Heart of the Homestead Family

Why do we grow, harvest, preserve, can, freeze, and ferment our own food when the grocery store is right there?

In this episode, we’re talking about why all the extra work is worth it—from better-tasting, nutrient-dense food to time outside, functional movement, food skills, and knowing what we’re feeding our families.

And if you’re just getting started, reme...

How do you get your kids to eat the fruits and vegetables you’re growing? In this episode, we’re sharing practical ideas for helping kids become comfortable with a variety of foods—from getting them involved in the garden and kitchen to changing how you prepare, present, and serve foods.

We’re also talking about sneaking in vegetables, making food fun, and giving kids healthy choices...

Summer on the homestead is busy! Between the garden, harvesting, and enjoying the beautiful weather, the last thing you want is to spend hours in the kitchen.

In this episode, we’re sharing our favourite simple hacks for getting meals on the table faster, including organizing recipes, keeping your pantry stocked, precooking meat, using the crock pot, chopping extra vegetables,...

When the garden is overflowing, dinner doesn’t have to be complicated. 

In this episode, we’re sharing some of our favourite simple summer meals for using up what’s coming in from the garden—without spending hours in the kitchen.

Think: 🔥 Grilled veggies (and even grilled lettuce!) 🍑 Peaches on the BBQ 🍅 Fresh tomato soup 🌽 E...

If you had limited space, limited time, or simply wanted to focus on the crops that give you the biggest return, what would you grow?

In this episode, we each share our top three must-grow crops and explain why they earned a place on our list. From garlic and tomatoes to beans, lettuce, strawberries, and cabbage, we discuss the crops that are versatile, easy to preserve, simple to store, a...

When the garden is overflowing with berries, herbs, and fresh produce, it's the perfect time to skip the store-bought drinks and create refreshing beverages right from your own backyard.

In this episode of Heart of the Homestead Family, we're sharing our favorite homemade summer drinks—from fruit juices and kombucha to herbal infusions, strawberry milk, popsicles, and old-fashioned s...

Preserving season is here!

If your garden is overflowing or you've stocked up on fresh local produce, this episode is packed with practical tips to make preserving easier and more efficient. We're sharing the tools we reach for most when freezing, canning, fermenting, dehydrating, and freeze drying—plus simple organization tips that help preserve the harvest without feeling overwhelm...

The garden is growing... and so is the to-do list! 🌱

In this episode of Heart of the Homestead Family, we're sharing what happens after everything is planted. From watering, weeding, pruning, and trellising to dealing with pests, harvesting, and making a plan for preserving your produce, we cover the day-to-day tasks that keep a garden thriving. Plus, we share practical tips we've learned...

Feeling overwhelmed by homesteading season? You’re not alone. In this episode, we talk about managing the busy spring and summer months, balancing home life with garden life, learning new skills without burnout, and giving yourself grace when things don’t go according to plan. From canning and gardening to messy houses and community support, this is your reminder that homesteading isn’t a competition.

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Welcome back to the homestead for a big spring update! In this episode, we’re chatting all about the chaos of May gardening in Southwestern Ontario — from heat waves and frost warnings to tornado alerts and nonstop rain. If your garden plans have felt all over the place lately, you are definitely not alone.

We share what’s happening on our homesteads right now, including:

• What we’ve planted (and what we...

From haskap berries to horseradish, we’re talking all about perennial plants that keep producing year after year with less work in the garden. In this episode, we share some of our favorite perennial fruits, vegetables, and herbs that thrive in our Southern Ontario homesteads — including a few unique varieties you may not have heard of before.

We chat about:

• Why perennials are one of the easiest ways to grow more f...

Getting your garden off to a strong start begins with your soil. In this episode, the ladies dive into simple, practical ways to add nutrients, improve soil health, and set your garden up for a productive season. From composting basics to using natural amendments like manure, ash, and cover crops, you’ll learn how to work with what you have and build healthier soil over time.

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In this episode of Heart of the Homestead Family, we’re heading outside the garden and into the wild to explore early spring foraging in Southern Ontario.

If your garden beds aren’t quite ready yet, don’t worry—there’s still so much you can harvest right now. The ladies share some of their favourite early-season finds growing in forests, pastures, and even your own backyard, along with simple ways to u...

In this episode, the ladies dive into an unexpected favorite on the homestead—parsnips! Ali shares why she loves this often-overlooked root vegetable, from its sweet, unique flavor to its ability to overwinter and provide a harvest when almost nothing else is growing.

They chat about how to grow parsnips, when to plant and harvest them, and why patience is key with this long-season crop. You’ll also hear simple, delicio...

Spring is here, but before garden season takes over, there’s still time to wrap things up in the kitchen. In this episode, the ladies share how they’re clearing out freezers, using up preserved food, and getting prepared for the busy months ahead.

From pressure canning and batch cooking to experimenting with garlic, rhubarb, and homemade staples like soap, this conversation is full of practical, real-life homesteading t...

In this episode, the ladies chat about why the May long weekend isn’t the only time to plant your garden—and how tuning into nature can make planting easier and more successful. From watching for blooming flowers to understanding soil temperature, pest cycles, and even moon phases, they share simple ways to work with the seasons instead of feeling rushed by the calendar.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to g...

Spring is here, and that means it’s time to start thinking about the garden! 🌱 In this episode, the Heart of the Homestead Family shares what’s happening on their farms right now—from cleaning up last year’s garden beds to dreaming (and maybe over-dreaming 😉) with seed catalogs.

The ladies chat about expanding gardens, adding flowers alongside vegetables, growing and preserving herbs, and the realities of ...

In this episode, we’re introducing some new voices to the podcast—Caroline and Allie—and sharing a little about each of our homesteads and lifestyles here in Southwestern Ontario.

From multi-generational farms and CSA programs to glamping retreats and hobby farms, each of us brings a unique perspective on homesteading and living closer to the land. We also chat about what’s been happening this season—f...

In this episode, we take time to look back on the goals we set at the beginning of 2025 and share an honest recap of what worked, what didn’t, and what we learned along the way. From launching the podcast and reaching 80+ episodes in our very first year, to tackling home and farm goals like making household supplies, cloth diapering, preserving food, improving systems, and experimenting with new skills, this conversation is f...