Simple Farmhouse Life

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

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.

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.

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.

As teens near the end of high school, many families feel the sudden pressure of answering the question, what’s next?  In this episode, Hannah and I dive into how the modern college system developed, why it often no longer fits the realities of work and opportunity, and what can be lost when college becomes the default without a clear end goal. Hannah lays out her practical framework for helping teens think through future work based on real-life needs—not just passion—and why slowing the process down matters more than ever. If you’re looking for insight into guiding your teen through this important transition in life, don’t miss this episode!

In this episode, we cover:

- Navigating the sudden pressure of everyone asking “what’s next?” when teens near the end of high school

- How the modern college system developed and why today’s default path no longer matches the realities of work, debt, or opportunity

- The surprising data behind how few jobs actually require a college degree and why degree inflation persists anyway

- What gets lost when young adults are pushed into college without clarity– time, confidence, flexibility, and momentum

- Reframing career conversations away from passion-first thinking and toward identifying real-life needs and long-term goals

- A practical framework for helping teens evaluate their desired future work based on income, schedule, location, and work environment

- Why exposure and exploration matter more than credentials, and how simply shadowing careers of interest can prevent costly missteps

- How student loan debt quietly limits future options like family life, entrepreneurship, and location flexibility

- Why parents play a critical role in slowing the process down, asking better questions, and refusing to co-sign unclear decisions

- Encouragement for families who feel unsure how to guide teens without a clear roadmap and why building an individualized plan together is worth the effort

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

Listen to the 1000 Hours Outside interview with Hannah 

Grab a copy of Hannah’s book, The Degree Free Way: How to Help Your 16-20 Year Old Build the Life They Want

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

Hannah of Degree Free | Website | Instagram | YouTube | 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.