It's hot today! Even Cycy agrees. 55 degree creek water is the best!

Someone hit this guy with a car. Had to sternly keep my doggos away from it. Anyone want some fresh roadkill? #homesteading #lftn

People don't know the sun rises in the east and Sets in the west

Oops. This is the catchy image for the canning class!! Nervous about canning? Think your pressure canner might explode? You're not alone. Join me July 26 at The Holler Homestead for a hands-on, no-nonsense class on waterbath and pressure canning. We’ll make salsa, some beans, and talk about the history of canning! You'll go home with a jar of salsa, a cheat sheet, and maybe even a canning kit (we're giving one away). Class is capped at 8 people. Lunch included. Lancaster, TN. https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/canning-101/

Nervous about canning? Think your pressure canner might explode? You're not alone. Join me July 26 at The Holler Homestead for a hands-on, no-nonsense class on waterbath and pressure canning. We’ll make salsa, some beans, and talk about the history of canning! You'll go home with a jar of salsa, a cheat sheet, and maybe even a canning kit (we're giving one away). Class is capped at 8 people. Lunch included. Lancaster, TN. https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/canning-101/

Behold. The mini split is in the roasting shack. So much cooler.

Gw nostr! This year has been both challenging and filled with letting go to make space for things that enrich our lives. I've followed this new path as best I can, received some hard critical feedback, and seen a glimmer of progress lately. I love to be home in the Holler and to care for this homestead, but to enrich our lives, we must enrich the community around us. 2 weeks ago, I did a cheese making demo at Haven Village. Folks seemed to like the demo and I was once again reminded of how slowing down for a minute allows you to truly connect with nature. Even if is is the microscopic side of it. This was a chevre made from raw milk from milk from this farmstead. How cool is that? We will be doing a cheese class, finally, st the Holler Homestead this summer or fall as a result of this demo. Toolbox fallacy has kept me from doing so for years. I make darn good cheeses. I am by no means an expert. But know what? I know a TON about cheese and can teach folks who know a little less about how to start their own cheese journey. Time to get to it... #lftn #homesteading

Today I am joined by Jack Spirko and John Willis for ou First Tuesday Coffee Chat at 9:30am CT. Ask us anything - world events, regenerative ag, building business -- or whatever strikes your fancy!

Squash piling up? This week at 2pm CT on Living Free in Tennessee, I walk through practical ways to use, preserve, and actually enjoy your summer squash — plus a big pantry reset.

I've got the feeling that, somebody's watching me...

Anyone want to come to a meetup potluck followed by a rabbit processing demo. (You can skip the second part if you're not interested in that) Today we are sipping coffee, and getting all cleaned up and set up for the event! I'll even have some garden veggies for sale.

Living Free in Tennessee - Podcast

Rabbit Processing Demo and Open House at The Holler Homestead – June 29 - Living Free in Tennessee - Podcast

One of the things that drew me to homesteading was the desire to be more responsible about my food—how it’s raised, how it’s processed, and h...

#lftn #homesteading #homesteadstr

Keeping the dogs cool on our daily walk...

Finally cowboy's together some frames for shade cloth over the raised beds yesterday in the crazy humid and hot weather. Today, I get to cut and hand the shade cloth throughout the day... One day at a time! #homesteading #lftn #grow

To everything, there is a season. Each year, I eagerly await the time when I can finally enjoy fresh tomatoes again. 🍅 You see, I used to think I didn't like tomatoes but that simply isn't true. I don't like mealy-assed, gross store tomatoes. Fresh ones kissed by the sun? Bring it. Today, the 23rd of June, is the 1st ripe tomato on my homestead. It is a striped snacking tomato that my friend David put in my aquaponics system about 8 years ago. I've saved seeds from the first ripe tomato ever since. And this year is the earliest ripe fruit ever. Which makes me wonder. What will next year's tomato crop look like? #lftn #homesteading #gardening

Starting last Friday, we kept encountering roadblocks to where we were going and what we were trying to do. Despite the roadblocks, we ended up where we were supposed go about 2 hours late Better late than never, or better never than late? We had a great time getting to know the folks ans visitors at Haven Village. I even got to show people how to make chevre. Things wrapped there by 2pm or so and we made is safely back to the Holler. I thought the roadblocks were behind us. But not so. At least this one was fun tp watch. #grownostr #homesteading #lftn

Sometimes morning coffee geta interrupted. #coffeechain Gm to me... #homesteadstr #homeateading

Accountability photo day. In my good health journey (which has been going on for a long time), I recently had the experience where some lingering lower back pain was eradicated after I went on an overnight backpacking trip to Virgin Falls. Logically, it makes no sense why carring 30 or 40 pounds up and down rocky canyons did this. Was it that my posture got better? Was there lingering toxins in my muscles? Did pushing myself to the brink but not over the line trigger a chemical change in my body? Is the water at Virgin Falls magic? Idk. All I know is that since that time, I've walked with a weighted vest each morning and have largely remained lower back pain free. Sometimes I wimp out for weather though, but not today. Hello rain!