Living Free in Tennessee - Nicole Sauce

Nicole Sauce

Helping you live the live you life you choose on your terms. Living Free in Tennessee chronicles how we build our homestead, develop independence, plan and manage time and grow and preserve food sustainably - from a woman's point of view.

  • 1 hour 9 minutes
    Build Your Life On Your Terms With Sue Zoldak - EP 1006

     

    Today is an interview show with Sue Zoldak from The Zoldak Agency all about creating your life to be the way you want it to be.

    Featured Event: SelfRelianceFestival.com

    Sponsor 1: HollerRoast.com

    Sponsor 2: AbovePhone.com: https://abovephone.com/?above=104 Use coupon code for $50 off: LiveFreeTN

    Show Resources

    Main content of the show

    Make it a great week

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

    Community

    Advisory Board

    Resources

     

    21 February 2025, 2:45 pm
  • 1 hour 15 minutes
    Choosing Homesteading With Dawn Gorham - EP 1005

    Today I had a surprise visit from Dawn Gorham, here to pick up her half lamb, so we decided to replace the Monday show with a fin interview show.

    Spponsors: InvestableWealth.com EMPShield.com - Coupon Code: LFTN

    More notes detail coming soon!

    17 February 2025, 10:07 pm
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    Homestead Happenings for February 14, 2025 - EP 1004

    Join me for our weekly homestead update solo this week because Tactical is picking up feed from BooneTop Farm in Centerville!

    Featured Event: Seed Exchange and Potluck Saturday 12-3pm

    Sponsor 1: DiscountMylarBags.com

    Sponsor 2: The Wealthsteading Podcast

    Listener Feedback

     I've been telling my wife about you swim spa. We think it might be a good thing for her to get. She has a couple of questions:

    1. “Having been used to lap pool swimming, in 25-yard pools, is it difficult to get used to a swim spa?”
    2. “How do you track distance?” (I’m used to counting laps to know how far I’ve gone)

    Boone Top Farm Feed Source

    Bracing for another single digit time

    Duck Egg Feed Update - tucker milling

    Tiny house community concept

    Seed Roulette Next Week

    Seedling update

    Prepper pantry Just In Time

    Stinging Nettle, chickweed and deadnettle

    Operation Email Zero

    More rabbit breeding

    Better rabbit rotation needed

    Eversoles Departing

    Tomatoes are finally all canned

     

    Make it a great week!

     

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

     

    Community

    Advisory Board

    Resources

     

    17 February 2025, 2:20 pm
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    Entrepreneurship and Freedom with Isaac Morehouse- Ep 1003

     

    How does entrepreneurship empower free living - or does it? Today, I am joined by Isaac Morehouse to discuss his journey from founding Praxis, through taking on a project that was NOT his passion (but not NOT his passion) and landing in Florida. He openly shares his struggles and successes.

    Featured Event: Cast Iron Webinar, Feb 23 at 6pm

    Sponsor 1: https://abovephone.com/?above=104

    COUPON CODE FOR $50 off: LiveFreeTN

    Sponsor 2: HollerRoast.com

    Connect with Isaac Morehouse:

    Community

    Resources

     

    13 February 2025, 10:22 pm
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    How To Opt Out Of Fear - Ep 1002

    Join me for a discussion about opting out of fear. You are easier to control when you make your decisions from a fear-based place and that is why it is so profitable too keep our population divided and frantic. But you don’t have to participate. You can mindfully move yourself to a place of awareness without the constant fear and build a better place for yourself and your family - and that it what homesteading is all about! We will also cover our usual Monday Segments.

    Featured Event: Cast Iron Webinar, Feb 23 at 6pm

    Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN

    Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, coupon code lftn

    Tales from the Prepper Pantry

    • Concrete Pour on Wednesday do clearing the freezers out and needing to turn them off at night when it is cold
    • Holler Stew, Carnivore style - lamb and chicken
    • Idea for using up chicken breasts
    • Excellent roast leg of lamb recipe

    Frugality Tip

    • Making left overs sexy - frugality tip - - pair it with eating before you leave and Bone broth packets

    Operation Independence

    • New car this weekend

    Main topic of the Show: How to Opt Out Of Fear

    Watching my more left friends freak out about DT

    • Constant barrage of fear communications
    • Homesteaders should market to leftys
    • Reminds me of when Obama got elected and the response from the right

    Making decisions from a fear based place is almost never good for you in the long run - WHY

    >>Michelle’s Car Story

    Mistake - fast decision under pressure and while still impacted by fear of the accident

    This is no different than the fear caused by terminal diagnosis, the news cycle, a tight budget, and more.

    So what do you do?

