The Rustic Spirits Podcast

In this episode of the Rustic Spirits Podcast, our kids have joined us for the first time to talk about their experiences of moving from city life to country living, what it's like to grow up on a farm, homeschooling and a little bit of everything in between.There's a lot of backstory in this episode, and some context about how we navigated this journey. Our hope is that you will gain insights from our children's experience (and our own) that will help you in your own homesteading journey, especially making decisions for your own kids.Watch our previous...

Welcome to a very special Rustic Spirits podcast episode, recorded live from Hayes Homestead with Tobias and Dani. We're chatting about their homesteading journey, what inspired them to buy property and some behind the scenes realities of putting your life and homestead on YouTube. Homesteading in Australia is different to anywhere else in the world, so it's always an awesome opportunity when you get to talk with likeminded people and build community with others who are experiencing similar things. We are definitely better together!We hope the episode feels like you can pull up a comfy chair, grab a...

It's been a hell of a week for Australians and we need to talk about it. Not just because the Bondi terrorist attack is going to have direct effect on homesteaders and rural landowners, but because we actually need to talk about this. The popular idea being forced by the media and government that conversation needs to be curtailed is exactly what's hurting this country and we feel that it's time we lend our voices to it. No matter how you feel about firearms and their legitimacy, we can at least all acknowledge that this is another Port Arthur...

Welcome back to the Rustic Spirits Podcast Season 2! We are well back into the swing of things with a livestream last week (you can watch the replay here on the youTube channel) and an all new podcast 'studio' space. In this episode we're talking bureaucracy, red tape, government over-reach and all the things that are set against you when you try to live any kind of different or alternative lifestyle.Half the workforce relies on Government?"more than 30% of the work force is now employed either in the public sector or in activities heavily dependent on government payments.When...

We nearly had to go three episodes for this season wrap up Q&A - there were just SO many good questions sent through. In this episode we answer your pressing homesteading questions like; How to set up Off-Grid Solar when you're on the grid, What gear would you buy to start a homesteading Youtube channel, Would we ever host people on our property, How would you homestead if you had little kids.... and so many more.

Well folks, as we wind down closer to the end of the first season of the Rustic Spirits Homestead Podcast, as promised, we've left the last two episodes for your questions to be answered. We asked, and you delivered, and you did not disappoint. We answer some of the toughest questions we've had on this podcast, everything from what solar system we would recommend now, to how to manage your money on a homestead, what do we think of digital ID, and are we just a shill for AI companies since we like to talk about it so much...

In this episode, Regan & Kirsty talk about the "why" behind their Homestead - their goals and aspirations, and how the world we live in today is shaping (or reshaping) some of those motivations. We talk about what it really means to go into homesteading with a true picture of your finances and how you'll fund this dream as well as what it means to stay connected in meaningful ways to the people that matter most in your world.

It feels like all anyone is talking about at the moment is the dawn of the A.I era - but what does it really mean for most of us? In this episode we reflect on some key talks that have inspired us to think about resilience in new ways as we head into what may be a tumultuous few years ahead. Homesteaders have a unique perspective on preparedness - it's not quite "prepper" but it certainly stands us in better stead than most when systems let us down. Mo Gawdat on Diary of a CEO: https://www.youtube...

In this episode we tell the story of how we found out that our eldest child was being severely bullied in school and how that led our family to consider other forms of schooling, and eventually homeschooling all three of them through to the end of high-school. The challenges and the rewards and how it taught us to view the world of education through a relationship-first approach to education.

TED Talks

Hackschooling makes me happy | Logan LaPlante | TEDxUniversityofNevada

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h11u3vtcpaY<...

In this episode, we dive headfirst into some recent revelations we've had about microplastics, why we thought we were actually doing ok with it all, and why it's important to pay attention when you get complacent about this. As a generation who have grown up not question the products we use or how we use them, this was another layer peeled back for us as to why we need to pay attention to what products we use in our everyday life and how it affects our health and wellbeing.

Of course, we can't just...

In this episode, we’re chatting with our long-time friend and fascinating character, Tim Schloss of Schloss Toys.Tim is a wood-worker, toy maker, furniture maker and learner architect who is a champion of lost trades, artisan culture and passing along skills to the next generation.He travels Australia visiting medieval festivals and lost-trades fairs, meeting other like minded artisans who are keeping lost trades alive.Tim has personally impacted us in how we view products, how to purchase items more mindfully and how to appreciate the importance of skills that are often times overlooked by technological advances and ma...

