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Today we will address a question that came up in the context of building community: How much of your true self should you share with a new community, particularly if you are an intense person? I realized this goes for courting as well so we will discuss it along with all our usual Monday Segments: Tales From The Prepper Pantry, Operation Independence and MORE…

 

Featured Event: Self Reliance Festival

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com

Sponsor 2: Jack Spirko, The Survival Podcast, Laws of Life Launch

 

Feedback to: nicole@livingfreeintennessee.com

 

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Pantry Road Food – check (We still ate out along the way)
  • Getting more swiss chard than we can eat at the moment
  • Final Freezer Re-organization and recipe of the week
  • Prepper Pantry Redo Update: WAAAAY Easier to share resources

 

Frugality Tip From Margo

I do grow some plants from seed, but I  buy plants too. This year Walmart has a store brand of plant starts that are $2.48, which is more than half the price of the other name brand.  The selection isn’t large, but if you want to grow something without having to spend too much this is a great option. 

 

Walmart also marks plants down on Tuesday and Friday, I go in on Wednesdays. This week I got a pot with two jalapeno plants that are over 2′ tall with flowers and some peppers on them for $4, marked down from $12, and a few weeks ago I found some tomato starts for $1.  

 

Operation Independence

  • Gutter Magic

 

Filter or Firehose

  • Set: Bear’s presentation on layers of community and the question (I’m weird)
  • Dating these days
  • 5 elements of building community
    • Create
    • Contribute
    • Connect
    • Clarity
    • Compassion
  • Purpose of dating
    • Partnership or hookup – which person are you?
    • Courting
  • Filter or Firehose?
    • Why not both? (The honesty issue)
    • The weird factor
    • Learn Social Cues – but be willing to directly communicate
    • You are the story you tell yourself
    • Eyore Syndrome
    • Doers, neutral, takers
    • Journey versus destination
  • Digital impact on relationship and community development, in-person communication
    • Sussing out shared values, priorities, long term vision

 

Filter or firehose? Why not both?

 

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

 

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I was hijacked by a Redneck! Tactical is HOME ALONE and experiencing lots of mid spring things on the homestead from the latest forage, to escaping sheep.

Featured Event: Midwest Preparedness Project Spring Event with Joel Salatin, Bear, and more. https://www.midwestpreparednessproject.com/

Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast: InvestableWealth.com

Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

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

 

Direct Download

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

Featured Event: Midwest Preparedness Festival: https://www.midwestpreparednessproject.com/

Sponsors:x

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

 

Direct Download

Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck for an update from the Holler Homestead at 12:30PM CT. Spring is springing here and we just had the LFTN Spring Workshop which was a resounding success! I also got tested for my vegetable quality and have some work to do on that.

Featured Event: Midwest Preparedness Project Spring Event with Joel Salatin, Bear, and more. https://www.midwestpreparednessproject.com/

Sponsor 1: TheWealthsteading Podcast: InvestableWealth.com

Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

Isolation

Fencing on new pasture

Yarrow is up

Baby rabbits

4 wheeler broke

Plant brix

Wood chip mecca

Red clover 

Poison Hemlock

Rose petal

Stormy’s swelling back down

Hoof trimming in the future and youtibe vs reality

Voice problem

Rams on second rotation Herr

Egyptian walking onion

Broccoli success

Restart the sunflower system in the carport

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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Today, I am joined by the Tactical Redneck to talk about lamb births, getting ready for the Spring Workshop and more.

LFTN Spring Workshop – 1 open ticket – deposit paid: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/2025-lftn-spring-workshop/

Sponsor 1: TheWealthSteadingPodcast – InvestableWealth.com

Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon Code LFTN

Grafting the baby to its Mom

Update on the pulled baby

Infection?

Rabbits due next week

Workshop Set Up

Transplanting tomatoes

Assessing dead plants

Morrels

Wild Mustard

Watercress Update

Yarrow

Ducks are in jail

All the people are stopping by to help us get set up this weekend, despite Easter being in the offing

Wood boring bees

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

Direct Download

Last night, my bottle-fed Ewe went into labor. She never got as big as the naturally raised ewes and this ended up being a problem. We will talk about the long night in the pasture, as well as tales from the prepper pantry, a shopping report, operation independence, and more.

Featured Event: Exit ad Build Land Summit at Polyface, May 23 & 24: https://courses.livefree.academy/land-summit-5-polyface-farms

Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

Weekly Shopping Report from Joe

Dollar Tree was first.  They’re finally out of the big non-carbonated Monsters I was getting, but there were plenty of other choices.  Stock levels throughout the store looked good.  Sonia has been able to find some craft items in there lately.

We also went to Hobby Lobby for some acrylic paint.  We didn’t walk around the whole store looking at other stock, but I didn’t see empty sections or anything else odd.  Things may change with the tariffs on Dragon Country, but not yet.  They were “normal-busy” with a short wait to check out.

The online price of a 2x4x8 stud at Home Depot is still $3.85.

Aldi was last.  We found everything we wanted.  Staple prices were: bread (20 oz. white): $1.39; eggs: $4.97; whole milk: $2.92; heavy cream: $5.29; OJ: $4.09; butter: $3.49 (-); bacon: $3.99; potatoes: $4.39; sugar: $2.99; flour: $2.35; and 80% ground beef: $4.59.

Untainted regular gasoline at Weigels is still $3.59/gallon.

Operation Independence

2 lambs born, so $800 goes into the independence fund

Main topic of the Show: A Wonderful, Horrible Livestock Experience

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

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

 

Direct Download

Today we’re talking about busting through analysis paralysis and, of course, all our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event

Member Webinar – Homeopathy for Urgent and Emergent Situations

Don’t miss this week’s member webinar! Learn practical ways to approach health challenges using homeopathy.

