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Raise, Tend & Harvest Your Food to Feed Your Family Well

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Hello and welcome!

My name is Justin Rhodes

Some may know me as the crazy chicken ninja, but that’s not how my story started.

Many years ago, the Beautiful One (aka, my wife Rebekah) and I brought home four chickens and placed them in a vacant horse stall. Within the first hour, two of them literally “flew the coop” and were gone forever.

Doubts quickly set in at what we had gotten ourselves into.

With determination and massive (perhaps ungodly) amounts of effort, time and money, something surprising happened… I got really good at raising chickens for both meat and eggs.

Fast forward and our 140-acre farm has expanded to include cows (both meat and dairy), sheep, pigs, rabbits, turkeys, and countless other livestock, all with a steep learning curve of their own.

Join me on this homesteading journey and learn from my countless hours of research and “trial by fire.”

This life may not always look perfect, but it’s perfectly fitting for us, and we’re enjoying the journey.

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Justin Rhodes on Youtube

After 20 years of gardening, we’ve made plenty of mistakes—and learned a few things that have saved us serious time, money, and energy. In this video, we share 10 practical lessons that helped turn a small family garden into a system that produces thousands of dollars’ worth of food for our family of seven. From choosing the right garden location and building better soil, to using chickens, pigs, compost, raised beds, cover crops, low tunnels, tarps, and weed fabric, these are the changes that have made our homestead garden more productive and manageable. We also share the garden-planning tool that has helped us simplify succession planting, seed-starting schedules, harvest timing, and the mountain of tasks that come with growing a serious garden. 🌱 Try Seedtime free here: https://seedtime.us/jkmel4ukl4tonac09iap-5fs?ref=justin-rhodes41 Whether you’re planting your first garden or trying to grow more food with less work, we hope one of these lessons helps you take the next step. 00:00 20 years of garden lessons 00:23 Why garden location matters 02:47 Choosing an efficient garden style 04:57 Building fertility with compost 07:23 Letting animals work in the garden 09:53 Starting seeds for an easier garden 12:07 Winter gardening and low tunnels 14:02 Why raised beds can be worth it 15:23 Silage tarps and easier weed control 17:40 Garden planning with Seedtime 18:47 Weed fabric and drip irrigation 20:36 Cover crops for healthier soil 22:03 The most important gardening lesson #Homestead #Gardening #GardenPlanning #Seedtime #GrowYourOwnFood #Permaculture #Compost #RaisedBeds #CoverCrops #Homesteading #BackyardGarden #FamilyGarden
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I Spent 20 Years Building A Garden To Feed My Family

Justin Rhodes 6 hours ago

Homestead Builds: https://homesteadbuilds.com Only seven days until frost—and we’re still planting for the future. This week, we tuck strawberries in alongside our asparagus, hoping to turn one raised bed into food that will keep producing for years to come. We share why we’re trying this companion planting setup, work through the spacing, and make the most of the little time left before winter arrives. We also check on our winter rye cover crop after five inches of rain, protect it from chickens and dogs with new netting, hand-seed the patchy areas, haul in Homestead Builds books as a family, and prepare for a much-needed Friendsgiving with good food and even better friends. 00:00 Seven days until frost 00:38 Planting strawberries with asparagus 03:32 Friendsgiving prep begins 04:35 Why we chose a raised bed for strawberries 05:07 Hauling Homestead Builds books home 06:49 Finishing the strawberry planting 07:50 Protecting the winter rye cover crop 10:26 Friendsgiving with friends 12:41 Wrapping up a full fall day It’s the season for putting food away, planting what we hope will last, gathering around the table, and doing the next right thing—even when there’s still plenty left on the list.
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Plant This Now & Have Fruit For Years

Justin Rhodes October 22, 2026 4:00 pm

YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLkkxdEhXX2N3bUQw

Sharing is fine, but selling isn’t?

