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Let's talk Programming. Society has programmed us to believe that college, a good job, a mortgage and retirement are the path to happiness. But what happens when that path isn't right for you? Today, we're going old-school LFTN and talking about recognizing society's programming, leaving fear behind and building the life you actually want. Sponsors The Wealthsteading Podcast — InvestableWealth.com Strong Roots Resources — StrongRootsResources.com Featured Events LFTN Christmas Reception — December 19 at Basecamp Lodge. RSVP at LivingFreeinTennessee.com Tales From The Prepper Pantry Two and a half cows and ten sheep headed for processing Final herb harvest and tomatoes waiting to be canned Preparing gardens for spring and planting garlic Frugality Tip Send your tips to [email protected] Operation Independence Investing in yourself through learning and stepping away from daily operations Building income streams that don't depend entirely on you Main Topic: Dare to Leave Society's Programming Behind The career, debt and retirement path we're taught to follow Recognizing when success doesn't equal happiness How media, advertising and fear shape our decisions Fear-based preparedness versus building a life of abundance Finding the courage to choose your own path The importance of community when you live differently Stop waiting for permission to build the life you want A new direction for LFTN Community and Coffee Connect through the LFTN Telegram group or Facebook Coffee Break group HollerRoast.com Make it a Great Week!

Today we're changing things up a bit and putting Tactical on the spot. If you were handed Basecamp Lodge and told to turn it into a functioning homestead, where would you start? We dig into infrastructure, food production, livestock, and why figuring out what you want your property to DO should come before piling on projects. We also take a side trip into Tactical's decision to quit smoking and what happens when an addiction becomes part of your identity. Sponsors The Wealthsteading Podcast — John Pugliano Discount Mylar Bags Home to Homestead Why we're changing up the weekly Homestead Happenings format What we learned about homestead living when the world stopped in 2020 Local networks, seasonal eating, and becoming less dependent on the grocery store Introducing Christopher — AKA Tactical Redneck What would Tactical do if Basecamp Lodge were his homestead? Why Basecamp isn't really a blank slate Assessing what is already there, what works, and what needs to go Three generations of water systems on the property Stabilizing existing infrastructure before adding new systems Finishing one major system before moving to the next Starting with functions instead of jumping straight into projects Sheep, poultry, and rabbits Easy-to-maintain food production Why Tactical would install an aquaponics system Growing meat and vegetables Supporting overnight guests, camping, classes, and small events Getting Tactical out of tactics and into strategy A Side Trip Into Quitting Smoking Tactical is quitting smoking after about two decades The difference between feeling like you're supposed to quit and actually deciding to quit Cutting nicotine instead of trying to flip a switch overnight Herbal alternatives and changing the physical habit Addiction, faith, and deciding something no longer belongs in your life The identity wrapped around an addiction Changing the things you tell yourself Removing the inputs that reinforce the identity you're trying to leave behind Back to Basecamp My vision for a productive two-acre homestead Food production, processing, and storage Living soil and returning surplus to the land Working with Mother Nature rather than against her Grazing animals, vegetables, and composting Redundant water and energy systems What happens when grid power or city water stops working? Flowers, beauty, and places to sit and reset Why a homestead should support happiness and pleasure, too Winter is coming: getting redundant heat in place The wood stove and getting the chimney ready Why the piano moved ahead of the wood stove on my priority list Making room for music, Christmas carols, and community Zone Zero before trying to build everything else Food storage and processing Composting kitchen scraps and building fertility Plans for a bioreactor build this fall Water backup and storage Planning the grounds for camping without rushing to build every garden Creating one peaceful place that doesn't constantly demand attention Why composting feels as basic as having a trash can once you've lived this way long enough Building the new podcast studio at Basecamp Homestead Updates Plumber Mickey is moving to Tennessee A sheep recovering from polio and loudly objecting to being separated from the flock Four four-wheelers, two currently running, and one working four-wheeler actually under our control Waiting on parts for another four-wheeler Soil & Microscopy Intensive The class is moving to a flexible date Put down your deposit at LivingFreeinTennessee.com Once we have ten people, we'll work with the group and instructors to choose two days that work Holler Roast Coffee HollerRoast.com Make it a Great Week!

