Simple Farmhouse Life

328. House Build Reflections: What Worked, What Didn’t, and What We’d Change | Ash of Turner Farm

Building a home is an opportunity to slow down and make thoughtful choices that will shape your family’s everyday life for years to come.  In this conversation, I’m joined by Ash of Turner Farm to talk through what it really looks like to build an unconventional home in a world of cookie cutter houses.  We discuss choosing a smaller footprint, sourcing reclaimed materials, navigating healthy home considerations, and making peace with tradeoffs along the way.  This episode offers perspective for anyone building, renovating, or dreaming of a home that feels like YOU. In this episode, we cover: How Ash’s custom house build unfolded slowly over many years and why patience was the key in achieving her ideal vision Choosing a smaller home footprint to prioritize materials, craftsmanship, and long-term livability What sourcing reclaimed and salvaged materials really looks like in terms of time, cost, and flexibility Why self-contracting and hands-on involvement are often necessary for non-traditional builds The realities of building with wood, including movement, drying time, and embracing imperfection Weighing “healthy home” ideals against climate, budget, and everyday comfort Structural choices that support airflow, moisture control, and long-term durability Where antique or vintage-inspired elements work well — and where they create complications How simpler rooflines and layouts can prevent future moisture and maintenance issues Decisions Ash would repeat, and ones she’d rethink, when it comes to spending and saving The importance of trusting your vision and advocating for it throughout the build Accepting the inevitable “later list” and letting the home evolve over time View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Explore EMF Solutions products designed to manage electromagnetic frequencies in your home Check out the Sertado Copper Water Filtration System Shop BlockBlueLight for low-blue light bulbs that protect your circadian rhythm  Explore Ash’s sourdough classes Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT Ash of Turner Farm | Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | Pinterest Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest

327. Hospitality Without the Overwhelm: Build Community with Simplicity | Megan Fox Unlocked

Hospitality can feel overwhelming when life is already full, but it doesn’t have to be complicated or perfect to be meaningful. In this conversation, we talk about how different seasons of motherhood shape our capacity for hosting, why community grows through small, intentional invitations, and how letting go of perfection makes space for genuine connection. We share practical, low-pressure ideas for opening your home like simple food, flexible spaces, repeatable traditions, and involving the whole family. We hope you’ll find that these strategies make hospitality feel life-giving instead of burdensome! In this episode, we cover: - Navigating different stages of motherhood under one roof and how age gaps gradually change daily rhythms - Why hosting flows best from margin and why you shouldn’t feel guilty if it’s not your season for entertaining - Growing community intentionally instead of waiting for it to happen, even when it feels vulnerable - Letting go of the idea that hosting always means a full dinner– embracing snacks, brunches, playdates, and themed gatherings instead - Pantry-friendly, budget-conscious meal ideas that scale easily and accommodate different dietary needs without added stress - Creative hosting themes and simple twists that make gatherings memorable without requiring elaborate prep - Using your home’s basement, outdoor space, or even a single table to create the right atmosphere for both kids and adults - Regular home systems that support hospitality (even last-minute), including decluttering, minimizing decision fatigue, and spreading prep throughout the week - Why repeating the same meals or annual gatherings isn’t boring and how tradition actually reduces hosting overwhelm - Involving the whole family in hosting to make hospitality sustainable and practical ideas for how kids can contribute - Releasing perfectionism around cleanup and learning to enjoy guests without feeling “on duty” the entire time - Reframing hospitality away from self-focus and toward generosity, presence, and making people feel genuinely welcomed View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Check out Megan’s YouTube channel, Megan Fox Unlocked, and her podcast Youtube channel, Honey I’m Homemaker Grab Megan’s undated ​​Block It Off Planner Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT Megan Fox Unlocked | Website | YouTube | Instagram | YouTube Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest

326. Gut Healing Without Extremes: Ancestral Nutrition and Simple, Whole Foods | Heather Woodruff

Modern nutrition advice often makes gut health feel complicated and discouraging. In this conversation, Heather shares a simple, ancestral approach to digestion that brings the focus back to whole foods, sustainable kitchen rhythms, and listening to the body’s cues. We talk through why the environment we cook in matters, how modern food processing has disrupted digestion, and why adding nourishing, traditionally prepared foods can be more effective than cutting everything out. This episode offers a realistic perspective on healing the gut in a way that supports the whole family and fits your real life! In this episode, we cover: - Heather’s approach to healing chronic digestive issues through ancestral eating and kitchen-centered rhythms - Why the kitchen environment (lighting, clutter, etc.) plays a role in digestion more than we realize - Shifting our mindset from cutting foods out to intentionally adding nourishing, traditional foods back in - A simple ancestral filter for choosing foods without getting overwhelmed by competing nutrition noise - Gentle first steps for gut healing using soups, cooked foods, and simple meals - The most common gut symptoms women experience and how digestion affects hormones and nutrients - Why bloating happens, including microbiome imbalance and poor food breakdown - Thoughts on gluten pauses, sourdough, and traditionally prepared grains - When restrictive protocols like GAPS or carnivore  may be useful and when they’re not necessary - Why animal-based protein is often easier to digest than plant-based sources, especially during gut healing - Observing food rhythms that support digestion while honoring different seasons of life– postpartum, pregnancy, breastfeeding - The difference between meat stock and bone broth and when each is most supportive View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Check out Heather’s Workshop: Meat Stock & Soup Making for Deep Digestive Healing Sign up for Heather’s free guide: 5 Morning Rituals for Gut Health & Healing Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT Heather Woodruff | Website | Instagram | Facebook Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest Do you have a question you’d like me to answer on the podcast?  A guest you’d like me to interview?  Submit your questions and ideas here: bit.ly/SFLquestions.

