Do you love Ranch dressing on lots of things: pizza crust, carrot sticks, French fries, bacon, and even salad?

Here’s a recipe from scratch.

At the Holler, we make the mayonnaise with olive oil and duck eggs. Decades ago, we used MSG to bring out the flavor in this dressing, but now we think Worcestershire sauce is a healthier idea. Read more

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Today we talk about rabbit poos systems, a sheep hay sled, more on electric fences, building community and more.

Featured Event:

LFTN Events Calendar: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/events/

Self Reliance Through Permaculture: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/self-reliance-through-permaculture/

Marc 2 in Crossville, $25

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com

Sponsor 2: SelfRelianceFestival.com

Listener Feedback

I GOT STARTED! 

I’ve been a listener for a couple years now and between you and Tim I finally started a business.  Still getting things moving but I used Joshua at getahostnow and he was great at getting me off the ground with a website (still building it now).  Thank you for being an inspiration for those that want to be free! Jesse

Tattooing Rabbits

You probably know this already, but I thought I would share my experience tattooing rabbits.

If you can get tattoo paste (black is best, in my opinion) that works so much better than other options So here is what did: 

-clean left ear

-use a towel over the head (to prevent bites/scratches)…a lot easier with two people..but otherwise, hold in your arm with rabbit head in your elbow

-Clamp

-wipe any blood

-smear and press tattoo paste into the holes 

-wipe off excess with a slightly damp cloth, check to make sure color in every hole

With characters-we would put the number of the year as last character (so 2024, 4 at the end), and first digit of which doe it came from (so, doe “Aphrodite,” all her descendents started with A) 

And I’d HIGHLY recommend starting pedigree so you can avoid too much incest . The does will become too dumb to take care of babies, or become vicious, or do other dumb things. 

Hope this helps! Also, did you get my email about recirc pump to help with frozen pipes in your house? 

Take care, Kelsey

Parallel fence and power lines especially can interfere with your circuit.

https://hackaday.com/2024/01/27/harvesting-electricity-from-high-voltage-transmission-lines-using-fences/

It might be possible, in an Edge Case situation like that, that the grounding rods and salt could combine to form cupric oxide diodes around the ground rods, which will rectify the voltage into the ground (passing DC voltage in one direction and passing it in the other).

Disclaimer: I am not an electrical engineer. I’m a liberal arts grad and math is a distant second language.

Sorry about the sheep. That is rough. Something to “look forward to” (not) at the time we get animals on our place. Best, packradt packradt

Forage

  • Dandelion
  • Chick weed
  • Dead nettle
  • Wild garlic

Livestock

  • No lambs yet – technically due March 1-20
  • Duck jail
  • Duck litter process – do the work of the chickens
  • Duck feeder update
  • LGDs prefer chicken over rabbit but rabbits are easier to raise
  • Wing clipping
  • Laying in the listeria contaminated place

Grow

  • Peas are in
  • Beds are in
  • More wood chips needed
  • ¾ of food forest is pruned
  • Want a wood chipper
  • Seedlings not started but seeds chosen
  • Time to re-up the AP system

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Seeking homestead sitter
  • Getting a homestead intern in April
  • Homestead Alliance Meeting Second Sat in March: potluck and seed exchange 1pm-3pm

Infrastructure

  • Rabbitery update
  • Sheep Hay sled
  • Solar update

Finances

  • Eggs should be for sale shortly, rabbit poop idea

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

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Join me today for a dive into Matt Hundley’s journey from deciding to opt out of the city, acquire a spot of land, and transforming it into an asset instead of a liability. We talk about the sacrifices he made to get this done, as well as personal growth he experienced along the way.

Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast, InvestableWealth.com

Sponsor 2: EmpShield.com, Coupon code LFTN gets you $50 off

Connect with Matt, Get Your Trees, Etc!

www.HollowtopFarms.com

www.TennesseeHomesteadDesign.com

www.BackToThelandFestival.com

https://www.facebook.com/centervillefarmtennessee

Main content of the show

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Direct Download

Join me for a group discussion with John Willis of Special Operations Equipment and members of our community and beyond about building the life you choose, current events, building a durable life, community development, business, getting started, health and more. 

Each Tuesday, we welcome a different guest to tell their story, as well as take your questions live. 

Featured Event: The Self Reliance Festival, SelfRelianceFestival.com

Sponsors:

 

Show Resources

AngeryAmerican.com

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

NicoleSauce.com

HollerRoast.com 

 

Main content of the show

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Resources

 

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People always ask me how to build community and today I will talk about the advent of our strong network and how that worked for me as an introvert.

