Homesteading Made Simple I Joyfully Prepared

Have you ever wanted to learn something new but talked yourself out of it because you were afraid you wouldn't be good at it?You're not alone!This week, I'm joined by the absolutely delightful Alice O'Connell of Learn to Knit Online. Alice spent years working as a British television and theater actress before discovering knitting as a way to stay calm, grounded, and awake during long days on set.What started with a rather lumpy scarf eventually became a lifelong passion for teaching others.And let me tell you, Alice has some incredible stories to share!In this episode, we talk about:How Alice discovered knitting while working as an actress.Why being a messy beginner is actually a wonderful gift.How knitting can encourage calm, creativity, and self-compassion.Letting go of perfectionism and harsh self-criticism.The surprising transformations Alice has witnessed in her students.Why learning practical skills is an important form of self-care.How repetitive creative activities can provide a welcome break from everyday stress.The joy of making handmade gifts and creating family heirlooms.How to get started knitting without spending a fortune.We also share some personal stories about learning new skills, including my own adventures in quilting and learning to knit mittens and socks while serving as a missionary in Finland.One of my favorite takeaways from this conversation is that we don't have to be perfect at something to find joy in doing it.Sometimes the greatest gift we can give ourselves is permission to learn, make mistakes, laugh, and celebrate the little victories along the way.So grab two sticks and some yarn, and come join us!Alice O'Connell, Learn to Knit Online — https://www.learntoknitonline.com/Learn to Knit (Netherlands site) — https://www.learntoknit.nl/Meet Alice — https://www.learntoknitonline.com/knittingteacheraliceKnit With Confidence course (Amsterdam classes) — https://www.learntoknitonline.com/knitwithconfidenceAlice's Knitting Blog — https://www.learntoknitonline.com/learntoknitblogAlice on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/learntoknitonline/Alice on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOk74C8UXmaaXMysKIduTGASophie Scarf pattern by PetiteKnit — https://www.petiteknit.com/products/sophie-scarf · Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sophie-scarf-2Come find meHere's what I want from you this week: make something. Knit a wonky row, bake a lopsided loaf, plant one pot of herbs. It doesn't have to be pretty. It has to be yours.Then send me a picture. I mean it. Ceramics, bread, a scarf with a hole in it — I don't care what it is. DM me on Instagram at @joyfulprepper, post it in the Joyfully Prepared Facebook group, or send it through the website. You will get the biggest cheer you can imagine, because I know you're doing your best.And share this one with the friend who says, "Oh, I could never do that." She can. She just needs someone to tell her it's okay to be messy first.Website — https://joyfullyprepared.com/All episodes — https://joyfullyprepared.com/podcast/Send me a message — https://joyfullyprepared.com/contact-me/Free Facebook group — https://www.facebook.com/groups/joyfulprepInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/joyfulprepper/Joyfully Prepared Library — https://joyfullypreparedlibrary.com/Looking for homestead property in Central Florida? — https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/YouTube —Homesteading Made Simple

