Returning guest, Vince, and I believe that raising your own food and being self-sustainable is a large part of what it means to live on a homestead. Chickens are often thought of as the gateway animal to get started, but should they be? Let’s think more about milk cows and all the benefits and products that can be made from raw milk. And of course, the cow itself can make all the difference. Does the cow produce the more digestive A2 beta-casein protein? Do you have a breed that will produce heavy amounts of cream that will lead to the creamiest butter and cheeses? Vince and I chat about milk cows and more in this episode, including the living enzyme benefit of milling your own ancient grains.

Resources:

A1 vs. A2 Milk

Grains you can Mill and How to use the Flour

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Ever thought “there has to be a better, more flavorful way of cooking up a deer roast or a pheasant breast rather than just tossing it into the crock-pot”? Well, you’re in luck! In this episode, Jeff Benda, a cook and recipe developer of “Wild Game and Fish” shares his passion for cooking and how he fell in love with hunting and the State of North Dakota as a whole. As a result, North Dakota’s wild game and fish are the primary subjects of his recipes. Other topics like field dressing pronghorn, canning meat, salmon fishing and elk hunting in North Dakota, and the presence of rattle snakes in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park are also discussed in this episode.

Jeff Benda’s website: https://wildgameandfish.com/

Recipes:

Venison Spaghetti

Salmon Chowder

Deer Chili

Books:

My Side of the Mountain

Island of the Blue Dolphins

Sign of the Beaver

Salt:

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt

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In a coffee break kind of chat, join three generations of Mettlers talking about “maple syruping”. Grandpa didn’t have trees to tap in South Dakota, but after migrating up to Minnesota, he found a new way to keep his sweet tooth satisfied. Grandpa started the same way my Dad and now my brother Sam do by simply reducing the sap on the kitchen stove, but his with his ingenuity and desire for a larger quantity of product, he transformed an old wood stove into a maple sap reducer. Tapping trees and making maple syrup is now something my Dad enjoys and his great grandkids now delight in. It doesn’t cost much to get started, approximately $50 + heat (energy) costs and you’ll have a pint of your very own homegrown maple syrup.

Resources:

Tapping Kit

Metal Maple Bucket Starter Kit

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Ever thought about getting a dehydrator to start preserving and drying food? Well, in this episode, Joe talks about his decision process and how he determined what dehydrator to get. He goes through his “Dehydrator Checklist” and relates it to a “Dating/Relationship Checklist”, just to keep it interesting. He walks through his personal “must-haves” and non-negotiables when it comes to the selecting his dehydrator and eventual spouse.

Top 3 dehydrators on the list:

1) Magic Mill 1098

2) Bench Foods Premium Domestic

3) LEM BigBite 10 Tray

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Dipping back in time, all the way back to the roaring 20’s where cooking, processing and food preservation looked a whole lot different than it does today. Electricity was limited and indoor plumping was rare. Joined by my mother and 99-year-old Grandma we take a blast to the past. Salting and smoking meat and using a hot water bath for canning was common practice and hand milking cows by the light of a lamp was a typical evening endeavor. As inventions were made, like the electric stove and the microwave life became simpler, but somehow we as people are as busy as we ever were.

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Join the brotherly chat, quite literally, as my brother David and I tie a bow around the garden activities of 2024 and look to the new and improved garden ideas for 2025. We talk about soil preparation and a bit about starting vegetable plants inside. What are some of our favorite cultivars we grow and what are we going to do new and differently in 2025? Pull up a seat and find out...or just check out some of the show notes below 😉

Grape Cultivars recommended for Zone 3 and 4:

- King of the North (jelly, juice, fresh eating)

- Somerset seedless (for making raisins)

- Bluebell (juice and fresh eating)

- Kay Gray (fresh eating white grape)

Vegetable cultivars we like:

- Honeydew – model melon

- Carrot – Kuroda

- Sweet Pepper – Lipstick

- Bush Bean – Jade

- Cucumber – Marketmore 76

- Garlic – German porcelain or Northern White (both hardneck garlic)

- Decorative corn – Glass Gem

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Lauren Jacobs, “The Cheerful Baker”, and I bonded over our similar upbringing and childhood memories, and how both of us were exposed to baking at a young age. In this episode, we talk about the importance of using quality ingredients and the difference between baking powder and baking soda. We also discuss all the things a baker needs to consider before even turning on the mixer. Follow Lauren on Instagram @thecheerfulbaker if you enjoyed listening to her tips and tricks on this episode.

Resources:

Challenge Butter

https://cheerfulbaker.com/

Due North Gluten Free Bakery and Goods – GF Bakery in North Dakota

Mastering Macarons: Uncover the Scientific Secrets to making the Perfect French Macaron

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Re-live the journey with Sam and Andi as they share the birth stories of their 3 boys. From the hospital to the car and ultimately their very own home. They have experienced it all.

The Business of Being Born - Trailer

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