The Vernacular Life Podcast

Are you thinking about getting into home canning? If you hang around the homesteading community a while, eventually you’ll hear about canning. And maybe you’ll want to start dabbling in what is, truly, my all-time favorite hobby! Putting up stores of shelf stable food is seriously one of the most peaceful and satisfying things I do for my family. And I’d love to answer some of your most commonly asked questions about canning! In this episode, you’ll hear: The difference between water bath and pressure canning (and why you shouldn’t be scared of the pressure canner!) A primer on jars and rings and lids and pints and quarts (and all jars big and small!) What kinds of foods are great for canning, especially if you’re just starting out And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/59.

Are unfitted kitchens making a comeback? We’re certainly seeing more freestanding elements than we have in the last few years! My kitchen is mostly unfitted, and I am never not loving the freedom and flexibility that it offers. Thinking about a kitchen redesign? Maybe this episode will help you plan! In this episode, you’ll hear: What a freestanding kitchen is and how they differ from fitted kitchens The pros and cons of having an unfitted kitchen design How to think about designing a functional kitchen around its key functions (whether it’s freestanding or not!) And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/58.

Should you get a vintage appliance? You’ll be hard pressed to find a vintage dishwasher, but everything else, from stoves to fridges, you can most likely find secondhand. I like my old appliances, but they are certainly not for the faint of heart! Grab your tools and bring your best troubleshooting, because finding a good vintage appliance is always an adventure! In this episode, you’ll hear: A brief history of my vintage stove collection Why finding old appliances may mean compromising on aesthetics or functionality (but hopefully not both!) Why Brandon is putting his foot down about our fridge And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/57.

If you are like Paige and Sierra, you’re a lover of small kitchens. But not everyone is so convinced that tiny kitchens are where it’s at! So we’re talking about all the efficiency-related reasons why we are absolutely obsessed with modest-sized kitchens. In this episode, you’ll hear: How Paige’s countertop analysis literally changed Sierra’s life (and it will change yours too!) All the principles of efficiency that make small kitchens more productive Why having less space makes you smarter about what you have, so you’re not drowning in inventory And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/56.

Paige is always talking about engineering terms that she has brought into her own home. But if jargon makes your skin crawl, Sierra is here to be your normal-person interpreter! Today, we’re demystifying the phrase “poka yoke,” or the practice of eliminating mistakes so they are virtually impossible to make. How do you do it? Let’s dive in! In this episode, you’ll hear: How looking to eliminate mistakes makes your household habits more intuitive for the family Why solutions don’t have to be expensive or fancy (or even normal!), as long as they work How Sierra implemented visual systems around her house to poka yoke her chores And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/55.

Does the idea of a super long to-do list give you the creeps? If having a 4-foot-long list of things to do makes you feel stressed and anxious, this podcast is for you. Sierra, our guest host, shares a true (and very embarrassing!) story about what happens when you don’t make your to-do list long enough. Will this episode convince you to make a long list? Maybe not. But hopefully you can laugh along anyway! In this episode, you’ll hear: Why you shouldn’t let things sit on your to-do list for half a decade The breakthrough that finally got the dreaded task accomplished How you can rework your to-do list to make it less dreadful and more doable And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/54.

For those of us who are full-time homesteaders, planning for the future is probably second nature. But for many of us who are just getting started, realizing the longer time horizon that comes with homesteading can seem overwhelming! Sierra, our temporary guest host, is here to demystify how homesteading changes the way you think and plan for the future (by thinking smaller). In this episode, you’ll hear: Why you don’t have to have chickens to call yourself a homesteader Which children’s picture book epitomizes the spirit of a homesteading mindset How to think both bigger (and smaller) about the passage of time And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/53.

A non-engineer talks efficiency? Yes! Sierra (AKA the unofficial Paige superfan) is here to pontificate on why systems are so important. We all love Paige and her systems engineering brain. But sometimes it helps to hear a different perspective to help understand why having processes is so important to making your life run more smoothly. In this episode, you’ll hear: Why it’s so important to get off the bike you’re pedaling so hard (and get in the car to get there faster!) How smart systems allow you to scale up the difficulty of life without having to carry more mental burden How a systematic approach to daily tasks can improve your mental health, too And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/52.

I bristle a little at the idea that I’m a homemaker. Certainly, I aim to make this home as cozy and full of life and fun as possible. But “homemaker” doesn’t have the umph I think of when I imagine the house I want to live in. For me, houses should work hard to support the people that live in them. So let’s talk about how to make your house work hard for you! In this episode, you’ll hear: How efficiency means matching the energy of the day to the effort of the task The 5 pillars that hold up a hardworking home that will help your house do what you need it to do, day in and day out Why a beautiful home is definitely part of making your house feel like a home And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/51.

What have we here, a guest host? Why yes! It’s my lovely business manager, Sierra, a veritable suburban homesteader, here to talk about how it is possible to start building homestead skills (even if you live in town!). She’s a bonafide townie and she’s got neighbors, but that didn’t stop this woman from getting goats, chickens, and even a pet sourdough starter. If your farming dreams are dying on the vine because of your urban location, fear not: let Sierra be your guide to city-friendly homesteading! In this episode, you’ll hear: Why homesteading is a smart practice, even if you’re not in the country (and all the ways that city life can actually be great for homesteading!) How to get started homesteading if space is a consideration Why getting goats and canning jam are surefire ways to make friends with your neighbors, if that’s what you’re into And so much more! For more info and show notes, go to FarmhouseVernacular.com/50.