A lot of people talk about going off-grid. But what if off-grid living isn’t just about power and water, but about freedom from systems that quietly run your life?

In this episode, I sit down with Jeff Burkinshaw from the Gridlessness YouTube channel to talk about what gridlessness really means. Jeff shares how his family moved from suburban life to a remote homestead in the Canadian wilderness, not out of fear, but out of a deep desire to live with intention.

We talk about
• redefining what it means to be “off-grid”
• breaking free from debt and financial pressure
• raising kids with responsibility, resilience, and confidence
• the real challenges of independent living
• and why freedom is worth the work it takes to build it

If you’ve ever felt the pull toward a simpler, more meaningful way of living, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

👉 Links mentioned in this episode
• Jeff’s book: Gridlessness: Finding Freedom Off Grid: https://homesteadingfamily.com/gridlessness-book
• Gridlessness YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Gridlessness
• Everyday Homesteading podcast: https://homesteadingfamily.com/podcasts/

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MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

The Rhythm Challenge is included completely free inside my Homestead Kitchen Membership. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, this is absolutely the perfect time. You’ll get the magazine, the classes, the community, all the training…and this guided reset to bring calm and confidence back into your home. To join us, CLICK HERE!

After more than 20 years of homesteading, we are looking back and sharing what we wish we had known when we first started.

In this episode of Everyday Homesteading, we talk honestly about the mistakes we made, the pressure to do everything at once, and the lessons that helped us find a more peaceful, sustainable rhythm. From gardening and kitchen skills to land size, infrastructure, and people-first priorities, this conversation is full of perspective for anyone feeling overwhelmed on their homesteading journey.

Whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been at this for years, we hope this episode helps you slow down, focus on what matters most, and remember that homesteading is a lifelong journey, not a destination.

🎓 Join the How to Homestead Anywhere Crash Course - Learn how to homestead wherever you live and build rhythms that actually work for your season of life. 👉 https://classes.homesteadingfamily.com/crash-course

🍞 Grab my free bread workshop here: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

🌿 Thank you to today’s sponsor, Farmhouse Teas - If you love a cozy, nourishing drink but want to skip the excess sugar, check out Farmhouse Teas’ Hushroom Cocoa Blend. It’s an adaptogenic mushroom cocoa that’s calming, customizable, and perfect for cold days. Use code "HSPODCAST" for 10% off. 👉 https://homesteadingfamily.com/hushroom-cocoa

📌 In this episode, we discuss:
• Why doing everything at once leads to burnout
• The foundational skills we wish we had focused on first
• Why bigger homesteads are not always better
• Letting go of the idea that you ever “arrive” at homesteading
• Keeping people at the center of homestead life

Thanks for spending time with us. We’re glad you’re here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

The Rhythm Challenge is included completely free inside my Homestead Kitchen Membership. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, this is absolutely the perfect time. You’ll get the magazine, the classes, the community, all the training…and this guided reset to bring calm and confidence back into your home. To join us, CLICK HERE!

What does a “Year of Rest” actually look like on a working homestead?

In this episode, we’re reflecting on our decision to slow down over the past year, what changed, what stayed the same, and what surprised us along the way. We share how cutting big projects brought more margin into our days, why rest doesn’t mean the work disappears, and how an unplanned cabin build for the next generation fit into our bigger vision.

This is an honest, end-of-year conversation about pace, sustainability, and having the courage to adjust before burnout forces it.

If you’re feeling tired, scattered, or unsure how to move into the next season, we hope this episode encourages you to slow down and have an honest conversation about what really matters.

Thanks to Azure Standard for sponsoring this week's podcast. First-time customers can get 15% off their first order of $100 or more with the coupon code “HOMESTEADINGFAMILY15” at checkout: https://homesteadingfamily.com/main-azure-standard-b

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Introduction
1:19 - Chit Chat
9:57 - Azure Standard
11:34 - Main Topic

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MORE ABOUT US!

WELCOME! We're so glad you're here! We are Josh and Carolyn Thomas. Together with our eleven children, we are The Homesteading Family where we’re living a self-sustainable life in beautiful North Idaho. Let us welcome you and show you a bit about us here: http://bit.ly/HFWelcomeVideo

Grow, Preserve & Thrive with us!
Visit us on our blog: https://www.homesteadingfamily.com
Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/homesteadingfamily
Instagram: https://instagram.com/homesteadingfamily
Rumble: https://rumble.com/HomesteadingFamily

A few highlights you don't want to miss are our FREEBIES!!

Healthy Healing at Home – Learn how to confidently use herbal medicine in your home with this FREE 4 video workshop: https://homesteadingfamily.com/HHHyt

Your Best Loaf – A Free 4 video workshop teaching you how to make great bread at home, every time, regardless of the recipe you are using: https://homesteadingfamily.com/free-bread-workshop

I'm so excited to invite you to Homesteading Family's second annual How to Homestead Anywhere Crash Course. This is a FREE 5-day virtual event from January 5-9, where I will take you, step-by-step, through turning your home into a homestead. Whether you're in an apartment in the city or on 40 acres, this is for you. Be sure to register HERE (there will be replays).