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Raising Goats to Make Your Own Cheese – Part 1
Raising goats to make your own cheese is a great goal. Today I’ll go over the basics of how to get started. Making the cheese is another topic for...
Knitting is My Favorite Winter Activity on the Homestead
Have I mentioned that knitting is my favorite winter activity? Things have slowed down and I can have some time to catch up on my knitting projects....
I’m Back From My Podcast Vacation
I’m back from my podcast vacation. It has been three months since I recorded anything. We were both very, very busy and the things that keep the...
Multitasking on the Homestead
Multitasking. How do I get so much done in one day? This is a question I get often. I do a lot of multitasking on the homestead. I didn’t just wake...
Homestead Musing – A Day in the Life
Today I’m doing a little bit of Homestead musing. More “a day in the life” sort of podcast. I’ll make is a short one and I hope you like it. I love...
Raising Animal Protein
Raising animal protein for food on the homestead. What are some of the options? And what are some of the factors to consider when making your...
Planting the Garden
Planting the garden this year is a little tricky. Each year I have to determine what vegetables I want to grow. I don’t plant everything. After...
Producing Your Own Food: Planning
Today I will be continuing the conversation on producing your own food. There is a lot to cover and what I can include in this podcast will only...
Seed-Starting Basics
Hello everybody. Melanie Hall, here. Hope you are doing well. The conversation today – and every day – revolves around the value of tradition;...
New Year, New Projects
I’m back, finally with a new year, new projects. Hope you are doing well. I hope you had wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations with your...
Homestead Update and Health Update
It has been a while so how about a homestead update and health update. I republished a couple of podcasts. I hope you got a chance to listen for the...
A Cancer Diagnosis and a Change in the Podcast
A cancer diagnosis is causing temporary changes to the podcast. We have had a cancer diagnosis and that will affect what I am able to do on a daily...
What I Love About Homesteading
Today I want to talk about what I love about homesteading. Quite a few of the previous podcasts have contained lots of information about animal...
A Day in the Life on Our Homestead
A day in the life on our homestead. My brother-in-law says we are always working. He is so right. And we love it. There is never a dull moment...
Canning Peas
Canning peas is great fun. We have been shelling peas for several days. That is also quite fun. I’ll be talking all about that and more in today’s...
Cheddar Cheese
Today’s topic is cheddar cheese. That’s right. It’s time for another trivia podcast and this one is all about cheddar cheese. Is your mouth watering...
Honey Fun Facts
Today is going to be all about honey. How sweet is that? Honey is a yummy treat that has lots of health benefits. But what is it really? And how is...
Livestock Guardian Dogs; Let’s Add to Our Homestead
Livestock guardian dogs is a natural follow-on to the previous podcast about coyotes. At that time, we weren’t really willing to make that step....
Coyotes on the Homestead
Coyotes are a plague when you have sheep. Today’s podcast is going to be all about coyotes. Probably more than you ever wanted to know. Some things...
What is a Freemartin Heifer?
What is a freemartin heifer? That’s today’s topic. It is related to one of our cows having twins. Stay tuned for those details. In other news, “is...
Spring Birth on the Homestead
So much going on with spring birth on the homestead. And abandoned lamb was the immediate task to take care of today. A quick trip to town to get...
We’ve Learned a Lot About Homesteading
We’ve learned a lot about homesteading and living the homestead life over the past 16 years. Today I want to share some of that with you. If you are...
Flavored Cheese
Have you considered flavored cheese in your home cheesemaking operation? Likely most of you are not making your own cheese. You’ll want to seek out...
What is Flocculation in Cheesemaking?
What is flocculation when making cheese? And how does it affect my cheese? Today I’m going to revisit home cheesemaking and talk a little bit about...
Prepare for Disaster
Prepare for disaster is a motto I grew up with living in rural Michigan. Back in the day, when the power went off due to a winter storm, it could be...
Pickled Quail Eggs
Let’s get back to the quail and pickled quail eggs. So much has happened. Many changes since the last time I talked about them. Ten jars of pickled...
Our Raw Milk Cheese Creamery Progress
Our raw milk cheese creamery was the center of the day today. The construction is moving along nicely. Our state inspectors made an appearance and...
Thanksgiving Tradition
Thanksgiving tradition is the topic today. I try not to date my podcasts, and today is no different this will be appropriate today and for many...
Pecking Order
Pecking order and Quail are in the news again today. There is always something new with these little guys. I have so much fun with them. They are...
Sheep Breeding
Breeding sheep is one of the most enjoyable enterprises on our homestead. Sheep were the first animals we introduced back in 2010. They have been a...
Fall Weddings
Fall weddings are really beautiful. June weddings are quite popular, but I prefer fall weddings. I just prefer the fall. The colors are awesome....
What You Can Do With Milk
What you can do with milk is my topic for today. There are lots of ways to use milk. It is a very versatile food. There is so much more than just...
