Old Fashioned On Purpose

105. ALL Your Sourdough Questions: Answered!

10 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Time and time again, I get inundated with questions about sourdough.  On this very special episode (which was broadcast live on Facebook) I answer ev...

104. How I'd Boost our Food Security if I had NO Homestead

08 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

During uncertain times, basic survival needs like food security become a topic of daily discussion.  While I realize homesteading is essentially prep...

103. We're Ramping Up Food Production This Year. Here's Why:

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lately it seems Christian and I have been talking a lot about our dreams for the homestead.  More than anything, we’ve realized we share a strong d...

102. State of the Homestead: Spring 2020

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode, I’m taking a bit of a departure from my traditional format to dive into the present state of our homestead.  I cover everythi...

101. Is This Your Year to Raise Meat Chickens?

01 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The chicks are here!  Yes, it’s that time of year.  Last year we were a bit behind the eight ball and missed out on meat chickens.  Not this time...

100. How To Can Dry Beans

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With everything going on in the world today, it’s important to always check back in on some basics.  For everyone that has followed me for any peri...

99. What to do with an Excess of Eggs

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What do you do when everything goes as you hoped, or perhaps even better than you hoped?  While it’s great to be able to produce our own food on th...

98. Strategies for the Unexpected Homeschooler

25 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the world became homeschoolers.  For some of you listening, it’s business as usual.  For others?  Full time pan...

97. What Covid-19 Means for Homesteaders

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

To say the world is full of uncertainty is a bit of an understatement at the moment.  We’re living in some uncharted waters as a country and as hum...

96. How NOT to Re-Season a Cast Iron Skillet

20 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever tried to save a piece of cast iron and found yourself in way too deep?  This was my story just last week.  After staring at a skillet ...

95. How I Learned How to Homestead

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Contrary to popular belief, I wasn’t born into the homestead life.  If you go back and listen to some of my first episodes you can get the full sto...

94. Is it Possible to Grow Food in a Shady Garden Spot?

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While we’d all love an open, sunny spot to plant our garden, the reality of it is some things are beyond our control.  Rest assured, a shady spot d...

93. How to Start Your Own Seeds

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever jumped head first into starting seeds and quickly find yourself overwhelmed?  Trust me, when I first started expanding my garden I was ...

92. How I Find Meal Inspiration When I'm in a Rut

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While I love to cook, at times it can become a drag.  With everything we have going on with the kids, our various businesses, and the responsibilitie...

91. Whats the Best Method for Starting Your Garden?

06 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s no secret by now.  If you’ve been listening at all to the podcast lately, you’d know that I’ve got gardening on my mind.  I’ve said i...

90. How to Garden in a Cold Climate

04 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Between late frosts in the spring, early frosts in the fall, blizzards in the middle of May, and everything in between, Wyoming is one of the most dif...

89. My 5 Favorite Ways to Use Up Sourdough Discard

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Believe it or not, many of the best ways to use up leftover sourdough starter have nothing to do with baking bread.  If you’ve ever wondered what t...

88. Is It More Noble to Be a Broke Homesteader?

28 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I’m not going to lie.  This episode is likely to ruffle some feathers.  However, this is a topic that’s been weighing on my mind for quite some ...

87. The Scoop on Horses for Your Homestead

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve been listening or following me for a while, you’d know that it was horses that actually spurred my initial interest in homesteading.  W...

86. How I "Do It All"

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Thanks to social media, I might appear to be some type of super woman.  The truth of the matter is, Instagram and Facebook posts never tell the full ...

85. How to Care for Your Wooden Kitchen Tools

21 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Innovation and technology serve us in so many different ways.  Whether it’s making things more convenient, easier, or faster, new tools and techniq...

84. What I'm Reading This Winter

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Winter on the homestead has become one of my favorite times of the year.  It’s that special time of year when I can come inside, cozy up next to th...

83. The 4 Types of Homesteaders

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Personal development has been an essential tool over the years.  Looking back, I realize that some of the assesments I’ve taken have provided the b...

82. 7 Practical Ways We Save Time on the Homestead

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever reach the end of the day and wonder where all your time went?  Do you look at your “to-do’s” and wonder how you’ll ever get it al...

81. What I'm Planting in my Garden This Year

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One of my favorite days of the year has arrived.  The seeds for my garden showed up!  If you’re anything like me, you’re in full-on garden prep ...

80. How We're Staying Healthy This Winter

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Natural health remedies seem to share a certain distinction when it comes to health care.  While that may be the case, we’ve found many different h...