    >>Nicole’s Car Story

    1. Slow your roll
    2. Cut off access to you of anything causing fear – people, news, even obsessing about your bank account. Go on a fear diet! 1-5 days, weeks if necessary. 
    3. Focus on success stories from people in a similar situation. 
    4. Collect the facts, not the opinions
      1. Elon Musk has access to your SSN!!!! We are all gonna DIE
      2. The reality of the situation is that you are no more at risk now than you were 2 weeks ago when some unnamed person with very little oversight had access to your information
      3. Look at what has historically happened in a similar fear cycle. Who did well and how/why. Who did poorly and how/why.  
    5. Fitness and Food 
    6. Think LONG TERM SUCCESS not short term fix – unless you need a tourniquet

    Back to your bank account fear: Poverty mindset IS making decisions out of fear. But the reality. Long term value over short term happiness is one thing.

    >>Selling the tahoe for parts story - its time has passed, time to scrap it for long term payoff of my time

    And when the sky is falling in the news? The same approach applies. If you are a more right leaning person, you are probably noting that articles are better reported all of the sudden by major news organizations. Or are they?

    What if you are just an anxious person? (Get help)

    Opting out of the fear cycle means going on a fear diet – AND a fake news diet – so that you can develop perspective for what truly matters and can make the best decisions for you in the long run rather than constantly control for the next thing.

    Make it a great week!

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

    Community

    Resources

     

    10 February 2025, 9:26 pm
  • 1 hour 44 minutes
    Homestead Happenings for February 7, 2025 - Ep 1001

    Today we give you an update on the homestead after we have spring into FIRST SPRING in Tennessee, operation eyesore, keeping up with meals on the homestead, egg issues and more.

    Featured Event: Rabbits and Roses, Huntsville, AB, https://www.facebook.com/events/1010824777095474/?ti=ls 

    >>This may change your perspective on your rabbit meatery 😀

    Sponsor 1: InvestableWealth.com

    Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

    Vevor Raised Bed Link: https://s.vevor.com/bfQ6sp 

    Transitioning to Feeding twice a day in the pasture

    Duck Egg Response to Different Feed - the lights

    Radish germination and second round of seeding this weekend

    How do you track your seedings, seedlings and progress?

    Rolling Leftovers: Roundroast and Lamb goulash

    Not Dry Round Roast

    Prepper Pantry Update - Getting Excited for the finish!

    Water descaler and Culligan water softener for sale: $300

    Move the Ram

    Housekeeping Test

    Deadnettle, chickweed, wild garlic

    First Spring - and First Tornado

    Operation Eyesore

    Truck Repairs

    Duplex Fix

    More raised beds incoming

    Tomato wall completion

    Holler Neighbors/Community

    Finances Idea - ways to grow a homestead into your primary income

     

    Make it a great week!

     

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

     

    Community

    Advisory Board

    Resources

     

    9 February 2025, 6:53 pm
  • 2 hours 6 minutes
    Tuesday Coffee With John Willis, Nicole Sauce and Jack Spirko - EP 1000

     

    Join me for a group discussion with John Willis of Special Operations Equipment and Jack Spirko of The Survival Podcast.

    Featured Event: The Self Reliance Festival, SelfRelianceFestival.com

    Sponsors:

    Show Resources

    Special Operations Equipment

    TheSurvivalPodcast.com

    Living Free in Tennessee

    NicoleSauce.com

    HollerRoast.com 

    Main content of the show

    Make it a great week!

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

    Community

    Resources

     

    6 February 2025, 9:43 pm
  • 51 minutes 10 seconds
    A Day In The Life 1000 Episodes Later - Ep 999

    Today, I will share what a day looked like for me at the beginning of this podcast compared with a day now, after just about 1000 episodes. We will also cover all our usual segments.

    LFTN Spring Workshop Tickets: https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/2025-lftn-spring-workshop/

    Featured Event: Seed Exchange and Potluck at the Holler Homestead, Feb 15 at 12pm-3pm https://www.facebook.com/share/1BN558PR4i/

    Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/lftn

    Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon Code: LFTN

    Tales from the Prepper Pantry

    • Holler Neighbor Potroast
    • Pantry Challenge Update
    • Seed Sorting Project
    • Working 1 hour at a time for the win

    Weekly Shopping Report: None today

    Frugality Tip: None today

    Operation Independence

    • Relationships are important and not in order to get what you want. 
    • Basecamp is rented because of relationships
    • Pasture adjustments and new bnbs coming to the Holler

    Main topic of the Show: 

    May 20, 2016, Living Free in Tennessee had its first episode - https://traffic.libsyn.com/nicolesauce/NicoleSauce_Podcast_May_20_2016_-_52016_6.52_PM.mp3

    …what started as a desperate need to release creative energy because my job was suffocating has become a community of doers, my source of inspiration, and something that is achieving what I tried for 14 years to do in the free market public policy realm.

