The holidays might feel far away, but this is actually the perfect moment to think ahead. Right now, in the thick of harvest season, you might be tired of tomatoes or over the endless jars of jelly. But what if you could turn that abundance into a few fun preserves that will make holiday hosting (and party season) so much easier later?

In this episode, I’m sharing simple, creative ideas you can make now that future-you will thank you for when it’s time to pull together a cheese board, potluck dish, or festive drink.

We’ll chat about:

• ✨ Shrubs & herbal syrups for easy cocktails and mocktails

• 🥒 Pickled veggies & chutneys that dress up any charcuterie board

• 🍏 Apple butter, pumpkin butter, and pie fillings for instant desserts

• 🍅 Salsas, sauces, BBQ, and hot sauce for effortless party food

• 🍗 Pantry staples like broth that keep fall and winter meals stress-free

The best part? You don’t have to do everything. Just one or two jars tucked away will bring that “homemade touch” to gatherings without all the last-minute stress.

👉 Come share your favorite holiday-time preserves in our Homestead Challenge Facebook group — I’ll be posting my favorites there, and I’d love to swap recipes with you.

Back-to-school brings a natural rhythm shift, and on the homestead, that means it’s time to simplify. In this episode, we share the practical ways we’re keeping things easy during this transition—like freezing instead of canning, packing simple lunches, and leaning on streamlined morning routines. We’re also talking about cozying our home for the season, preparing for the inevitable back-to-school germs, and making space for what truly matters right now.

And because mamas need support too, we highlight our brand-new Back-to-School Herbal Tea recipe—a calming blend of tulsi, lemon balm, chamomile, and ginger that helps bring balance during this busy season.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why we’re freezing produce instead of canning right now

• Our approach to packing school lunches without the overwhelm

• Simple morning routines that actually work

• How we’re cozying our home and preparing for seasonal transitions

• A sneak peek at our Back-to-School Tea recipe for stressed-out moms

👉 Check out the full recipe here: Back-to-School Tea

This autumn, I’m trading my usual garden harvests for baskets, jars, and a keen eye on what nature has to offer. Inspired by the book Feed Us with Trees by Elspeth Hay, I’ve been thinking differently about the way humans have long partnered with the land — and it’s made me excited to try some new foraging projects this year.

In this episode of The Homestead Challenge Podcast, I’m sharing exactly what I’ll be foraging from August through November, along with tips for identification, uses, and timing. Whether you’re brand new to foraging or you’ve been at it for years, this list is full of easy-to-spot plants, herbs, and wild foods you can gather — even if your garden is done for the year.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• The late-summer goldenrod bloom (and how to use it for allergies or décor)

• Elderberries, blackberries, and rosehips for immune-boosting winter remedies

• Mushrooms like chicken of the woods and chanterelles for the fall kitchen

• Acorns, black walnuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts — from forest snack to flour

• Dandelion root and burdock root for liver and detox support

• Usnea, the “Old Man’s Beard” lichen, for natural antimicrobial medicine

You don’t have to go deep into the woods to try this — many of these are hiding in plain sight. Grab a basket, step outside, and let’s make the most of what autumn has to offer.

Resources & Links:

• Book: Feed Us with Trees by Elspeth Hay

• Join the conversation in the Homestead Challenge Community on Facebook

• More foraging and seasonal living tips at TheHomesteadChallenge.com

In this episode, we're talking about the Every Bit Counts approach to preserving your harvest—without the overwhelm. Whether you're in the thick of garden season or just winding down, there’s so much value in preserving just a small amount every day. Brittany shares what she's preserving in her own kitchen, ideas for saving food scraps and garden extras, and how it all adds up to real savings in time, energy, and money.

From freezing leftover onions and carrots to drying herbs and making single jars of pickles or sauce, this episode is a gentle nudge to take tiny, consistent steps toward building your pantry—no marathon canning days required.