Home to Homestead: Why Am I Unsettled? I've been feeling unsettled lately, and it has led to some pretty big changes here at the Holler. What started with an unexpected move to Basecamp Lodge has turned into a much bigger conversation about the house, the homestead, the stuff we hang on to, and what we really want our lives to look like. Today, Tactical joins me to talk about what we're changing, what we might do next, and why sometimes you need to let go of the old before you can figure out what's coming. Featured Event Homesteader Meetup at Basecamp Lodge — Sunday, October 18, 3–6 PM Potluck — bring something to share if you can Brad Bleasdale from Orchard House Creamery shares how he turned his homestead from losing money into a profitable operation Details at LivingFreeinTennessee.com Sponsors Agorist Tax Advice — Matthew Sercely Strong Roots Resources — Kerry Brown Home to Homestead: Why Am I Unsettled? The dream that prompted my unexpected move to Basecamp Lodge Discovering that water intrusion and mold were still problems in my house Changes in my energy and singing voice since moving Dealing with the emotional side of losing possessions Why we're considering remediating and selling the house Loving the land but never really loving the house Nineteen years of living in a house that doesn't quite fit The importance of Zone Zero and what happens when you put it off Purging possessions and figuring out what we actually need Minimalism versus preparedness — where do you draw the line? Keeping useful backups without keeping everything Starting over with the basics instead of moving everything Why the Home to Homestead project might become something bigger Looking for property that better supports our homesteading and community goals Letting go of sentimental possessions without pretending it doesn't hurt Making room for the things that matter now Homestead Updates and Winter Preparations Getting the last of the locally grown broccoli into the freezer — with a timely reminder from Tactical Preparing for the first frost of the season Harvesting peppers, basil, oregano, sage and mint Saving green bean seeds for next year Protecting outdoor faucets, the kitchen sink and shower from freezing Winter livestock watering systems Twelve sheep on sixteen acres and why we bought 100 bales of hay Dry fall weather and the lack of stored forage in the pastures Using leftover hay to help rehabilitate overgrazed areas Getting the Hearthstone wood stove installed and preparing firewood Moving the piano from the old house to Basecamp Lodge Why we rented a piano dolly and loading ramp instead of hiring professional movers Moving a piano with community help for a fraction of the quoted price Getting back to singing, playing piano and writing music Why getting everything harvested and preserved perfectly isn't the goal Classes and Community Considering a six-week Home to Homestead course Starting with a property audit and building a plan around your goals Private homesteading classes are coming Soil & Microscopy Intensive — four seats left $200 deposit to reserve your spot, with dates selected once ten people sign up LivingFreeinTennessee.com Holler Roast Coffee HollerRoast.com Make it a Great Weekend!

We're a week late for First Tuesday Coffee, but Jack Spirko from The Survival Podcast, John Willis from Special Operations Equipment, and I are back for another round of conversation. This month we dig into what small business owners can do when sales slow down, why learning new things matters at every age, and how experience turns knowledge into wisdom. We also get into Starlink, government surveillance, raising capable kids, and a few rabbit trails along the way. Featured Event: Soil Microscopy Intensive with Alan Booker: https://livingfreeintennessee.com/product/soil/  Learn to use a microscope to understand what's living in your soil and how to improve it. The class is $465, with a $200 deposit to reserve your spot. We will choose the date together once ten people have signed up. LivingFreeinTennessee.com Today's Topics The mysterious morning rocket launch that had people wondering about aliens What to do when your business is down and the economy looks ugly John's approach to identifying and serving his best customers Using sales data, customer feedback, and social media to guide product development Why you should focus on what already works before chasing new ideas Finding opportunities in a changing economy instead of waiting for better times Testing new products before investing heavily in production Pricing your products to account for labor, materials, equipment, and overhead Amanda's soap business, subscription sales, and building a premium product Using your existing relationships and distribution channels to grow a business Business lessons from Henry Ford's My Life and Work John's fig trees and regenerative orchards The skills younger generations aren't learning and what we can do about it Learning new technology through experimentation, including AI and NotebookLM Why challenging yourself and surrounding yourself with capable people matters Knowledge versus wisdom: Why experience and failure are necessary Open-ended toys, outdoor play, and teaching kids to solve problems Learning to say no Starlink internet, mobile connectivity, and the coming changes to cell service Interest rates, savings, Bitcoin, and the difference between price and market value Why your website needs to work for mobile customers Flock cameras, surveillance, and tracking publicly funded vehicles Safety regulations, personal responsibility, and unintended consequences Gen X childhood, bicycle ramps, trampolines, and learning from mistakes Resources The Survival Podcast — Jack Spirko Jack Spirko's Laws of Life, Books 1 and 2 My Life and Work — Henry Ford Special Operations Equipment — John Willis Living Free in Tennessee — Soil Microscopy Intensive with Alan Booker Holler Roast Coffee — Start your day with a great cup of coffee Make it a Great Week!

