Simple Living Made Simple Podcast

This week I had a chat with Sharon McCaskill who is an Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and founder of the blog, "The Helpful GF" all about switching to a gluten free diet with as little stress as possible. Any change in diet or lifestyle can be a challenge not only in implementing the changes but also making them stick. Sharon has first hand knowledge with gluten free diets as her husband has celiac disease. In this episode we talked all about the following: - What it really means to be gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive, - Great gluten free alternative ingredients for baking, - Tips for being gluten free while still enjoying eating out being spontaneous. Sharon McCaskill, is a dedicated Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a mission: making gluten-free living not just accessible but delightful. Her journey began with a personal touch, as she helped her husband Tyler manage his refractory celiac disease and embarked on a quest to make gluten-free living a breeze. Now, as the driving force behind "The Helpful GF," Sharon extends a warm invitation to everyone looking to embrace a gluten-free lifestyle with confidence. Sharon's passion shines through her website, https://thehelpfulgf.com, where she shares her wealth of knowledge, empowering others to savor every moment of their gluten-free journey. With her husband, two daughters, and a heart full of compassion, she's committed to helping you live a healthy, delicious, and stress-free life. Connect with Sharon on Instagram @thehelpfulgf and explore her insightful videos on her YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@TheHelpfulGF, for a taste of her gluten-free expertise and inspiration. 

This week is an awesome episode with Jill Winger of the Prairie Homestead.  Jill is a well known homesteader, author, entrepreneur, rancher, mother and wife.  She is one of the first people I started following and reading when I was interested in living a more simple life.  She has a new book Old Fashioned on Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life, being released 9/26/23 and is taking preorders until then. You can buy at any bookstore or preorder here: Old Fashioned on Purpose by Jill Winger We had an awesome discussion and covered a variety of topics to include: - The importance of letting your kids be bored. - Balancing old-fashioned skills with modern technology and conveniences. - How we have lost the importance of community and how we can cultivate it. Join us as we dig a bit deeper into what it means to live a little more intentionally and purposefully. You can find Jill Winger here: The Prairie Homestead Blog Prairie Homestead Instagram The Old Fashioned on Purpose Podcast Jill's new book: Old Fashioned on Purpose: Cultivating a Slower, More Joyful Life.   

I am so excited to share with you this powerful episode with Sara Jo of Bryarton Farm. We covered many topics in this episode but the them throughout was "Saving the Forgotten".  Sara Jo's take on this is beautiful, encouraging, and inspiring. We talked all about the restoration of her beautiful historic farmhouse and her family's beautiful adoption story of her two daughters from India. It was truly eye opening and inspiring. Please go check her out on these platforms: Bryarton Farm Instagram  Bryaton Farm Blog Bryarton Farm on Patreon Books Illustrated by Sara Jo

We are doing a very strict elimination diet and it has been rather difficult. Since I focus on stocking my kitchen with whole food ingredients, being faced with having to eliminate several of our family's staple foods has been challenging. Join me as I discuss these new dietary restrictions that we have been faced with and how we are navigating finding new alternatives for meals and snacks.

Anyone got the Holiday season itch? I typically do not like to start preparing for a holiday way before the actual season starts. I really despise seeing Christmas stuff in stores in October, however considering holidays gifts early in the year can help you out later in a lot of ways! In this episode, I talk about a few Handcrafted and Homemade Holiday gifts that you can start making today with some of the harvest you have in your garden and really take some of the stress off when the holiday season comes. I have a few fun, cost effective, and super simple ideas that I talk about in this episode. Websites mentioned: MotherHenHomestead Instagram Merry Stockings: Bucilla Stocking Kits

