Living Homegrown Podcast with Theresa Loe (general)

Learn what the fuss is about with the organizational method of KonMari and how you can apply the principles of the hugely popular book: "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo to your homestead organization. It is NOT just for organizng your sock drawer. Using this method (even in small portions of your homelife), can help streamline all of your homesteading efforts. But you need to decide if this method is for you. So, tune in to learn: What the KonMari Method is and how it works, Why host Theresa Loe was initially skeptical, How she is now using it to work more efficiently, How you can apply it to your basic homestead organization. Visit www.LivingHomegrown.com/22 to get all the links mentioned in the show notes or to download the full transcript of the episode.

Direct download: 22_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:20am PDT

Discover how easy it is to help support the bees while also improving your own backyard food production. In this episode, Theresa Loe interviews garden expert Robin Haglund of Garden Mentors® to discuss: Why bees are so important to our everyday lives, What makes bumblebees best suited to pollinate our tomatoes, What flower we should always plant near our tomatoes if we want a good crop, Why cleaning up the garden can be a BAD thing, The top 5 tips for supporting bees in our backyard and...How it might be possible to have bee hives in your yard WITHOUT being the beekeeper. Be sure to visit LivingHomegrown.com/21 for links, bee-related videos and to download the full transcript of this episode.

Direct download: 21_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:30am PDT

Learn how to make pickles THE EASY WAY - in the refrigerator! These pickles are fast, delicious and you never have to break out the canner. In this episode you learn:  The 3 main types of pickles,  What to do with large and small harvests of cucumbers,  Why refrigerator pickles are so great for newbies,  Three advantages of refrigerator pickles, Theresa's top 10 tips for getting a good pickle, A walkthrough of a simple bread n' butter recipe.  For more information (including links) be sure to visit: www.LivingHomegrown.com/20 and download the full transcript.

Direct download: 20_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:14pm PDT

Learn all about how to use a steam juicer for canning. In this episode, Theresa gives you the whole scoop on: What a steam juicer is, How it works, The 5 key advantages of using one, Why it is NOT just for large batches of produce, Why Theresa uses marbles when canning, The differences between steam juicing and mechanical juicing, The nutritional differences between different methods and Where you can find steam juicers for purchase. As always, you will find show notes at LivingHomegrown.com/19 which includes photos, links and a full downloadable transcript of the episode. You can also sign up for Theresa's weekly newsletter and for information on her online canning classes on the website. Come on over and join in on the preservation conversation!

Direct download: 19_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm PDT

How to make wine salt: Learn all about this delicious season salt which combines a wine reduction with salt and herbs. It is simple to make and adds a punch of flavor to any savory dish. Once made, it lasts up to 6 months on your pantry shelf.  

In this episode you learn: What foods pair well with this seasoning, The key to getting good flavor, Two ways Theresa bumps up that flavor, The exact recipe and a walk through of how to make it yourself.  If you would like to see a quick (2 min) video on how it's done, go to the show notes for this episode at: www.LivingHomegrown.com/18 and you can also get the full recipe in text form to print for later.  

For more information on Living Farm Fresh Without The Farm (Preserving, Small-Space Food Growing & Living Sustainably) and Theresa's online Canning Academy, be sure to visit the website: LivingHomegrown.com

Direct download: 18_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:41pm PDT

Learn tips for getting the most from your canning efforts.  
Have you ever made a canning recipe and ended up with way MORE or way LESS than you were supposed to? In this episode, Theresa explains why that happens and offers tips for how you can always get the most from your hard work when canning. She covers: Is it you or the recipe?, The two main reasons for yield discrepancies, Different units of measure, and more...   
As always, you can learn more over at LivingHomegrown.com/17 where there are free resources to help you live farm fresh without the farm.

Direct download: 17_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:05am PDT

Feeling overwhelmed with all there is to learn with canning, growing food or general homesteading skills? Well, this podcast episode guides you on where to start to build confidence and keep it fun.  You will learn: Three feelings that hold people back, The place to start no matter where you are in terms of skill level now, Why all the support and help you need is waiting for you.  For all the links mentioned, plus more information on homesteading, canning, and raising chickens, go to LivingHomegrown.com/16 AND you will also find a full downloadable transcript of the episode.

Direct download: 16_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:57am PDT

Learn about what it takes to become a beginning backyard beekeeper and some behind-the-scenes stories of filming a bee episode for a TV show on PBS. Theresa interviews her TV producing partner - TV host and executive producer, Joe Lamp'l (who also happens to be a beginning beekeeper). Theresa & Joe discuss filming "A Year in The Life of a Beginning Beekeeper", a TV episode they produced for PBS.   
You will learn: The "why" behind Growing A Greener World the TV series, The importance of bees, Where you can go to learn the basics of beekeeping, What to expect your first year, Can bees be ordered through the mail?, Some of the basics of this exciting hobby.
Even if you never want to have bees of your own, you will learn a lot about these amazing creatures and why we should support them in our gardens. For a full transcript of this episode and links to more beekeeping information, visit www.LivingHomegrown.com/15 and as always...be sure to listen past the closing music for the bloopers!

Direct download: 15_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:01pm PDT

In this episode, you tour an 1892 farmstead in Northern California that is being restored to its former glory. Learn about the flavors of the 65 heirloom fruit trees on the property, the challenges and benefits of growing older trees and learn tips for getting the very best fruit production and flavor from trees in your own backyard.

Direct download: 14_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:30pm PDT

This episode covers just a few of the must-know canning practices to keep yourself safe. Learn: Why photographs of canning jars are often so misleading, The optimal time to remove jar rings, 3 key reasons jar ring recommendations are important, The storage mistake that can waste your canning efforts and more.  Visit www.LivingHomegrown.com/13 for more information and free resources for canning and preserving.

Direct download: 13_LivingHomegrown_Podcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:31am PDT