Sustainability Book Chat – Details, episodes & analysis

Whether you're a chicken keeper or someone who simply gets annoyed when reading children's books that are filled with misinformation about animals, Diane Sorenson's, The Tales of Mr. Ken Rooster and the Six Sassy Hens, is a fun little gem that's sure to delight young children, as well as the adults reading the book to them.

The book includes short stories about the seven chickens in the author's backyard, and many of the stories, such as the ones about the fox and the raccoon, are based on true events.

In today's episode, we are talking to Diane about her chicken-keeping journey and her inspiration for the book.

Full show notes here --  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/backyard-chickens-in-childrens-book/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat

If you want to grow a garden that is in sync with nature, then you need to check out Chris McLaughlin's ninth and newest book, The Good Garden: How to Nurture Pollinators, Soil, Native Wildlife, and Healthy Food — All in Your Own Backyard.

In this episode, Chris and I are talking about several of The Good Garden concepts presented in her book, starting with knowing your ecosystem. We talk about how pollinators and wildlife are your partners in the garden, how to control weeds naturally, and how to keep bad bugs at bay. Then we talk about enlisting the help of domestic critters in your garden, and Chris give examples from her own life with rabbits, chickens, and goats.

Full show notes here --  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/growing-a-good-garden/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat

If you like growing things that are slightly unusual, then pawpaws may be for you. They are a "tropical" fruit tree that grows in colder climates.

In this episode, I'm talking with Blake Cothron, the author of "Pawpaws: The Complete Growing and Marketing Guide" and the co-owner of Peaceful Heritage Nursery, a USDA Certified Organic fruit mail-order nursery in Kentucky.

Since most people don't know what pawpaws are, that's where we start! Then we discuss their incredible history and talk about the basics of growing them. Like a lot of fruit trees, you will need at least two for proper pollination, and Blake suggests buying three to start in case something happens to one.

Finally, we will talk about the best practices for harvesting pawpaws, as well as the best way to preserve that harvest. (Big hint: do NOT make fruit leather with pawpaws!)

Full show notes here -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/pawpaws-the-complete-growing-and-marketing-guide/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat

Today's episode is for anyone who has ever thought about adding cattle to their homestead. I'm talking to Callene Rapp, co-author of Homestead Cows: The Complete Guide to Raising Healthy, Happy Cattle.

We are discussing what traits an aspiring owner should look for when choosing a breed, as well as when deciding to buy individual cows. I also share the big mistake we made when purchasing our first cows.

We also talk about housing, fencing, and feeding cattle, as well as how many acres you need per head and how that affects your feed bill.

Do you need a bull? Callene talks about challenges of owning a bull. For those who are interested in alternatives to having a live bull for breeding, she compares the cost of alternatives.

Full show notes here --  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/things-to-know-before-raising-cattle/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat

If you thought that it was beyond the reach of mere mortals to grow spices like ginger, turmeric, vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamon, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this episode with Tasha Greer, who talks about her book, Grow Your Own Spices.

Although many of us may use "herbs" and "spices" almost interchangeably, this book goes way beyond growing a little basal and cilantro. Tasha explains that herbs are generally the leafy green parts of a plant whereas spices are more mature parts, such as the roots.

If you are a fan of ginger, we get into that particular spice quite a bit, so you won't want to miss this episode. We talk about how you can grow spices in the garden, in a greenhouse, and in pots on your deck and inside your house. We cover how to get started and how to fertilize, as well as common beginner challenges.

Full show notes here --  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/grow-your-own-spices/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat

People don't usually think of health when we talk about sustainable living, but if we don't have our health, we are not sustainable. Keeping ourselves healthy is really at the root of a sustainable life.

In this episode, I'm talking to Shawna Coronado about her journey from an author of seven gardening books to being debilitated with arthritis to regaining her health by changing what she eats. Her last gardening book, The Wellness Garden, started to pivot towards healthier living. She has added two cookbooks to her resume — Stacked with Flavor: An Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook With Dairy-free, Grain-free & Low-Sugar Recipes and Stacked with Flavor: Healthy Snacks.

Shawna talks about her personal health journey, as well as how you can incorporate healthier eating in your everyday life.

Full show notes here -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/anti-inflammatory-mealplan/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat 

If you want to learn more about using herbs beyond the kitchen, The Artisan Herbalist is a must read and a must see. It's filled will beautiful photos that clearly exemplify the identifying characteristics of each herb.

In this podcast, we are talking to author Bevin Cohen about how he got interested in herbs, as well as how he chose the specific herbs that he included in this book. He explains the differences between infusions, decoctions, tinctures, and infused oils, and when you would use each one.

Then he tells us about his favorite herb, and I talk about a big mistake I once made with an herbal tea. In addition to talking about growing herbs, Bevin also talks about finding herbs in the wild and common mistakes that beginners make.

Full show notes here --  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/the-artisan-herbalist/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat 

If you are looking for ideas on getting started with organic vegetable gardening, we are talking about everything you need to know! Which vegetables are the best for beginners? How do you actually start to plant? What size should your garden be? What can you do with container gardening?

Gary Pilarchik, author of The Modern Homestead Garden, is sharing his gardening wisdom with listeners today. In addition to his personal gardening experience, Gary also has a garden shop, so he has plenty of experience helping new gardeners get started and avoid common pitfalls, which we discuss in the show.

Whether you live on 50 acres or in a condo, Gary has information that will help you to start growing at least some of your own food. And he even talks about creating beautiful landscaping that just happens to be edible.

Full show notes here -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/organic-vegetable-gardening/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat 

It seems like keeping bees should be the easiest thing in the world, but I have learned personally that there is a lot more to it than you might expect. If you have been thinking about getting started with bees, we are talking about some of the unexpected things that every beginner needs to consider before buying their first hive.

Author and beekeeper Kim Flottum is sharing some of the wisdom from his latest book, First Time Beekeeping: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping.

Did you know that if you don't provide water for your bees they might spend way too much time in your neighbor's swimming pool or the dog's water dish? Kim shares tricks for providing water for bees, as well as things to consider before placing your hive. And who knew that skunks love to eat bees?

In this episode, Kim shares tons of wisdom from decades of beekeeping. Don't have a yard? No problem! Kim talks about keeping bees on the roof of your house, as well as things to consider before placing a hive on a high-rise building.

In our conversation, Kim also provides tips on buying bees, using a smoker, and keeping bees without using chemicals.

I really wish Kim's book would have been available before we tried bees the first time. The book contains lots of photos! In addition to all of the things we talked about in this episode, the book also has sections on diseases and pests, as well as details on harvesting honey.

Full show notes here --  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/first-time-beekeeping/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ThriftyHomesteader.com/BookChat 

Bugs are an inevitable part of gardening, but we have lots of options for dealing with them. In this episode gardener Susan Mulvihill, author of The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook, talks about organic methods of handling pests in our garden.

We discuss the principles behind integrated pest management, and the importance of identifying bugs before taking action. Susan gives us examples of management practices you can employ to reduce the pest burden on plants.

We also talk about the fact that not every "natural" pesticide is safe. Susan explains some of the "dangers" of using some natural products such as diatomaceous earth and neem. And she talks about some of her favorite natural control methods, as well as the concept of "bug tolerance."

Full show notes here -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/the-vegetable-garden-pest-handbook/