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Picture your weekly shop with half the items in the trolley, half the bill at the checkout, and half the time spent on the whole process. That's what this episode is about — not giving up the supermarket entirely (we are never, ever giving up shop-bought toilet paper), but cutting it back to just the things that are genuinely too complex to make or grow yourself.  WHAT'S IN THIS EPISODE  - A farm update: school holidays, a very pollen-heavy trip to Floriade, and how switching the family to a ketovore way of eating has improved both kids' eczema and hay fever - Farm jobs ticked off: the buck shed is done, Loki's being weaned off the bottle, and a new strawberry plant is going in a hanging basket to keep it safe from the rabbits - A reminder that the October 5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge is still open to join any time, day one or day five, and the next round runs November 23–27 - What "halving your groceries" actually means — and what it definitely doesn't mean (no flour mills, no home-grown coffee, no giving up toilet paper) - Category one: supermarket staples that are genuinely overpriced for what you get — sourdough, pasture-raised eggs, strawberries, and herbs - Category two: what "shelf-stable" really means — long-life milk, preservative-loaded "sourdough," and why barn-laid or free-range labels don't guarantee the nutrition you're paying for - What you don't need land for: eggs, bread, herbs, and cleaning products - What you probably do need land for: raising your own meat and milk - A practical starter list for apartment and balcony living, suburban backyards, and small acreage - Why this isn't just about money — the health, food security, and skills side of producing more of your own food - A call-out: send CJ a voice recording of how you're ditching the store, and you could be featured on next week's episode  RESOURCES MENTIONED  - Join the free Ditch The Store community on Skool: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about- The 5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge is running right now (jump in any day) — next round is November 23–27, hosted inside the Skool community - From Brooder to Plate — Kindle: https://link.amazon/B0fq89feL - From Brooder to Plate — Paperback: https://link.amazon/B080SYcCL - Eggs Without Cartons — Kindle: https://link.amazon/B01mDroZD - Eggs Without Cartons — Paperback: https://link.amazon/B09pwYzr6- Want to be featured on the podcast? Record a short voice note on your phone telling us how you're ditching the store and send it via Facebook Messenger to Ditch The Store, or through the contact page at [email protected] FOLLOW ALONG - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ditchthestore/- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ditchthestore/- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ditchthestore- Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net  Thanks for listening — see you next week.

⚠️ THE 7 BIGGEST MISTAKES NEW HOMESTEADERS MAKE (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)G'day everyone, CJ here, and welcome to episode 183 of Ditch the Store! Today I'm walking through the seven biggest mistakes I see new homesteaders make. I know them all because I've made every one of them, some of them twice. For each one I cover how it happens and, more importantly, how to avoid it. As the sign in my kids' bedroom says, mistakes are proof that you're trying.In this episode:Farm update: weaning Loki off his bottle before the move to the big boy paddock (Doogie is not impressed that the "baby" still gets milk), and getting the Angoras shornMistake 1, too much, too soon, too quickly: bread, ketchup, yogurt, goats, chooks and an orchard all in one week is a recipe for burnoutMistake 2, buying the gear before the skill: why I'm still canning in a $40 Big W pot instead of a $600 US (1,000+ AUD) pressure canner. Also, how an ordinary bowl and tea towel make a perfectly good proofing basket, and why you should borrow or buy secondhand firstMistake 3, animals before infrastructure: the potty calves we brought home with nowhere to put them, why a predator-proof run comes before the chooks, and how having spare hives ready meant we could catch a swarmMistake 4, underestimating the ongoing cost and time: real numbers from our farm. That's $22 a bag of chook feed, $220–250 a round bale, around $30–37 a bale of lucerne, and sick goats that can turn into $2,000 vet bills. Plus why someone has to be there every day, even ChristmasMistake 5, growing what you think you should, not what you eat: the 40-zucchini problem, and why your supermarket receipt should decide what goes in the gardenMistake 6, no plan for the hard stuff: if you have livestock, you'll eventually have dead stock. Know your vet, set aside an emergency fund, and decide before it happensMistake 7, doing it alone and comparing yourself to the highlight reel: nobody posts the gel soap, runny yogurt or rock-hard bread, and I don't milk in a Laura Ashley dress eitherWhy community matters, and where to find mine🔗 JOIN THE CHALLENGE (FREE) Skool community: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about The October 5-Day Challenge starts Monday 12 October (12–16 Oct)📖 GET THE BOOKS Eggs Without Cartons (Paperback): https://link.amazon/B09pwYzr6 From Brooder to Plate (Paperback): https://link.amazon/B080SYcCL🔗 FOLLOW ALONG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.netNot the Farmer's Wife: https://www.notthefarmerswife.com