Sometimes the homestead decides what the priority is for you. This week, Tactical is down hard, which means we are getting a crash course in cross-training, delegation and figuring out how to keep the important things moving when one of your key people simply cannot do what they usually do. We'll also talk about managing the brutal heat, the latest Home to Homestead projects, homemade laundry detergent, giant squash and an egg that literally cooked itself. Featured Event Strong Roots Resources Wild Edible Walk September 13 $30 Email [email protected] to sign up. Sponsors Agorist Tax Advice: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN The Wealthsteading Podcast: Wealthsteading.com Homestead Happenings Forced delegation days at the Holler Tactical is down and the rest of us are learning his systems Cross-training BEFORE you need it Moving sheep and learning to set up fencing in concrete-hard ground Calling in the Holler neighbors when the work still has to happen Getting water to livestock when your usual system depends on somebody who suddenly cannot carry it Working early and late to get through 100+ degree days How the gardens and animals are handling the heat The egg that cooked itself A broody duck and the possibility of baby Muscovies Egg production and molting season The gigantic Cushaw squash destined for the Farm-to-Table Dinner Turning Basecamp Lodge from a home into a homestead Why I want a real wood stove instead of a fireplace insert Figuring out the chimney liner, chimney cap and masonry repairs The Hearthstone Manchester versus a used Hearthstone Heritage Prioritizing infrastructure without putting it on a credit card Facebook Marketplace strikes again: a $1,200+ precision oven for $150 Why the crappy electric stove just moved farther down the priority list Experimenting with a new chore rotation between the two houses Building flexibility into the chore schedule when somebody ends up at urgent care My new morning routine for getting garden and homestead work done Revisiting homemade laundry detergent after the old recipe clogged the pipes Washing soda + laundry bar without the borax Getting better results with hard water Moving toward locally made laundry soap Getting the trucks and gear ready for Self Reliance Festival in Kansas Holler Roast Coffee: HollerRoast.com Make it a Great Week!

