Tightening the Budget

With the recent chatter about stockpiling food in case of emergencies, we are sharing our unconventional approach to the panic. In this episode, we are talking through how we live a lifestyle of preparedness and independence. We hope this episode encourages you in creatively utilizing your property to become less dependent on a fragile food system.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

The cultural glorification of convenience has led to the near extinction of craftsmanship. Our society no longer values high-quality, long-lasting goods because they cost too much time or money. In this episode, we are exploring the ways in which we push back on this disposable culture by creating goods that stand the test of time, repairing what is broken rather than throwing it out, and honing skills that allow us to create quality in our everyday lives.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

As a full-time entrepreneurial family who is homesteading and homeschooling and managing a full life, we have many demands on our time. We have the autonomy to manage our time in the way that works best for our family and season. This is a blessing, and it also comes with its challenges. In this episode, we are talking through some of the ways our time management strategies have evolved over the seasons.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

After a busy season on the home front, we are sitting down to share a few personal updates. We are nearing completion on our debt-free DIY home addition, and we have been harvesting and preserving from the garden in abundance. We are also sharing what is on the horizon for us this fall, including butchering classes and meat processing here on the farm. Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

Money is tight for almost everyone right now, and it's not always clear what to trim first. In this episode we walk through how we prioritize shelter, food, and clothing over everything else, then cut the fluff like eating out, streaming services, and impulse buys. We share what has worked for us over the years to stretch a budget without feeling deprived.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

In the years we have spent overhauling our family's diet, we have had to change our mindset about snacking. While we rely much less on snack foods now, there are times when these convenience foods are necessary. In this conversation, we are sharing the ways we have found to enjoy snacking even while adhering to our real food values.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

For years, we kept running out of certain cuts of meat between processing days, while other cuts went bad in the freezer before we ever got around to eating them. In this episode, we share the food budgeting system we began using about six months ago, where we count and schedule our meat, garden harvest, and pantry goods by the month so nothing goes to waste and nothing runs out. This has helped us become better stewards of our resources and truly appreciate the food we work so hard to raise. Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

How do we balance the demands of homesteading, homeschooling, entrepreneurship, etc. without losing sight of the reason we are doing all of this? In this episode, we are responding to a listener question about how we handle the everyday challenges of family life. We are diving into the compromises we have made, the sacrifices we have chosen, and the practical changes we have made to reduce overwhelm while staying committed to this life we are intentionally building.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

In homesteading circles, it is common to think that owning more land is always better. Join us for this discussion on why we "settled" for less acreage than we originally wanted and how we have maximized the space we have. We are currently focused on optimizing the flow and layout of our property to make it as efficient as possible, allowing us to make the most of our seven acres. For anyone trying to produce food on small acreage, we hope you walk away with creative ideas for maximizing your land. Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow

The more times we do something, the better at it we become. The pathways that form in our brains every time we repeat a motion, activity, or a task are slowly built like the foundations to a house. As we get into another season of farming, we have the past six years’ worth of experience to look at. Farming can be repetitive, but as long as we learn as we go, then we will gain accuracy, which will help in our execution of the job.Ample Flame is here to encourage listeners to do the hard work of reclaiming the gifts God has given us of faith, family and food from a broken culture. Hollar Homestead Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHollarHomestead Join us on Patreon for ad-free content and exclusive episodes like the Aftershow! https://www.patreon.com/c/AmpleFlame Music Intro: The Light From Within by Howard Harper-BarnesOutro: Zanzibar by Jones Meadow