79. Why Canning Safety is Important

07 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Few things that strike greater fear into the heart of a homesteader than the word botulism. If you’re anything like me, you’ve come to have a heal...

78. Why Aren't My Chickens Laying Eggs?

05 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I don’t know about you, but we are in the dead of winter out here in Wyoming.  Inevitably during this time of year, our chickens just don’t produ...

77. How Frugality Can Hurt Your Homestead

03 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Frugality is something that I’ve always seen as an admirable quality.  As most of you know, this is how I grew up and how Christian and I generally...

76. How to Start Your Very First Garden

31 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own garden but have no idea on where to start?  You are in luck my friends.  Starting a garden can be extreme...

75. Should You Use Nitrates in Home-Cured Meats?

29 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For quite some time I was terrified of nitrates.  In all honesty, it was a big source of anxiety for a long time.  This didn’t relent until someti...

74. How Do I Afford To Buy Land

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Perhaps the biggest road block anyone faces on the homesteading journey is trying to figure out how to buy land.  It’s such a big issue that it pre...

73. Why & How I Use Heirloom Seeds in my Garden

24 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

 As a gardening fanatic, one of my favorite times of the year has arrived.  I don’t know about you, but when my seed catalogs arrive at the beginn...

72. How to Make Your Own Sourdough Starter

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

I’ve failed in nearly every way imaginable attempting to make sourdough.  So why would you listen to me?  I’ve taken the lumps so you don’t ha...

71. Homesteading with Kids: How We Do It

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While I thought that some people might question how we pull off homesteading with kids, it turns out this is one of the most-asked questions among lis...

70. Are the Old Ways Gone Forever?

17 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With the rapid evolution of technology and modern conveniences in our society, it’s easy to ask if the old ways are falling to the wayside.  While ...

69. Your First Cast Iron Pan- What You Need to Know

15 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Cast iron can be intimidating.  With all of the misinformation floating around, it’s easy to understand why some avoid it all together.  Cast iron...

68. How I Shop for Organic Food in a Rural Area

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

While I absolutely LOVE living in the country, there are certainly some challenges you have to deal with.  One of the biggest challenges is grocery s...

67. I'm Not Sure I Like the Name Homesteading Anymore

10 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Yes.  I said it.  I don’t like ‘homesteading' anymore.  When I first got involved with ‘homesteading’, the word carried a certain ende...

66. My Non-Fancy Homeschool Routine

08 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On previous episodes, I’ve discussed how homeschooling has reaped massive benefits in my life.  I’ve even discussed how my children are benefitti...

65. What's In My Everyday Preparedness Pantry

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to homesteading, one of the most overlooked essentials is a well-stocked pantry.  Whether it’s an unexpected road closure, a blizzard...

64. The Most Important Thing I've Taught My Kids

03 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It seems that today that many kids lack one of the most important skills that leads to long term success in every area of life.  This of course is cr...

63. I'm Not Hiding Anymore

01 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Intentionally or unintentionally, sometimes we can hide parts of ourselves that others would really like to see.  If you follow me on social media or...

62. My End-of-the-Year Rituals

30 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Once again we’ve arrived at that magical time of the year.  The special time where hope springs eternal and a new year is upon us.  I’ve always ...

61. Do You Need a Heat Lamp for Your Chickens?

27 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most common questions when it comes to homesteading is “What do you do to keep the animals warm in the winter?”  Naturally, our first ...

60. How I Grew my Homestead Blog into a Full-Time Income

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Looking back on how things started, it’s truly quite incredible to reflect on how I arrived at the point.  For anyone that has followed for any len...

59. Choosing Hard But Good

20 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Modern life is convenient, but is this always a good thing?  Generally speaking, if something is becoming easier, quality is likely being sacrificed ...

58. How & Why We Heat Our Home with Wood

18 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Winter in Wyoming means frequent trips outside to grab firewood for our wood stove.  So why heat with wood in the first place?  Economy, efficiency,...

57. Homesteading in Wyoming: Pros & Cons

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Although I was born in Idaho, I still call Wyoming my home.  Wyoming is an incredible place, but before you pack up the chickens and head this way, I...

56. How We Care for Our Livestock in the Winter

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Depending on the part of the country you’re in, you’re likely finding yourself in the thick of winter.  While I’ve learned to love some of the ...

55. My No-Fuss Cast Iron Care Routine

11 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As I detailed in a past episode, there’s a lot of misinformation and folklore when it comes to cast iron.  This incredible cookware is a staple in ...

