Solutions for a Simpler Life

Learn from local homesteading expert Karen Geiser as she talks about what it's like to farm where you live. Adapting to your area's conditions, bartering with those in the community and knowing the importance of those bugs and bees that might not be realized by most.

Sarah Coblentz, bee keeping enthusiast and wife of Zach Coblentz, Lehman's President, gives us the buzz about bees. We talk about getting started in bee keeping, the benefits of fresh pure honey and how hives “bee-have”. She is a wealth of information and has tips for those interested in trying their hand at bee keeping themselves. Buzz on in and give a listen! Note: This podcast was previously recorded in February 2024. When Sarah mentions the things she is doing with her bees “right now” she is talking about the colder month of February.

Owner and Chef at Broken Rocks Cafe in Wooster, OH, Glen Grumbling is chatting with us today about how the right ingredients got him started in this industry! And What goes with every meal served? Bread! The Cafe strives to bring in local ingredients and they even have Lehman's Diamant Grain Mill. Listen in to this delicious episode!Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode!

You know the one food that could sustain life? Bread. We love bread here at Lehman’s and what is more satisfying than having it homemade? Jeremiah Lehman’s IT - Network administrator recounts the fond memories he has with baking as he grew up Amish and how he is bringing those memories to his own children. Listen in as we discuss all things for the love of bread.

On today's episode of Solutions For A Simpler Life we talk to Sarah Kroger local first-generation homesteader. Her advice to new homesteaders? Simply start! Hear about how she found to love the simpler life and how she gets her kids involved in the day-to-day of running a homestead.Sarah Kroger is an author, mindset coach, speaker, homesteader, and sourdough baker. She lives in northeastern Ohio with her husband and seven children.  Milking her cow each morning is her favorite part of most days. You can find Sarah on IG @sarahspurpose, and The Purpose Project podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.  

Tune in to hear how Homesteader Melissa K. Norris got started in this space and how her passion of writing fit in to this new world. We loved getting to hear Melissa's story and we hope you will too! Note to our listeners: This is one of our first in-house recorded podcasts. Please stick with us as we work on improving the sound quality. We love our listeners and are doing our very best to provide great content!

Hear from Jason Cash of Cash FarmsPure Maple Syrup in Atwater, OH. He is full of knowledge on this SWEET subject!

Before oil lamps people would go to bed when it got dark. There was no evening activity because you couldn’t see! With the incredible invention of non-electric lighting activities could go on well past sunset giving you more time in your day. Nowadays non-electric lighting is a way to keep your home prepared for a power outage or just give you some nice ambiance. Hear all about the benefits and joy of non-electric lighting from our own Lehman’s expert on non-electric lighting, Lori Showalter.

Hear from the North Pole's favorite mama. Find out what's happening this time of year at the North Pole, hear fun facts about Mrs. Claus and of course Santa himself, and even be the first to know about some exciting news! You'll even get some Lehman's shopping tips from Mrs. Claus herself. Tune in to feel Holly and Jolly with Lehman's!

Roger Meyers has been a long time employee of Lehman’s and even before working at Lehman’s he was truly living the Lehman’s lifestyle. Grown up a farm boy this country loving guy is still raising animals, making and baking from scratch and just enjoying every aspect of this life he’s built. If you’re stopping by Lehman’s definitely take some time to talk with Roger. From animals and gardening to water pumps and baking bread, he’ll be able to answer most any question you have about living a homestead life. Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram

Happy New Year! Do you make a resolution at the beginning of each year? How about just goals? At Lehman’s we find that you can take the next step on your journey at any time of the year.   There’s never a wrong time to make an improvement. As we start a new year and a new decade let’s think about what a simpler life is AND what it isn’t. You might be surprised…we never said it was easy.

