Hack my Homestead

Follow Hack my Homestead
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

A podcast that explores homesteading and provides usable information to its listeners to help build, or improve their personal homestead or farmstead. We cover topics from animal husbandry to hydroponics to alternative energy and Permaculture.

Shawn Mills


    • Jul 16, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 25m AVG DURATION
    • 86 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from Hack my Homestead with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from Hack my Homestead

    Ep84:First Takes on the Trump Assassination Attempt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2024 29:48


    Initial thoughts on what we know about the assassination attempt of Donald Trump

    Ep84: Interview with Ashley from Bus a move2000

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 39:06


    Today I am joined by my older daughter, Ashley, to discuss her Skoolie

    Ep83:Climate and geography before you begin your land search

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2024 22:30


    Today we talk about really dialing in on your climate and geography preferences before you start looking for your perfect piece of Raw land to develop into a Homestead

    Ep82: Starting the journey towards acquiring off grid land

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2024 20:24


    Today, we talk about the thing that you really should do first before you even start looking at off grid to acquire for homesteading.

    Ep81: Snowmageddon Aftermath

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2024 31:17


    Today we talk about how our systems worked out during the super cold snap here in Tennessee and what projects we have now that that has been experienced

    Ep80: Prepping for super cold on the homestead

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2024 20:40


    Today we talk about getting ready for some way below average temps getting ready to hit Tn and prepping the Homestead.

    Ep:79 Dealing with a string of cloudy days when you rely on solar power

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 4, 2024 32:22


    Today we talk about how we deal with load shifting and being really energy conscious while off grid when you have a string of cloudy days. We are currently experiencing about 10 consecutive days of cloud cover in our part of Tennessee, and that requires us to really manage our power usage more than we normally do.

    Ep78: Off grid living from a teenagers perspective

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2023 22:12


    Today Im jojned by my younger daughter to discuss her experience living off the grid

    Ep77:My word of the year

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2023 23:45


    Today I talk about what the word of the year is and then talk about what my personal word of the year is going to be for 2024 and why I chose that word and what I am planning on doing about it for this year

    Ep76: What I learned about solar mounts this year.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2023 22:44


    Today we talk about the different options for mounting solar panels and what I learned this year from actual hands-on experience.

    Ep75: Is the Eco Flow Delta Plus worth the money?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 8, 2023 26:09


    Today we talk about the specifications of the eco-flow Delta plus battery pack, and how to replicate it at home using components you can buy straight from Amazon

    Ep74: Whats up on the off grid homestead

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2023 26:34


    Today we talk about the different things. We are working on at the Homestead and the plans that we have over the next couple of months.

    Ep 73: California's residential rooftop solar complete fail

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 6, 2023 25:59


    Today we talk about the complete and total gutting of the residential rooftop solar industry in the state of California, which may be exactly what state regulators were trying to make happen when they passed their new rules that went into effect this year, and then change the rules. which gutted the entire reasoning for The new rules in the first place

    Ep72: Setting 2024 Goals

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2023 18:51


    Today we talk about setting smart goals and what that means and why goalsetting is much better than a New Year's resolution as well as talk about some of my goals for the podcast next year

    Black Friday Solar Buying Guide

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2023 10:42


    I'm getting a bunch of questions about Black Friday deal so I thought it be best to just throw out some information to guide you as you evaluate the plethora of black Friday deals being offered by solar companies today

    Ep71: A Solar Build Workshop

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 25:53


    Today we talk about a recent solar installation workshop that I ran in Southeast Tennessee for a group that is running their own PMA food club.

    Ep70: SRF Recap

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 25:12


    Today we talk about the Self-Reliance festival(SRF) in Camden Tennessee

    self reliance srf camden tennessee
    Ep69: The Attack on Isreal

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2023 33:14


    Today we talk about the terrorist attack on Israel that happened over the weekend and some things that we can take as lessons to apply to our own lives in the much more relatively stable areas. We live in without a lot of work, but would potentially large positive consequences.

