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Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

Homesteading for Beginners with Michelle Bruhn and Stephanie Thurow: Best of Growing Joy

Growing Joy with Plants - Wellness Rooted in Nature, Houseplants, Gardening and Plant Care

Maria Failla- Happy Plant Lady and Author of Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness

How To, Mental Health, Leisure, Self Care, Houseplants, Gardening, Education, Plants, Wellness, Nature Therapy, Eco Therapy, Home & Garden, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 912 Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2023

⏱️ 80 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a homesteader? A growing number of people are turning to self-sufficiency and sustainability in their way of living. However, homesteading can seem intimidating, especially when social media portrays it as an exclusive lifestyle requiring acres of land and living off the grid. The good news is that it doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing lifestyle! In this episode, learn how Stephanie Thurow and Michelle Bruhn, co-authors of the book Small Scale Homesteading and absolute BFFs, are making homesteading accessible to everyone—no matter how much land you have. They share their experiences with gardening, chicken keeping, maple sugaring, and more, all while living on less than an acre in the suburbs of Minneapolis.In this episode, we learn:[06:43] Stephanie & Michelle’s homesteading journey[13:08] The challenges of gardening in different regions (know your last frost date)[16:24] How Stephanie & Michelle’s friendship and shared interests led to their book “Small-Scale Homesteading”[17:55] Where can you find a range of cold-tolerant crops for your fall and winter gardens?[19:58] Where can you find the perfect wind chimes to add a touch of beauty and mindfulness to your surroundings?[17:51] What is the role of community in their homesteading journeys?[24:32] What is the difference between gardening and homesteading?[26:40] What inspired Michelle and Stephanie’s move from gardening to homesteading[30:50] Tips for transitioning from gardening to homesteading[40:21] Michelle on seed starting[43:36] What are the easiest seeds to save?[44:59] How can you preserve your homegrown food?[46:45] Fermentation vs pickling[48:36] What is water bath canning?[51:21] Things you should know about raising chickens![01:01:13] Further homesteading stories and experiences from Michelle & StephanieMentioned in our conversation:Book by Stephanie Thurow & Michelle Bruhn Small-Scale Homesteading: A Sustainable Guide to Gardening, Keeping Chickens, Maple Sugaring, Preserving the Harvest, and MoreCan It & Ferment It: More Than 75 Satisfying Small-Batch Canning and Fermentation Recipes for the Whole YearWECK Home Preserving: Made-from-Scratch Recipes for Water-Bath Canning, Fermenting, Pickling, and MoreWECK Small-Batch Preserving: Year-Round Recipes for Canning, Fermenting, Pickling, and MoreFood Preservation Cookbooks by Stephanie Thurow: Chicken Pens at Tractor Supply Co.For honest tips and recommendations on raising your own chickens,check out the full show notes and blog here!Thank you to our episode sponsors:Territorial Seed CompanyGrowing your own food does not have to be difficult! Skip the lines at the garden center and let Territorial Seed Company deliver top-of-the-line, healthy and hardy plants right to your door. They have a great line of pre-grown plants, an expansive seed catalog, and over 40 years of experience delivering the best seeds and plants for everyone's garden. Whether you are looking for leafy veggies, flowers or edible plants in either seed or seedling form, Territorial Seed Company has your back.Get 10% off by visiting territorialseed.com/growingjoy - discount applied at checkout.Wind River ChimesBring more peace, serenity, and magic into your home with chimes. Wind River is a Virginia-based company creating premium handcrafted and hand-tuned wind chimes for over 35 years. If you are looking for a new way to grow joy in your life and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect addition for your home or garden. Plus, it's a perfect personalized gift for your loved ones!Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.Follow Stephanie:WebsiteInstagramFacebookYouTubeFollow Michelle:WebsiteFacebookInstagramFollow Maria and Growing Joy:Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha LeungJoin the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon!Instagram: @growingjoywithmariaTiktok: @growingjoywithmariaSubscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmariaWebsite: www.growingjoywithmaria.comPinterest: @growingjoywithmaria

Transcript

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0:00.0

I am so excited to introduce you to the savvy resourceful plant ladies that are joining us on the

0:06.4

podcast today for the most amazing conversation about a highly popular topic these days. homesteading.

0:14.4

But homesteading on social media can look really different from what homesteading could be

0:19.2

in our homes and gardens. So what is homesteading you might ask? The homesteading that we see on social

0:24.8

media looks like it takes so much work, is so inaccessible, you've got to live off grid, you've got to be

0:31.2

in an eco hut on acres and acres of land growing your own food and never leaving your property.

0:36.5

No, that is not homesteading plant friends. These women are homesteading.

0:41.8

Growing food, raising chickens, composting, harvesting maple syrup

0:46.6

on less than an acre in the suburbs of Minnesota.

0:50.4

They are making homesteading accessible in a way that I have not seen before and I am so excited to invite you into this incredible conversation that will leave you so inspired and looking at your small lawns and backyards like you never have before.

1:05.2

Welcome. Welcome to the Growing Joy Podcast where we not only learn how to care for plants successfully,

1:11.7

but how to simply and affordably use our plant babies to cultivate

1:15.2

more joy in our lives.

1:17.1

I'm Maria, author of Growing Joy, The Plant Lovers Guide to Cultivating Happiness,

1:21.3

speaker, podcaster, and most importantly an epic plant killer turned

1:25.5

happy plant lady. On growing joy you'll find conversations about plant care, plant community

1:30.9

and wellness through the lens of plants.

1:34.0

Plant care is self-care on growing joy, the podcast.

1:38.0

Hello, Plant Friends, I hope you've had beautifully planty weeks.

1:42.0

If you are new here, welcome to the

1:44.2

growing joy with plants podcast. I'm your host Maria and I am here to help you live a

1:49.1

happier life by connecting to nature. Whether it's with houseplants or gardens or just getting outside

...

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