Justin Rhodes October 22, 2026 2:05 pm

Only eight days until frost—and our pigs’ outdoor run still needed a roof. Instead of making a trip to the store, we challenged ourselves to build it with what we already had: reclaimed tin, trees from the land, a few screws, and plenty of determination. The goal is simple: keep the pigs’ deep bedding dry, extend the life of the woodchips, and get them ready for winter without spending money. We also check the drainage ditch after a five-inch rain, troubleshoot the roof slope, repair the old shelter, and build a new lean-to from scratch—one board, one piece of tin, and one problem at a time. 00:17 Finding reclaimed tin around the farm 01:57 Checking that the drainage ditch is working 02:48 Planning a zero-budget pig shelter 04:15 Gathering tools and getting ready to build 06:03 Harvesting small trees from the property 09:23 Building the first frame 10:37 Day two: lifting the heavy frame 12:27 Trimming the frame and repairing the old shelter 13:55 Moving the finished roof into place 15:15 The new roof is up! It’s not fancy, but it works—and that’s the beauty of homesteading. Sometimes the best solution is already sitting somewhere on the farm. #Homestead #PasturedPigs #ZeroBudgetHomestead #DIYFarmBuild #PigShelter #DeepBedding #FarmLife #Homesteading #RegenerativeFarming #WinterPrep
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Father & Son Build A Pig Shelter From Scraps

Justin Rhodes October 21, 2026 4:00 pm

YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLmhWMDlYcEI2ZHdV

America’s Farm Succession Crisis

Justin Rhodes October 21, 2026 2:31 pm

Abundantpermaculture.com/mineral Sometimes the most important work on the farm isn’t the most exciting—it’s the work that keeps everything running. Today we’re going back to the basics: securing the chicken net to stop the escape routes, dealing with a rogue rooster, getting much-needed free-choice minerals out to the cows and sheep, and repairing the sheep shelter before the next round of farm sitting. We also check in on the off-grid cabin build and celebrate the small jobs that strengthen the foundation of a working homestead. 00:00 Back to the basics on the farm 00:25 Securing the chicken net 02:25 Turning a rogue rooster problem into a solution 03:01 Time to restock minerals 06:26 Repairing the sheep shelter 09:16 Checking in on the off-grid cabin foundation The foundation of a good homestead is built through the little things done consistently—secure fencing, dry shelter, healthy animals, and steady progress. #Homestead #Homesteading #FamilyFarm #PasturedPoultry #Sheep #Cattle #LivestockMinerals #FarmLife #OffGridCabin #RegenerativeFarming
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Back to the Basics

Justin Rhodes October 20, 2026 4:00 pm

YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLnhtTnp6QmxJSVpN

Food Truck Regulations - The Pot Pie Loophole

Justin Rhodes October 19, 2026 7:16 pm

We left our two teens in charge of the farm for five days—and when we came home, they had stepped up in a whole new way. They didn’t just keep the place running. They noticed problems, made a plan, gathered the eggs before bedtime, made yogurt, handled the pigs’ muddy pen, and took ownership without being told what to do. In this vlog, we check out what the boys accomplished, improve drainage and reseed the pig port, assess our fall cover crop, look at a possible hay source, and keep building Jonah’s off-grid cabin. 00:00 We left our teens in charge of the farm 01:08 The pig problem they solved while we were gone 04:26 What the boys got done while we were away 07:10 Fixing drainage in the pig port 10:19 Checking on our fall cover crop 11:28 Progress on Jonah’s off-grid cabin 12:18 Checking out a potential hay field 13:03 Homesteader errands in town 14:21 Dreaming about the finished cabin and community space Raising capable kids is about more than giving them a chore list. It’s giving them enough responsibility to see what needs to be done—and the confidence to do it. What’s a responsibility your kids have recently started taking ownership of? #Homestead #FamilyFarm #FarmKids #TeenHomesteaders #PasturedPigs #OffGridCabin #Homesteading #RegenerativeFarming #CountryLife
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I Left My Kids With The Farm & This Happened

Justin Rhodes October 19, 2026 4:00 pm

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600 Chickens on 1 Acre = $12,000?