Today, we will discuss the Home to Homestead project I have started at the Basecamp Lodge and how a single email from a friend has changed everything. We will also cover our usual segments Tales From The Prepper Pantry, Operation Independence and More. Sign Up for the Soil Microscopy Intensive Here: LivingFreeinTennessee.com Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN Sponsor 2: StrongRootsResources.com Tales From The Prepper Pantry Canned goods bookshelf update Relocation impact on the pantry Thoughts on food shortages and creating your food and supplies "bank account Jerusalem Artichokes - what to do with them at this time of year Operation Independence Holler Roast Update From Mickey As to installing your chimney liner, sometimes there will be mortar clumps hanging inside that it can get caught on. The best method I've used for this is to duct tape a clothesline to end of liner with about 6" of rope sticking up, then loop that back down and put on another layer of duct tape to help keep rope from pulling off. On other end of rope drill a hole through a tennis ball and insert rope through it then tie knot on other end. This gives the rope enough weight to go down chimney while the ball is soft enough to not damage chimney crock. Then one person on roof guiding liner down, while another person inside guides liner with the rope to keep it from hanging up. Often a mirror from underneath helps in guiding liner down so you don't have to try to get your head in chimney. For the hard water, it's already filled with minerals and therefore raises specific gravity. Since water does have a saturation point relative to its specific gravity you can dissolve your soap in a jar of warm water. Shake well or stir. Allow it to settle for about 10 minutes then pour through a sieve, or gently pour out without spilling settled solids. Once you discover the actual amount of soap your water will completely dissolve you'll then know how much to safely add to a load, based on how much dissolves in a known quantity and multiply it out to how much water your machine adds per load. That's the hard part, is figuring out how much water is in a load for your machine. This got me to thinking about our community and the vast amount of knowledge we have housed among us on the Facebook group and Telegram group. Sometimes I feel like I might be boring you all with some of the things we do here because we live fairly differently than most modern world things. So let's talk crowdsourcing homestead systems... I started out wanting to build a repository of homesteading skills. What I ended up building was a community of people who know how to do things. And that's far more useful. So let's end with this recipe thought: The best pork chops >Coffee, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, salt and pepper Sous vide at 155 But cook with what you have yo. And really the bigger conversation to have here is this - what are YOU really good at? Have you shared it with the community? Make It A Great Week!

Today I'm coming to you live from the Midwest Preparedness Project Fall Festival with a few of the people who make events like this worth showing up for. We talk about building a life on your own terms, knowing when to reset, raising capable kids, testing your gear before you need it, and why the conversations around the campfire may matter more than anything happening on stage. Featured Event Midwest Preparedness Project Fall Festival Sponsors Midwest Preparedness Project Red Flyer Media Today's Guests & Topics Dawn Gorham of The Gorham Homestead Going from working in the court system to running her own dairy How Self-Reliance Festival and community helped her make the leap Why sometimes the first thing you try is the wrong thing — and that is still progress Goats, milk cows, and learning what livestock can teach you the hard way Building confidence by doing the thing Realizing the skills from your old life may transfer directly into the new one Knowing when you have reached maximum capacity Creating margin instead of trying to keep every plate spinning Getting back to your purpose when it is time for a reset Building stronger local food networks The Gorum Homestead: https://thegorhamhomestead.com Britt Baker of Mission Brit Growing up homeschooled and around preparedness before calling it preparedness Mission work, including time in Africa, and how that changed her perspective Why your mission may be much closer to home than you think Helping people identify what is holding them back from their mission or purpose What makes preparedness events different Why the people around you are often the most valuable part of an event Getting out of your comfort zone and actually talking to people Testing your gear before you need it Camping as a practical way to build confidence Finding out the hard way that preparedness gear does eventually wear out Sydney and Craig How having kids changed the way they looked at the world Parenting as an investment of time and attention Moving away from the expectations they grew up with Raising kids with fewer screens Why removing something from your family culture means replacing it with something better Being present instead of simply adding more activities Helping kids develop creativity and independence in a rapidly changing technological world Consumption versus creation Why preparedness festivals create opportunities to participate instead of simply consume Prioritizing what you actually plan to implement instead of trying to do everything The friendships that happen when you talk to the person sitting next to you Creating enough margin for deeper conversations Their vision for Homeschool on Homestead, a small homeschool-style learning environment for families who cannot homeschool themselves Some Takeaways Talk to people. You have no idea who is sitting next to you. Don't dismiss somebody's crazy idea before asking a few questions. Sometimes the thing that fails is what gets you to the thing that works. Learn how your livestock can hurt you before they demonstrate it. When everything feels like too much, go back to your purpose. Your local community matters. Use your preparedness gear now, not for the first time during an emergency. Kids need space to create, think, participate, and learn. When you remove something from your life, replace it with something that moves you toward what you actually want. Don't go too hard too fast. Prioritize. Some of the best things that happen at events like this are nowhere on the schedule. Get your coffee at Holler Roast Coffee: https://hollerroast.com Make it a Great Week!

