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 soil reduce watering needs naturally

Whether you garden in raised beds, containers, or a large in-ground garden, these simple principles will help you stop guessing and start watering with confidence.

Read the full article here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/best-time-to-water-garden/

Thanks to Farmhouse Teas for sponsoring this podcast! Be sure to check out all our Homesteading Family favorites, including the Persnickety Peach Chai for your summer iced tea!  If you want to give it a try, Farmhouse Teas is offering 10% off your order with the code HSPODCAST. It’s a one-time use discount and good for one per customer, so be sure to use it wisely: https://homesteadingfamily.com/FHTeas-Favorites

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Intro
1:27 - Chit Chat
5:00 - Farmhouse Teas
6:52 - Main Topic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop
You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.

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 history matters and how looking backward can help us move forward with more intentionality.
This conversation touches on:
 Family economy and durable living 
 The tension between independence and community 
 Why intentionality matters more than ever 
 Building culture for future generations 
 Encouragement for families trying to live differently in uncertain times 
I really appreciated Rory’s perspective and his heart for helping families think deeply about what it means to build a life that lasts.
Links Mentioned:
- Grab your copy of Henry and the Great Society here: https://homeward.press
- Find Rory's book, Durable Trades here: https://www.thegrovestead.com/product/durable-trades/
- Learn more about the Gather and Grow events here: https://gatherandgrow.us

🌿 Today’s episode is sponsored by Homestead Kitchen Magazine: Homestead Kitchen Magazine is our ad-free monthly print magazine filled with trusted recipes, seasonal living inspiration, gardening, herbalism, preserving, and practical homestead skills from experienced teachers and contributors. Carolyn also shares a monthly faith-centered reflection from the heart of the homestead. Grab your subscription here: 👉 https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcast-magazine
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop
You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.

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 things we’re choosing to let go of entirely.
Because here’s the truth most people don’t talk about... You don’t have to do everything to build a successful homestead.
🌱 In This Episode
 Why we took a slower year and what it revealed 
 The homestead projects we’re focusing on in 2026 
 What we’re scaling back and why it matters 
 How our homestead is shifting into a multi-generational model 
 The systems that were adding too much pressure 
 What we’re doing differently this time around 
🧭 Topics We Cover
 Simplifying dairy production 
 Stepping away from pig breeding 
 Turning over the main garden to the next generation 
 Expanding the beef program 
 Starting a family egg business 
 Rebuilding the house exterior 
 Resetting the orchard for long-term success 
🧭 Mentioned in This Video
- Learn how much to plant for a year’s worth of food: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-grow-a-years-worth-of-food/
- Raising backyard chickens: https://homesteadingfamily.com/raising-backyard-egg-laying-chickens/
- Stocking your pantry the right way: https://homesteadingfamily.com/prepping-your-pantry-for-winter/
- Planting fruit trees: https://homesteadingfamily.com/growing-perennials-on-the-homestead/
- Thanks to Azure Standard for sponsoring this podcast. For first-time customers, use coupon code "HOMESTEADINGFAMILY15" for 15% off your first order of $100 or more: https://homesteadingfamily.com/main-azure-standard-b

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction
1:22 - Azure Standard
5:29 - 2026 Projects
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily
You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.

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’re wondering whether a freeze dryer is worth it, or how to actually use one in real life, this will help you make a much more confident decision.

I’ll walk you through:

• Why I thought a freeze dryer would be a waste (and what changed)
• The #1 factor that determines how your food turns out
• Why you need a simple workflow, not just a machine
• The packaging mistake that can ruin your food
• Why freeze drying isn’t as complicated as it sounds
• The best foods to start with (and what to avoid)
• How a freeze dryer can pay for itself faster than you expect

Freeze drying has helped me reduce food waste, simplify meal prep, and honestly… give me back weeks of my time every year. And that’s something I don’t take lightly.

👉 Want help getting started without the trial and error?

Join me for my FREE live freeze drying training where I walk you step-by-step through:

• The 7 steps to freeze drying (so you get it right the first time)
• How to afford a freeze dryer
• Practical ways it saves money
• How to actually make it work in your daily life

You can sign up here:
https://homesteadingfamily.com/freeze-drying-training

I’ll be there live teaching and answering your questions.

If you’ve been thinking about freeze drying, this is one of those skills that can truly change how you preserve food and manage your time at home.

For more information, check out the accompanying blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/things-i-wish-i-knew-before-getting-a-freeze-dryer/

LINKS MENTIONED:

- Freeze Drying FREE Webinar: https://homesteadingfamily.com/freeze-drying-training
- Freeze Drying the Harvest book: https://homesteadingfamily.com/hl-freeze-drying-the-harvest
- Freeze Drying Archives on our website: https://homesteadingfamily.com/category/preserve/freeze-drying/
- How to Store Freeze Dried Food: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-store-freeze-dried-food/
- Thanks to American Blossom Linens for sponsoring this episode of Everyday Homesteading. If you want to replace your linens with cleaner, more sustainable options, use coupon code "HOMESTEADINGFAMILY2026" for 15% off your order: https://homesteadingfamily.com/s-american-blossom-linens/

TIME STAMPS:
0:00 - Introduction
1:50 - American Blossom Linens
4:35 - Main Topic

You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.

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 episode we cover:
 Why your first garden should be a practice garden
 The 5 essential elements for a successful garden 
 What beginners often overthink (and can safely ignore) 
 How to build confidence through small, simple steps 
Resources Mentioned
 Check Out the Traditional Skills Academy: https://traditionalskillsacademy.com
 Grab your Homestead Kitchen Magazine subscription here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcast-magazine
 To track the sun, use the SunSeeker app 
You don’t need to have it all figured out to start gardening. Just get something in the ground. Learn as you go. And remember… this is your practice garden. 🌱
For more information and other helpful blog posts, check out the accompanying post to this podcast: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-start-a-garden/
Time Stamps
0:00 - Introduction
 1:28 - Chit Chat
 11:11 - Homestead Kitchen Magazine
 13:58 - Main Topic
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop
You know that every month, we send out a physical magazine to over 10,000 subscribers? Each issue has seasonal recipes, fresh inspiration for your kitchen, practical homesteading tips, and traditional wisdom from seasoned homesteaders. This magazine equips you to thrive on your homestead, whether you’re in the city, a suburban neighborhood, or on 40 acres. Subscribe today for just $9 a month.