Episode Details

Today, we talk about the hidden cost of constant distraction, as well as cover all of our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event: June 29 Meetup and Rabbit Processing Event. Join us for an in-person meetup and hands-on rabbit processing workshop right here at the Holler. Learn how to humanely dispatch, clean, and prepare rabbit for the freezer or dinner plate.

Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com Long-term food storage supplies that won't break the bank.

Sponsor 2: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN Helping entrepreneurs, homesteaders, and freedom-minded folks handle taxes the smart way.

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Added more pickled beets to the pantry this week—trying to stay ahead of the beet wave
• Dried a fresh batch of lemon balm, thanks to a special visitor who brought me a beautiful harvest
• Testing a new approach to event food and premade meals—moving to stainless steel restaurant trays with lids for things like meatloaf. Easier to stack, serve, and clean
• Hoping to score cucumbers this weekend for the next round of pickling

Frugality Tip

A little weekly effort saves you tons of money in convenience food over time. I've been making 8 pounds of meatloaf at a time lately—when meatloaf is on the meal plan, I shape and freeze extras for future, easy-to-serve meals.

In fact, once a week, I pick something to batch like this—whether it's blanching and freezing extra broccoli, or making carnivore pizza crusts. When life gets busy, I can just pull, cook, and serve—faster than driving into town or grabbing premade, low-quality food.

This habit saves money, improves nutrition, and helps prevent impulse spending. It also keeps us healthier, which could mean fewer medical bills later.

So here's your challenge: Look at your meal plan this week and find one thing you can double and freeze. Future you will thank you.

Operation Independence

I finished my taxes! One more round to go and I'll be fully caught up.

This process hasn't just been about checking a box—it's given me real insight into where money is flowing (and where it's not). That clarity has helped me reprioritize how I spend my time and energy moving forward. Sometimes, independence means getting your financial house in order—even if it's uncomfortable.

Main Topic of the Day: If I Were Starting a Homestead Today - a question from Ian who is about to buy his homestead from across the country and move…

FIRST THE BAD STUFF I DID

Make it fun more often and from the start -

Bulldoze the house and build new in a better location -

Emotional attachment to the goats

Maybe Not Get Goats

Moved the garden to zone 1

Retaining wall and French drain system - easy maintenance plan

1 animal or major change at a time until it is easy -

Hard reset on stuff

Infrastructure before animals (see above)

Time on the property to observe the seasons -

Overseen contractors and helpers more closely -

Build with profit in mind - 1 thing financing the next thing

Addressed the negative energy issue -

Better use of on-site resources - like junk trees - morel story -

Get good at compost first - grazing - soil

Water system - repair versus fix once and for all -

Learn from the local community regarding what grows well here, hydrology, local knowledge and dependable contractors

take classes

development relationships

talk to neighbors

Hydrology/water, access, then the rest is the order to plan in