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Today we give you an update on the homestead after we have spring into FIRST SPRING in Tennessee, operation eyesore, keeping up with meals on the homestead, egg issues and more.

Featured Event: Rabbits and Roses, Huntsville, AB, https://www.facebook.com/events/1010824777095474/?ti=ls 

>>This may change your perspective on your rabbit meatery 😀

Sponsor 1: InvestableWealth.com

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

Vevor Raised Bed Link: https://s.vevor.com/bfQ6sp 

Transitioning to Feeding twice a day in the pasture

Duck Egg Response to Different Feed – the lights

Radish germination and second round of seeding this weekend

How do you track your seedings, seedlings and progress?

Rolling Leftovers: Roundroast and Lamb goulash

Not Dry Round Roast

Prepper Pantry Update – Getting Excited for the finish!

Water descaler and Culligan water softener for sale: $300

Move the Ram

Housekeeping Test

Deadnettle, chickweed, wild garlic

First Spring – and First Tornado

Operation Eyesore

Truck Repairs

Duplex Fix

More raised beds incoming

Tomato wall completion

Holler Neighbors/Community

Finances Idea – ways to grow a homestead into your primary income

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

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Join me for a group discussion with John Willis of Special Operations Equipment and Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast.

Featured Event: The Self Reliance Festival, SelfRelianceFestival.com

Sponsors:

Show Resources

Special Operations Equipment

TheSurvivalPodcast.com

Living Free in Tennessee

NicoleSauce.com

HollerRoast.com 

Main content of the show

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Resources

 

Just for the heck of it, here’s an easy and elegant appetizer or main dish. Read more

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Today, I will share what a day looked like for me at the beginning of this podcast compared with a day now, after just about 1000 episodes. We will also cover all our usual segments.

LFTN Spring Workshop Tickets: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/2025-lftn-spring-workshop/

Featured Event: Seed Exchange and Potluck at the Holler Homestead, Feb 15 at 12pm-3pm https://www.facebook.com/share/1BN558PR4i/

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/lftn

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon Code: LFTN

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Holler Neighbor Potroast
  • Pantry Challenge Update
  • Seed Sorting Project
  • Working 1 hour at a time for the win

Weekly Shopping Report: None today

Frugality Tip: None today

Operation Independence

  • Relationships are important and not in order to get what you want. 
  • Basecamp is rented because of relationships
  • Pasture adjustments and new bnbs coming to the Holler

Main topic of the Show: 

May 20, 2016, Living Free in Tennessee had its first episode – https://traffic.libsyn.com/nicolesauce/NicoleSauce_Podcast_May_20_2016_-_52016_6.52_PM.mp3

…what started as a desperate need to release creative energy because my job was suffocating has become a community of doers, my source of inspiration, and something that is achieving what I tried for 14 years to do in the free market public policy realm.

And it all started with that one, poorly executed episode. A single decision. A ton of feedback from yall. And encouragement when things got tennous.

Episode 1000 is tomorrow and I am excited to share it with Jack Spirko fo the Survival Podcast and John Willis of Special Operations Equipment.

But today, I’d like to share with you what my life was like in May of 2016.

  • I was founder and president of a half million to  million dollar nonprofit with a mission to equip free market economists in the public policy world with better story telling skills and marketing departments (TALK ABOUT NICHE)
  • I had been homesteading for 9 years and was selling my extra vegetables and craft roasted coffee at the farmers market on saturdays
  • I flew for work so much that I had earned a companion pass on Southwest – look that up
  • I had 1 rental property in Nashville
  • I was deeply unhappy, finding myself in a role where my time was not my own, my primary job was to raise money so that I could pay people to train other people who were not as good of trainers as I was. I was also HR manager, and operations vp, and cfo in function which meant …. Paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork.
  • After a trip, you could not get me out of the soil if you tried
  • I drank too much

A typical day on the homestead started early with some work outside and a cup of coffee. I would then transition into computer work and meetings, frantically tossing in a load of laundry or pulling something out of the freezer for dinner as I went. If there was a crisis, I was able to flew, but then would be looking at a late night of catch up for work. There were no days off. Not ever. The role I was in required that I be constantly available to respond to emails and text messages. It was so bad then when I started turning off my phone from 7-9pm on Mondays, one of the people who interacted with me actually had the gall to explain that because she was on the west coast and her day was not yet done, it was unreasonable for me to not be available from 7-9pm. And she was supported in this from the people who were responsible for about half to ¾ of my budget.

