It’s midsummer here on the homestead, and that means the harvest is rolling in, the to-do list is growing, and the kitchen floor is… sticky.

In this Pantry Chat, we're talking about:
🌱 What to plant now for a winter harvest (and why August is the perfect time)
🐛 How to deal with grasshopper invasions when you can’t keep chickens
🥬 The easiest way to grow lettuce without spending forever washing it
💛 Why gratitude changes everything when homestead life feels overwhelming
🌳 Lessons from our fruit trees about control—and learning to let go

Whether you’re in the thick of canning season or planning your fall garden, this chat will inspire you to tackle your homesteading season with fresh perspective and renewed joy.

📌 Related links:

- Thanks to American Blossom Linens for sponsoring today's podcast. Grab anything form their website and get 20% off with coupon code "HomesteadingFamily" at checkout: https://americanblossomlinens.com
- How to Grow Cut-and-Come-Again Lettuce: https://homesteadingfamily.com/how-to-grow-lettuce-the-easy-way/
- How to Plant a Fall & Winter Garden: https://homesteadingfamily.com/20-vegetables-to-plant-in-late-summer/
- Organic Garden Pest Control Without Chemicals: https://homesteadingfamily.com/garden-pest-control/
- Our Favorite Garden Tools: https://homesteadingfamily.com/best-tools-for-the-garden/

Become a master canner in just a few days with my FREE video series where together we are going to stock your shelves with amazing food the whole family will love.

Want to preserve the fresh flavors of summer herbs to use all year long? In this video, I’m showing you how to make herbal oils and herbal vinegars, a simple, beginner-friendly way to infuse all that goodness into your pantry staples.

We’ll talk about how to safely make flavored oils (yes, there are safety concerns!), and how herbal vinegars are a perfect, safe project for kids and beginners. These make amazing salad dressings, cooking ingredients, and even homemade gifts!

🌿 In this video:

- When to use vinegar vs. oil
- Why you should never use fresh herbs in oil (unless you follow this method!)
- How to infuse vinegar with herbs, fruits, and spices
- Shelf-stable vs. refrigerator-only oils
- Creative herbal flavor combinations

📌 Learn more and get the step-by-step blog post here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/herbal-oil-recipe

Thanks to ForJars for sponsoring this video! Use the code “HomesteadingFamily10” for 10% off your first order at ForJars: https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcast-forjars

Time Stamps:

0:00 - Introduction
2:42 - Chit Chat
6:29 - Storing Winter Squash
8:01 - ForJars
9:38 - Main Topic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

Meals on Your Shelf – Can along with me! Learn to can and put jars of a delicious meal on your pantry shelf with this FREE video series: https://homesteadingfamily.com/MOYS-free-workshop

Become a master canner in just a few days with my FREE video series where together we are going to stock your shelves with amazing food the whole family will love.

Is your homestead truly secure? In this Pantry Chat episode, I'm joined by Tim Eng (veteran, real estate agent, and fellow homesteader) to unpack the essentials of homestead security. From predator prevention and property layout to firearms training, fencing, alarms, and community defense, this is a must-watch for anyone serious about protecting their homestead.

👉 Topics covered:
- Practical ways to secure your home and barn
- How to build awareness and reduce vulnerability
- The role of firearms and defense training
- Why community is your best long-term security
- Mindset tips for peace over paranoia

📌 Whether you're a seasoned homesteader or just starting out, this conversation will equip you to be more secure, prepared, and confident. Check out the blog post for any other links mentioned here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/homestead-security/

Links Mentioned:
🧄 Filaree Farm Garlic - use code "HOMESTEADINGFAMILY" for 15% off your order:
https://filareefarm.com/shop-seeds/seed-garlic/shop-by-variety/
📢 Listen to Tim Eng’s podcast Call to Farms: https://sprinklewithsoil.com/podcast
📖 Get Tim's book, FM 5-21: Fortify Your Farm here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/fm-5-21

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introduction
0:34 - Filaree Farm
2:08 - Main Topic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

Meals on Your Shelf – Can along with me! Learn to can and put jars of a delicious meal on your pantry shelf with this FREE video series: https://homesteadingfamily.com/MOYS-free-workshop

Become a master canner in just a few days with my FREE video series where together we are going to stock your shelves with amazing food the whole family will love.