Featured Event: The Freedom Cell Challenge FREE online event on building real community. https://livefree.academy/op/the-freedom-cells-challenge/?ref=183 

Sponsor 1: Agorist Tax Advice: AgoristTaxAdvice.com./Webinar https://event.webinarjam.com/register/8/0y70ruk 

Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com

Livestream Schedule

  • Monday Building Community for the Introvert, 2pm
  • Tuesday Freedom Cell Challenge, 11:30am – on Live Free Academy, https://livefree.academy/op/the-freedom-cells-challenge/?ref=183

    Live With Angery American & John Willis, 12:30pm
  • Wednesday, 2pm Matthew Hudley
  • Thursday, SRF Livestream, 7pm
  • Friday, Homestead Happenings, 9:30am

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • 9 pounds of Beef=12 patties, or is it 6?
  • Freezer Storage and Home Goods Crates
  • Flu Stew From Canned Goods
  • Prepper Pantry Plans and Challenges

Weekly Shopping Report from Joe

First stop was Dollar Tree. They’ve finally gotten off their butts and restocked all the drink coolers. The food coolers are also in good shape. Although it’s always hit or miss in there (e.g. no decongestant-only OTC meds), the health aisle is pretty full, if a little messy.

We skipped Home Depot on Saturday and went next to Aldi. The Masa that had been missing for the last two weeks was back in stock. We found everything we wanted. Staple prices were: eggs: $1.78 (-); whole milk: $2.93; heavy cream: $4.69; OJ: $3.29; butter: $3.69; bacon: $4.25; potatoes: $3.99; sugar: $3.09; flour: $2.29; and 80% lean ground beef: $3.59.

Home Depot: The store looked normal-busy to me. A 2x4x8 remains at $3.25.

I went to my regular Weigel’s earlier in the week, and I think the untainted regular was still $3.639/gallon.

Frugality Tip

NONE

Operation Independence

Wood chips and garden prep – Spent $50 on seeds

Main topic of the Show: Building Community for the Intervert

  • Why are we talking about this?
  • What are the benefits of a true, strong community?
  • So what is the problem for an introvert?
  • How do you get started
    • Realistic expectations
    • Embrace the uncomfortable
    • Find your tribe/extrovert (Shawn Mills Story)
    • Establish an inner circle or “cabinet”
  • Then what?
    • Host things. Yes at your home. Yes that means letting people into your space.
    • Go to things. Make a goal to meet 3 new people, ask questions
    • Build in recovery time
    • Track connections and form close relationships with people who you align with
    • Be ruthless about doers vs vampires
  • How did it go in Tennessee?
    • Podcast
    • Meetups
    • Shawn Mills @ TSP
    • GSD Crew starts hanging out
    • LFTN Spring Workshop
    • Holler Neighbors
    • Freedom Cell Network, speaking gigs for Nicole
    • TSP and LFTn Communities unite
    • 2020 and content creation, UTG
    • SRF Happens
    • TSP, SOE, LFTN Communities Unite
    • Bear Independent, MWPP, Kentucky Sustainable Living Unite
  • Trouble shooting
    • What if no one shows up? (Do things and show progress)
    • What if I am not good enough? (No one cares)
    • This is awkward. (Yup)
    • What if someone who I trust betrays me? (You gotta cut through some chaff)
    • I dont want to be on a list
    • Gossip

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Resources

 

If you love your after-dinner espresso and your Black or White Russian, try this derivative – made with great coffee, of course. Read more

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Today we talk about tragedy on the Homestead, the return of eggs, two people projects and more with theTactical Redneck.

Featured Event: Kentucky Sustainable Living Expo

Sponsor 1: Agorist Tax Advice- FREE webinar!

Sponsor 2: Freesteading.com

THE LIST

Forage

  • Dead nettle
  • Wild garlic is up
  • Stinging nettle

Livestock

  • Listeria Problem and what we learned
  • Rabbit Mistake
  • Rooster Reduction
  • Duck Feeder
  • EGGS!
  • Lambing should happen in the next 4 weeks
  • Time to process Cloudy

Grow

  • Half the trees trimmed
  • Fertility on the swales
  • Wood Chip Mecca
  • Still have not done seedlings

Harvest meals

  • Crockpot lamb ribs

Holler Neighbors/Community

  • Tuesday Crepe Day
  • Neighborhood response to sick sheep

Infrastructure

  • Fence update
  • Rabbitery

Finances

  • Losing a ram hurts both the heart and the pocketbook

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

Direct Download

Today I am joined by John Willis of Special Operations Equipment and Sonny Puzikas from the Gospel of Violence Podcast to talk about what societal collapse AND RECOVERY looks like. Because most who frame these topics have never been through one, but Sonny has.