🧾 THE DITCH THE STORE METHOD: A SIMPLE FRAMEWORK TO STARTG'day everyone, CJ here! Before you watch this one, do me a favour: go and find your last supermarket receipt. It might be in the car or the bottom of your handbag. Don't guess what's on it; get the real one. Today I'm walking you through the exact method I use to start breaking up with the supermarket. It's the same one we used in the 5-Day Ditch the Store Challenge in my Skool community.And let me be clear: this isn't an overnight thing. I still shop at the supermarket (we are never breaking up with supermarket toilet paper in this house). The goal is to spend less there, one small swap at a time.In this episode:A farm update: weaning Loki off his last bottle, his new "big boy paddock" with the waterfront apartment on the big dam, and false spring hitting the Southern TablelandsWhy you need a real receipt and not your memory (26 years in law enforcement taught me that memory is the least reliable witness there is)Looking at the health cost of what you buy, not just the dollar cost, and why the meat pies on my own receipt made me stop and thinkThe four categories: a pantry staple, a fruit, veg or herb, a protein, and a cleaning productWhy you only work on two at a time, not all four at onceMy four easy starting examples: sourdough, potted herbs, backyard eggs, and homemade laundry powder (which cleared up my son's eczema and mine)Picking with your gut: choose the item that makes you wince every time you pay for itPlan first, replace later: how planning around your real life (holidays, a new baby, caring for someone) stops you giving upStacking a new habit onto one you already have, like the watering can next to the dog's food bowlWhy the 5-Day Challenge now runs every month in Skool, and the upcoming dates🔗 JOIN THE CHALLENGE (FREE) Skool community: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about Next rounds: likely 12–16 October (final dates posted in Skool) and 23–27 November📖 GET THE BOOKS Eggs Without Cartons: https://link.amazon/B09pwYzr6From Brooder to Plate: https://link.amazon/B080SYcCL🔗 FOLLOW ALONG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net Not the Farmer's Wife: https://www.notthefarmerswife.com

🌱 WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST DITCH THE STORE CHALLENGE (and what's coming next!) Hey everyone, CJ here. Last week we ran the very first Ditch the Store Challenge on Skool, and today I'm recapping how it went, what surprised me running it, and — the big news — where this goes from here. In this episode: What Skool actually is for anyone who's never heard of it, and why I like it a lot more than Facebook for building a genuine, supportive community A personal update: two months into a keto/carnivore way of eating, the weight loss, and the mental clarity that's made a real difference to how much I get done A farm update on Loki, our baby buck, as we start weaning him off the bottle What running the challenge taught me — including the live-call feature on Skool I didn't even know existed until a member went looking for me Why the challenge works just as well self-paced as it does live, and where to find the 180A–E mini-series if you haven't caught them yet The community update: over 60 members on Skool and a combined email list of nearly 250 The big announcement: the 5 Day Ditch the Store Challenge isn't a one-off — it's going to run every month from here on, living permanently in a Skool classroom so you can do it whenever suits your life Confirmed dates for the next two rounds: 19–23 October and 23–27 November Why it's staying free-first rather than becoming a paid course, and what's coming next week (episode 182 — the Ditch the Store Method) Missed last week's challenge, or couldn't make it work with your roster, your kids, or your farm? That's completely fine — there's always another one coming. JOIN THE CHALLENGE (FREE) Skool community: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about Eddie Abbew Crew on Skool: https://www.skool.com/abbewcrew/about?ref=e31882b2226844c093df8c88e1ee1852 (yes it is an affiliate link, 🙏🏼) GET THE BOOKS Eggs Without Cartons: https://link.amazon/B09pwYzr6From Brooder to Plate: https://link.amazon/B080SYcCL FOLLOW ALONG Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net Not the Farmer's Wife: https://www.notthefarmerswife.com

