The Coop

In Episode #23 of The Coop, Anna Sakawsky sits down with longtime friend and fellow homesteader CeAnne Kosel of Farmhouse Teas to talk about creating delicious, better-for-you drink alternatives at home.CeAnne shares how her journey began with growing calendula flowers and expanded into making teas, salves, and eventually healthier replacements for coffee and soda. After developing a sugar allergy that caused her throat to swell and becoming sensitive to caffeine, she started experimenting in the kitchen. What began as personal necessity turned into a thriving business creating healthy, flavorful herbal tea blends and flavorings for homemade sodas, kombucha, and more.In this conversation, Anna and CeAnne discuss:How CeAnne developed her popular “Not Coffee” alternative and a wide variety of soda syrups (vanilla cream, root beer, fruit flavors, and more)The basics of making kombucha, water kefir, and ginger bugs as fizzy drink optionsPractical tips for busy families … including how to store ferments when life gets hecticWhy homemade versions can be more budget-friendly and taste better than store-bought optionsThe importance of starting simple and finding what works for your family’s tastes and scheduleIf you’ve been wanting to move away from conventional sodas and coffee without feeling deprived, this conversation will give you the inspiration and practical starting points you need.

In a time when grocery prices keep climbing and the world feels increasingly uncertain, many families are asking a simple question: how can we stretch what we have further while building something that lasts?In Episode #21 of The Coop, Anna sits down with Jessica Spiers (homesteading and homeschooling mother of nine) for a deeply practical conversation about how modern homesteading is stepping in to fill the gap left by traditional home economics.Jessica shares how the old principles of home economics (planning, production, prevention, price comparison, and resourcefulness) are more relevant today than ever. She explains how these timeless ideas naturally overlap with homesteading, helping families save money, reduce waste, involve their children in meaningful work, and become better stewards of their resources.Whether you have acreage or none at all, Jessica’s wisdom shows that homesteading doesn’t have to be expensive or overwhelming.It’s about making intentional choices with what you already have, teaching kids real skills through everyday tasks, and shifting from a mindset of pure consumption to thoughtful production.

If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping outside and picking fresh, juicy fruit straight from your own trees (but felt intimidated by pruning, rootstocks, pollination, or where to even begin) this episode is for you.In Episode #19 of The Coop, Anna sits down with Susan Poizner, orchardist, author, educator, and founder of OrchardPeople.com, for a warm, practical conversation that takes the mystery out of growing fruit trees.Susan shares why most big-box store trees set beginners up for disappointment and explains how choosing the right variety and rootstock for your climate and space can eliminate up to 60% of future problems. She walks through the importance of bare-root trees, proper planting techniques, and why the first 3–5 years are critical for shaping a strong, productive tree.The conversation dives into cross-pollination (why some trees need a partner and others don’t), the difference between open-center and central-leader pruning, and how timing your pruning cuts makes a big difference in tree health and fruit quality. Susan also explains why grafted trees are the norm and how they allow us to grow exactly the fruit we want … without waiting 5–7 years to see what a seedling produces.Whether you have room for just one small dwarf tree on a patio or are dreaming of a backyard orchard, this episode gives you the knowledge and confidence to get started the right way. Susan’s passion is contagious, and her straightforward advice makes growing fruit trees feel exciting and totally doable … even for complete beginners.If you’re ready to move beyond “someday” and actually plant your first fruit tree this season, don’t miss this conversation.

Eve Kilcher is no stranger to homesteading life. As a former star on Discovery Channel’s Alaska: The Last Frontier and a dedicated homesteader herself, she’s lived the reality of trying to balance it all: growing food, raising animals, and managing a homestead while also juggling the demands of modern life.In this honest conversation, Eve and host Anna Sakawsky talk about the gap between the romanticized version of homesteading we often see online and what it actually feels like day to day … especially in Alaska, where summer is short and manic and winter is the complete opposite.This conversation is about the realities of dealing with overwhelm as a modern homesteader, the hard choices we have to make sometimes, and the beauty of learning to let go when something no longer serves you.Eve shares her decision to get rid of her goats this year, the mental juggle of motherhood and homesteading, how she and her husband, Eivin, have compromised and made tough decisions on what to keep and what to let go of, and why she believes community and working together is more important than trying to do it all alone.If you’ve ever felt the pressure of trying to keep up with homestead life while dealing with all of the other demands of modern life (especially while watching other people online make it look so easy), this episode is for you.

