listener questions about working with an agent, platform and more.

Head to TheTeasMade.com to read more of my writing!

Brand Partners:

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

I'm back from my book-writing break and ready to talk shop! In this episode I answer listener questions about the process of pitching your book idea to an agent or publisher, including:

-How long should I expect it to take to hear back from an agent after I query them?

-What questions should I ask a potential agent before I sign?

-How hands-on should I expect my agent to be in the proposal process?

-What size audience/readership will an agent or editor be looking for in an author?

And more! Look back next week for the follow-up episode: what it's like to actually write the book once contract is in hand!

Episode Links:

How a book proposal is made - This is a video I made a little over a year ago when my proposal was still out to editors! In it I detailed the process of writing the proposal and pitching agents.

Brand Partners:

OSEA – Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

Hi all! Hopping in from my podcasting break with a birthday message, some tips on staying connected and calm in a divided and noisy world, and a little preview of what you can expect when The Tea's Made returns on August 15.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

From starting a brick-and-mortar retail shop, to putting the finishing touches on my book manuscript, to caring for my new chicks, to getting another son ready for college, this summer has already been jam-packed with activity. In the last episode of The Tea's Made before my midsummer break, I'm sharing more details about what's happening in my world and what you can expect when I return in the early fall.

Featured Tea:

Harrod's English Breakfast

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe

When I was a young girl, I was completely fascinated with the idea of being able to find food and medicine in nature. But in our modern world, eating anything that grows wildly can seem strange...undesirable...even dangerous. While it took me until my mid-40s, I've begun to embrace foraging and wildcrafting as not only a fun and mostly-free hobby, but also a way of looking at the world differently. In this episode I'll talk about what this journey has looked like for me and share basic tips for getting started, staying safe, and using what you find.

Featured Tea:

Yooper Yellow from S•TEA•P

Featured Links:

Learn more about my new tea shop on Instagram!

Follow Bevy Tea on Instagram

The Seek app from iNaturalist

Midwestern Medicinal Plants by Lisa M. Rose

Alchemy of Herbs by Rosalee de la Forêt

Here's a good basic blog post on starting foraging. I agree with the author that getting a book or two is a really good idea, as is getting mentored in real life from an experienced forager!

Cotton mesh drawstring bags like these are great for collecting and drying herbs

Brand Partners:

OSEA - Use the code TEASMADE or MEAGAN for 10% off your first purchase.

Vionic – with unmatched support and stability, Vionic’s line of shoes and boots are wearable wellbeing for your feet. Use code TEASMADE for 15% off after you log into your account.

Hatch – Well-rested mornings begin with relaxing bedtime routines, and the Hatch Restore 2 offers both. Use code TEA20 for $20 off.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/mother-of-reinvention-with-meagan-francis/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganfrancis.substack.com/subscribe