DAY 5 of the 5-Day Ditch the Store Challenge: where do you go from here? I'm CJ, and if you've made it to the final day — congratulations! Even if you've only landed two small changes out of the four categories, that's genuinely worth celebrating. Today I'm recapping the big lessons from this week (progress over perfection, one change at a time, and building skills even before you "need" them) and talking about where to take this next: my free Skool community, the paid tiers if you want more, and my two books if you want to go deeper on backyard eggs or raising your own meat birds. Day 5's own task is cleaning products — soap, spray and wipe, laundry powder, and gumption, all doable at home with far fewer chemicals than store-bought. And I've got some news: I'll be running this 5-day challenge again next month, and next Thursday's episode is a full review of how this week went — plus a lovely story about a community member who turned my workbook into an app. 🔗 Join the free 5-Day Challenge community on Skool: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about 🔗 Follow: Ditch the Store on Facebook & Instagram Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net

DAY 4 of the 5-Day Ditch the Store Challenge: building confidence one skill at a time. I'm CJ, and today's episode is about something bigger than any one skill — how real confidence with homesteading actually gets built. I'll tell you about growing up on 400 acres with parents who taught me to milk a cow, make our own butter and cheese, and grow our own food — skills I didn't realise weren't the norm until years later. Today's message: don't try to learn everything at once. Pick one new skill a month — two at most — and actually get good at it before adding another. I'll also touch on my two Amazon-published books for anyone wanting to go deeper on raising your own protein, and how to handle the people in your life who don't quite get why you'd want to do any of this yourself. 🔗 Books Brooder to Plate - Kindle - https://link.amazon/B0fq89feL Brooder to Plate - Paperback - https://link.amazon/B080SYcCL Brooder to Plate - Aussie version https://link.amazon/B0dUhCyLC Eggs Without Cartons - Kindle - https://link.amazon/B01mDroZD Eggs Without Cartons - Paperback - https://link.amazon/B09pwYzr6 🔗 Join the free 5-Day Challenge community on Skool: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about 🔗 Follow: Ditch the Store on Facebook & Instagram Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net

DAY 3 of the 5-Day Ditch the Store Challenge: the biggest mistake beginners make. I'm CJ, and today I'm naming it straight up — the single biggest mistake I see when people start homesteading and ditching the store is trying to do too much, too soon, too quickly. Bread, ketchup, BBQ sauce, yogurt, milking goats, chooks, fruit trees — all at once, all in one week. It never ends well, and I've been there myself. Today's task is growing fruit, veg, or herbs — even if that's just one pot of parsley on a veranda, like mine (wild rabbits mean my herb garden lives in pots until it's established). I'll also explain what Skool actually is for anyone who's heard me mention it but hasn't looked it up, and why picking ONE small thing per category — not five big ones — is the whole point of this challenge. 🔗 Join the free 5-Day Challenge community on Skool (videos stay live even after the official run): https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about 🔗 Follow: Ditch the Store on Facebook & Instagram Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net

DAY 2 of the 5-Day Ditch the Store Challenge: progress beats perfection. I'm CJ, back with Day 2 — and today's for anyone whose Day 1 attempt didn't go perfectly. Spoiler: that's most of us, and it still counts. Quick recap for anyone joining late (totally fine to jump in on Day 2), then straight into my "done beats none" philosophy, and the honest story of my first loaves of homemade bread — twenty in, some of them genuinely rock hard — and why that didn't stop me. Today's task is pantry staples: bread, ketchup, mayo, BBQ sauce, stock — the everyday stuff quietly padding out your grocery bill. I'll also tell you about a poster that changed how I think about mistakes, and why I want to see your wins AND your flops posted in the Skool community. 🔗 Join the free 5-Day Challenge community on Skool: https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about 🔗 Follow: Ditch the Store on Facebook & Instagram Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomestead Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/ Website: https://www.mojohomestead.net

