Everyday Homesteading

Should you water your garden every day? The short answer is probably not. In this episode, we’re breaking down one of the most common gardening questions and helping you understand how to water your garden for healthier plants, deeper roots, and better harvests.

You’ll learn:
• How often most gardens actually need water
• Why daily watering can weaken plants
• The difference between deep watering and shallow watering
• The best time of day to water
• How soil type changes your watering schedule
• Signs you may be overwatering or underwatering
• How mulch and healthy...

How do we preserve family, community, and truth in a culture that seems to be moving faster and faster away from them?

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, I sat down with my friend Rory Groves for a thoughtful conversation about modern culture, technology, family economy, and what many families are sensing right now: that something important has been lost.

Using the republished book Henry and the Great Society as a starting point, we talked about how modernization changed family life, community, work, and even the way we think about self-sufficiency. We also discussed why...

After years of pushing hard on our homestead, we reached a point where we had to ask a tough question: Is everything we’re doing actually sustainable?

Last year, we intentionally slowed down. Not completely, but enough to take a step back and evaluate what was working and what wasn’t.

And what we learned changed how we’re approaching this year in a big way.

In this episode, we’re sharing the real-life changes we’re making on our homestead. The projects we’re moving forward with, the systems we’re simplifying, and a few thin...

I’ll be honest… when I first heard about freeze dryers, I thought they were a gimmick.

I didn’t want to spend money on an expensive appliance that would just sit there collecting dust.

But after using one in my own kitchen, I can tell you this clearly… I was wrong.

In this video, I’m sharing the 7 things I wish I knew before getting a freeze dryer. These are the lessons that would have saved me time, food, and a whole lot of frustration when I was first starting out.

If you...

If you’ve ever felt like you need to learn everything before starting a garden, you’re not alone.

In today’s episode, we’re simplifying the process and showing you how to start a garden without getting overwhelmed.

Gardening is a journey. And the truth is, you don’t need perfect soil, perfect seeds, or perfect knowledge to begin. You just need a few key principles and a willingness to learn as you go.

This episode is all about helping you take that first step with confidence.

In this episo...

Are your chicken eggs coming into the house dirty, especially during mud season?

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, Carolyn is joined by Amy, cofounder of Good Egg, to talk about how to keep eggs clean starting in the coop—and how to properly handle fresh eggs once they’re in your kitchen.

We’re covering everything from nesting box strategies to the right (and wrong) way to wash eggs, plus how storage methods affect shelf life. If you’ve ever wondered whether to wash your eggs, how long they last, or how to keep them cle...

How do you get your kids excited about gardening, especially if you’re still learning yourself?

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, I’m joined by Luke Hammond from Dirt Academy Kids to talk about why gardening is one of the most powerful tools we have for raising capable, grounded kids.

We dive into:

What happens when your child grows up… and chooses to stay?

In this episode of the Everyday Homesteading podcast, I’m joined by my oldest daughter, Rachel, as we share the story behind her and her husband’s decision to stay close to home and build a tiny house right here on our homestead.

We’re talking about what it really looks like to build a life near family in today’s world—from navigating independence and boundaries to learning how to work together as separate households with a shared vision.

Rachel also shares hones...

Canning safety can feel overwhelming, especially when you hear all the warnings and conflicting advice out there. But what if it’s actually much simpler than you think?

In today’s episode, I’m breaking down the three things you absolutely must get right for canning safety so you can preserve food with confidence and peace of mind.

We’ll talk about:

We spend a lot of time learning the hands-on skills of homesteading like baking, gardening, and preserving. But what if those aren’t the skills that actually make a home run well?

In this episode, we’re talking about the quiet skills that don’t get much attention but make all the difference. Things like planning ahead, creating rhythms, finishing what you start, and learning how to say no.

These are the habits that protect your peace, prevent burnout, and help you build a sustainable homesteading lifestyle for the long haul.

If you’ve ever...

Cultured dairy sounds intimidating, but it's actually one of the easiest traditional kitchen skills you can learn.

In this video, I explain how cultured dairy works, why it’s so beneficial for digestion and gut health, and how you can start making your own yogurt right at home.

Once you understand the basics, you’ll realize that cultured dairy is far simpler than most people think. The bacteria do almost all the work. Your job is simply to create the right environment and give it time.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What c...

Most people never fail at gardening. They quit before they begin.

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, Josh sits down with Luke from MIgardener to talk about why so many aspiring gardeners stay stuck in the dreaming and planning phase — and what it actually takes to start.

You’ll learn:

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect conditions, this episod...

For many homesteaders, the dream is complete self-sufficiency. Producing all your own food. Depending on no one. Living independently.

But is that really possible? And more importantly, is it even the right goal?

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, we’re sharing why complete self-sufficiency is actually a myth and what matters far more: building practical skills and strengthening community.