In this week's episode, I got to speak with Naomi from Love Stitches​. Learning to sew has been on my list of projects to start for a long time but it always seems overwhelming and difficult to get started. After speaking with Naomi about how to get started regardless of where you are in your life, I am ready to jump in! Join us for our conversation in this week's episode. Websites mentioned in this episode: Big Duck Canvas https://www.bigduckcanvas.com/ for slipcover fabrics Natures Fabrics https://naturesfabrics.com/ Naomi is a sewing entrepreneur from New York State, providing her local community with bridal alterations and custom slipcovers. Online she teaches sewing as a life skill for sustainable living. She is also a faith based author, and homeschooling mom of three. Naomi offers a variety of s downloadable tutorials for clothing alterations and repairs, available at this link which I’m offering for 25%off with coupon code SIMPLELIVING. The coupon code is valid through August 30th, 2023 https://www.naomifata.net/product-category/tutorials/  Naomi publishes a bweekly sewing enewsletter called The Sewing Circle and has video courses available through her website https://www.naomifata.net Instagram Link: https://www.instagram.com/naomifata/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/NaomiFataSews  

I am really excited for today's Simple Living Made Simple Podcast guest! In this week's episode, I got to speak with Alicia DeVore from Create My Garden. We talked all about growing gardens and kids. This was such a fun episode because it was recorded early in the gardening season and even though I am just releasing it now, it is still relevant and timely. You can check out Alicia on Instagram or at her blog Create My Garden. Alicia DeVore is a garden teacher/coach and the founder of the blog Create Your Garden where she teaches people how to make gardening a part of their lives with simple systems that make gardening easy. Alicia is based in California where she has grown gardens for the past 10 years for herself and others. But her gardening knowledge has helped many from all over the world. She uses the garden to teach how to practically grow a successful garden without spending lots of time. Simplifying the process of gardening for those that live in small spaces or large to make sure that they can grow their own organic food.

Thank you for sticking it out here while I was gone! It has been a busy couple of months! I took a little hiatus after I gave birth to our fifth in April and it took much longer than expected to get back to it. My evenings and mornings have been unpredictable and I can never guarantee I will have time available to do work on the podcast or social media. We are starting to all settle back into a schedule so that is great! In this episode, I share with you updates from our garden, what I am doing to stay sane during this busy season, and some of the projects we are working on.

If you follow any homesteaders on Instagram or You Tube, you may have heard of Azure Standard Market. I have tried it out a few times and I talk all about it in today's episode. I talk about how it works, what a drop location is, and the things I have ordered! Azure Standard is great for ordering bulk goods to cook from scratch and build your food supply. This short and sweet episode should help you place your first Azure Standard order if you are interested! You can get started with your first order here: Azure Standard Market

Have you ever prepared venison or elk? I certainly have not! That is why I invited Danielle from the Homebound Hippie to the podcast this week. Danielle is wonderful at cooking with wild game and I learned so much during this interview. She gives a ton of information about how to get started cooking with wild game and sheds light on how different it may or may not be from chicken or beef. Danielle from the Homebound Hippie is a full time homemaker and homesteader living a slow and simple life with her husband in the rural wilderness of Washington State on family land, 7 acres of backwoods country passed down 4 generations. Her experience as a hunter's wife has led her to a life centered on hunting; fishing, homesteading, and of course good home cooked food. You can find Danielle over on her blog: The Homebound Hippie and over on Instagram at the Homebound Hippie Check out the Back to Homemaking Collective! Available until 3/31/23.

In this episode I had the opportunity to talk with Angela Ferraro-Fanning of Axe and Root Homestead about her new book: The Sustainable Homestead.  I love this new book because it truly acts like a blueprint for building a functional and thriving homestead.  This book is beautiful, inspiring, and a great resource for anyone looking to purchase a homestead property or to develop their own land into a permaculture paradise. It was such a fun conversation and I learned so much. Check out this episode and look for her book available now for preorder and set for release on 3/28/2023. Angela Ferraro-Fanning is a permaculture homesteader in central New Jersey. She believes in regenerative homesteading practices that mimic patterns in nature. The six-acre historic farm is home to Clydesdale horses, honeybees, sheep, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, a small orchard, hobby vineyard, and food forest gardens. Angela is the author of several books including The Little Homesteader series, The Harvest Table Cookbook, and The Sustainable Homestead. She also co-hosts a podcast called HOMESTEADucation. Podcast: HOMESTEADucation Instagram: @AxeAndRootHomestead PreOrder Now: The Sustainable Homestead