Each Tuesday, we welcome a different guest to tell their story, as well as take your questions live. 

Featured Event: The Self Reliance Festival, SelfRelianceFestival.com

Sponsors:

Show Resources

SonnyPuzikas.com

Special Operations Equipment

Living Free in Tennessee

NicoleSauce.com

HollerRoast.com 

Main content of the show

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Resources

 

Direct Download

Today I am joined by Jonathan Kitzen, https://waterplantir.com/, to talk about water treatment and septic systems

Featured Event: Webinar Tomorrow at 2pm with Sue Zoldak, https://nicolesauce.podia.com/view/courses/marketing-for-success-q-a 

Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast: 

Sponsor 2: EMP Shield, Coupon Code LFTN

Show Resources

https://waterplantir.com/ 

https://www.demizinetechnology.com/projects-2 

Main content of the show

Jonathan is a serial entrepreneur having started more than 10 companies in nearly 3 decades that have focused on manufacturing, hardware, visual sciences, entertainment and commercial real estate. He has run companies in the USA, Canada, UK, Russian Federation, Dominica, Colombia. His past achievements include developing a digital 3D camera system which won the prestigious Mario Prize at the National Association of Broadcasters convention, founder of MKA Inc the only company making a profit manufacturing in the FSU according to the US state department in the early 1990’s, Founder of BHW of the UK (2002) which was early on sustainability and forestry, and has worked as professional cat herder trying to get engineers to do various tricks for over 30 years.

Jonathan is a big promoter of the decentralized movement – that more smaller redundant and local systems create more robust and sustainable response to climate change. He guided Demizine into the alternative housing market: mobile, emergency, rapid living solutions. He recognized that the market is bottle necked on the need for water and septic solutions. A house without running water and septic is a glorified tent – and formed WUB to change the way we think about and deal with water and septic.

His creative work includes multiple IMAX films, Co-Producing the academy award winning Lady in Number 6, co-author of an upcoming novel with Phillip K. Dick (Blade Runner) and Ron Schusett (Alien)

Interview

Make it a great week

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

Direct Download

Today, we talk about starting your garden plants from seed. We will take this from a beginners perspective and sprinkle in “Innovations” for those of you who are old hands at it. We will also cover our usual Monday Segments: Tales From the Prepper Pantry, Weekly Shopping Report from Joe, Frugality Tip, Operation Independence.

Featured Event: Feb 25 RV Solar Installation Workshop, $50, Westmoorland, TN, https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/rv-solar-install-workshop/ 

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com

Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Mason Jar Storage Challenges
  • Refining the apothecary
  • All The Meat
  • Fat Tuesday Crepes
  • THE EGG

Weekly Shopping Report

Frugality Tip from Red Fyer Media (Rebecca)

For your DIY Construction projects

Get free lumber, hardware, plumbing PEX, Electrical supplies & even tools! 

Building contractors, especially smaller ones who build 1-5 houses at a time, have to pay clean up crews to haul off the excess lumber & they rent the dumpsters & sometimes have to pay extra by weight & to be emptied.

If you see a house is being built, stop by and talk to the contractor about dumpster diving or collecting left overs. They will usually say ok, as long as you promise to go by after the crew is done for the day and they also want you to guarantee you are not going to sue them if you hurt yourself.  

Every contractor I have talked to is THANKFUL that I am taking stuff away and they don’t have to pay to haul off. 

Here”s a short list of what I have gotten for free that way:

1/2 pex – appx 150 ft because crews don’t like to mess with the last 20-30 ft of the roll stuck in the plastic.

3 strand wire (at least 150′ from 4 different houses. They are short runs, maybe 2′ – 7′, but most DIY homestead projects use a lot of short runs and a few long ones.  Super heavy duty wire like for 220 – enough for any DIY project.

Lumber! 2x4s, 2×6, 2×8, trim pieces for both indoor and outdoor – most NEW lumber that was extra at the end of a house build. Right now I have 20 20′ 1×4 cedar boards that were left overs for ONE house.

Other items:

Insulation, pipe insulation.

Door hardware, cabinet hardware, plumbing hardware, electrical boxes (like on power poles) All NEW!

Operation Independence

  • Thoughts on building yourself and your health into your schedule

Main topic of the Show: Starting Seeds for Beginners

First: Why try?