Today we have our First Tuesday Coffee with John Willis of Special Operations Equipment, Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast, and Nicole Sauce of Living Free in Tennessee. As usual, we wander through business, preparedness, current events, building your life, and whatever else comes up over coffee. Upcoming Events Soil & Microscopy Intensive – October 2 & 3 Alan Booker, Chase Jones and Nicole Sauce at Holler Homestead https://livingfreeintennessee.com/event/soil-and-microscopy-intensive/ SOE Party – October 10 Free to attend and free to vend. RSVP so John knows how much food and how many porta potties to get. https://SOETacticalGear.com The Survival Podcast Fall Workshop – November Registration opens September 19 at 9 AM Central and usually sells out FAST. https://TheSurvivalPodcast.com Topics Covered Remembering Dolly Parton and the difference between genuine people and fake media Tight budgets, layoffs and making yourself useful Stop underpricing your work Entrepreneurship, employment and preparing for a changing job market Housing costs, building codes and why modern houses suck Mold, drywall and healthier building Beef imports, wild horses and doing the math on internet conspiracies Government overreach, census takers, game wardens and learning to say no Build something instead of letting doom invade your life Family, kids and personal responsibility Generators, fuel, critical-load solar and actually testing your preps Harbor Freight, battery adapters and inexpensive tools that work Shipping, Amazon, Walmart and what your time is actually worth Upsells, customer value and lessons from companies that are really good at getting your money Connect With Today's Hosts TheSurvivalPodcast.com SOETacticalGear.com LivingFreeinTennessee.com Community Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b Make it a Great Week

Homestead happenings   Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to discuss the latest from the Holler Homestead: It''s HEEERE, Sheep Hammock, Preparing for SRF, more. Featured Event: Self Reliance Festival.  Get Tickets Here https://selfreliancefestival.com/ Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast: https://wealthsteading.com/  Sponsor 2:  DiscountMylarBags.com: Https://DiscountMylarBags.com  Topics: Canned Food Book Shelf Mini Skid Is Here! Fair is wrapped up Mint taking over swim spa area Home to Homestead Audit Beginning Wood Stove Matters Good News About Duplex Foundation - I side will be for rent Starting Sept 1 Farm To Table Small Group Make it a great week!

Today we're talking about what it really looks like to go from a home to a homestead, and I get to answer a question I've been asked for years in real time: If I had it all to do over again, what would I do differently?   LFTN Stocking Exchange Reminder that the LFTN Stocking Exchange is coming up. Get it on your radar!   Featured Event: Soil Microscopy Class Soil and Microscopy Intensive Learn to look at what is actually happening in your soil and better understand the biology that makes healthy soil work. LivingFreeInTennessee.com   Sponsors Above Phone AbovePhone.com Strong Roots Resources StrongRootsResources.com   Tales from the Prepper Pantry Building new shelves Consolidating freezer fat Meatloaf is the big project of the week Processed all peppers for salsa futures   Frugality Tip: 100% Cotton Throws Buy a cotton blanket at Aldi for $15 Sew it in half and you get two throws for the price of one No unnatural plastic yuck in your throws   Operation Independence SRF sponsorship has really come through! Holler Roast is up 20% since the weeks of the fair Thanks, y'all!   Main Topic: From Home To Homestead One of the questions I get when on panels and suck is "If you had it to do all over again, how would you build your homestead?" Or "What are the 2 or 3 biggest mistakes you made early on in building your homestead?" As homestead advising types we tend to tell people to build things one at a time and go slowly so that you can get your systems working. Or we say get a permaculture plan in place first. Or we have more practical advice like infrastructure before livestock, get your zone 0 in place before you do anything else, etc All these things are true and not true at the same time What is homesteading? The eternal question, more controversial than what is off grid? (Reminds me of the how libertarian are you arguments) Homestead Where You Are Is land required? Mindset change Ongoing learning Then came the question: If you had it all to fro over again Holler Hub being developed for a year with Basecamp Lodge as the event center Fighting a type one error at the Holler Homestead where I live Acceleration of the challenges this year, remediation, health impacts, processing past grief and letting things go that hold you back (Resentment episode) So if I had it to do all over again, how would I build my homestead differently? That is a question you can't really answer unless you are doing it The opportunity The reality: move, brought almost nothing with me, sourcing all new personal items as well as transforming basecamp into a homestead that can accommodate events AND serve as a live learning model for others who want an immersive experience in growing food and health living Pros: I own the property and home Its got good bones I have the experience and connections to do this right We are already set up with a basement classroom and open concept kitchen that works great for teaching I have income streams developed I am really good at "If I cannot do x then what CAN I do? Cons: this is a normal house not a home set up to accommodate pantry, power outages, processing animals and food, gardening, etc. (Now fuel efficient) I come to this without the funds to do it in my personal checking account I am still encumbered by past messes (although fewer) that I have made for. Myself This will be very much like when I was younger on the homestead and was just starting out, only I am not, in fact younger :D Plastics So how will we start? The assessment is this week. What have we got? What do we need? How will we navigate what to do first? This may become the constant topic of the podcast or a segment - I don't really know, But it is the BUILDING of the Holler Hub in real time and I am excited to finally answer the question for real - what would you do if you had it all to do over again? I guess we will find out. But one thing is true - the one most important part of homesteading that you can never let languish - BE FEARLESS.