I am back with the March Monthly Swap series! I am doing a Monthly Series where I focus on swapping something that would normally be store bought with a homemade version. Each month I will have a specific focus so that I do not get overwhelmed and can master it in 30 days. The month of March is focused on swapping store bought condiments for homemade, from scratch ones! Over the next 30 days, I am working to swap out packaged condiments with homemade versions. There are a few condiments that I have been doing this with for awhile such as salad dressings, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce but there are still many that I buy from the store. One of the aspects I am looking at is how time consuming or costly it is to make these condiments from scratch. There may be some condiments that are not worth the time, effort, and cost so I will probably continue to buy them. Having this option and ability to chose which ones I make from scratch and which ones I buy is really the freedom I am looking for. Join me in this episode where I talk about the steps I am currently making and my goals in this area! In this episode, I reference the Back to Homemaking Collective which is an AMAZING resource available only until the end of March 2023. You can check that out here: Back to Homemaking Collective. Follow me on Instagram to join in the journey! @simpleliving_madesimple

Gardening season is upon us and if you are looking for a way to grow your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs but worry that you do not have enough space, container gardens may be perfect for you!  Don't miss this episode where I got the awesome opportunity to speak with Maggie Stuckey, author of the Container Victory Garden: A Beginner's Guide to Growing your own Groceries.   We discussed how beneficial and versatile a container garden it and how it can solve so many small space problems. With less maintenance, easier accessibility, and greater chance for a productive garden, using containers is a must for any beginner gardener.  Even experienced gardeners with in ground gardens can benefit from Maggie's extensive knowledge. We also discussed the inspiring history of victory gardens and how the are relevant in today's world.  Bestselling author Maggie Stuckey is a best selling author and expert in the art of growing good things to eat in containers. For more than twenty years, Maggie has been enjoying vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers grown in her own container garden — and inspiring others to transform even the tiniest spaces into vibrant personal foodways. In her new book THE CONTAINER VICTORY GARDEN (on sale 2.21), Maggie shares practical and comprehensive tips and techniques for container gardening alongside the rich history of the original wartime Victory Gardens, which date back to 1917. Grab yours here or where ever you love to purchase your favorite books. www.thecontainervictorygarden.com 

Are you looking for a way to beat those high egg prices? Have you thought about raising chickens but haven't gotten the nerve to do it? This year is your year my friends! It is easier than you think and this episode is all about how to get started. I got to talk with Brandi from the Mother Hen Homestead about how your can get started with your own flock of laying chickens this year! So much great information for those just starting out! Don't miss this episode! Brandi is first and foremost a wife and mother to two beautiful children. She homesteads on 1 acre of land with a full garden and birds. Her family have laying chickens and have raised turkeys and meat birds. Her family are hunters, fisherman, simple living folk that enjoys getting back to thier roots. When Brandi is not being a homemaker, she is a professional photographer. You can find her over on Instagram at @motherhenhomestead. She has a wonderful homemade shop on Etsy: SoulShinePresets

In this episode, I got to speak with Katie from the Homesteading RD over on Instagram. She shares an immense amount of super valuable content and knowledge about all areas of homesteading.  I love following her for her insight on real food and functional medicine.  We talk all about the broken medical system as it pertains to nutrition and recovery from illness.  We also talk about how to get started making the switch to real food. This was such a valuable and real conversation, you don't want to miss it. Katie Krejci, MS, RD, LD, IFNCP is a dietitian and homesteader for over 10 years. She and her husband have 5 acres in central Minnesota and love living a self-sufficient lifestyle. They have several large gardens and raise chickens for both eggs and meat. What they don't produce ourselves, they like to source from other local small farms as much as possible. Her passion is teaching others how to become more self-sufficient in easy, sustainable steps. Her background as a dietitian has been an interesting one. She started out thinking her passion was in clinical nutrition working in large, metro hospitals. Over the years, she came to realize how broken our health system is and how much damage has been done to our bodies. Conventional medicine is too focused on treating rather than healing. She finally made the switch to functional nutrition in 2021 and loves the ability to help her clients correct their health issues from the root cause. Getting back to the basics and focusing on real food really is the way forward. You can find Katie on Instagram at @thehomesteadingrd or on her blog at https://thehomesteadingrd.com/