    And it all started with that one, poorly executed episode. A single decision. A ton of feedback from yall. And encouragement when things got tennous.

    Episode 1000 is tomorrow and I am excited to share it with Jack Spirko fo the Survival Podcast and John Willis of Special Operations Equipment.

    But today, I’d like to share with you what my life was like in May of 2016.

    • I was founder and president of a half million to  million dollar nonprofit with a mission to equip free market economists in the public policy world with better story telling skills and marketing departments (TALK ABOUT NICHE)
    • I had been homesteading for 9 years and was selling my extra vegetables and craft roasted coffee at the farmers market on saturdays
    • I flew for work so much that I had earned a companion pass on Southwest - look that up
    • I had 1 rental property in Nashville
    • I was deeply unhappy, finding myself in a role where my time was not my own, my primary job was to raise money so that I could pay people to train other people who were not as good of trainers as I was. I was also HR manager, and operations vp, and cfo in function which meant …. Paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork.
    • After a trip, you could not get me out of the soil if you tried
    • I drank too much

    A typical day on the homestead started early with some work outside and a cup of coffee. I would then transition into computer work and meetings, frantically tossing in a load of laundry or pulling something out of the freezer for dinner as I went. If there was a crisis, I was able to flew, but then would be looking at a late night of catch up for work. There were no days off. Not ever. The role I was in required that I be constantly available to respond to emails and text messages. It was so bad then when I started turning off my phone from 7-9pm on Mondays, one of the people who interacted with me actually had the gall to explain that because she was on the west coast and her day was not yet done, it was unreasonable for me to not be available from 7-9pm. And she was supported in this from the people who were responsible for about half to ¾ of my budget.

    The segment operation independence? That stemmed from this situation. Because my area of Focus from my personal life strategic plan was to “Have enough local, ongoing revenue to support my life.” It has been adjusted to regenerative ongoing revenue nine years later, but you get the point. I was solving for being too dependent on one source of income so that I could NOT say no even though I was running my own organization.

    I became soured on the whole nonprofit world as well as the public policy one because I saw the inherent flaw in trying to fix the system from within the system and over the next few years became convinced that the only way for freedom to grow was through individual action. Starting with myself.

    In 2017 - I broke out of the system. A typical day was to work for the nonprofit, unpaid so that the people there could use me for creating value so that they could continue it on. They failed at that. A sign the nonprofit should never have existed really.

    The day:1) Work frenetically on the Center Hill Sun

    2) Sell a few coffee orders

    3) Weekly podcast

    4) More time for homesteading

    5) Contract work for corporate facilitations

    >>>>Tell the rest of the story

    Make it a great week!

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

    Community

    Resources

     

    3 February 2025, 8:57 pm
  • 52 minutes 22 seconds
    Homestead Happenings for January 31, 2025 - EP 988

    Today, we update you on the new lambs on the Holler Homestead, the new feed source we found, importance of community and more!

     

    Featured event: 9 am. Tomorrow (Saturday). Workshop Tickets go on sale!

    Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com

    Sponsor 2: DiscountMylarBags.com

     

    Celebrate! Got first round of seedlings ready (Yesterday’s episode)

    Bottle Lamb Updates

    Awesome Kitchen Vent Hood

    Pasture Brat Pack

    Normalized Paddock Rotation again

    Operation Eyesore

    New Feed Source for TN

    Processor connections

    Update on managing while Nicole was away

    Forage: Time to be on the lookout for wild garlic and early spring greens

    Concrete project sound fun this weekend?

    Invoicing the lambs we sold this weekend - and why I waited so long.

     

    Make it a great week!

     

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

     

    Community

    Advisory Board

    Resources

     

    31 January 2025, 7:27 pm
  • 58 minutes 4 seconds
    Episode 997 - Successful Seed Starting

    Join me for a discussion on starting your seeds and out usual “Monday Segments.”

    Spring Workshop, April 24-26:P https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/spring-workshop-2025/

    Sponsor 1: InvestibleWealth.com

    Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon code LFTN

    LFTN Spring Workshop Tickets go on Sale Saturday at 9am Central. 

    • Alan Booker, 2 deep sessions on permaculture topics
    • Jack Spirko, Building Bioreactor Compost and Biochar
    • Nicole Sauce, Lessons Learned from 3 Years Raising Regenerative Sheep
    • Emily Skyles Zanotti: Urban Homesteading
    • Dawn Gorham, Building A Homestead Business 
    • Tactical Redneck - A tour of erosion remediation projects at the Holler Homestead. 
    • Joel Ryals, Problem Solving and Planning for Success
    • Roundtable Discussion. Function stacking: Holler Homestead Greenhouse Design with Nicole Sauce
    • Harry Albright - Hands on - Building Cages
    • Knitting - Lani Johnson
    • Jenni Hill - Somatic Movement and Breath Work
    • Barter Blanket
    • John Pugliano - Permaculture Your Wealth
    • Kerry Brown- Planning Your Off Grid Home
    • Patrick Roehrman - Accomplishing Anything How I transformed raw land into a family HQ

    Updated Links for Equipment:

    Tales from the Prepper Pantry

    • Double and triple cooking paid off for Mom’s knee replacement
    • Looking to skim coat the concrete this weekend or next week so that we can move utilities and do the final sweep in there
    • Refining what I store to LESS

    Frugality Tip - send one in

    Operation Independence

    Picked up the processed lambs today, Lambs for sale!