  • Cheaper than buying them (But be prepared to buy plants)
  • Increases self reliance – if you can start the seedlings, you can save the seeds and be relatively confident that you will be able to use them
  • It’s fun

Next: What can go wrong

  • You might fail and not end up growing exactly what you want that year
  • Pests can wipe them out
  • You spend tons of money on equipment and fail and walk away – so dont do that

About failure:

  • Failure happens – prepare for it
  • Have a backup plan

<Story: extra tomatoes and holey hoses>

Things to cover

Seeds: Heirloom, vs hybrid and its all okay

What to grow via seedlings: Tomatoes, peppers, kale, swiss chard, broccoli, lettuce, loofahs

  1. Squashes and cucumbers less good but ok
  2. Dont do peas, beans, carrots and other root veggies

1) Light, light, light. Generally a window isn’t going to have strong enough light. By far, this is most common pitfall.

Burrina Grow Lights – https://www.amazon.com/Barrina-Spectrum-Daylight-Equivalent-Greenhouse/dp/B0B3CM9FYK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1CVUC8DV4MO08&keywords=burrina%2Bgrow%2Blight%2Bbar&qid=1707764491&sprefix=barrina%2Bgrow%2Blight%2Bba%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-1-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.006c50ae-5d4c-4777-9bc0-4513d670b6bc&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

$59-89

Lighting – and what to do if you dont have any

  1. Proper, full spectrum lighting uncomfortably close to the plants for 12-16 hours
  2. Go for it anyway and be prepared for leggy plants

2) Soil temperature. Too low, and you’ll have bad germination rates and weak seedlings. 

Heating source – and what to do if you dont have any

  1. The mats
  2. Stability
  3. My greenhouse story and why we germinate indoors
  4. Top of the fridge or other warm corner

Seedling mats

https://www.amazon.com/BN-LINK-Durable-Seedling-Hydroponic-Waterproof/dp/B08BTFNTG4/ref=sr_1_6?crid=34WCO0YTLETWX&keywords=seedling%2Bmats&qid=1707764562&sprefix=seedling%2Bmat%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-6&th=1

$13

3) Consistent moisture, not overwatering. Dampening off and failure to thrive despite good lighting is generally due to overwatering.

Watertable method – redneck style

Plant tray:

https://www.amazon.com/Gardeners-Supply-Company-Planting-Large/dp/B07K5R8XN2/ref=sxin_14_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.92181fe7-c843-4c1b-b489-84c087a93895%3Aamzn1.sym.92181fe7-c843-4c1b-b489-84c087a93895&crid=UYTCVJM82FZP&cv_ct_cx=plant+tray&keywords=plant+tray&pd_rd_i=B07K5R8XN2&pd_rd_r=c560ef49-5e79-4c2a-abb8-04c469e3edab&pd_rd_w=EX36k&pd_rd_wg=dQrqP&pf_rd_p=92181fe7-c843-4c1b-b489-84c087a93895&pf_rd_r=GG1K073F254115Q2C4C1&qid=1707764631&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=plant+tray%2Caps%2C141&sr=1-3-364cf978-ce2a-480a-9bb0-bdb96faa0f61-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

Pots

https://www.amazon.com/Seedling-Starter-Trays-720-Cells/dp/B00BRQ3QWK/ref=sr_1_2?crid=VW5BPVA8IT30&keywords=dmarketline+Seedling+Starter+Trays+120+Trays%3B+6-Cells+Per+Tray+Plus+5+Plant+Labels&qid=1707764966&s=lawn-garden&sprefix=dmarketline+seedling+starter+trays+120+trays+6-cells+per+tray+plus+5+plant+labels%2Clawngarden%2C167&sr=1-2 

Trays

  1. Deep pots (3-4 inches)
  2. Start either directly in pots or in germinating trays and how to do each
  3. Cups work and are cheap
  4. A word on watering
  5. A word on the peat pucks – they can work
  6. A word on peat pots – they suck balls

4) Potting mix. Find one you get good results with and stick to it. You want good moisture holding capacity but also a light enough texture that pricking out and potting up is easy.

Potting Mix

Soil mix

  1. Dont make your own soil – and a hack here
  2. Buy a good one from the store – miracle grow makes one, walmart has an organic one – get the stuff made for seedlings or get potting soil that is “small” and not filled with barkdust.
  3. Don’t make your own soil, dont make your own soil, dont make your own soil
    1. Unless your working with mike vertrees or otherwise ensuring success through testing dont make your own soil
  4. Next year, feel free to try your own soil but even then go halvsies on it to test before your commit
  5. Know that story I told you about the failed tomatoes – she made her own soil!

Some first year advice: choose 1 or 2 things and just try them out. And dont be sad if you end up buying seedlings – try again next year. It will work at some point.

Borrow from a friend

Visit nurseries for their extras – we ended up with 100 tray carrier things that way.

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Resources