Homestead happenings   Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to discuss the latest from the Holler Homestead: Finances, big moves, broken 4 wheelers and more.   Featured Event: September 19 Farm to Table Dinner - Email me for sponsorship.  Get Tickets Here https://livingfreeintennessee.com/event/farm-to-table/   Spponsor 1: https://abovephone.com/?above=104 AbovePhone.com Code: LiveFreeTN   Sponsor 2:  AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN Topics: Mini Skin Steer Is Not Here 4 Wheeler Situation Some weeks it is hard to get lots done on the homestead: State Fair update, Duplex update BIG MOVES- Basecamp Financial Tracking Upgrade

Today, I will cover our usual segments as well as Last week, a listener asked a question that led us on an adventure about how to let go of the clutter in your life that are things you may not be things you LOVE but you love the person or memory that they trigger discuss what to do when all your green beans get ripe at the same time. Spoiler: You handle too many green beans much differently than too many tomatoes. Featured Event:Farm to Table Experience on September 19th at 1pm at the Holler Homestead in Lancaster, TN. $115 https://livingfreeintennessee.com/event/farm-to-table/ Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast https://wealthsteading.com/ Sponsor 2: Strong Roots Resources: https://strongrootsresources.com/ Tales From The Prepper Pantry Green bean update 53 Smoked butts Schnitzel Saves the Day Shelving Idea for Basecamp Classroom Frugality Tip Most of us have tile somewhere in our house, and I have tried all kinds of things to get the grout lines clean. I personally have spent lots of money on a variety of cleaners. Well here you go: grab some peroxide and a toothbrush and prepare to be as amazed as I was. The grout looks brand new. So stop trying all of these weird chemicals that don't actually clean anything and go back to the basics.  Operation Independence Duplex Update Summer Time brings me memories of lazy days at the family pool, mom in the kitchen processing food or in the garden tending things. Picking strawberries at 4 in the morning, then getting home by 3 or 4 to shower and do it all over again. It was lazy but not lazy. There was always a sense of go with the flow in the summer where I grew up. And back then, a kid could still earn pocket money in the fields. Sometimes I miss that life, but it was also work. And perhaps that is why I find it fun to do the garden work or the canning work. Once again, I got the call every homesteader wants to get: Hey do you want all the green beans in one of my rows? I have too many. And it was hot, I had just spent 2 days painting and only had a single day to prepare for a Saturday event here. So I said. YES PLEASE! Last week we talked about how to process an abundance of tomatoes by basically NOT processing them. This week it is beans. Ways to preserve green beans Pickled Blanched and frozen Blanched and freeze dried Blanched and dehydrated Canned Timeline Canning and pickling Blanching and Freezing or drying Compost   Pre-freezing green beans for canning still means you need to blanch them so - why bother? My Secret to processing so many beans in just 24 hours - it was either a bushel and a half or 2 bushels. Presto electric canner Tapping into the in-between times One Last Batch at night How the supplies are organized Cleanup in between batches so I could also cook meals In sum: Hard work but not really that hard Recipes with green beans Steamed or boiled, drained, butter and spiced Pan seared Roasted Green Bean Salads Green bean eggy saute Make it a great week.

