The Cottager's Podcast

Andrew Ewell discusses the mission of Verax Patria to address land access issues for families, the importance of community and faith in land stewardship, and the innovative solutions being developed to help families acquire and sustain farmland.

After a bit of an absence for harvest season we are back with another episode where we get real about both the joys and rewards of homesteading as well as its challenges. We have learned a lot about this over the last year and can't wait to share with you all.

Most people underestimate the hard work, history, and heart behind their favorite maple syrup—and many are shocked to learn how much effort goes into every single drop. In this episode, Tim Cermak of Sugarbush Creek Farm in Middlefield, Ohio, breaks down the fascinating journey from a childhood fascination sparked by a children's book to a multi-generational family business that’s shipped syrup to all 50 states—and beyond. Tim reveals the secrets of making authentic, 100% pure maple syrup, from harvesting over 2,200 trees in Northeast Ohio to using modern tech like reverse osmosis while honoring traditional methods.

Matthew is joined by author and homesteader, Jason Craig to discuss the challenges and joys of homesteading in today's consumerist, suburbanized culture, by reconnecting to our natural roots in family, community, and the land itself. This conversation explores the deep reasons behind the modern interest in small farming and homesteading, emphasizing natural human inclinations, cultural roots, and practical steps for starting a land-based lifestyle.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Rachel and Matt Langer as they share their journey from mink farming to establishing Lumen Christi Farm, a nonprofit dedicated to farming, faith, and community service. Discover how faith, resilience, and a love for farming transformed their lives and created a sanctuary for spiritual and agricultural growth.

This conversation explores the history, mission, and current developments of the Catholic Land Movement, emphasizing its spiritual and practical significance for modern Catholics interested in land stewardship, community building, and faith-based agriculture.

In this conversation, Mathew and Greg Cello discuss the journey of establishing a homestead, the importance of family and community, and the role of faith in their lives. Greg shares his experiences transitioning from military life to homesteading, emphasizing the significance of rooting oneself in a community and the lessons learned from working the land. They explore the challenges and joys of parenting in a homesteading environment, the value of writing and sharing insights, and the aspirations for the future, including plans for sheep and wool production. The conversation highlights the connection between land stewardship, family legacy, and spiritual...

Mathew and Carissa discuss the evolution of their farm, Cottage Pastures, and the podcast itself. They share updates on their operations, including the growth of garlic and other products, and the importance of distinguishing between homesteading and farming. The conversation delves into the challenges faced in farming, the impact of seasonal changes, and their plans for improving efficiency and resource management on the farm. The hosts emphasize the significance of building systems and laying a strong foundation for future success in both farming and homesteading.

On this interview, Mathew interviewed Michael Thomas of Sharon. For many people Michael might be familiar due to his work with the Catholic Land Movement, but are you familiar with his entry into homesteading, orchard or shepherding work?

Tune into the episode and feel welcome to reach out with any questions. This is a great interview with Michael and one that is hopefully inspiring to many people considering the homesteading lifestyle.

Jeff Putnam is a Writer, Dad, Catholic and small time Homesteader. Mathew and Jeff discussed the importance of hard work and much more. Jeff is an author with a sizable online following. He discusses the importance of hard work, his experience with the Catholic Faith, notes considering using goats for vegetation management and much more.

Learn more about Jeff, check out his books and more:

X Profile: https://x.com/TheJeffPutnam

Website: https://jputnambooks.com/

On this episode of the Cottager's Podcast, Mathew met with Dr. Taylor Marshall to discuss homesteading, family life and more.


For more information about Dr. Taylor Marshall:

Dr. Taylor Marshall's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@DrTaylorMarshall…

Website:  http://taylormarshall.com

Pre-Order Dr. Taylor Marshall's Upcoming Book: "Christian Patriot: 12 Ways to Create One National Under God"  https://ChristianPatriotBook.com

For more information about Cottage Pastures and the Cottager's Podast visit https://www.cottagepastures.com.

Please direct all inquiries to hello@cottagepastures.com.

On this episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead Podcast, Mathew and Carissa have a genuine and honest conversation. Discussing farm updates, their developing experiences of rural living and the the evolving maturity that comes with pursuing a vocation of marriage. This conversation begins light hearted and becomes a bit more serious around the midway point. It's a conversation of hope and one that acknowledges the potential for disorder and fatigue, as well as fun in life. This episode, we hope, leaves you inspired to keep focused and pursuing a life that God calls you to. 

F...

On this interview, Mathew met with Devin Rose, author of Farm Flop: A City Dweller's Guide to Failing on a Farm in Two Years Or Less. This is a hopeful and cautious interview and one which will hopefully be of great inspiration as you consider your current and future homesteading goals.

Are you looking to order garlic for your homestead this year? At Little Way Farm and Homestead we sell a hardneck variety of garlic known as "Music." You can find availability and shipping information at our website - littlewayhomestead.com.

Do you have a...

Mathew interviewed Ken and Jennifer Zalewski of Pierced Hearts Homestead. They had a great conversation about starting a homestead including some good information about starting out. Be sure to check out Pierced Hearts Homestead at https://piercedheartshomestead.com/.

