Ep 165. What I Learned this Year as a City Homesteader

2025-12-02

It’s officially December, and we’re starting our year-end reflection a little early around here. In this episode of The Homestead Challenge Podcast, we talk honestly about what actually worked on our city homestead this year—and what completely flopped. From simplifying garden projects and freezing tomatoes to sourdough struggles, slow home projects, and a few disappointing garden losses, this is a real-life look at homesteading without the highlight reel. If you’ve had a year with both wins and messy moments, you’re not alone—and this episode is for you. In this episode, we cover:

It’s officially December, and we’re starting our year-end reflection a little early around here. In this episode of The Homestead Challenge Podcast, we talk honestly about what actually worked on our city homestead this year—and what completely flopped. From simplifying garden projects and freezing tomatoes to sourdough struggles, slow home projects, and a few disappointing garden losses, this is a real-life look at homesteading without the highlight reel.

If you’ve had a year with both wins and messy moments, you’re not alone—and this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

Why choosing only one big garden project changed everything
How freezing tomatoes instead of canning immediately reduced burnout
A DIY herbal bug spray win that actually worked
Leaning into convenience appliances like the crockpot, bread machine & air fryer
How meal planning around milk & meat delivery simplified grocery shopping
The power of habit stacking (laundry + breakfast)
An incredible herb harvest that’s still producing in December
Why my sourdough starter died twice
Projects that took way longer than expected (hello, brick patio)
Garden disappointments: no pumpkins, no zucchini, small garlic
Why every garden has failures—and that’s normal