    Main Topic: Seed Starting

    4 Keys to Successful Seedlings

    1. Light, Light, Light
      • A window isn’t going to cut it—this is the #1 reason for failure.
      • Use proper, full-spectrum grow lights (like Burrina lights) positioned uncomfortably close to seedlings.
      • Keep lights on 12-16 hours per day for strong, stocky plants.
      • If you don’t have grow lights, be prepared for leggy seedlings.
    2. Soil Temperature Matters
      • Too cold? Bad germination and weak seedlings.
      • Ideal temp: 65-85 for many plants
      • Use a seed heat mat (updated links below) or place trays in a warm spot like on top of the fridge.
    3. Consistent Moisture—Not Overwatering
      • Keep soil evenly moist, not soggy.
      • Bottom watering is best—use trays with no holes to create a DIY water table.
      • Overwatering leads to weak roots and damping off. Underwatering even once can stunt growth for the life of the plant
    4. Potting Mix & Soil Biology
      • If you’re new, just buy a good quality seed-starting mix. Look for fine-textured, bark-free soil.
      • Pro tip: Add a quart of soil from a well-run local garden to introduce beneficial microbes and integrate local soil biology.
      • Advanced growers: Make your own with compost, biochar, worm castings, and indigenous microorganisms (IMO).
      • Compost tea made from local soil is a fantastic boost.

    Soil Mix

    • Don’t mix your own unless you know what you’re doing (WRONG ADVICE)
      • Experiment while setting yourself up for success—but start with a 50/50 blend before committing fully.
      • Learn from my mistakes

    Trays & Containers

    • Deep pots (3-4 inches) = Stronger roots
    • Plastic trays with no drainage holes work great for bottom watering.
    • Solo cups are cheap and effective (poke a few drainage holes).
    • Peat pucks: Can work, but I don’t use them.
    • Peat pots: Just don’t.

    Choosing Seeds: Heirloom vs. Hybrid

    • It’s all okay! Pick what works for your system.
    • Good seedling choices: Tomatoes, peppers, kale, chard, broccoli, lettuce, loofahs.
    • Less ideal: Squash, cucumbers (direct sow if possible).
    • Don’t start indoors: Peas, beans, carrots, and most root crops.

    First Year: Choose 1-2 things, experiment, and don’t stress if you buy starts. Keep going!

    Troubleshooting Germination: The Paper Towel Trick

    • Use damp paper towels in a plastic bag to check seed viability before planting.

    Keeping Costs Down (While Buying Quality Equipment)

    • Source second-hand greenhouse supplies from local growers.
    • Attend local seed swaps (like the one here in February) for high-quality, adapted seeds.
    • Consider bulk seed buys as a community.
      •  

     

    Make it a great week!

     

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. 

     

    Community

    Resources

     

    30 January 2025, 6:54 pm
  • 1 hour 5 minutes
    Homestead Happenings for January 24 2025 - EP 996

     

    Today I am joined by the Tactical Redneck and perhaps Knighthawk for the latest news from the Holler Homestead. Babies, extreme cold, planning the gardens and more

     

    Featured event: LFTN Spring Workshop

     

    Sponsor 1: AgoristTaxAdvice.com/LFTN

    Sponsor 2: EMPShield.com, Coupon Code LFTN

     

    Email feedback to [email protected]

     

    Forage

    • Wheat is ready to harvest
    • Iding herbals/wilds that we do not want the sheep to eat
    • Day Lillies are blooming 
    • Garden: Cover crop sautees
    • Inside cherry tomatoes

     

    Livestock

    • Rabbit ear mites
    • No ducklings yet
    • Eating things faster than we thought so we are moving them each day until cleared (overseeding pasture mix)
    • Muscovies incoming tomorrow thanks to Kerrry and Lisa
    • 4 eggs a day - summer slump
    • Sheep story

     

    Grow

     

    Holler Neighbors/Community

     

    Infrastructure

     

    Finances

     

    Membership Plug

     

    Make it a great week!

     

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

     

    Community

    Advisory Board

    Resources

    Make it a great week!

     

    GUYS! Don’t forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift!

     

    Community

    Advisory Board

    Resources

     

    28 January 2025, 7:02 pm
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