DAY 1 of the 5-Day Ditch the Store Challenge One small change starts everything. I'm CJ — farmer, homesteader, mum, and full-time off-farm worker — and today kicks off five short daily episodes (under 15 minutes each) walking you through one small, doable change a day. No farm required. Today's task: grab your last supermarket receipt and pick one item from each of four categories — a pantry staple, a fruit/veg/herb, a protein, and a cleaning product — that genuinely irks you to buy. I'll share mine (spoiler: sourdough bread nearly broke me) and why writing this down matters more than you'd think. Whether you're on a 120-acre property or in an apartment with a windowsill, there's a version of this you can do today. 🔗 Join the free 5-Day Challenge community on Skool 🔗 Follow: Ditch the Store on Facebook & Instagram FacebookInstagramWebsite

For years I thought being good with money meant saying no to everything. Turns out that wasn't frugal — that was just stingy, and it was making me miserable. This week I'm talking about the real difference between frugal and stingy, why it took me years (and a money boot camp) to see it, and what actually spending with intention looks like day to day. Plus a farm update on Loki and Doogie's new digs, prepping the property for snake season, and a first look at the 5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge starting September 14. RESOURCES MENTIONED Denise Duffield-Thomas — Money Boot Camp - https://www.denisedt.com/ The Barefoot Investor (book, plus the kids' edition) - https://link.amazon/B07tStfrH Join the free Ditch The Store community on Skool — https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about 5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge: September 14–18, hosted inside the Skool community

Why Most People Never Start (Ep. 178) | Homesteading, Perfectionism & The Excuses That Hold You BackDESCRIPTIONIt's not that people don't want to grow their own food or stop handing money to the supermarket every week — nobody wants that. Somewhere along the way, "getting started" turns into a huge, all-or-nothing thing in their head, and that's what actually stops them. This week I pull apart the excuses I hear all the time (not enough land, not enough time, I'll mess it up, I'll start when things settle down), why none of them hold up, and what starting small and imperfectly actually looks like.Plus a farm update, big news on my second book, and a first look at the 5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge running September 14–18. RESOURCES MENTIONEDJoin the free Ditch The Store community on Skool — https://www.skool.com/ditch-the-store-6174/about5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge: September 14–18, hosted inside the Skool communityEggs Without Cartons: The Step-by-Step Guide to Raising Chickens for Eggs — live now on KDP https://link.amazon/B038oHMhc or https://link.amazon/B00elw2LrFrom Brooder to Plate — my first book, on raising chickens for meat https://link.amazon/B0fejzIlkThe Barefoot Investor — mentioned as a starting point for practical money guidance - https://link.amazon/B05l8gkTE

Episode 177: My second book, Eggs Without Cartons, goes live on Amazon this Friday — and I'm too egg-cited not to talk about it, even in the middle of the hardest work fortnight of my year. This week: why I split my chicken books into two (one for meat, one for eggs), three free tips straight out of the new book — including a myth about fertile eggs that genuinely blows people's minds — plus a quick farm update and an honest look at why this book took as long as it did to write. Grab it this weekend on Kindle at a discounted price, and if you read it, please leave a review — it's the single biggest thing that helps people find it. 📖 Books: [LINKS BELOW]🔗 Follow: Ditch the Store on Facebook & Instagram [LINKS BELOW] Eggs Without Cartons (Kindle): https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0HGG6XKZGFrom Brooder to Plate (USA & Kindle): https://amzn.to/44yQr2LFrom Brooder to Plate (Aussie): https://amzn.to/4eTcGnwFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mojohomesteadInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojohomestead/Website / email list: https://www.mojohomestead.net

What To Stop Buying Before You Plant Anything DESCRIPTION Spring success doesn't start with buying seedlings — it starts with deciding what you're going to stop buying from the supermarket. In this episode I walk through the exact planning process for a spring garden that actually cuts your grocery bill, the mistakes I see people make every year, and a sneak peek at my upcoming 5-Day Ditch The Store Challenge. Plus a farm update: our new Anglo Nubian buckling Loki, fencing progress, and why I'm finally getting back into the beehives after a year off. RESOURCES MENTIONED Eden Seeds (Australian seed supplier) https://www.edenseeds.com.au Brooded or Plated — my book on raising your own meat chickens Brooder to Plate - USA and Kindle https://amzn.to/44yQr2L Brooder to Plate - Aussie version https://amzn.to/4eTcGnw Mojo Homestead on social media — follow for photos and videos of Loki @mojohomestead Take the Ditch The Store quiz and join the mailing list: www.ditchthestore.com/dtsscore #DitchTheStore #Homesteading #SpringGarden #GrowYourOwn #Homestead #Self Sufficient Living #AustralianGarden #FoodBudget Thanks for watching — see you next week for episode 177.

