Farm Life and Freedom; Cultivating a Free Life

Considering the present state of the country and the world, Becoming Self-Sufficient is something that families need to look at more closely. Amy discusses the current situations that we are facing and lays the groundwork for steps that you can take to get on the path the self-sufficiency in order to ensure your family can make it through the tough times that lay ahead. Timeline: :00 Intro :23 About Becoming Self Sufficient :56 Why we are in this position 2:40 Economy 5:45 Crime 8:04 Government Overreach 10:57 Food Security 18:09 Digital Currency 19:18 Becoming Self-Sufficient 26:22 Bartering Resources: Transcript/Shownotes can be found at Farm Life and Freedom. 'Becoming Self-Sufficient' book by Amy Bell #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #growyourownfood #farmlifeandfreedom #twooaksfarmstead

This week, Amy discusses the ins and outs of vertical gardening. Why it is important and how to go about setting up your own vertical garden. Full transcript available at Farm Life and Freedom in 'Show Notes'. Farm Life and Freedom Two Oaks Farmstead A Life on the Farm Farm Raised Family Two Oaks Farm Talk Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel Farm Life and Freedom Youtube Channel Facebook - @farmlifeandfreedom Instagram - @farm_life_and_freedom Twitter - @farmfreelife

The secret to growing good plants is starting them off right and then maintaining them - much like parenting. If we love our kids, we want the best for them, therefore we have to get them off to the right start and maintain the process throughout their raising. This week on episode 4 of the Farm Life and Freedom podcast Amy discusses 5 Main points of ongoing care of your garden to ensure healthy plants and the ease of regular care, as well as what we, as parents, have to do to raise good kids into healthy adults. 00:00 Intro Planting and Transplanting Seedlings 1:21 Hardening Off Seedlings, Planting Seedlings Properly per Plant Type Mulching 8:39 Wood Chips, Straw, Plastic Mulch, Leaves, Newspaper, Cardboard Fertilizing 13:41 Liquid Seaweed, Fish Emulsion, Bone Meal (Phosphorus), Blood Meal (Nitrogen), Worm Castings, Elm Dirt, Compost Side Dressing Watering and Irrigating 21:14 Based on plant type and garden style, Consistency, Deep Watering, Water Catchment, Drip Irrigation, Soaker Weeding 31:00 A Little at a time Growing Good Plants Conclusion 32:52 Part 2 - Parenting - Growing Good Kids 33:46 Growing Good Plants and Kids Conclusion and What to Expect Next Week 50:28 MORE WAYS TO CONNECT We also, as a homesteading family, have three additional blogs that might interest you. A Life on the Farm focuses on the more personal side of the homesteading life. We discuss subjects like family, parenting, relationships, homeschooling, cooking, canning and so much more. Two Oaks Farm Talk concerns the more technical side of homesteading. We discuss subjects like gardening, food prep, and farm building and construction with lots of tutorials! Farm Raised Family is basically a hub for everything under the Two Oaks Farmstead umbrella. You can learn a great deal about all parts of the farmstead there. The Farm Raised Family blog focuses on financial matters such as budgeting, saving, and more and on current events affecting families. You can also have a more in depth look at all that we do by visiting our Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a thing! Farm Life and Freedom is the new podcast we are in the process of launching! It is going to be so much fun! You could also check in with our Farm Life and Family Youtube Channel. Two Oaks Farmstead is the farm store… the one that holds the umbrella! Check us all out and join us, not only on our blogs and Farm Life and Freedom podcast but come join the fun on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… wherever you get social!

Companion Planting is the best and most natural method of gardening that will help you create a natural, organic garden. Follow along with Amy as she takes you through the how and the why of companion planting and create an environment that is naturally conducive to a bountiful harvest. Show notes and other resources can be found at Farm Life and Freedom. Ep 3 - Companion Planting for a Natural, Stress-Free, Organic Garden In this episode of Farm Life and Freedom Podcast, we talk about the ins and outs of companion planting. What companion planting is and why it is an important part of natural gardening How companion planting works and how to research the right companions for your crops Some of my favorite companions and their uses Our next episode will center on what to do once your plants are in the ground. How to continue your efforts for a wonderful garden. Resources mentioned: Two Oaks Farm Talk for information on building, gardening, and our natural swimming pool. Planning Your Best Garden - Gardening planner, workbook, logbook, and journal Becoming Self-Sufficient Steps You Can Take Today to Ensure Your Family's Survival in an Uncertain Time

Ep 2 - Get Your Garden Growing Great In this episode of Farm Life and Freedom Podcast, we talk about the crucial beginning steps to take to get your garden off to the best possible start. *Initial planning and what to consider during that process, plus some helpful resources. *Site preparation to include testing and amending your soil, composting, and weed suppression. *Various types of garden beds to consider, based on your needs and resources, such as raised beds, strawbale gardening, traditional systems, and permaculture. Various methods of gardening; traditional methods versus natural gardening. Plus we touch on companion planting in the garden. Our next episode will be a deep dive into companion planting and natural, organic methods that you can use to create your best garden ever! Resources mentioned: Two Oaks Farm Talk for information on building, gardening, and our natural swimming pool. Planning Your Best Garden - Gardening planner, workbook, logbook, and journal Becoming Self-Sufficient Steps You Can Take Today to Ensure Your Family's Survival in an Uncertain Time

An introduction of 'Farm Life and Freedom' podcast and your host, Amy Bell. What is 'Farm Life and Freedom' all about? What will 'Farm Life and Freedom' be discussing? Who the heck is Amy Bell and why should you care what she has to say? All of these questions answered ...and more! The Farm Life and Freedom podcast is all about living a simpler, more self-sufficient lifestyle and the freedom we have to enjoy it. These are the topics that will be discussed regularly, but there may be others that pop up! Gardening Livestock Management Homestead Management and Infrastructure Self-Sufficiency in all forms Cooking, Canning and other Food Preservation Homeschooling and Raising Healthy Adults Natural Living Current Events and How they affect us plus so many DIYs! Your host, Amy Bell, is the owner/operator of Two Oaks Farmstead. She brings a lifetime of experience in gardening, livestock raising, homestead management, food preservation, home butchering and so many more topics that fall under the self-sufficiency and homesteading umbrella. Amy pulls no punches. She is very …um… straightforward. Some may say… she’s bold. Her daughter says… she’s a Drill Sergeant. It is what it is. You can be certain of one thing for sure; she is relatable. She’s not a scientist, speaking in Latin terms. You won’t have to conjugate verbs or use a dictionary to understand her. Amy uses down-to-earth communication, with a southern drawl. She is sarcastic and humorous-mostly self-deprecating, and she offers a wealth of knowledge and experience to her listeners. Amy is also a homeschooling mom of 5. She has been homeschooling her children for about 2 decades and often spends her time helping other families who want to get started down this rewarding path. Amy is also a disabled veteran and retired Army Military Police officer. She has a real understanding of what it took to establish the freedoms that we enjoy as well as what it takes to maintain them. She is dedicated to maintaining them. Amy avidly follows the events within our governmental system very closely, with an eye on how their actions affect the freedom we have to enjoy the lifestyle that we love. Farm Life and Freedom Two Oaks Farmstead A Life on the Farm Farm Raised Family Two Oaks Farm Talk Two Oaks Farmstead YouTube Channel Farm Life and Freedom Youtube Channel Facebook - @farmlifeandfreedom Instagram - @farm_life_and_freedom Twitter - @farmfreelife