Types of Cheese
Today I’ll be talking about types of cheese. What I mean by that is things like fresh, aged, hard, soft, semi-soft and so on. Our specialty is...
Fall is in the Air
Fall is in the air here in southwest Virginia. For us, that means the air is much cooler. The leaves are still quite green, but that will be...
Quail Chicks Hatched – WOW!
Quail chicks hatched – WOW!! How did I accomplish an 80% hatch rate? Well, I do follow specific procedures to ensure a better result. These...
Harvest Season
It’s harvest season. I’m overwhelmed with tomatoes. Bumper crops are coming in at a time when I don’t really have time to address them. What’s a...
Canning Tomato Sauce
Canning tomato sauce is the name of the game this week. I have about 150 pounds of tomatoes picked so far. I think I will only be canning about 50...
Why Does Cheese Melt
Have you ever wondered, “Why does cheese melt”? Well, I’m going to talk about that today. What would we do without cheese that melts? Some are...
Raw Milk Cheese in Virginia
Today I’m going to review how to get raw milk cheese in Virginia via our herd share program. And, because I have lots of new listeners, I’m going to...
The Blackberry Jam Journey
Blackberry jam. That’s today’s topic. Seedless blackberry jam of course. I can’t abide those tiny seeds between my teeth. I’m also starting to...
Best Animals for a Homestead
In today’s podcast “Best Animals for a Homestead” is the topic. We have tried many animals and plan to try a few more. The best animals for a...
What to Grow in the Garden
What to grow in the garden? That is a question we all ask ourselves each and every year. There have been years of great variety. And then there is...
Planning Your Homestead – Land
There is a lot to consider when planning your homestead. I thought I would go over a few of the ideas that we batted around when looking for land...
Starting a Homestead
People are often surprised to hear our story of starting a homestead. It was a rather lengthy journey compared to what you might imagine. It was a...
Life and Death on the Homestead
Life and death on the homestead. It is our joy and sorrow in daily life. Much to talk about here. I want to take a minute and say welcome to all the...
The Blueberries are Ripening
The blueberries are ripening. Some are already ripe. We also have strawberries ripening. The varieties that we have are all everbearing, meaning...
Reblochon Raw Milk Cheese is Coming!
Reblochon raw milk cheese is coming. There are other new cheeses that I will be making over the next few months, but this one is the one I’m most...
The Cicadas in Southwestern Virginia Have Emerged
The cicadas in Southwestern Virginia are out and about. It happens once every 17 years. It’s truly a phenomenal occurrence. I can’t wait to get to...
Does Parental Grief Ever End?
A bit of a poignant topic in today’s podcast is “Does parental grief ever end?” I have that and lots more to talk about today. Welcome each and...
Raw Milk Cheese
Today I want to talk about our raw milk cheese and cheesemaking. We have 4 different types of cheese and I am working on a 5th. I am so glad the...
Spring Lambs and Goat Kids
It’s spring in Virginia and we have calves, spring lambs, a goat kid, and baby quail. So much is going on. This is true of every spring. After a...
Getting Back on Track
I’ve been off track on a few things in my life and today’s podcast is about getting back on track. No matter what activity or goal in which you are...
COVID19 – In the Year of Our Lord 2020
COVID19, in the year of our Lord 2020 it’s affecting us all in one way or another. This podcast format will be a little different. This episode is...
You Can Make Your Own Cheese – Part 2
You Can Make Your Own Cheese – Part 2. In the last podcast, I introduced this idea of making your own cheese and talked about what you would need...
You Can Make Your Own Cheese – Part 1
You can make your own cheese just as well as anyone. A few years ago, I offered a piece of my cheese for tasting to a coworker. Her response was,...
Nose to Tail Beef
Nose to tail beef is an important topic for those supporting local, sustainable, regenerative agriculture. I get lots of questions on it. Buying a...
7 Tips for Using a Traditional Slow-Cooker
Using a traditional slow-cooker has taken a back seat to Instapot-type pressure cookers and air fryers. But I still use mine and today’s podcast is...
Popular Cheeses
For a little change of pace, Popular Cheeses is today’s topic as I’m sure I’ve worn you all out with all of those raw milk podcasts. The recipe...
From Raw Milk to Ultra-Pasteurized Milk
Raw Milk to Ultra-Pasteurized Milk and everything in between is the topic of today’s podcast. I’m going to talk all about all sorts of milk and milk...
Benefits of Raw Milk
Last time it was all about whether raw milk is safe and this week it's about the benefits of raw milk. There are quite a few, though I only need...
Is Raw Milk Dangerous?
Is raw milk dangerous is a question that many are asking. There is a surge in desire for this luscious and nutritious food – but what about all of...