325. Seed Oils, Healthy Fats, and Why Nutrition Feels So Confusing | Dr. Cate Shanahan

If you’ve been trying to eat well but feel stuck sorting through conflicting nutrition advice, this episode is for you.  In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Cate Shanahan for a practical conversation about why modern nutrition feels so confusing and how traditional diets offer a simpler framework for long-term health.  We talk through how seed oils quietly replaced more nourishing fats in the modern food supply, why they play such a big role in how processed foods impact our health, and how simple fat swaps can make a real difference without changing everything you eat.  If you’re looking for clarity, common sense, and realistic steps you can apply in your everyday life, I think you’ll really enjoy this conversation! In this episode, we cover: - Why so many people feel overwhelmed and confused by modern nutrition advice and how looking to traditional diets helps cut through the noise - Dr. Cate’s background in genetics and family medicine and how one generation’s food choices can shape the next - The four pillars found across traditional cultures that support long-term health (fresh foods, ferments and sprouting, bone broth, and organ meats) - How modern convenience foods quietly replaced nutrient-dense fats with industrial seed oils - Why seed oils are the true driver behind why junk food makes people feel and look unwell - A breakdown of the “Hateful Eight” seed oils to watch for when reading ingredient labels - The difference between toxic seed oils and neutral refined oils and why not all refined fats are equal - How to identify truly healthy fats by taste, labeling, and how they’re processed - Why simply swapping fats (without changing the rest of the meal) can have a major impact on health - The hidden places seed oils show up (even in organic and “healthy” grocery items) - A realistic, low-stress approach to reducing seed oils without trying to overhaul everything overnight - Why consumer demand is finally shifting the food industry toward better fat choices and what that means for home cooks View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Pick up your copies of Dr. Cate’s books:  Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food Dark Calories: How Vegetable Oils Destroy Our Health and How We Can Get It Back Receive Dr. Cate’s email newsletter by signing up here Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT Dr. Cate Shanahan | Website | Instagram | Facebook | X Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest Do you have a question you’d like me to answer on the podcast?  A guest you’d like me to interview?  Submit your questions and ideas here: bit.ly/SFLquestions.

324. Why More Stay-at-Home Moms Are Starting Farm Stands (Is It Worth It?) | Rayla of Farmstand Club

Roadside farm stands are popping up everywhere, and for good reason!  In this conversation, I’m joined by Rayla to explore why this simple way of selling homemade food has gained so much traction and how it’s becoming a valuable income stream and community touchpoint for so many families.  We talk through what it really looks like to start a farm stand from scratch, the time and profitability behind it, and why simplicity matters more than scale.  From zoning and logistics to packaging, marketing, and creating an experience people want to return to, this episode offers a realistic look at whether a farm stand could be a good fit for your season and goals! In this episode, we cover: - Why roadside farm stands are popping up everywhere and what’s driving the renewed interest - What to consider before starting a farm stand, including zoning, cottage food laws, and location - Simple ways to start small with minimal infrastructure and upgrade over time - How distance from the road, visibility, and signage affect foot traffic - Choosing a focused product menu that’s manageable and profitable - The realistic time investment behind baking and restocking a self-serve stand - How to run a shared farm stand with multiple contributors and clear inventory tracking - Why creating an experience matters just as much as the product itself - Packaging choices that work best for self-serve farm stands - Local marketing strategies that actually drive traffic and repeat customers - Whether farm stand oversaturation is a real concern - Income potential and what determines long-term profitability - Where to find resources, recipes, and community support for getting started View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Check out Rayla’s online course: Farmstand Made Simple: Start, Bake & Sell from Home in 30 Days (ALL INCLUSIVE WORKSHOP) Join her LIVE Zoom training every Saturday–teaching people how to start a farmstand or cottage baking business Tune into previous episodes with Flour Barn Bakery: Episode 244: Turn Your Homemaking Skills into a Business: How to Start a Microbakery with Lily and Ellen Episode 302: Building a Profitable Business from Home as a Mom: Lessons from a Micro Bakery with Lily Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT Rayla Collins of Farmstand Club | Website | Instagram | TikTok Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest Do you have a question you’d like me to answer on the podcast?  A guest you’d like me to interview?  Submit your questions and ideas here: bit.ly/SFLquestions.