Spring is almost here! I know it might not feel like it but it really isn't that far away. You know what that means.... time to start planning your garden! I can honestly say that after 10 years of gardening, I am starting off this year with a sense of confidence that I haven't felt before! In this episode I talk about what we are planning to put in the ground this year and some changes and updates we are making. In this episode, I also talk about a really great FREE training that Jill from the Beginner's Garden is having!  I had Jill on my podcast last year and she is one of my favorite garden experts to follow for advice and gardening knowledge. If you are interested in starting a garden this year, sign up for her FREE Productive Garden Masterclass. There are several dates and times available!  I definitely recommend signing up if you a new gardener. ​ I am currently taking guest interviews so if there is anyone you want to hear on the podcast send me an email at info@wingingitonthehomestead.com

I want you to join me for something new I am doing this year! I am doing a Monthly Series where I focus on swapping something that would normally be store bought with a homemade version. Each month I will have a specific focus so that I do not get overwhelmed and can master it in 30 days. The month of February is focused on swapping all of our cleaners for homemade versions! I talked about it briefly in a previous podcast episode but I really dive in deep in this week's episode. My plan is to take the commercial, store bought cleaners that I use and start making my own versions. Join me in this episode where I talk about the steps I am currently making and my goals in this area! Follow me on Instagram to join in the journey! @simpleliving_madesimple

I have always had a hard time keeping up with ever changing seasons and holidays. Decorating and making these times exciting for the kids is fun but I always lack inspiration and motivation to keep it up all year long while also keeping it simple and affordable. That is why I invited my real life friend Ashley on for this episode. Ashley Murphy of Ashley Murphy Family on Instagram covers all areas of celebrating family life. In this episode we talk all about celebrating holidays and seasons and making them enjoyable and memorable while also keeping costs low and simple.  Ashley is the mother of three kids, 5, 3 and 1 and a wife of 7 years to her husband. She is the founder of Ashley Murphy Family on IG. While being home with the kids she started doing preschool activities with her daughter and documenting them, which became the start of “AshleyMurphyFamily” on Instagram! Over the years she has transformed the account to share all of the things that encompass her family’s life typically following along with the seasons and holidays. She shares themed crafts and activities, decor, books, and fun food as well as local places, fun family activities, and typical things they do around the house like homesteading and playing in general. This past year she started officially homeschooling her oldest child and shares a lot of that as well! Go follow her here: @AshleyMurphyFamily

Are you drowning in toys and feel like you can't get out from under them? I used to be so overwhelmed by the toy mess in our house that I was tempted to get rid of all of them and never buy another toy again. They were all of the house, in every room, and it seems like no matter how many toys my kids had, they were always bored and never played with any of them. I don't know how I originally started utilizing a toy rotation system but once I did it was a total game changer and sanity changer! I know many people struggle with toy overload and I hope that this episode may help!

Happy New Years! I sincerely hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday and are excited for 2023! I am not one to really make new year's resolutions but I do think it is important to set goals and intentions for the upcoming year.  There is a lot I am not sure about yet and a lot of goals since mulling around in my head but I have a few that I am really certain of. In this week's episode of the Simple Living Made Simple Podcast, I am talking about a few of our 2023 goals and focus. I would love to hear about your goals for the year! Send me an email at wingingitonthehomestead@gmail.com and let me know what you have planned!