Today, we talk about homestead burnout, why many new homesteaders feel tempted (and do) give up after only a year or three, and what to do about it. We also cover our usual Monday segments.

Featured Event August 23: Wild Edible Walk with Kerry Brown of Strong Roots Resources – 8:30 AM before Curds and Connection at the Holler Homestead.

Sponsor 1 Strong Roots Resources – Permaculture consulting, education, and more.

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

Tales from the Prepper Pantry

• Setting up Basecamp for long-term storage  
• Road food from the pantry  
• Fall garden focus  
• Pushing for more dried herbs  

Frugality Tip From Margo: Before making a large purchase, check multiple sites. Margo scored a $100 gift card from Northern Tool by ordering online (over $1000 purchase), then picking up in-store. A little research can literally pay off.

Operation Independence Adding value can make all the difference — like offering a Wild Edible Walk add-on for the cheese class.

Main Topic of the Day: How to Fix Homestead Burnout

• Discussion with Tactical about my dead garden bed  
• Why so many homesteads give up after 1–3 years  
  • Striving for perfection  
  • Using 1 person to do the work of 2, 3, or even 4  
  • Instagram homesteads vs. reality  
  • The same reasons we burn out on anything  
  • The homestead is always there — and you live there  
• Why people get into homesteading  
  • The homesteader’s curse  
  • My 140 tomato story  
  • If you’re not on a homestead yet, what you can do  
• How to avoid homestead burnout  
  • Create a space where you can truly let go and reset  
  • Have other interests or hobbies  
  • Adjust expectations before you start  
  • Create goals that aren’t fear-based  
  • Learn to spot burnout early:  
    • Constant fatigue  
    • Irritability or loss of excitement  
    • Letting maintenance slide  
    • Avoiding certain areas or projects  
    • More arguments or isolation  
    • Spending more time on screens than outside  
    • Self-check questions:  
      1. When’s the last time I felt genuinely excited about a homestead task?  
      2. Am I doing chores because I want to or just because they have to be done?  
      3. Have I been skipping or half-doing maintenance I used to stay on top of?  
      4. Am I avoiding certain areas, animals, or projects because they feel overwhelming?  
• How to address burnout if you’re already there  
  • Make space to get away for 2–3 days and stay off social media  
  • Take a true day of rest  
  • Move your body  
  • Assess eating and drinking habits  
  • Follow homesteaders who show their failures and lessons learned  
  • Scale back without feeling like you’ve failed  

The world, and we, are messy. Do three things anyway and see how far you can go in a month, then 2 months, then a year!

Make it a great week.

 

GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

 

Community

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• Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn
• Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup
• Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b

Resources

• Membership Sign Up

• Holler Roast Coffee

• Harvest Right Affiliate Link