In this episode, my friend Ryan Yurong shares some of his homesteading experience in Colorado while we reminisce about the past. I met Ryan when I lived in Yakima, WA and worked as an Agronomist for an Independent Crop Consultant Company. Ryan shares some helpful tips and some of his “absolutely do nots” when it comes to getting started. Homesteading is often a doing it and then learning it kind of experience, as Ryan discovered. Resources: How to Build 5-gal Bucket Nests Chicken Tracto...

Returning guest, Vince, and I believe that raising your own food and being self-sustainable is a large part of what it means to live on a homestead. Chickens are often thought of as the gateway animal to get started, but should they be? Let’s think more about milk cows and all the benefits and products that can be made from raw milk. And of course, the cow itself can make all the difference. Does the cow produce the more digestive A2 beta-casein protein? Do you have a breed that will produce ...

Ever thought “there has to be a better, more flavorful way of cooking up a deer roast or a pheasant breast rather than just tossing it into the crock-pot”? Well, you’re in luck! In this episode, Jeff Benda, a cook and recipe developer of “Wild Game and Fish” shares his passion for cooking and how he fell in love with hunting and the State of North Dakota as a whole. As a result, North Dakota’s wild game and fish are the primary subjects of his recipes. Other topics like field dressing prongho...

In a coffee break kind of chat, join three generations of Mettlers talking about “maple syruping”. Grandpa didn’t have trees to tap in South Dakota, but after migrating up to Minnesota, he found a new way to keep his sweet tooth satisfied. Grandpa started the same way my Dad and now my brother Sam do by simply reducing the sap on the kitchen stove, but his with his ingenuity and desire for a larger quantity of product, he transformed an old wood stove into a maple sap reducer. Tapping t...

Ever thought about getting a dehydrator to start preserving and drying food? Well, in this episode, Joe talks about his decision process and how he determined what dehydrator to get. He goes through his “Dehydrator Checklist” and relates it to a “Dating/Relationship Checklist”, just to keep it interesting. He walks through his personal “must-haves” and non-negotiables when it comes to the selecting his dehydrator and eventual spouse. Top 3 dehydrators on the list: 1) ...

Dipping back in time, all the way back to the roaring 20’s where cooking, processing and food preservation looked a whole lot different than it does today. Electricity was limited and indoor plumping was rare. Joined by my mother and 99-year-old Grandma we take a blast to the past. Salting and smoking meat and using a hot water bath for canning was common practice and hand milking cows by the light of a lamp was a typical evening endeavor. As inventions were made, like the electric stove and ...

Join the brotherly chat, quite literally, as my brother David and I tie a bow around the garden activities of 2024 and look to the new and improved garden ideas for 2025. We talk about soil preparation and a bit about starting vegetable plants inside. What are some of our favorite cultivars we grow and what are we going to do new and differently in 2025? Pull up a seat and find out...or just check out some of the show notes below 😉 Grape Cultivars recommended for Zone 3 and 4: - ...

Lauren Jacobs, “The Cheerful Baker”, and I bonded over our similar upbringing and childhood memories, and how both of us were exposed to baking at a young age. In this episode, we talk about the importance of using quality ingredients and the difference between baking powder and baking soda. We also discuss all the things a baker needs to consider before even turning on the mixer. Follow Lauren on Instagram @thecheerfulbaker if you enjoyed listening to her tips and tricks on this episode.&nbs...

Re-live the journey with Sam and Andi as they share the birth stories of their 3 boys. From the hospital to the car and ultimately their very own home. They have experienced it all.The Business of Being Born - TrailerEmail: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamA Homegrown Family on YouTubeSupport the show

The year COVID began sparked new interests and hobbies for many people. For Michelle, it was baking sour dough loaves. Pick up some of the basics and learn more about sour dough starters, discard, feeding, hooch, ratios, peak, banneton and other terminology of the sour dough community here in this episode. If you have any questions about sourdough just email Michelle at michellebsevigny@gmail.com If we get enough questions we’ll bring Michelle back for a little Q&A. Don’t over-think it, j...

Interested in learning a little more about growing fruit in Minnesota? In this episode, my brother David and I give an orchard/vineyard production update for 2024. We talk about the growing season, making juice, orchard maintaince, the importance of soil fertility and the benefits of family and friends being able to share produce and resources. Resources:Elevate 50WDG FungicideManzate FungicideNutrient Deficiency in GrapesBlights in Fruit Trees Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comIn...

One aspect of A Homegrown Family podcast is growing, raising, hunting and gathering your own food. In this episode, my brother David and I share our experience of salmon fishing on Lake Michigan. Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show

This Fall is the first time I ever went pronghorn hunting. It was off to a slow start but ended in a successful hunt. Listen to the thrill of it all in this episode. It’s great to be able to put meat in the freezer! If you enjoy listening to hunting stories, check out my brother in-law’s YouTube page Family Forged OutdoorsResources:Pronghorn - North Dakota Game and FishEmail: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show

Introducing my new cousin in-law, Ian, as we discuss his passion for foraging mushrooms and much more. From morels and lobster mushrooms to black caps and fiddle heads. The forest is our oyster. Resources:Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To PlateEdible Wild Plants: A North American Field GuideOxygen AbsorbersEmail: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show

When it comes to homeschooling, fathers are typically the bread winners while mothers are typically the home-makers and primary educators of the children. However, one, like my friend Vince, might say that a mixture of parental involvement is more ideal. Be present, be flexible, but ultimately tighten the belt and be the husband and parent you need to be. Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show

The calving season is over and boy was it a short one this year. My dad grew up raising cattle and has been raising cattle ever since. Things within the operation have changed throughout the years such as the breed of cattle or the size of the herd, but some of the basics of calving have remained the same. Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show

This episode explores a little bit about everything when it comes to farming. My friend Vince joins in to discuss his family farm operation along with topics such as crop rotation, water management, tillage and weed control. We also dip our toes into some of the differences between organic and conventional farming and the hot topic of glyphosate. North Dakota State 2023 Agricultural Overview In 2023, ND was the #1 producer of: ...

The college experience can really play a large role in the type of person one becomes. It was no different for me and I’m glad to have been a NDSU Bison! Here, my friend Vince and I share more about our college experience. Classes and fun memories, including bare-handed evangelization, broomball tournaments, half marathons, dancing and of course, bed bugs! Book recommendations: Wild at Heart ...

Happy Anniversary! This podcast has been going on for about a year now, so it’s probably time to learn a little more about our host, Joe Mettler. In this episode, we learn a bit more about his high school and college years. GO BISON! “Well, that’s not very interesting” you say. Joe also shares stories of prank wars and one particular story that could have taken a turn for the worst. Email: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show

My siblings and I often get asked if any of us ended up with broken bones while playing at the farm. Simply put, the answer is “nope”. Thankfully so! In this episode, my brother David and I have a great time reminiscing about our childhood and some of the broken bones that could have been. Images to fill in some gaps:This is a bale hookSmall square balerCattle panelEmail: ahomegrownfam@gmail.comInstagram: ahomegrownfamOur YouTube ChannelSupport the show