In this episode we talk about the intricacies of relationships while Homesteading - with your partner, your children and others in your world. If you've already started your Homestead, or are thinking of jumping into the homestead world in the future, this episode is recorded with you in mind!

StrengthsFinderhttps://high5test.com/cliftonstrengths-free/Enneagramhttps://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test

This week we’re talking Urban Homesteading and why it doesn’t have to be the case that you own or live on acreage before you start homesteading. In fact you may never occupy a large block and land, and that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a life of meaning and fulfilment through simplicity and self-sufficiency.Links: https://www.ourcow.com.au/https://www.farmerbutcher.com.au/https://www.goodness.com.au/https://www.tiktok.com/@claudia.bryant/video/7519443646828055815

This week we’re talking Urban Homesteading and why it doesn’t have to be the case that you own or live on acreage before you start homesteading. In fact you may never occupy a large block and land, and that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing a life of meaning and fulfilment through simplicity and self-sufficiency.

In this conversation we are talking about what it means to be ready (or as ready as you can be) for crises that come your way. We talk about the different kinds of crises we’ve encountered, our experiences making emergency plans and what it’s taught us about how to face potential threats in the future.

In our latest episode we unpack the essential skills we think every homesteader needs to get started, and why curiosity keeps our homestead exciting for the future! 🌱 We share practical insights, stories from our own experience of learning in the deep end, and the skills we’re curious to learn next. Perfect for both newbies and seasoned homesteaders!

In this episode of the Rustic Spirits Podcast, we dive into the trending topic of A.I.—not because it’s trending, but because it’s here. We explore what this massive acceleration in technological developments means for those of us striving for a simpler life through sustainability and self-sufficiency, without dismissing new technology outright. Where do you draw the line? And how can the homesteading community best support an increasingly displaced society around them?

In this episode of The Rustic Spirits Podcast Regan & Kirsty re-live their experiences from the first few weeks and months after arriving on their 150 acre off-grid property ready to embark on their homesteading adventure. But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows! From stressing out every time the generator ran out of fuel to learning how to detox from conveniences it was dive into the deep-end, that's for sure!

The Outpost Homestead: Check out Peter’s inspiring YouTube channel, where he documents his off-grid homesteading journey in Sudan’s hill country.

https://www...

Another sit down with Regan & Kirsty as we dive into all things 'homestead gardening & food security' - a topic that's becoming more and more relevant, even outside of homesteading, as the world's systems of food, health and personal freedoms feel less and less reliable every day.We're only one year into our Homesteading journey, but we've brought nearly 15 years of gardening experience into it. We knew growing our own food was going to be a key ingredient to what we built and what we teach, but we probably didn't realise just how important this message would become. As families...

this week we're having a chat about handling the wild side of homesteading with good ol’ common sense! We share funny tales of dodging curious bulls and teaching our kids to swing an axe without chopping their toes off. We talk about building guts and smarts through real-life adventures. For homesteaders or dreamers, we dish out tips like grabbing a first aid course, knowing your bushfire plan, and keeping snake bite kits handy. We’re all about raising kids who can climb trees, think fast, and not panic when a pig chases them and their groceries. Tune in, laugh with...

It's probably the question we get most often.. how much does it cost? To start a homestead, to buy machinery, to keep a homestead running, to start with animals and livestock. In this week's episode we share some of our own experiences and takes on what you need to know to make homesteading make sense financially.

We take a look into the journey that prepared us for life in a tiny home and some of the major mindset shifts that had to happen first. From how we went from desiring every new home decor item to learning how to be more like the bower bird. We discuss what it took to design and build our tiny home and how the flexibility of a moveable home allowed us to respond to changing life circumstances quickly. And yes, we even explore the topic of regulations and red tape and ask just how much government oversight into projects...

In this episode we dive into our backstory and take a look at some of the moments in our lives that reoriented us from career-driven, fast-paced, unhealthy and broken towards this life of becoming the 'Rustic Spirits' we are today - a life of Simplicity, Authenticity, Sustainability and Meaning.

Well, we did it - we launched a podcast! After too much good content kept getting left on the cutting room floor we finally decided that the best place to share those deep-dive thoughts and explorations was in a weekly podcast...so here it is. In this, our very first episode, we tackle a strange comment that we've had on more than one occasion now and answer the question, 'Are we Homesteaders, or Hobby Farmers?'.