The segment operation independence? That stemmed from this situation. Because my area of Focus from my personal life strategic plan was to “Have enough local, ongoing revenue to support my life.” It has been adjusted to regenerative ongoing revenue nine years later, but you get the point. I was solving for being too dependent on one source of income so that I could NOT say no even though I was running my own organization.

I became soured on the whole nonprofit world as well as the public policy one because I saw the inherent flaw in trying to fix the system from within the system and over the next few years became convinced that the only way for freedom to grow was through individual action. Starting with myself.

In 2017 – I broke out of the system. A typical day was to work for the nonprofit, unpaid so that the people there could use me for creating value so that they could continue it on. They failed at that. A sign the nonprofit should never have existed really.

The day:
1) Work frenetically on the Center Hill Sun

2) Sell a few coffee orders

3) Weekly podcast

4) More time for homesteading

5) Contract work for corporate facilitations

>>>>Tell the rest of the story

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Resources

 

Direct Download

Today, we update you on the new lambs on the Holler Homestead, the new feed source we found, importance of community and more!

 

Featured event: 9 am. Tomorrow (Saturday). Workshop Tickets go on sale!

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

 

Celebrate! Got first round of seedlings ready (Yesterday’s episode)

Bottle Lamb Updates

Awesome Kitchen Vent Hood

Pasture Brat Pack

Normalized Paddock Rotation again

Operation Eyesore

New Feed Source for TN

Processor connections

Update on managing while Nicole was away

Forage: Time to be on the lookout for wild garlic and early spring greens

Concrete project sound fun this weekend?

Invoicing the lambs we sold this weekend – and why I waited so long.

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

Hearty soups, stews, and meat-and-potatoes meals are great when the weather is cold or grey. Sometimes, though, we feel a little weighed down. When this happens to you, add a simple beet salad to the meal. Read more

Direct Download

Join me for a discussion on starting your seeds and out usual “Monday Segments.”

Sponsor 1: InvestibleWealth.com

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon code LFTN

LFTN Spring Workshop Tickets go on Sale Saturday at 9am Central. 

  • Alan Booker, 2 deep sessions on permaculture topics
  • Jack Spirko, Building Bioreactor Compost and Biochar
  • Nicole Sauce, Lessons Learned from 3 Years Raising Regenerative Sheep
  • Emily Skyles Zanotti: Urban Homesteading
  • Dawn Gorham, Building A Homestead Business 
  • Tactical Redneck – A tour of erosion remediation projects at the Holler Homestead. 
  • Joel Ryals, Problem Solving and Planning for Success
  • Roundtable Discussion. Function stacking: Holler Homestead Greenhouse Design with Nicole Sauce
  • Harry Albright – Hands on – Building Cages
  • Knitting – Lani Johnson
  • Jenni Hill – Somatic Movement and Breath Work
  • Barter Blanket
  • John Pugliano – Permaculture Your Wealth
  • Kerry Brown- Planning Your Off Grid Home
  • Patrick Roehrman – Accomplishing Anything How I transformed raw land into a family HQ

Updated Links for Equipment:

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Double and triple cooking paid off for Mom’s knee replacement
  • Looking to skim coat the concrete this weekend or next week so that we can move utilities and do the final sweep in there
  • Refining what I store to LESS

Frugality Tip – send one in

Operation Independence

Picked up the processed lambs today, Lambs for sale!

