009. Ask Your Homesteading Questions

If you have listened to this podcast for more than a few episodes you know how much I encourage homesteaders and dreamers to find a local community. There as so many reasons why I believe this is a crucial step in your journey and in today's episode I chat with two of my homesteading friends from the town where we used to live in California. 

Adam and Leslie Martin are homesteading full time now in Tennessee. They started their beekeeping education business in hopes of teaching more people about natural and sustainable beekeeping. 

In this episode (92) we chat about homesteading in California, moving accross country, community and how it relates to bees. 

Adam & Leslie's Links:

Get their natural beekeeping freebie!

https://beekept.com/6-steps-to-bee-kept-by-bees/

https://beekept.com/

https://www.instagram.com/beeingkept/

https://www.facebook.com/Beekept2019

Mona's Links: 

Beginner Homesteader's Starter Kit Waitlist: 

https://homesteading.myflodesk.com/qe5du2mb2s

Azure Standard (mentioned in this episode, affiliate link): https://www.azurestandard.com/?a_aid=EZO0slBbMt

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

Listen on Apple or Spotify:

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homesteading-for-beginners/id1636732326

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4BRPb5IuC66BZwrzcWJtMR

If you have ever wondered what it's like to be coached by Mona Weathers, you need to listen to this episode. In this episode I coach Kelvin Crosy, a deafblind potter living in California. His desire is to start a homestead within the next year or so. This coaching session is Mona coaching Kelvin through the first steps to starting his homesteading journey. 

In this episode we talk about...

• Kelvins story of how he went blind and deaf.
• Challenges living in a busy city while blind.
• Kelvins reasons for wanting to start a homestead.
• Kelvins dream for his potter business and future pottery school for people with disabilites.
• Coaching on how what's the best first steps to take to start homesteading.
• and more!

Episodes mentioned in this episode: 

-Permaculture with Larry Wheeler: Episode 52

-Quail with Jasmine Bass- Episode 38 &39

>>> Please be sure check out the short docutmentary Kelvin mentioned in this episode:

https://school.deafblindpotter.com/

Find out more about Kelvin here: https://www.deafblindpotter.com/

Find Kelvin on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@deafblindpotter

Mona's Links:

Beginner Homesteader's Starter Kit Waitlist:

https://homesteading.myflodesk.com/qe5du2mb2s

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

Listen on Apple or Spotify:

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homesteading-for-beginners/id1636732326

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4BRPb5IuC66BZwrzcWJtMR

I've learned so many lessons throughout my journey but these lessons are 5 truths that have stood out the most. I hope you enjoy episode 90 of the Homesteading for Beginners podcast. 

1. Rusing doesn't always get things don faster.
2. Livestock sometimes have their own plans and usually it's opposite of your plans.
3. You don't have to do ALL OF THE THINGS. You can get really good a few homesteading skills.
4. Community dependenc y needs to be a part of your self-sufficiency plan.
5. Slow living is not about having less to keep you busy. It's about choosing to do things that take more time. 

Mona's Links:

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

Listen on Apple or Spotify:

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homesteading-for-beginners/id1636732326

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4BRPb5IuC66BZwrzcWJtMR

• The cost of starting a homestead
• Giving up modern convenience
• Fitting in as a homesteader.
• Their kids will be deprived and sheltered
• Family and friends will judge their lifestyle.
• Added work to their already busy life.

If I were to have the opportunity to start my homesteading journey over again, I would do a few things differently. In this episode I share some lessons learned throughout the 21 years of my homesteading journey that I've broken down into 3 stages. Listen to this episode for inspiration and tips for you and your homesteading journey.

Mona's info and important links:

Mona's Links:

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homesteading for Beginners workbook:

https://healthyhomesteading.com/workbook

Workshop for Beginner Homesteaders and Dreamers (includes workbook):

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/workshops/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

Listen on Apple or Spotify:

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homesteading-for-beginners/id1636732326

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4BRPb5IuC66BZwrzcWJtMR

Have you ever had a love/hate relationship with something? Well, I have a love/hate relationship with some of my farm work. I don't usually use the word hate, and there are very few things I actually hate. And I don't really hate any of my farm work. But I do strongly dislike some things, and I've come to realize that it's perfectly fine and normal not to love every part of your life. It's the things that challenge us that are often the reason we love the things we love.

Many tears have been shed throughout my homesteading journey, and a lot of those tears have been due to frustrations with farm work. My hands freezing while removing ice from water troughs and milking goats in below-zero temperatures (though the warm goat teats always warmed them up 😄) are two examples of these frustrating moments and have made me wonder why I chose to have a farm. Massive amounts of manure accumulate on every farm with farm animals. Sometimes it's hard to keep up with it. And the mud!! So much mud during rainy seasons.

Even though I have times of strong dislike for these things that make having a farm difficult, I still love the homesteading life. I love learning where my mind is limiting me from growth and pushing through it like a seedling emerging from its seed.

Episodes mention:

048. Why Do YOU Want To Homestead?

051. 3 Tips For Finding More Time & Increasing Your Capacity For Your Homesteading Responsibilities

066. Jill Winger on Horses & Homesteading Part 1: What You Need to Know About Horse Ownership

Mona's Links:

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homesteading for Beginners workbook:

https://healthyhomesteading.com/workbook

Workshop for Beginner Homesteaders and Dreamers (includes workbook):

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/workshops/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

Listen on Apple or Spotify:

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/homesteading-for-beginners/id1636732326

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4BRPb5IuC66BZwrzcWJtMR

If you are listening to this you are likely a new homesteader or homestead dreamer. You are either in the beginning years or the dreaming years of your journey.