Today I am joined by the Tactical redneck to discuss updates from the Holler Homestead. Nuking the house, gardening for future you, sometimes you just get peed on, Mini Skid Incoming and Tactical CANT WAIT.   Featured Event: Self Reliance Festival MWPP Takeover on September 10.   Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteadingpodcast.com Sponsor 2: AbovePhone.com   Topics: Mini Skid Steer What its like without T - and how we have set it up for success Planning for SRF, being gone Nuking my house Getting Peed On Gardening for future you (compost) Presto Electric Canner and real life Ducks to bed working better State Fair Meal Planning Fencing Class Update, and webinar ,October 12

Today we talk about purging the sentimental stuff, from ball gowns and family heirlooms to someday projects that never seem to get done. How do you decide what stays, what goes, and how do you let go of things that carry memories without feeling guilty about it? Featured Event Homemade Condiments: The Secret Is in the Sauce Holler Homestead • $75 Learn how to make mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and homemade salad dressing from scratch, including what I've learned from failing mayonnaise, mushroom ketchup, and how to build your own salad dressing flavor profiles. LivingFreeInTennessee.com/event/condiments Sponsors Strong Roots Resources StrongRootsResources.com Agorist Tax Advice AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN Tales from the Prepper Pantry 49 jars of green beans put up, with four more jars worth coming out of the garden Using the Presto electric pressure canner alongside the regular pressure canner to get more done Purging old food from the pantry that we simply don't eat anymore Cooking with what we grow: squash, pork, homemade tomato sauce, herbs, garlic and onions What regenerative soil does for the flavor and nutrition of the food we grow Getting a "second flush" of cream by letting the raw milk sit longer before skimming Frugality Tip It's clearance season for gardening and summer supplies Look for deals on hoses, sprinklers, connectors, grills, pools and plants Back-to-school season also means deals on office supplies Stocking up on good journals while prices are low Operation Independence Picking a huge batch of green beans from Trippy Acres Main Topic: Purging the Sentimental How sentimental stuff quietly turns your home into storage for decisions you don't want to make Why grief can turn us into repositories for family heirlooms nobody else wants to deal with Stuff begets more stuff: once you're the person who says yes, everyone knows where to send the family heirlooms The ball gowns I loved, wore, no longer fit into and finally decided to let go Giving the original giver the right of refusal when something may still matter to them Being grateful for a gift does not mean you have to store it forever Letting go of useful things that are no longer the right things Why keeping the old thing until you replace it can leave you surrounded by worn-out shoes, furniture and other junk Getting rid of something can force you to finally find the solution you actually want Looking at what you want to do in a space before deciding what deserves to stay there Why boxes of old technology, cables and unused cameras are keeping me from having my sewing table If something can easily be replaced for $20–$50 and you haven't used it, consider letting it go Trusting that you can get what you need when you actually need it Keeping things because Grandpa or Grandma made them, even when you don't particularly like them Taking a picture when you want to preserve the memory without preserving the object Choosing the sentimental things you genuinely love instead of keeping every sentimental thing Keeping Grandpa's ironwood roadrunner instead of every object he made Vintage clothing, family glassware, quilts and other inherited things that carry emotional weight If another relative will be upset when you get rid of something, give them the opportunity to take it Don't transfer your guilt by forcing sentimental things onto someone else How physical clutter, financial clutter, paper clutter and mental clutter feed one another Clearing things out has created more than physical space—it has created space in my brain and in my day Making room for the things I actually want to do: swimming, singing, playing piano and writing songs Getting rid of the someday projects The broken chair you're someday going to repair The supplies you bought for a project six months ago and still haven't used Buying supplies for the project you're actually going to do now instead of the one you might someday do The emotionally difficult someday projects, including an embroidered pillow cover my grandmother intended for a baby I never had Either do the thing or make a decision about the thing—don't let it live forever in a someday pile Why centering your identity in old memorabilia can keep you looking backward instead of building your future You can appreciate the memories without allowing the objects attached to them to control your space It's okay to be ruthless Keep the things that genuinely matter. Preserve a picture when that's enough. Give things to people who actually want them. Then move forward. Reference Links Living Free in Tennessee LivingFreeInTennessee.com Holler Roast Coffee HollerRoast.com Make It A Great Week!