Main Topic: Seed Starting

4 Keys to Successful Seedlings

  1. Light, Light, Light
    • A window isn’t going to cut it—this is the #1 reason for failure.
    • Use proper, full-spectrum grow lights (like Burrina lights) positioned uncomfortably close to seedlings.
    • Keep lights on 12-16 hours per day for strong, stocky plants.
    • If you don’t have grow lights, be prepared for leggy seedlings.
  2. Soil Temperature Matters
    • Too cold? Bad germination and weak seedlings.
    • Ideal temp: 65-85 for many plants
    • Use a seed heat mat (updated links below) or place trays in a warm spot like on top of the fridge.
  3. Consistent Moisture—Not Overwatering
    • Keep soil evenly moist, not soggy.
    • Bottom watering is best—use trays with no holes to create a DIY water table.
    • Overwatering leads to weak roots and damping off. Underwatering even once can stunt growth for the life of the plant
  4. Potting Mix & Soil Biology
    • If you’re new, just buy a good quality seed-starting mix. Look for fine-textured, bark-free soil.
    • Pro tip: Add a quart of soil from a well-run local garden to introduce beneficial microbes and integrate local soil biology.
    • Advanced growers: Make your own with compost, biochar, worm castings, and indigenous microorganisms (IMO).
    • Compost tea made from local soil is a fantastic boost.

Soil Mix

  • Don’t mix your own unless you know what you’re doing (WRONG ADVICE)
    • Experiment while setting yourself up for success—but start with a 50/50 blend before committing fully.
    • Learn from my mistakes

Trays & Containers

  • Deep pots (3-4 inches) = Stronger roots
  • Plastic trays with no drainage holes work great for bottom watering.
  • Solo cups are cheap and effective (poke a few drainage holes).
  • Peat pucks: Can work, but I don’t use them.
  • Peat pots: Just don’t.

Choosing Seeds: Heirloom vs. Hybrid

  • It’s all okay! Pick what works for your system.
  • Good seedling choices: Tomatoes, peppers, kale, chard, broccoli, lettuce, loofahs.
  • Less ideal: Squash, cucumbers (direct sow if possible).
  • Don’t start indoors: Peas, beans, carrots, and most root crops.

First Year: Choose 1-2 things, experiment, and don’t stress if you buy starts. Keep going!

Troubleshooting Germination: The Paper Towel Trick

  • Use damp paper towels in a plastic bag to check seed viability before planting.

Keeping Costs Down (While Buying Quality Equipment)

  • Source second-hand greenhouse supplies from local growers.
  • Attend local seed swaps (like the one here in February) for high-quality, adapted seeds.
  • Consider bulk seed buys as a community.

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

Resources

 

Direct Download

Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck and perhaps Knighthawk for the latest news from the Holler Homestead. Babies, extreme cold, planning the gardens and more

 

Featured event: LFTN Spring Workshop

 

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon Code LFTN

 

Email feedback to nicole@livingfreeintennessee.com

 

Forage

  • Wheat is ready to harvest
  • Iding herbals/wilds that we do not want the sheep to eat
  • Day Lillies are blooming 
  • Garden: Cover crop sautees
  • Inside cherry tomatoes

 

Livestock

  • Rabbit ear mites
  • No ducklings yet
  • Eating things faster than we thought so we are moving them each day until cleared (overseeding pasture mix)
  • Muscovies incoming tomorrow thanks to Kerrry and Lisa
  • 4 eggs a day – summer slump
  • Sheep story

 

Grow

 

Holler Neighbors/Community

 

Infrastructure

 

Finances

 

Membership Plug

 

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

Make it a great week!

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

 

Community

Advisory Board

Resources

 

This is roughly the oven equivalent of an Opportunity Knocks Stew. Like a stew, it offers the chance to use up a little of this and a little of that in a colorful, delicious dish. Prep the vegetables in the morning, then blend the eggy cheese sauce and bake while you grill or fry some meat.

On a hectic night, a vegetable bake turns hamburger patties into a full-blown dinner.

Please take advantage of the adaptability of these ingredients: add the vegetables you have on hand, use different herbs and spices, mix and match types of cheese. Olives, pimientos, capers, shallots, and colored sweet peppers all make the dish look festive. Then there’s bacon, ham, and leftover sausage…

Or have some fun and bake in the hollowed halves of hard-shell squash or in muffin cups. Read more

Direct Download

Join me for a group discussion with members of our community and beyond about building the life you choose, current events, building a durable life, community development, business, getting started, health and more.

Each Tuesday, we welcome a different guest to tell their story, as well as take your questions live. 

Featured Event: LFTN Spring Workshop, LivingFreeinTennessee.com

Sponsors:

Show Resources

AbovePhone.com

HackMyHomestead.com

Living Free in Tennessee

NicoleSauce.com

HollerRoast.com 

Main content of the show

Make it a great week!

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

Community

Resources