Our guest this week on the Root Simple Podcast is Shannon Hayes. Shannon is the author of many books including Radical Homemakers, Long Way on a Little and The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook.

She has a new book of essays called Homespun Mom Comes Unraveled, a smart, funny, moving account of the challenges and joys of living the DIY life. Shannon also raises grassfed livestock on her family’s Sap Bush Hollow Farm. You can find her books (in both hard copy and ebook formats) and farm products on her website, theradicalhomemaker.net. During the podcast we discuss:

• Grass fed beef
• Radical Homemakers
• Gender roles
• Her new book Homespun Mom Comes Unraveled
• Messes
• Making relationships work
• Perfectionism
• Home schooling
• Higher education
• Student debt
• Occupy Wall Street
• Reclaiming the holiday season
• Shannon’s sock knitting machine

If you want to leave a question for the Root Simple Podcast please call (213) 537-2591 or send an email to [email protected]. You can subscribe to our podcast in the iTunes store and on Stitcher. The theme music is by Dr. Frankenstein. Additional music by Rho. A downloadable version of this podcast is here.