Think $25 can't do much for your garden? Think again. In this episode I break down the exact numbers on why buying seedlings (not seeds) this year could save you well over $200 in grocery money — and I show you every calculation so you can do it yourself. In This Episode Why sometimes buying seedlings beats saving seeds (and that's okay!)A farm update — walking without crutches after 10 months, garden prep, and Loki the buckling melting heartsThe exact 5 punnets I'm buying at Bunnings this year, and whyThe real dollar-for-dollar maths on seedlings vs. supermarket pricesWhy "don't buy crops you don't eat" is the golden rule of getting a good returnWhat you still need to budget for: water, soil health, and sunlightThis week's challenge: plan your own $25 garden $25 Seedling Maths Five punnets from Bunnings, total cost $24.08 — here's what came out of the ground: Seedling Cost App. Yield S/market Return Iceberg lettuce $4.85 ~6 lettuces $3.50 each = $21.00 ~4x Cherry tomatoes $4.85~3kg p/plant x6 $29.50/kg = $531 ~110x Spring onions $4.85 ~12 bunches $3.00/bunch = $36.00 ~7x Baby spinach $4.85 ~200g $49.00/kg = $9.80 ~2x Parsley $4.68 ~9 bunches $4.50/bunch = $40.50 ~9x Total spent: $24.08 → Total value: $254.80 That's not a one-off harvest either — tomatoes, spinach, and parsley in particular keep producing for months, so this isn't a "pick it all at once" return. It's ongoing. The Golden Rule Don't buy seedlings for crops your family won't actually eat. Grow what replaces your regular supermarket purchases — for us that's lettuce, tomatoes, spring onions, baby spinach, and parsley, because they're things we'd otherwise be buying (and often wasting) every week. Don't Forget Water — hand water if you're not getting regular rainSoil health — dig in your compost now, ahead of plantingSunlight — make sure your bed gets good light through the dayFrost protection — cover seedlings on cold nights, mulch around the base This Weeks Challenge Start planning your own five punnets now for September planting: Pick five crops your family will actually eatCheck prices on the Bunnings websitePrep the garden bed (and any frames you'll need for climbers)Track what it costs you vs. what you'd have spent at the supermarket over summer Links Take the free Ditch the Store Score quiz: www.ditchthestore.com/dtsscore Enjoyed this episode? Share your "store swap" pick — lettuce, baby spinach, spring onions, or parsley — and tag me on social media.

Do you really need to buy new seeds every spring? The answer is… not always. In this episode, we're talking about one of the simplest ways to become a little more self-sufficient—saving your own seeds. I'll explain why seed saving is worth learning, the difference between heirloom and hybrid varieties, and which vegetables are the easiest for beginners to collect seeds from. I'll also share a farm update, explain why some plants don't play by the same rules, and walk you through how I store my own seeds so they're ready for next season. In This Episode Why I stopped buying as many seed packets each yearHow seed saving helps you become more self-sufficientChoosing the best plants to collect seeds fromHeirloom vs hybrid seeds explained simplyThe easiest vegetables to save seeds fromHow to save seeds from:The biggest mistakes beginners make when storing seedsWhich plants don't grow true from saved seedWhy pumpkins, zucchini and cucumbers can surprise you next seasonThis week's Worth Spending Money OnThis Week's Store SwapThis Week's ChallengeTake the FREE Ditch the Store Score Saving seeds won't make you completely self-sufficient overnight, but it's one less thing you'll need to buy next season. It's a simple habit that can save money, build resilience and help your garden become more self-sustaining year after year. Resources 🌱 Take the FREE Ditch the Store Score:https://www.ditchthestore.com/dtsscore 📲 Follow along on social media:@mojohomestead If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review and share it with someone who's ready to grow more and rely a little less on the supermarket.