Homemade Whey Protein (with recipe)
Today I’m talking all about homemade whey protein. What it is, how it might benefit your health, and how you might use it. Whey protein is a...
Why is Raw Milk So Hard to Find?
People are looking for raw milk but why is raw milk so hard to find? That’s the topic of today’s podcast. It’s a complicated topic and I’ll break it...
How Long Should Raw Milk Last?
Have you asked yourself the question, “How long should raw milk last?” It’s a good question and I’ll address it today, and provide a great ice cream...
Weston A Price Diet Basics
Today I’m going over the Weston A Price Diet Basics. They champion raw milk and have a lot of great information on their website. I’ll put a link in...
Normande vs Jersey — the Cost
We have made some really startling discoveries lately regarding the cost of milking cows and I want to share that with you today. Normande vs Jersey...
Traditional vs Modern Medicine
Traditional vs Modern Medicine; where do I begin? Some of you are new and I want to welcome you to the show. I hope you enjoy the content and will...
Am I Allergic to Quail Eggs?????
We are raising quail for eggs – or are we? Maybe we are raising quail for meat. Or perhaps it is a combination of the two. That’s the topic of...
When and How to Use Activated Charcoal
Today at the farmer’s market speaking from one herbalist to another, I was reminded that activated charcoal is a simple treatment to use. That will...
The Traditional Family Cow
The Traditional Family Cow is the topic of today’s podcast. She has just about been pushed out of existence. Lots of us are trying to revive this...
Keto Diet and Dairy – Does it Work?
Today’s topic is how the keto diet and dairy fit together. The keto diet is catching on more and more it seems to me. That might be because it...
After the Storm
It has been a wild and crazy few days and there are more to come. Today’s podcast will be short. We do not have internet and won’t have it for 5...
Peaceful Heart – Peaceful Mind
Is a peaceful heart and peaceful mind possible in this wacky world? I’m waxing philosophical today. I hope you find this podcast educational and...
The Tradition of Father’s Day and Fathering
The Tradition of Father’s Day is the topic for today. It’s two weeks away for those of us here in the US. But first, let me take a minute to say...
Why We Drink Raw Milk
The consumption of dairy products has been a mainstay for as long as mankind has been able to capture and milk animals of all kinds. Sheep, goats,...
What is A2A2 Milk
You have heard me talk about A2A2 milk. Some of you may not know what that means. You may wonder if it really matters to you and your family. I’m...
Our Virginia Life – a Traditional Homestead
This week I want to share our dream with all of you. Perhaps you’ve been dreaming the dream as well and just don’t think you can get there....
Cooking on the Hearth
This week’s topic brings back memories of days gone by and just might stir up the desire in you to cook over an open fire. Well perhaps not you....
The Tradition of Mothering
Happy Mother’s Day and welcome to all the new listeners and a shout out to all of the veteran homestead-loving regulars who stop by the FarmCast...
Traditional Healing Wisdom – When is it Appropriate?
Traditional Healing Wisdom has been with us since the beginning of time. Exploring where we are with that today is my main topic for this edition of...
The Taste of Cheese
Click for FREE download with this FarmCast episodeBefore I get started on today's topic, the Taste of Cheese, I want to take a minute and say...
The Tradition of Dairying
The tradition of dairying has been around for thousands of years. Today, in the United States, the number of small dairy farms continues to decline....
The Basics of Cheesemaking
This episode focuses on the basics of cheesemaking. This is in preparation for the next episode which is about why cheese tastes the way that it...
What Makes Food Taste So Good?
What Makes Food Taste So Good? is the topic of today’s show. The truth is, it is much more than taste. I’ll provide some details as to what taste is...
What Does It Mean to “Get in Touch with the Land?”
Spring has finally arrived. At least the spring equinox has passed. I feel a weight lifted off my shoulders. Looking forward to sharing the...
Food Preservation Techniques
Food preservation techniques is the focus of this FarmCast. You may learn some new lingo. There is also a great deal of information about how food...
Cooking Through the Ages
In today’s show, we are going to talk about: Cooking Through the Ages. The conversation today – and every day – revolves around the value of...
Why Normande Cows
In today’s show, we are going to talk about the milk cows that we have chosen for our central enterprise of cheesemaking – Normande Cows Today’s...
Cheese Makes You Happy!
The topic for today is how cheese makes you happy! That's right. There is evidence that the nutrition in cheese can actually affect your mood among...
History of Cheese
The history of cheese. Exactly how did cheese get started? What's the tradition there? Overview -- Farm Updates -- History of Cheese -- Lemon Cheese...
Peaceful Heart FarmCast Intro
Today’s Peaceful Heart FarmCast is about how we came to live the homestead life and how we decided to create a small artisan cheese business....
Podcast Reboot
Hello everybody. Melanie Hall here. Hope you are doing well. Are you ready for the podcast to get going again? I sure am. One change you’ll notice...