Have you ever thought you were prepared for an emergency, only to discover that something you were counting on didn't work?That's exactly what happened to Greg Peterson during Hurricane Helene. His generator failed. His backup battery failed. And suddenly, the old preparedness saying "Two is one, one is none" became very real.But preparedness doesn't have to be complicated, expensive, or frightening.In this conversation, Greg and I talk about what it really means to live a prepared life. We share stories, laugh about our collections of pressure canners and dehydrators, and explore how small, everyday choices can make a tremendous difference when life takes an unexpected turn.In this episode, we talk about:Why having a backup isn't enough if you never test it.What Hurricane Helene taught Greg about generators, water, and cooking without electricity.How to build a stocked pantry using meals your family already loves.Why skills are more valuable than stuff.Simple alternatives for cooking, lighting, and staying comfortable during a power outage.Why preparedness looks different depending on where you live.How to get started by taking inventory of what you already own.Why self-reliance allows us to serve our families and communities.Greg's wonderful idea for a neighborhood potato planting party!A thought to take with youPreparedness isn't about collecting enough stuff to survive every possible disaster.It's about learning to live in a way that gives you confidence, peace, and the ability to help others.Start with what you have. Learn something new. Build a little at a time.And don't forget to test that generator!Connect with Greg PetersonGreg is the founder of The Urban Farm and host of The Urban Farm Podcast, where he shares inspiring stories and practical knowledge about growing food, urban farming, and creating stronger communities.Listen to The Urban Farm Podcast: Available on your favorite podcast platform.Greg Peterson, The Urban Farm Podcast — https://www.urbanfarm.org/blog/podcast/Connect with WendiExplore homesteading, food storage, canning, and preparedness resources at Joyfully Prepared .Find more episodes of Homesteading Made Simple on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube. Mentioned in this episodeNutrient Survival — freeze-dried food — https://nutrientsurvival.com/Wise Harvest Freeze Dried Foods — https://wiseharvestfreezedriedfoods.com/New Wave Enviro — water bottles and jugs — https://newwaveenviro.com/Azure Standard — bulk organic food — https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=2be6b9010aJackery — solar generators — https://www.jackery.com/Dirtcraft Living Soils (Dirtcraft Organics) — https://dirtcraftorganics.com/Homesteaders of America — 2026 Homesteading Statistics & Demographics Survey — https://homesteadersofamerica.com/2026-homesteading-statistics-demographics-survey-results/Free from meFood Storage Meal Planning Worksheet (10 meals × 7) — https://joyfullyprepared.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Meal-Planning-Worksheet.pdfMeal Planning Guide — https://joyfullyprepared.com/mealplanning/Safety references worth bookmarkingReady.gov — Power Outages (generator safety) — https://www.ready.gov/power-outagesCDC — Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention — https://www.cdc.gov/carbon-monoxide/prevention/index.htmlNational Center for Home Food Preservation (tested canning recipes, including meats) — https://nchfp.uga.edu/Find meWebsite — https://joyfullyprepared.com/All episodes — https://joyfullyprepared.com/podcast/Send me a message — https://joyfullyprepared.com/contact-me/Free Facebook group — https://www.facebook.com/groups/joyfulprepInstagram — https://www.instagram.com/joyfulprepper/Joyfully Prepared Library — https://joyfullypreparedlibrary.com/Looking for homestead property in Central Florida? — https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/YouTube —https://www.youtube.com/@joyfullyprepared

Why does everything seem to fall apart the minute we stop working on it?It started for me with a red towel.That towel reminded me of a brilliant organization system I created years ago for my seven kids. Everyone got their own color. No more missing towels. No more confusion.Except, of course, it didn't quite work that way.And that's what got me thinking about entropy.Things naturally move toward disorder. Dishes pile up. Laundry returns. Weeds grow. Houses need repairs. Our bodies need care. And somehow there is always another meal to make.It doesn't mean we're doing it wrong.In this episode, we're talking about what happens when you have too many plates spinning and why constantly trying harder may not be the answer.We'll talk about:• Why organization requires ongoing energy• The difference between falling behind and failing• How many invisible "plates" we're carrying around in our heads• Which responsibilities might need to be eliminated• What you can delegate to your children, spouse, or someone else• How simplifying routines can reduce the amount of maintenance your life requires• Why clutter creates another plate to manage• Giving yourself permission to rest when a plate fallsYou already know how to spin a lot of these plates.The question might not be, "How do I get better at keeping all of them spinning?"It might be, "Why am I spinning all of these plates in the first place?"Mentioned in this episode:Joyfully Prepared Library -https://www.joyfullypreparedlibrary.comMeal Planning Worksheet - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planningJoyfully Prepared Realtor - https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/Website - https://joyfullyprepared.comInstagram - https://instagram.com/joyfulprepperFacebook - https://www.joyfulprepgroup.comSafe Water Drop: SafeWaterDrop.com 