We discuss how focusing on skills rather than trying to do everything yourself leads to more resilience, less overwhelm, and greater freedom in your homesteading journey.

You’ll learn how to shif...

Even with healthy, well-selected animals, there comes a day when you have to call the vet.

And when that moment comes, most of us aren’t nearly as prepared as we could be.

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and veterinarian, Dr. Patrick Jones of The Homegrown Herbalist, to talk through what every homesteader should know before picking up the phone.

We discuss:

Making bread isn’t about talent, and it’s not about finding the perfect recipe either.

In this episode, I’m sharing why bread is one of the most foundational skills in the homesteading kitchen and how learning to read your dough instead of following formulas changes everything. From flour amounts to kneading to rise times, we’re breaking down the simple techniques that lead to consistent, reliable bread no matter where you live or what recipe you use.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated, inconsistent, or convinced that bread “just isn’t your thing,” this episode wil...

Thinking about keeping backyard egg-laying chickens, but not sure where to begin? In today’s episode, we walk through the essential checklist every new chicken keeper should know.

We cover:
• What to think about before bringing chickens home
• Coop setup and space requirements
• Feeding, water, and daily care routines
• How to successfully raise chicks in their first few weeks
• Biosecurity basics and avoiding common pitfalls
• Planning for seasonal egg production

Whether this is your first flock or you’re brushing up on best practices, this episode gives you a clear, pra...

Feeling overwhelmed while trying to add homesteading skills to an already full life? You’re not alone. In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, I’m continuing our conversation about going from overwhelmed to peaceful and sharing what I’ve learned about building a homestead life that’s sustainable for the long haul.

This is Part 2 of our series on creating peaceful household rhythms instead of rigid schedules. If you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, I recommend starting there and then coming back to this episode so these ideas can really come together.

👉 Lis...

If you love the idea of homesteading but constantly feel behind, overwhelmed, or emotionally exhausted, I recorded this episode for you.

In Part 1 of this new series, I’m sharing the household system that helped me move from constant pressure and burnout to a calmer, more sustainable rhythm of life. I talk about why overwhelm usually isn’t a discipline problem and why trying to “work harder” often makes things worse, especially for busy moms caring for families while adding homesteading skills.

I share why stacking homesteading on top of an already full life doesn’t bring pe...

Homesteading is about so much more than chores, food, and checklists. In this episode, I’m joined by RuthAnn Zimmerman from Homesteading With the Zimmermans for a conversation that goes straight to the heart of what this lifestyle is really about: people.

We talk about balancing hospitality with busy homestead life, raising children with a strong work ethic and character, and learning to trust God’s economy when it comes to time, energy, and priorities. RuthAnn shares how she keeps emotional needs first in her family and why that simple shift brings so much peace to the home...

A lot of people talk about going off-grid. But what if off-grid living isn’t just about power and water, but about freedom from systems that quietly run your life?

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Burkinshaw from the Gridlessness YouTube channel to talk about what gridlessness really means. Jeff shares how his family moved from suburban life to a remote homestead in the Canadian wilderness, not out of fear, but out of a deep desire to live with intention.

We talk about
• redefining what it means to be “...

After more than 20 years of homesteading, we are looking back and sharing what we wish we had known when we first started.

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, we talk honestly about the mistakes we made, the pressure to do everything at once, and the lessons that helped us find a more peaceful, sustainable rhythm. From gardening and kitchen skills to land size, infrastructure, and people-first priorities, this conversation is full of perspective for anyone feeling overwhelmed on their homesteading journey.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been at this for years, we h...

What does a “Year of Rest” actually look like on a working homestead?

In this episode, we’re reflecting on our decision to slow down over the past year, what changed, what stayed the same, and what surprised us along the way. We share how cutting big projects brought more margin into our days, why rest doesn’t mean the work disappears, and how an unplanned cabin build for the next generation fit into our bigger vision.

This is an honest, end-of-year conversation about pace, sustainability, and having the courage to adjust before burnout forces it.

If you have ever found yourself saying, “This winter, we’ll finally rest,” you are not alone. Josh and I have joked about it for years, imagining a slower season that somehow never quite arrives on its own.

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, I’m sharing what I’ve been learning about real rest. Not just getting more sleep, but the kind of deep, soul-level rest that brings clarity, peace, and renewed purpose. The kind of rest that helps you remember your why.

We talk about why rest never happens by accident, how much control we...

Welcome back to Everyday Homesteading. Today I’m sitting down with two people I deeply respect and always enjoy talking with, Shawn and Beth Dougherty. If you have ever wondered whether a family milk cow actually fits into a busy modern homestead, or if you’ve been feeling that tug toward a simpler, more land-rooted way of feeding your family, this conversation is for you.

Shawn and Beth have spent more than twenty-five years raising a large family, stewarding rough Appalachian ground, and building a thriving homestead centered around the grass-fed family cow. Their new book, One...