Justin Rhodes October 18, 2026 5:53 pm

Get the first chapter of Joel’s book through the link: http://Abundantpermaculture.com/food-emancipation What if a farmer could raise an animal, process it responsibly, and still be legally blocked from selling a ribeye to the neighbor next door? In this episode, we sit down with Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm to talk about food freedom, direct-to-consumer farming, raw milk, local processing, value-added foods, and the regulatory barriers that keep small farmers from selling directly to the people who want to buy from them. Joel explains why he believes America has lost “sovereignty over our sustenance,” how regulations disproportionately burden small farms, and why a chicken pot pie—or even a pound of homemade sausage—can become a legal problem the moment money changes hands. We also discuss the future of small farming, practical ways consumers can support local producers, and Joel’s vision for a Food Emancipation Proclamation. In this episode: 00:00 What has been stolen from us? 06:27 Food choice, market access, and the consolidation of agriculture 12:19 The history behind food regulation and USDA inspection 17:49 The chicken pot pie that became a $50,000 problem 22:09 The illusion of choice in the grocery store 26:16 Why small businesses struggle to get started 36:52 Why regulation keeps expanding 40:18 Food freedom in other countries 44:31 Raw milk, the hygiene hypothesis, and personal choice 48:51 Joel’s personal history with local food and raw milk 54:10 The Food Emancipation Proclamation 58:31 The PRIME Act and direct sales of locally processed meat 1:04:39 Herd shares, workarounds, and why food freedom feels so complicated 1:08:04 Civil disobedience and supporting local farmers 1:12:03 Why Joel wants to “Uberize” the food system 1:19:47 How ratings and reputation could replace bureaucracy 1:23:41 How you can help move food freedom forward 1:28:34 Where to follow Joel and get the book Follow Joel’s blog, Musings from the Lunatic Farmer, for food-freedom updates, policy news, and more from Polyface Farm. What do you think: should consenting adults be free to buy food directly from the farmers they know? #JoelSalatin #FoodFreedom #PolyfaceFarm #RegenerativeAgriculture #LocalFood #RawMilk #SmallFarm #Homesteading #FarmToTable
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Joel Salatin Dares to Challenge Insane Food Laws in America

Justin Rhodes October 15, 2026 4:00 pm

This One Device Changed Our Milking Routine | Humane Calf Weaning + Lilly Gets Her Permit 🐄 What if one simple device could make calf weaning easier, reduce daily chores, keep a calf safely with its mom, and help us get the milk our family needs? In today’s homestead vlog, we share our experience using a humane calf weaning ring for Peanut, our five-month-old steer. Instead of separating him from his mama every afternoon with electric netting, the ring prevents nursing while allowing him to stay with the herd, graze, and remain close to his mom. We’re only a few days in, but this has already changed our routine in a big way. We also meet a brand-new calf, talk about preparing the homestead for frost, get ready for Homesteaders of America, celebrate Lilly passing her learner’s permit test, bake bagels for the trip, and turn last night’s stuffed-potato dinner into an easy leftover rice bowl. CHAPTERS 00:00 The Device That Changed Our Milking Routine 01:06 Our Old Calf-Separation System 02:47 Preparing for the First Frost 05:25 Meet Peanut, Our Fence-Jumping Steer 06:50 The Humane Calf Weaning Ring 07:15 Three Days In: Is It Working? 08:27 A New Calf Joins the Herd 10:55 Lilly Passes Her Permit Test 12:17 Bagels, Chili & Trip Prep Have you used a calf weaning ring—or another low-stress way to wean calves? Tell us what has worked for you in the comments. RESOURCES MENTIONED • Calf weaning rings: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=calf+weaning+ring&tag=abundanpermac-20 #homestead #familycow #calfweaning #rawmilk #homesteading #dairycow #farmlife #learnerpermit #homesteadvlog
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This Could Change Everything

Justin Rhodes October 14, 2026 4:00 pm

Father and son hand holding. Roles reverse and that's okay. When you're little you need dad to hold your hand. When you're both older he needs you to hold his hand
YouTube Video VVVPU0dFb2tRUWNkQVZGdUxfQXE4ZGxnLng3bzlTWmxOeHY4

Roles Will Reverse

Justin Rhodes October 14, 2026 1:08 pm

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