Can someone really look into your eyes and learn something about what’s happening inside your body?I’ve been fascinated by iridology for years, so I invited naturopath and iridologist Dr. Angel Hill to finally help me understand it.Angel is a second-generation naturopath who has studied thousands of eyes during her career. She explains how iridology works, what she looks for in the iris, and why she considers it a non-invasive, non-diagnostic tool for helping her clients understand their bodies.We also get into a much bigger conversation about taking responsibility for our health and learning some of the signals our bodies may be giving us.In this episode, we talk about:• What iridology is and how Angel uses it• What an iridology chart looks like• What Angel calls “stress lines” in the eyes• The connection between iridology and homesteading• Gut health and why Angel considers it foundational• Cortisol, insulin, thyroid, and what Angel calls “Hormone Heaven”• Why protein matters, especially with your first meal• Getting outside in the morning and evening• Minerals and electrolytes• Simple ways to become more observant and proactive about your health• Why learning about our bodies can be another form of self-relianceAngel also shares three simple practices she recommends people start with:Get about 30 grams of protein with your first meal.Spend at least 10 minutes outside in the morning.Make sure you’re getting adequate minerals and electrolytes.This conversation reminded me of something I believe deeply about homesteading: self-reliance isn’t just about growing food, preserving the harvest, or preparing for emergencies. It’s also about learning how to care for the body God gave us.Connect with Dr. Angel HillWebsite — https://angelhillonline.com/Book a consult — https://drangelhill.practicebetter.io/YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@AngelEyes32570Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/angeleyes32570Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/angeleyes32570/Angel also has a video explaining iridology, including examples of eyes and some of the things she looks for. Iridology VideoConnect with WendiMeal Planning Worksheet - https://joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planningJoyfully Prepared Realtor - https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/Website - https://joyfullyprepared.comInstagram - https://instagram.com/joyfulprepperFacebook - https://www.joyfulprepgroup.comJoyfully Prepared Library -https://www.joyfullypreparedlibrary.com A quick note: Iridology is considered a complementary or alternative health practice and should not be used to diagnose disease or replace appropriate medical care.

42% of American homesteaders came from zero farming background. No grandparent with a garden, no summer on somebody's farm. Nothing. And 28% of them are doing this on less than one acre. Homesteaders of America just released their 2026 survey — over 4,000 homesteaders, compared against the survey they ran in 2022. So for the first time, we can see what actually changed in four years. Retirement nearly doubled. Full-time employment dropped. Land got smaller, not bigger. And every single reason people gave for homesteading got strongerbetween the day they started and today. I read the whole thing twice, because apparently I'm that person now. But here's why I cared: I have people sitting across from me trying to decide whether to buy a piece of land, and almost all of them say some version of the same sentence — "I feel like I'm the only one." This report says: no, honey. You're the majority. I'm Wendi Bergin — homesteader, realtor, and the host of Homesteading Made Simple. Preparedness brings peace, not fear. This one's a foundation episode; I'll be pulling threads out of it for weeks. We talk about: Why 42% of homesteaders have no farming or homesteading background The surprising number homesteading on less than one acre Why homesteaders are getting older, and why that's actually encouraging The biggest financial challenges facing today's homesteaders Why people's reasons for homesteading seem to get stronger over time The skills homesteaders most want to learn next, including herbalism, food preservation, gardening and water Why you don't need 20 acres, a barn or generations of farming experience to begin If you've ever wondered whether you're too late, don't have enough land, or don't know enough to call yourself a homesteader, this episode is for you. The land is the container. What matters is whether that container fits the life you actually want to live. Start where you are. Learn one skill. Then another. Preparedness brings peace, not fear.The report itself 2026 Homesteading Statistics & Demographics Survey Results — Homesteaders of America, published August 2026 Homesteaders of America 2026 Homesteaders of America Conference — Front Royal, Virginia. Wendi's going. Come say hi. Food preservation resources (for the 60% who said preservation is what they want to learn next) National Center for Home Food Preservation — the free, tested-recipe standard USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving   Come find me If you've got questions about buying homestead property — including the "can I really do this on a postage stamp?"question — reach out. I'm a licensed realtor here in Florida, and if you're somewhere else, I can help you find an agent in your state who actually understands homesteading properties. We've got to band together and be a community. And there's a whole run of episodes coming out of this report — the retirement number, the under-one-acre number, the faith number, why herbalism is beating gardening. Tell me which one you want first. Leave a comment or send me a message, and I will genuinely reorder my schedule for you. Share this one with the friend who keeps saying she'll start homesteading "when we finally get some land." 🏡 Website: joyfullyprepared.com 📚 Joyfully Prepared Library: joyfullypreparedlibrary.com 🗓️ Meal Planning Worksheet: joyfulprep.kartra.com/page/planning 🏠 Joyfully Prepared Realtor: joyfullyprepared.com/realestate 📸 Instagram: @joyfulprepper 👩‍🌾 Facebook Group: joyfulprepgroup.com 🏡Real Estate: https://joyfullyprepared.com/realestate/