54. How I Learned to Love Winter

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Are you dreading the oncoming winter nights?  For quite some time, winter really got me down.  More than anything, I was bored.  After spending alm...

53. What I Learned from Making 27 Freezer Meals in 4.5 Hours

06 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Are you struggling to keep up with an increasingly busy schedule filled with 4-H, homeschooling, tending to the milk cows, and all of the other wonder...

52. 4 Ways to Make Money on Your Homestead

04 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This is what we all dream of, right? Of course our love of the homestead life is why we get involved in the first place, but the idea of actually maki...

51. Behind the Scenes of Writing a Homestead Cookbook

02 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever dreamed of publishing your own book? I can tell you from experience, it is one of the most challenging and rewarding processes you can e...

50. The 5 Most Annoying Myths about Cast Iron

29 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The word 'cast iron’ exudes strength in-and-of itself.  For some reason, the internet might have you believing these types of pans are delicat...

49. 3 Home Dairy Recipes You Need to Make ASAP

27 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Milk is magic.  It’s an incredibly versatile liquid that has the ability to morph into so many amazing things.  Today I’m focusing on three of m...

48. 5 Meal Planning Tips from a Non Meal Planner

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Time is by far our most valuable asset.  While I love cooking delicious, healthy, and wholesome food, it can be an extremely time consuming task.  I...

47. How to Homestead in Suburbia

22 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever dream of the homestead life, but shutter at the thought of living so far away from town?  I can’t even begin to count the number of peo...

46. My Fool-Proof From-Scratch Thanksgiving Menu

20 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

My Fool-Proof From-Scratch Thanksgiving MenuAre you tired of the same old processed foods you’ve been eating at Thanksgiving?  I’m here today to ...

45. How to Cook the BEST Thanksgiving Turkey

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

How to Cook the BEST Thanksgiving TurkeyYes my friends, it’s that wonderful time of the year.  Thanksgiving is upon us and for most of us that mean...

44. How to Start Using Einkorn Flour

15 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever used ancient grains in your cooking?  If you’re new to the game, you’ll likely realize that using Einkorn flour produces a much dif...

43. Where to Start if You've Never Homesteaded Before

13 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

There is no shortage of information out there when it comes to homesteading.  The unfortunate thing is that most of it is just fluff.  Today I’m h...

42. How to Make Homemade Butter for Your Holiday Meals

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve followed me for any period of time, you’d certainly know my deep love for all things butter.  It’s by far my favorite dairy-made prod...

41. 3 Common Home Dairy Myths that are Holding you Back!

08 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Home dairy is a bit of a status symbol in the homesteading community.  However, there are three very big myths that prevent most homesteaders from ev...

40. A Day in My Life

06 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

What’s it like to be a homesteading, homeschooling, entrepreneur, from-scratch-cooking, mom-of-three?  I’ll be the first to admit, it can be exha...

39. All About Broody Hens

04 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When push comes to shove, I always prefer to let a broody hen hatch her eggs rather than getting chicks from the feed store.  However, sometimes it’...

38. How Being Homeschooled Helped Me Later In Life

01 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As I sit here today, it’s very clear to look back and see how homeschooling gave me the tools needed to succeed.  The disciplined instilled in me a...

37. Why We Have Dairy Goats Again After an 8 Year Hiatus

30 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

No, the title isn’t a mistake.  After gaining a reputation online as “the milk cow” girl, once again we have milk goats.  Why do we have milk ...

36. 5 Things I Learned as a First Time 4-H Mom

28 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

4-H played a pivotal role in my life growing up.  Because of this, I have been counting downs the days until my daughter was able to start participat...

35. How to Use Essential Oils for Cooking

25 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Cooking with oils tend to be looked at as a no-no in the culinary world. However, with a little practice and some care, essentials oils have become a ...

34. How & Why to Cook with Maple Syrup

23 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered how you can eliminate sugar from your recipes replace it with 100% natural sweetener that’s actually good for you? This might...

33. The 3 Fats You'll NEVER Find in My Kitchen (and what I use instead)

21 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For many health conscious individuals out there, fat might as well be a four letter word.  The sheer thought of using fat to cook might even send chi...

32. 5 Kitchen Tools I Can't Live Without

18 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Let’s face it.  The modern kitchen isn’t built for the homestead lifestyle.  Even after several renovations, my relatively small kitchen require...

31. How We Found Animals for Our Homestead

16 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It’s no secret.  Out of all the aspects of homesteading, the animals are the one thing I can’t live without.  Today I’m going to walk you thro...