It seems homesteading has gained in popularity these past few years. It’s no surprise. Since 2020 people have been evaluating their quality of life and their health.

Sipping tea while sitting on your front porch overlooking the acres of land. Spending your days watching your chickens and goats enjoy the land you own and feeling very satisfied with all of the self-sufficiency skills you are learning in the process.

Having skills that make you feel less dependent on the grocery store because you know how to grow and raise your food.

These are the dreams many people are currently having. Well, in 2020 I realize my dream is to see more and more people live the homesteading lifestyle in the best way possible. This includes preventing bad starts and overwhelm.

On today’s episode, I’m going to revisit the how to start a homestead topic. In the first 5 episodes of this podcast I go in more depth by following the Homesteading for Beginner checklist I create. But I’ve recently updated so I thought I’d go through the checklist again with the updated version.

Mona's info:

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homesteading for Beginners workbook:

https://healthyhomesteading.com/workbook

Workshop for Beginner Homesteaders and Dreamers (includes workbook):

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/workshops/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

I get the excitement and motivation that comes with the start of a new year. It's a fresh slate and a chance to set new goals and make positive changes. However, I also understand that it can be challenging to maintain that enthusiasm as the days go by. That's why it's important to approach goal-setting with a realistic mindset and create a plan that is achievable and sustainable in the long run. Remember to break down your goals into smaller, manageable tasks, and celebrate each milestone along the way to stay motivated throughout the year.

I have a process for planning and goal setting that has served me well over the years, and I think it can help you if you struggle to plan or maintain your enthusiasm throughout the year.

Planning and goal-setting process:

1. 1. Write down all goals
   2. Organize goals based on importance
      • Create separate lists for "Must-Have" and "Want-To-Have" goals
   3. Prioritize Must-Have goals
   4. Divide the year into four quarters
      • January through March (Quarter 1)
      • April through June (Quarter 2)
      • July through September (Quarter 3)
      • October through December (Quarter 4)
   5. Select 1-2 goals from the Must-Have list for each quarter
   6. Create a task list for each goal within the quarters
      • Include actionable daily, weekly, and monthly steps

Mona's info:

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homesteading for Beginners workbook:

https://healthyhomesteading.com/workbook

Workshop for Beginner Homesteaders and Dreamers (includes workbook):

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/workshops/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

While I was planning for my homestead and business goals for 2024, the word "invest" came to mind. I've realized that I need to focus on investing my time, money, and energy into things that will propel my goals forward. This also means reducing or eliminating things that don't contribute to my goals.

I chose the word "invest" because it carries more weight. When we invest, we are intentional and expect a return on our investment.

So, for 2024, I choose to invest in:

• Organizing and automating my time to create more free time.
• Putting more energy into activities I love, such as spending time with friends and family, working with horses, and engaging in artistic pursuits.
• Using my money to grow my business and homesteading skills.
• Focusing on actions that make a significant impact instead of wasting time on trivial matters.

I'm sharing this with you to encourage you to think about how you can be intentional in the new year. Even if you don't choose a word of the year, find something that symbolizes your commitment to improving your life and getting closer to your goals.

If you're looking for a word of the year, feel free to use mine. For me, the word usually emerges as a pattern in my life. It may be something that is missing or something I know is necessary.

I hope your year is off to a great start. Below are some ways I can help you further. 

Mona's info:

Free Homesteading for Beginners Checklist:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/checklist/

Homesteading for Beginners workbook:

https://healthyhomesteading.com/workbook

Workshop for Beginner Homesteaders and Dreamers (includes workbook):

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/workshops/

Homestead Income YouTube channel:

https://youtube.com/@HomesteadIncome

101 Homestead Income Ideas List:

https://www.healthyhomesteading.com/homesteadincome

Homestead Income Plan Group (FACEBOOK):

https://www.facebook.com/groups/homesteadincomeplan

Mona's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/farmer_mona/

Homesteading for Beginners YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@homesteadingforbeginners

In this episode, I’m sharing some of the things that are happening in my life right now and things I’ve gone through in the past that will shape how I move forward with my homesteading goals in 2024. Perhaps it will help you as well but at the very least you will get to hear what plans I have coming and how you can get involved.

Episodes mentioned in this episode:

Ep. 15: Letting Go of Your Timeline

Ep. 17 Make Thankfulness a Part of Your Journey

Ep. 36 How to Start Homesteading in 2023

Ep 49. & 50 the interview Melissa K. Norris on 9 Food Preservation Methods

Ep. 66, 67: interview with Jill Winger on Homesteading with Horses and you’ll understand more about my love for horses and how they got me into homesteading.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Homesteading for Beginners Checklist

101 Homestead Income Ideas List

Homestead Income Plan (HIP) Facebook group

Homestead Income Plan Shop page

PAID Homesteader Academy Waitlist

Waitlist for the Homestead Income Plan Weekly Accountability Meeting (HIP WAM)

I'll be back in January!! 

Your host,

Mona Weathers