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Are you looking to order garlic for your homestead this year? At Little Way Farm and Homestead we sell a hardneck variety of garlic known as "Music." You can find availability and shipping information at our website - littlewayhomestead.com. 

Real Estate for Life https://realestateforlife.org/ is a real estate brokerage with over 1,400 Prolife R...

Mathew & Carissa discussed a pitfall that can damage the success and experience of homesteading - striving to homestead the way others do. This episode also discussed farm and homestead updates from Little Way Farm and Homestead during May of 2024.

Want to support us at Little Way Farm and Homestead? Be sure to join th email list for farm updates, events, inventory availability and new releases! You can join the email list by visiting the Little Way Farm and Homestead Contact Page.

Real Estate for Life  is a real estate brokerage with over 1,400 Prolife Real Estate A...

Mathew interviewed Thomas Van Horn, one of the authors of The Liturgy of the Land: Cultivating a Catholic Homestead. They spoke about bees, authorship and much more.

Be sure to check out The Liturgy of the Land: Cultivating a Catholic Homestead by Jason Craig and Thomas van Horn

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Check out Fidei.Email and use code "LittleWay" for a discount. We recently switched our farm's email address to Fidei Email after learning it is owned and built by a Catholic. Fidei Email represents much of what we hope our partners represent - a commitment...

On this episode Mathew had the opportunity to meet with Matt from Divine Mercy Farm - this is a really interesting interview as Divine Mercy Farm is a Mission Farm which operates as a nonprofit. They talk about how Divine Mercy Farms operates, discuss homesteading and much more. You might be interested in seeing the short film featuring Divine Mercy Farms on the Living Dine Mercy show on EWTN - you can find the link to that in the show notes.

Short Film featuring Divine Mercy Farm: Click Here

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Check out Fidei.Email...

On this interview I had the privilege of interviewing Curtis and Rose Weisenburger of Glastonbury Farm. We spoke about raw milk, the story behind the name Glastonbury and more. Near the end of the episode we addressed a blog post written by Rose titled, "Striving to Be a Good Shepherd." I was really impressed when reading this post and want to encourage you to read the post too.

Read "Striving to Be a Good Shepherd" by Rose Weisenburger

Check out Glastonbury Farm! 

Do you have a great homesteading story to share? Send us a...

This is a fun episode where we dive into funny stories and lessons learned from the first year homesteading. Many of these stories stem from simple inexperience, various resource constraints and other circumstances that ultimately have allowed us the opportunity to grow Little Way Farm and Homestead into the educational farm that it is becoming.

Do you have a great homesteading story to share? Send us an email at hello@littlewayhomestead.com. Let us know!

We are also looking for contributors to our website blog. If you are interested in having a homesteading, small-scale farming...

This episode features Shawn and Beth Dougherty. You might have heard our prior episode with the Doughertys discussing low-input farming, but this episode focuses much more on dairy cows. One of my favorite questions that came up was whether or not a dairy cow must be fed grain - this questions and more are covered throughout the episode and we hope you find the discussion inspring and of value to you, wherever you are in your homesteading journey.

To learn more about Little Way Farm and Homestead, including the farm or for other Podcast episodes - please...

On this episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead Podcast, Mathew and Carissa share their excitement for the upcoming Springtime growing season. During this episode they discuss things to consider when preparing to plant seeds for the springtime, helpful tips from their own experiences at the farm and more. There is so much to consider when beginning a garden and considering growing some of your own food that it is imperative we take time to consider what we want to grow, how we want to use what is grown, and schedule the planting, growing and harvesting tasks so...

On this episode, I had a solo-interview with Suzan Sammons, author of The Stations of the Cross in Slow Motion, A Daily Devotion for Lent. 

This is a powerful interview that reminds me of the importance of building a homestead on the proper foundation - prayer and the Sacraments.  Like any other pursuit in life, the development of a productive homestead is truly lacking if it is not characterized by a strong presence of prayer. 

Suzan discusses her new book, but also provides great insight into prayer in the home, fasting, and commentary on some of...

In this episode, I had a unique opportunity to speak with Brandon Sheard and Ross McKnight We recorded this episode ahead of The Art of Foie Gras, presented by Ross and Brandon at Backwater Foie Gras in Louisiana. In this episode we cover an array of topics including meat production, culture, the Catholic faith, hands on learning and more. This was a great interview and presents another example of the Catholic Faith active in the world today.

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing it with someone you know.

Guest Notes:

Ross...

Ross & Dorothy McKnight, of Backwater Foie Gras, are an inspiration and pioneering Catholic couple. They have built a reputable farming business without a background in farming or homesteading. This was an exciting interview where we learned about Foie Gras, the McKnight's journey to farming and manners in which the Catholic Faith can be unpacked on the homestead. 

The Mcknight's interview is one that echoes many themes in our own lives - that a lifestyle firstly inspired by the Catholic Faith, is good. That raising children on a homestead is beneficial and that a life in pursuit of H...

This interview was conducted between Mathew (Little Way Farm and Homestead) and Dr. Doug Darnowski of Sts. Therese and Isidore Farm College. The discussion covered an array of topics pertaining to growing plants and plant biology. This interview is fast-paced and opens the opportunity for consideration of how to best plan, cultivate and harvest crops for homesteading.