Details & Sign-Up: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/event/homeopathy-for-urgent-and-emergent-situations/

Sponsor 1: The Wealthsteading Podcast

Insightful discussions on wealth-building and independent living.

🔗 https://investablewealth.com/

Sponsor 2: AbovePhone

Secure, freedom-minded communications.

Get $50 off your device with coupon code LiveFreeTN

🔗 https://abovephone.com/?above=104

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

  • Cooking for people from the pantry
  • Chaos of storing things everywhere – Nicole needs a wife
  • Moving back into the prepper pantry
  • About to unload a bunch of stored grain—we don’t eat grain anymore
  • The “oh shit” story

Weekly Shopping Report

This one will be short and boring; no major changes (I don’t need a Wahhmbulance for my chocolate price, at least not yet). Dollar Tree was the usual first stop. The drink product mix is shifting, but stock levels remain excellent.

The online price of a 2x4x8 stud at Home Depot is still $3.85.

Aldi was last. We found everything we wanted, but my preferred chocolate has gone up again to $2.69. Staple prices were:

  • Bread (20 oz. white): $1.39
  • Eggs: $4.97 (limit 2)
  • Whole milk: $2.84 (-)
  • Heavy cream: $5.29
  • OJ: $4.09
  • Butter: $3.75
  • Bacon: $3.99
  • Potatoes: $4.39
  • Sugar: $2.99
  • Flour: $2.35
  • 80% ground beef: $4.59

Untainted regular gasoline at Weigels is still $3.59/gallon.

Frugality Tip

No listener tips this week—send yours to nicole@livingfreeintennessee.com!

Nicole’s Tip: Audit your insurances annually. I’m doing that right now and it’s one of those boring-but-worth-it money wins.

Operation Independence

Update on the GSD weekend! Huge thanks to Valerie, Lynne, Tracy, Steve, Bryan, Tactical, and Knighthawk—and of course Bob, who we tried to kill. It was a solid weekend of getting things done and building community.

Main Topic of the Day: Busting Through Analysis Paralysis

I Why We Get Stuck in Analysis Paralysis

  • Fear of making the wrong move or wasting resources
  • Drowning in too much information and too many choices
  • Perfectionism in disguise—waiting until it’s “just right”
  • Pressure from external voices: what you should do versus what you want to do

II How to Align Your Efforts for Real Progress

  • Start by documenting where you spend your time
  • Revisit your vision and purpose
  • Know your own wiring—planner, doer, thinker?
  • Identify leverage points that’ll ease other areas

III Tips & Tricks to Break Free (My3Things Method + More)

  • Use the My3Things Method—3 high-impact tasks per day
  • Do the worksheet—focus and prioritize
  • Join our communities—get support and ideas
  • Call a friend who can help you think clearly
  • Pay for help if it moves you forward
  • Break things down to minimum viable steps (An American Homestead story)
  • Ask if you’re delaying because you don’t actually want it
  • Try body doubling—just work alongside someone
  • Just do one thing now—progress over perfection
  • Reset your brain—take a walk, listen to music, work out
  • And above all: Commit and don’t look back. Nothing replaces just deciding to move.

Sign up for the weekly mail – Stay updated on events, products, and local opportunities.

This week’s tip: Peter Hutchings from Terre Power in Sparta, TN reached out with a deal on used solar panels—around $0.15/kWh or less.

If you’re interested, email him at phutchings@terrepower.com

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 to talk about spring, stupid funny things we cannot remember, new spring wild edibles and more!

Featured event: SelfRelianceFestival.com

Sponsor 1: InvestableWealth.com

Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

Fiberglass fencing posts

Still need to move rams

GSD Weekend coming up – with spicy weather

Prepper Pantry update

Wild Mustard flower is here

The dumpster story

4 wheeler useable – bent frame Honda 300, 1995

Meat pizza

Update on sprouted sunflowers

Stupid funny things we cant remember!

Feta cheese made for the workshop and thoughts on working in a homesteader’s kitchen

Garden feels really small this year

Subaru passed her maiden voyage to SOE

Stormy’s harness

No morels found yet but they are starting to pop in nearby counties

Basecamp deck

Duck egg hunt in the pond

I want a roadside stand!

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

 

Direct Download

Today, we begin to explore a bigger picture question about AI: Will it make us more or less free?

Featured Event: Member Webinar on Homeopathy

Sponsor 1: HollerRoast.com

Sponsor 2: AbovePhone.com, Coupon code LivefreeTN

Will AI Make Us More Or Less Free?

First, how do we define freedom?

The counter tension is those who wish to control and build power bases.

So this question is a pretty big question: Will AI make us more or less free?

AI’s Inherent Bias
AI as a Search Engine Replacement
Technocracy vs. Liberty
AI as a Creation Tool vs. Scam Weapon

Recommended Steps to Stay Free

  1. USE AI but with a critical
  2. Learn to protect your privacy, Use tools like Above Phone
  3. Be wary of too-good-to-be-true offers—even from people you know
  4. Set up a family/friend safe word
  5. Don’t blindly trust outputs—verify and think – especially the smaller details
  6. Avoid emotional or functional dependency
  7. Stay capable without the tool; don’t let it run your life

AI can help you build the life you want—or quietly undermine it – and if we just ignore it, it will move toward the status quo: empowering the oligarchs not the individual. Freedom means staying awake and staying critical without burying your head in the sand.

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
Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn
Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup
Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b
Advisory Board
The Booze Whisperer
The Tactical Redneck
Chef Brett
Samantha the Savings Ninja
Resources
Membership Sign Up
Holler Roast Coffee
Harvest Right Affiliate Link