While on this winter break Lehman’s is bringing you a little something to keep the holly jolly spirit going. From the Lehman’s family to yours we wish you a very Merry Christmas! Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram

Kathy and her husband along with their seven children own a small hobby farm. They raise bees, have an orchard and grow organic vegetables. They also raise a few pigs and chickens. She has written two books on family preparedness for Story Publishing, Just In Case: How To Be Self-Sufficient When the Unexpected Happens and Prepping 101: 40 Steps You Can Take To Be Prepared. She also blogs for Lehman’s.   Some would call her a prepper though that word is complicated for her. She’s not ready for a zombie apocalypse and she does use electricity but she knows what to do if disaster strikes and is ready to take on power outages.   Her children get comfort by just coming home and looking in her pantry knowing what to expect from homemade pickles to apple sauce from her own orchard. With the sweet demeaner we were greeted with during her visit, we can only imagine that the comforts of home are just the beginning of the pleasant memories made on their homestead. Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram

Stacy Lyn Harris is a best-selling cookbook author, blogger, speaker, wife, and mother of seven children. We like to call her the diva of the dinner table and the princess of wild game cooking Being the mother of seven children she has learned that the simpler life isn’t easy along with other misconceptions of what this phrase means. Tune in to find out what the simpler life is and what it isn’t from the southern charm of Stacy Lyn Harris. Show Notes: lehmans.com, lehmans.com/events, facebook.com/lehmanshardware, instagram.com/lehmanshardware instagram.com/stacylynharris , facebook.com/stacylynharris

Tune in to meet and learn from Michelle Visser. Author of the new book Sweet Maple (out now!) was was at Lehman’s to talk about how she has cut out refined sugar completely and is now exclusively baking with…yup, you guessed it, maple syrup. Living on her simple homestead she gets to live both her dreams of homesteading and writing! Hear her journey to the simpler life on this week’s episode of Solutions for A Simpler Life. Show Notes Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram Souly Rested Instagram Souly Rested Facebook The Prairie Homestead Website

In this episode you’ll hear from Jill Winger author of the Prairie Homestead cookbook whom we were lucky enough to have visit Lehman’s this summer. Jill lives out on the wide-open Wyoming prairie with her husband and three “free-range” prairie children.   They have been living the homestead lifestyle for 10 years and as you’ll hear she loves to help those who feel uninspired with conventional living to master old-fashioned skills and learn how to grow their own food. Tune in and learn about her journey to the simpler life.   Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram The Prairie Homestead Website The Prairie Homestead Facebook The Prairie Homestead Instagram

Who doesn’t love a unique kitchen gadget? Lehman’s housewares room is full of them and Amy Murray, our housewares guru at Lehman’s, knows about each one. Amy’s love for people plus her enthusiasm for teaching and learning is quite contagious. She has the knowledge and the energy to get you excited about the next step on your journey to a simpler life. Get to know Amy by tuning in to this week’s episode of Solutions for a Simpler Life, then take a trip to Lehman’s in Kidron, OH to meet Amy in person! Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms is a farmer, author and as we like to call him “Pastor of the Pasture.” Joel had a second visit to Lehman’s this summer and we can’t help but soak in the wealth of knowledge that Joel shares with us. Tune in to hear his tips for making your homestead the most efficient it can be. Wherever you are on the journey to a simpler life, curious OR serious, you can learn something from the experience Joel brings. After all, starting small is the most efficient as you’ll learn in this episode. Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram Polyface Farms Instagram Polyface Farms Facebook

Stacy Lyn Harris is a best-selling cookbook author, blogger, speaker, wife, and mother of seven children. She regularly appears on cable and broadcast television series as a guest chef and sustainable expert as well as contributor to various national publications. In this episode Stacy Lyn talks about her journey to the simpler life and she delves in to the “Why” of the homesteading lifestyle. Show Notes: Lehman's Website Lehman's Events Lehman's Facebook Lehman's Instagram Stacy Lyn Harris Instagram Stacy Lyn Harris Facebook

Obie Geiser, or Farm Boy as he is known here at Lehman’s, has been helping out his mother, Karen, on the farm and at Lehman’s during the many product demonstrations she does for us in the store. At age nine, Obie had even started teaching some classes of his own at Lehman’s Country Living Workshop. He is certainly a wealth of knowledge and is excited to share the ins and outs of helping on a homestead with the many interesting people he meets here at Lehman’s. Tune in as we uncover the many interests and daily life of Lehman’s resident Farm Boy. Show Notes lehmans.com lehmans.com/events facebook.com/lehmanshardware instagram.com/lehmanshardware instagram.com/karens_garden