Don Tipping has been at the seed starting game a long time. He’s farmed and stewarded seeds at Seven Seeds Farm since 1997, founded Siskiyou Seeds in 2009, and now grows over 700 open-pollinated varieties, breeding for bio-regional strength in Southwest Oregon’s variable climate.He’s seen the industrial seed game up close: big companies sourcing globally, pushing flashy hybrids while workhorse open-pollinated lines get neglected. His work pushes back, prioritizing adaptation to local pests, weather, and soil so your garden thrives without constant inputs.The core truth is quiet and powerful:Start from seed for control over every dial (light, soil, timing)Source bio-regionally adapted varieties for plants that are adapted to your climatePrioritize workhorse varieties for a more reliable harvestKeep a journal, talk to neighbors, swap seeds, and don’t underestimate the power of local wisdomIf you’ve ever felt intimidated by seed starting, spent way too much money on transplants that didn’t produce, or wondered why your results vary crop by crop and season by season, this conversation will give you all the tools and information you need to get growing.

Thirty years ago, Sally Fallon Morell dared to challenge the low-fat gospel. Her book Nourishing Traditions wasn’t born from theory.It came from a mother’s quiet rebellion against the “virtuous” diet being sold to families.She discovered Dr. Weston A. Price’s photographs of indigenous peoples with broad jaws, straight teeth, and robust health, then watched modern guidelines push the opposite: margarine in place of butter, skim milk instead of whole milk, and seed oils over saturated fats. Sally pushed back against the “diet dictocrats,” and recommended an ancestral diet where red meat, raw milk, and healthy fats reign supreme.The message is disarmingly simple: nutrient-dense, traditional foods (properly prepared) built the healthiest humans for centuries. Butter for vitamin A and contentment. Soaked grains to unlock minerals. Bone broth for glycine. Liver once or twice a week for the sacred nutrients that guide new life.Today the tide is turning. Butter sales climb. Raw milk finds new fans. The food pyramid has (rightfully) been flipped on its head. One family at a time, people are remembering what real food and health actually looks and feels like.If optimizing your family’s health and nutrition matters to you, you won’t want to miss this conversation.In this episode, Anna and Sally discussed:The story behind Nourishing Traditions and discovering Dr. Weston A. Price’s workWhy traditional, nutrient-dense foods beat modern “healthy” guidelinesThe dangers of industrial seed oils and the supremacy of butter & animal fatsImportance of vitamin A (from liver, butter, cod liver oil) for fertility & healthy babiesRaw milk’s superiority, finding sources, and why pasteurization creates problemsProper preparation of grains (soaking, fermenting) to unlock nutritionSacred foods: liver, shellfish, bone broth, fermented vegetablesBuilding health before pregnancy—and redemption even if you “missed the boat”Saturated fats vs. carbs for satisfaction, mood, and avoiding addictionThe quiet revolution: rising butter sales, raw milk popularity, wiser families survivingAnd yes, plenty more

In this episode of The Coop, you’ll learn:How Shaye defines homesteading (you’ll love this)Letting your definition evolve as seasons change: kids, business, capacity, and real lifeThe overlap and differences between homesteading and homemakingWhat it actually means to “cultivate the beautiful life” in an ordinary weekUsing the five senses … music, scent, texture, light, and taste … to transform daily choresSimple non-negotiables: making the bed, cooking dinner, and “putting the kitchen to bed”Learning what’s worth preserving (and what isn’t) for your actual familyCooking with fewer ingredients, more pleasure, and what you already have on handHow travel (especially Italy) has shaped Shaye’s home, cooking, and aestheticPractical strategies for traveling while homesteading … without burning outWhy your homestead is here to serve you, not the other way aroundHolding onto what’s good, true, and beautiful in a home-centered life

In this episode of The Coop, you’ll learn:Carolyn’s incredible freeze-drying storyWhy YOU should be freeze-drying at homeThe seven simple steps to freeze-dryingHow to preserve everything from fruits to full meals with easeHow to choose the right freeze dryerSave time and avoid mistakes with practical tutorials and checklistsWhat other equipment you really need (or don’t)Creating healthy, shelf-stable foods for year-round family meals

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