30. Why Homesteading Matters (The Homestead Manifesto)

14 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Without a doubt, by far the question I get asked the most is how I got started in homesteading.  In reality, the better question to ask is why does h...

29. 4 Things to Consider Before You Buy a Homestead

11 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re on the verge of stepping into the homestead life, this episode is a must listen.  Today I’m diving into the most important issues to co...

28. How to Use a Crock for Fermenting

09 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fermented foods can be a polarizing topic.  For quite some time, they literally left a bad taste in my mouth.  Have you ever experienced this yourse...

27. How to Extend Your Growing Season

07 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Winter is slowly creeping up on us, especially here in Wyoming.  After our first frost last week, I knew it was time to start prepping for the season...

26. Cover Crops: Your Garden's Best Kept Secret

04 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today I’m here to provide you a very organic, extremely affordable way to fertilize your soil, suppress weeds, increase organic matter, and prevent ...

25. How (& Why) to Can Apples at Home

02 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Apples hold a special place in my heart.  This incredible fruit is the very first thing I ever canned on my own.  In today’s episode I detail my f...

24. How to Prep Your Garden for Winter

30 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The seasons are changing.  Depending on the part of the country you’re in, winter can mean vastly different things.  While it’s great to enjoy t...

23. How to Dig Up & Store Potatoes for Winter

27 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Potatoes are by far my favorite vegetable.  I’d imagine it’s pretty safe to say I’m not alone in my affinity for spuds.  No, it’s not even d...

22. How to Preserve Fresh Herbs for Later

25 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Herbs have always seemed to be hit or miss for me.  While I love the flavor fresh herbs bring to my cooking, I tend to either have more than I know w...

21. How to Pickle Any Vegetable

23 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

If you’re anything like me, you’re always searching for different ways to maximize the yield from you harvest.  While I love canning, sometimes t...

20. How We're Raising Our Kids Like It's 1955

20 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

On today’s episode, you’re going to learn how Christian and I are managing to raise old-fashioned kids in the modern technological world.  How ou...

19. How to Start a Homestead When You Feel Overwhelmed

18 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When is the “simple life” not always simple?  For those of you transitioning into the homestead lifestyle, it’s pretty much all the time.  Fro...

18. How to Cook from Scratch When You Have No Time

16 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Whether or not you are currently a homesteader, I’m willing to bet that we both share this common problem.  Time is our most valuable commodity, an...

17. How We Started a Homestead on One Income

13 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

When Christian and I first started out, we were relying on his single income as an electrician.  By staying out of debt and focusing on doing anythin...

16. Dairy Goats vs. Milk Cows: Which is Best?

11 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Today I’m going to be taking a deep dive into one of the more controversial topics on the homesteading front.  Although both dairy goats and milk c...

15. How We Built Our Raised Garden Beds

09 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Greetings friends and family!  Back in episode 3 I explained the benefits of raised garden beds and why we chose to use them on our homestead.  Toda...

14. Is Home-Canned Food Less Nutritious?

06 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Eating fruits and vegetables fresh off the vine is always the preferred method for optimum nutritional value.  Unfortunately, it’s not always possi...

13. Our Biggest Homesteading Mistakes

04 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We all make mistakes.  Let me tell you, Christian and I have made quite a few on our homesteading journey.  In today’s episode, I’m going to div...

12. 5 Canning Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

02 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

As we’re approaching harvesting season on the homestead, it’s crucial to be prepared for the bounty of food that’s about to roll in.  Whether i...

11. Weed Control Tips for the Organic Garden

30 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever struggled to keep your weeds at bay?  It’s one of the most common problems for any homesteader.  I don’t know about you, but I sur...

10. 5 Tips for Making Crunchier Pickles

28 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Are you tired of dealing with soft, squishy pickles?   I’m sure I’m not the only one who has dealt with this problem.  After years of experiment...

9. Natural Fly Control Strategies

26 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, it’s that special time of year that we all love: Fly Season! For all of my fellow homesteaders currently in the throes of fly season and the on...

8. The Surprising Truth About Canning Tomatoes

23 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Who knew canning tomatoes was such a controversial subject? When you stumble across canning discussions on Facebook or in other homestead groups, this...

7. How to Help Your Garden Recover from Hail

21 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Hail is one of the most destructive forces when it comes to the health and well-being of your garden.  If you’re anything like myself, you can rela...

6. All You Ever Needed to Know About Compost Tea

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First and foremost, let me ease your concerns.  I’m not here to give you a recipe a special morning beverage made from compost.  Today you’re go...