• Why preserving in small amounts can be more sustainable for busy lives

• What Brittany is preserving right now from her August garden

• Creative ways to save money with everyday food scraps and garden extras

• How to freeze, dry, or pickle without a huge time commitment

• The mindset shift that helps reduce waste and build your pantry over time

• Instagram: @brittanylgibson

• Facebook Community: The Homestead Challenge Group

• Blog: https://thehomesteadchallenge.com

It's finally harvest season here in Northeast Ohio, and this week, we're diving into how to properly harvest common medicinal herbs—before they lose their potency. If you've ever let your echinacea go too long (guilty!), or stared at your feverfew unsure what part to pick, this episode is for you. Learn which parts of each plant to harvest (roots, flowers, or leaves), when to do it, and how to dry them for later use—without stress or overwhelm.

• The difference between aerial parts and roots—and when to harvest each

• Why it’s okay to dry herbs now and make medicine later

• The best timing for harvesting:

  • 🌼 Echinacea

  • 🌼 Feverfew

  • 🌼 Chamomile

  • 🌼 Calendula

  • 🌼 Dandelion

  • 🌿 Lemon Balm

  • 🌿 Yarrow

  • 🌿 Plantain

  • 🌿 Nettle

• How to Preserve Fresh Herbs

• How to Dry and Store Herbs

• Join The Homestead Challenge Facebook Group

• Follow along on Instagram: @brittanylgibson

In this chatty, real-life garden update, I’m sharing what’s actually happening in my July garden—what’s coming out, what I’m planting for the fall, and what I’m choosing to give up (with zero guilt). From bolting basil and pest-eaten squash to rethinking my cut flowers and leaning into crops that actually work for my busy season, this is your honest peek behind the garden gate. If your garden feels chaotic or underwhelming right now, this one’s for you.

🌿 In This Episode, I Talk About:

• What I’m harvesting right now (hello, tomatoes + garlic!)

• My pest struggles and powdery mildew battles

• The “corner of doom” in my garden and how mulch saved it

• What I’m planting for a simple, manageable fall garden

• Crops I’m letting go of and why (looking at you, overcrowded cucumbers)

• How I’m preserving small harvests without stress

• A reminder that your garden doesn’t have to be perfect to be productive

📸 Join the Conversation: What’s your garden looking like right now? Lush and abundant, or patchy and pest-ridden? I want to see it all—post a photo inside The Homestead Challenge Facebook Group and tag me!

📱 Let’s Connect: Follow me on Instagram: @brittanylgibson DM me your fall garden plans or podcast episode requests!

💬 Leave a Review: If this episode encouraged you, share the love with a written review—it helps other homesteaders find the podcast!

We’re deep in garden season here in Northeast Ohio, and while things are starting to grow, so are the problems—mainly pests! In this chatty episode, we share what’s been stealing our squash and cucumber flowers (spoiler: we suspect birds and raccoons), plus the low-pressure, organic-friendly methods we’re using to deal with it all. From fencing and fake snakes to garden-safe sprays and a bit of "let-it-go" attitude, we’re doing what we can and letting the rest go. Whether you’re new to pest issues or just curious what’s working for us this year, we hope this episode feels like a garden chat with a friend.

What We Cover:

• Why all our squash flowers are mysteriously disappearing

• What we’re doing to deter birds, raccoons, and maybe even possums

• A few affordable tools we’re trying: fencing, fake snakes, pinwheels, and more

• Organic products we actually use (like Captain Jack’s and diatomaceous earth)

• How we’re handling fungus and when we just pull plants and move on

• Why we’re harvesting tomatoes early this year (and how we freeze our carrots)

Resources Mentioned:

• Captain Jack’s Dead Bug

• Diatomaceous Earth for Ants

• Arber Bio Fungicide

• Our Facebook Group: The Homestead Challenge Community

Let’s Chat: What pests are giving you trouble this year—and how are you dealing with them? Come join the conversation in our free Facebook group!

Feeling overwhelmed by all the prepping videos telling you to stock a bunker full of buckets? Yeah… me too. In this episode, I’m sharing the real-life pantry staples I actually keep on hand—and actually use—to help fight inflation, feed my family, and stay prepared without the stress. From rice and beans to olive oil and condiments, we’re keeping it simple, budget-friendly, and totally doable. You probably already have most of these—and that means you’re more prepared than you think.

https://thehomesteadchallenge.com