The Coop

Don Tipping has been at the seed starting game a long time. He’s farmed and stewarded seeds at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997, founded Siskiyou Seeds in 2009, and now grows over 700 open-pollinated varieties, breeding for bio-regional strength in Southwest Oregon’s variable climate.He’s seen the industrial seed game up close: big companies sourcing globally, pushing flashy hybrids while workhorse open-pollinated lines get neglected. His work pushes back, prioritizing adaptation to local pests, weather, and soil so your garden thrives without constant inputs.The core truth is quiet and powerful:Start from seed for control over every dial (light, soil, timing)Source bio-regionally adapted varieties for plants that are adapted to your climatePrioritize workhorse varieties for a more reliable harvestKeep a journal, talk to neighbors, swap seeds, and don’t underestimate the power of local wisdomIf you’ve ever felt intimidated by seed starting, spent way too much money on transplants that didn’t produce, or wondered why your results vary crop by crop and season by season, this conversation will give you all the tools and information you need to get growing.

Lisa Steele returned to her fifth-generation roots after Wall Street, launching Fresh Eggs Daily in 2009 to share natural, herb-based poultry care the old-timer way.Her book Gardening with Chickens showed that flocks and gardens can thrive together: chickens debug, fertilize, and till; gardens supply greens, bugs, and scraps. Ten years on, the updated 10th anniversary edition (https://homesteadliving.com/gardening-with-chickens) adds refined systems, small-space hacks, and lessons from a decade more dirt-under-nails experience.The message is clear: build a symbiotic relationship that supports both your hens and your plants. Cut your feed bill, raise healthier birds, and grow better food (even on a small plot of land).Learn how herbs can support your flock, how to prevent your chickens from destroying your plants, and how to harness the power of your garden and your chickens to improve the health and outputs of both.If you want practical harmony between hens and plants, this is it.In this episode, Anna and Lisa cover:Lisa’s journey from Wall Street back to her rural rootsWhy she chooses natural herbs over chemicals for keeping her flock healthySafe plants vs. toxic ones for chickensHow chickens can help manage compost, weeds, and garden pests Timing free-range access to optimize your garden while protecting your main-season cropsChicken tractors, tunnels, and wing clipping: real-world pros and consDecorating the coop for joy (curtains, herbs, and aesthetics for form and function)Lessons learned from more than a decade of gardening with chickensA sneak peek into Lisa’s updated 10th anniversary edition of her book Gardening with Chickens

Thirty years ago, Sally Fallon Morell dared to challenge the low-fat gospel. Her book Nourishing Traditions wasn’t born from theory.It came from a mother’s quiet rebellion against the “virtuous” diet being sold to families.She discovered Dr. Weston A. Price’s photographs of indigenous peoples with broad jaws, straight teeth, and robust health, then watched modern guidelines push the opposite:  margarine in place of butter, skim milk instead of whole milk, and seed oils over saturated fats. Sally pushed back against the “diet dictocrats,” and recommended an ancestral diet where red meat, raw milk, and healthy fats reign supreme.The message is disarmingly simple: nutrient-dense, traditional foods (properly prepared) built the healthiest humans for centuries. Butter for vitamin A and contentment. Soaked grains to unlock minerals. Bone broth for glycine. Liver once or twice a week for the sacred nutrients that guide new life.Today the tide is turning. Butter sales climb. Raw milk finds new fans. The food pyramid has (rightfully) been flipped on its head. One family at a time, people are remembering what real food and health actually looks and feels like.If optimizing your family’s health and nutrition matters to you, you won’t want to miss this conversation.In this episode, Anna and Sally discussed:The story behind Nourishing Traditions and discovering Dr. Weston A. Price’s workWhy traditional, nutrient-dense foods beat modern “healthy” guidelinesThe dangers of industrial seed oils and the supremacy of butter & animal fatsImportance of vitamin A (from liver, butter, cod liver oil) for fertility & healthy babiesRaw milk’s superiority, finding sources, and why pasteurization creates problemsProper preparation of grains (soaking, fermenting) to unlock nutritionSacred foods: liver, shellfish, bone broth, fermented vegetablesBuilding health before pregnancy—and redemption even if you “missed the boat”Saturated fats vs. carbs for satisfaction, mood, and avoiding addictionThe quiet revolution: rising butter sales, raw milk popularity, wiser families survivingAnd yes, plenty more

In this episode, Anna and Jill discussed:Why true balance is a mythHow homesteading keeps us humanSeasonal productivity vs. daily perfectionManaging big goals with real-life constraintsBrain-dumping, prioritizing, and building momentumUsing a planner that reflects actual homestead lifeAnd much more …

In this episode of The Coop, you’ll learn:How Shaye defines homesteading (you’ll love this)Letting your definition evolve as seasons change: kids, business, capacity, and real lifeThe overlap and differences between homesteading and homemakingWhat it actually means to “cultivate the beautiful life” in an ordinary weekUsing the five senses … music, scent, texture, light, and taste … to transform daily choresSimple non-negotiables: making the bed, cooking dinner, and “putting the kitchen to bed”Learning what’s worth preserving (and what isn’t) for your actual familyCooking with fewer ingredients, more pleasure, and what you already have on handHow travel (especially Italy) has shaped Shaye’s home, cooking, and aestheticPractical strategies for traveling while homesteading … without burning outWhy your homestead is here to serve you, not the other way aroundHolding onto what’s good, true, and beautiful in a home-centered life

In this episode of The Coop, you’ll learn:Why homesteading is mental first, physical secondHow to start where you are (sprouts > sourdough > chickens)Dirt, movement, sunshine: the real health stackSelf-worth through meaningful tasks (and raising needed kids)How growing half your food changes budget and healthBuilding community without the algorithm (gifts, trades, help)Duplication > domination: how small acts at scale tip systemsMarket leverage: how 10% shifts the food economyWhat to invest in now: skills, tools, land, trees, relationshipsRealistic hope: pessimistic on institutions, optimistic about you

In this episode of The Coop, you’ll learn:Carolyn’s incredible freeze-drying storyWhy YOU should be freeze-drying at homeThe seven simple steps to freeze-dryingHow to preserve everything from fruits to full meals with easeHow to choose the right freeze dryerSave time and avoid mistakes with practical tutorials and checklistsWhat other equipment you really need (or don’t)Creating healthy, shelf-stable foods for year-round family meals