Check out Sts. Therese and Isidore Farm College by Clicking Here.

Additional Notes:

Real Estate for Life is a real estate brokerage with over 1,400 Prolife Real Estate Agents worldwide. They have completed over 10,000 real estate transactions...

This Episode included guests Alex and Melissa Dee - of the Saints Alive Podcast. 

We have found that storytelling is particularly important to developing a homestead that brings forward a place of encouragement, excitement and wonder amongst children.

The stories of the Saints are unique as their commitments to God are inspiring and challenging and we are grateful to Alex and Melissa, and all of the team-members of the Saints Alive Podcast, for their work to bring these stories to our children, and many more families throughout the world. 

We hope you enjoy th...

Welcome to another episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead Podcast! Today we are honored to have a genuine conversation between close friends of ours - Mike and Frances. 

Mike and Frances are one of the first families to welcome us into the homesteading lifestyle. It was at their house that we learned how to process chickens. I still remember running around the front yard trying to catch those Cornish cross. Not only that, but Mike and Frances continue to inspire us in their commitment to live a life characterized by the Catholic Faith, even when t...

On this episode we spoke with Eric and Suzan Sammons about raising children, developing strong Catholic families, and more. 

Eric and Suzan Sammons are the parents of seven children. Suzan is the author of The Stations of the Cross in Slow Motion: A Daily Devotion for Lent which will be available through Sophia Institute Press in January of 2024) She is a homeschooling mother and editor of several Catholic publications and has published numerous articles in Catholic outlets on topics including child-rearing and education, the dignity of the unborn, holistic health, and Catholic spirituality. 

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Brandon and Lauren Sheard are the operating duo of Farmstead Meatsmith. Journeying together into an appreciation for artistry and mastery of animal husbandry, slaughter and butchery, their commitment to the Catholic Faith shines as a theme of inspiration enveloping an openness to Grace.

Episode Introduction:

"Brandon Sheard came into traditional livestock harvesting after studying Shakespeare in graduate school.

With no experience in butchery or agriculture, he quit his job at Whole Foods Market, and started work on a small, multi-species and pasture-based farm in the Pacific Northwest. After two years of working on...

Shawn and Beth Dougherty discuss low-input farming,  starting points with animals on the homestead and the Catholic Faith.

Biography for Shawn and Beth Dougherty:

Shawn and Beth Dougherty have been farming together since the 1980’s

Using intensive grazing as the primary source of food energy, the Doughertys raise dairy and beef cows, sheep, farm-fed hogs, and a variety of poultry, producing most of the food, and feed, on the farm. Their ongoing project is to identify and test the potential for operating a farm and homestead with minimal off-farm inputs.

They are...

As the winter approaches, we find it important to review what went well at the farm and homestead over the past year. We are also excited from two other members of our family and what they found enjoyable about the farm and homestead.   Want to learn more about homesteading, farming and the Catholic faith? Check out the Little Way Farm and Homestead Website at www.littlewayhomestead.com.  

Know someone who you think would be a good guest on the podcast? Have a question or comment about homesteading, farming and the Catholic faith you want us to address? Sen...

Does the Homestead need to be a source of income? This is a conversation we believe is probably more important than many realize. We hope you find encouragement and support in the discussion as you further explore the development of your homestead.

Why do we homestead? This is becoming a more important question as we continue to have the opportunity to meet others who are interested in homesteading. Why do we homestead? Well, for quite a few reasons of which we will explore on this episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead podcast! For more information including upcoming Farm and Homestead events, check out our at ww.w.littlewayhomestead.com.

A lot can be learned in one year on the homestead! In this episode, Mathew discusses successes and challenges of the farm and homestead from the past year.

For information about farm inventory, upcoming events and more - check out Littlewayhomestead.com. 

How was the past year on the homestead? Carissa reflects on the past year including discussion about things that went well and challenges along the way.

Checkout Littlewayhomestead.com for more details and information about Little Way Farm and Homestead.

On this episode Mathew and Carissa discuss raising children on the  Homestead. They discuss some common concerns people may often express as well as many joys and opportunities pertaining to raising children on a homestead.

On this episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead podcast, Mathew and Carissa discuss various misconceptions about homesteading. The following misconceptions were discussed during this episode:

1.) Homesteads require a lot of land
2.) Homesteads must be off-grid
3.) Homesteading involves late nights and early mornings
4.) Your Homestead must look like one you've seen on social media
5.) You must be self-sufficient
6.) Homesteads need to be in a remote location
7.) Homesteads are disorganized and cluttered
8.) Homestead land is smelly
9.) Homesteading is lonely and your children will be unprepared to live in the...

Mathew and Carissa discuss four things to consider as you begin, or prepare to begin, the development of your Homestead. 

On this episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead podcast, Mathew and Carissa discuss the importance of the Catholic faith on the homestead. 

On this episode of the Little Way Farm and Homestead Podcast we become introduced to Mathew and Carissa. During the conversation we will hear about the journey Mathew and Carissa took from the city to the countryside.