Today I am joined by Tori the Mom to talk about the wildfires that came within a mile of her home in Spokane, what it was like to watch evacuation zones move toward her neighborhood, and what she learned when preparedness suddenly became real. We talk about evacuation plans, knowing more than one way out, preparing kids and animals, cash, gas, communications, technology that helped her stay ahead of the fire, and the things she plans to do differently next time. Featured Event The Art of Containment: How to Contain Small Ruminants with Fencing Saturday at 10 AM We will cover how electric fencing works, running stranded wire for small ruminants, rechargeable systems when you don't have power nearby, and our "graveyard of shame" of fencing ideas that didn't work. LivingFreeInTennessee.com Sponsors The Wealthsteading Podcast with John Pugliano InvestableWealth.com Strong Roots Resources StrongRootsResources.com Topics Covered Meet Tori the Mom and how she became part of the LFTN community Tori and her sister's 20 acres of raw land near Loon Lake, Washington Her plans to build a retreat for wives and ex-wives of alcoholics Why making the big, hard-to-reverse decisions on raw land is different from cutting trails and experimenting Watching the Spokane wildfires go from "that's way over there" to evacuation zones within about a mile of Tori's house How high winds, dry conditions and flying embers allowed the fire to jump the river and move rapidly toward town What happened when Watch Duty and county emergency alerts suddenly started going off Knowing when it is time to stop watching and start packing Why camping is excellent practice for evacuation Teaching kids what to pack and identifying the few irreplaceable things you actually want to grab Keeping identification, important documents, cash and small irreplaceable items ready to go Why knowing multiple ways out of your neighborhood matters Practicing driving without GPS and learning how to navigate when familiar landmarks or street signs are gone How Tori's habit of taking different routes around Spokane gave her more options when evacuation traffic became a problem Planning meetup locations in multiple directions when family members may be separated Why your relatives living nearby doesn't necessarily give you somewhere to evacuate Gas, cash and snacks: three simple preps Tori realized she needed to have ready before an emergency Starting with some emergency cash instead of getting stuck because you can't immediately set aside the "perfect" amount Why Tori needs to practice actually loading her dogs and cats into the cars Having enough animal carriers and figuring out what will actually fit in your vehicle before you need it Desensitizing yourself to stressed, noisy animals so their reaction doesn't derail you during an emergency How Tori turned emergency practice into the "zombies" game when her kids were young—and why they still remembered it when the wildfire came Debriefing with kids after an emergency and giving teenagers responsibility for part of the family's preparedness Why practicing your plans matters more than simply thinking through them How community helped Tori stay calmer, troubleshoot problems and know that people were watching out for her The value of having community outside your immediate geographic area when everyone near you may be dealing with the same emergency Watch Duty, regional emergency alerts, weather forecasts, FlightRadar, Facebook groups and a police scanner as sources Tori used to follow the fire Using wind direction and future wind predictions to decide whether it was safe to sleep or whether conditions might change overnight Watching firefighting aircraft and listening to scanner traffic to understand what was actually happening Ember guards for attic vents as something to investigate for homes in wildfire country Knowing the specific risks where you live and building your preparedness around them Why Tori's biggest takeaway is simple: practice packing, practice loading the car and know what absolutely has to go with you Reference Links The Wealthsteading Podcast InvestableWealth.com Strong Roots Resources StrongRootsResources.com Living Free in Tennessee LivingFreeInTennessee.com Watch Duty FlightRadar HipCamp Tori's Property Shielstra Braehaven on HipCamp 20 acres of raw, forested land near Loon Lake, Washington Holler Roast Coffee HollerRoast.com Make It A Great Week!