    Ep68: Permaculture Zones

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2023 23:00


    Today we talk about the different zones in Permaculture and how we utilize them in our design process

    Ep67: Winter and Fall Projects

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 29:34


    Today we talk about the projects that we have planned through the fall and winter this year to get us ready for the spring planting rush

    Ep66: Gov Shutdown, Strikes, and S&P 100 Hiring in 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2023 48:58


    Today we talk about come current events. I discussed what I told my daughters about the government shutdown, what I think about the UaW strikes against the Detroit Three Automakers, and Bloomberg's Blockbuster report that companies in the S&P 100 hired 94% non-white workers in 2021 post the George Floyd murder and related BLM Rioting.

    Ep65: The 7 Layers of a Forest and how to use them

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 73:07


    Today we talk about the seven layers of a forest and how to re-create them with productive and beneficial species in a Permaculture designed food forest

    Ep64: Permaculture Basics continued

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2023 27:39


    Today we talk about the final nine design principles of Permaculture, and how all the different design principles interact with each other and end up creating really beautiful designs and systems that can, in fact be permanent

    Ep63: Permaculture Basics

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 35:36


    In this podcast we review the permaculture design basics including the Prime Directive, Ethics, and a quick overview of the first few principles. Permaculture is a design science that strives to create a circular economy within the systems we utilize while implementing the basics of agricultural design. For example we are trying to break the linear consumption model and design systems that have a greater output than input, even if that output is measured over a long period of time, like a nut tree's production

    Ep62: Homestead Update and other ramblings

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2023 27:06


    Today we talk about what's happening on the Homestead and the progress on some of our ongoing projects as it begins to get cooler

    Ep61: New Mexico Governor did what?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2023 35:15


    Today we talk about the New Mexico governors unconstitutional gun restriction for Albuquerque county and why I think bad decisions should have bad consequences

    Ep 60:Lessons from my trip to Maui

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2023 33:02


    Today I talk about some of my thoughts and lessons learned from my trip to Hawaii last week where I visited some of the fire impacted areas

    Ep59: Interview with Kody Hanner of thehomesteadeducation.com

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2023 59:20


    Today we have Kody Hanner on the podcast to talk about her homesteading journey and her homeschool curriculum business. Kody is a Mother to 6 kids and has been homeschooling her children for the past 7 years.

    Ep58: My 5 Favorite uses for Cardboard on the Homestead

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2023 20:53


    Today we talk about cardboard and how I like to put it to work for me on the homestead!

    Ep57: Its been a crazy productive week

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2023 25:24


    Today we talk about all the stuff that's happened since my last podcast. It's been a busy one and I didn't even mention the trip out to Texas to see Jack Spirko and some other members of the Survival podcast community.

    Ep56: nosy neighbors and a change of plans

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 18:23


    Today we talk about how a friend is losing his grid access due to a nosy neighbor and how our moving plans have changed.

    Ep55: Homestead Happenings for the week ending July 15 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2023 27:23


    Today we talk about whats been going on this week as we make the move from AL to TN and get the Off Grid Homestead set back up for full time living.

    Ep 54: How we use Generators on the Off Grid Homestead

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 25:22


    Today we talk about off grid generator use to supplement our Solar production on the off grid homestead and what new types of options are out there for Generator Technology.

    Ep52: The Basics of Solar Panels

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2023 23:28


    Today we talk about the basics of the numbers on the back of that solar panel. What they mean, how to use them to determine the right way to wire up your array, and what happens once the photovoltaic effect has happened.

    Ep51: People will die this summer due to US Energy Policy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2023 16:03


    Today we talk about energy policy, and how that will prevent access to the grid to some people, this summer, potentially creating a deadly issue.

    Ep50: don't be so afraid of bird poop in your water

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2023 18:35


    Today I talk a little bit about whether a first flush diversion system is worth it and go through what my process is for cleaning out our rainwater collection system as we get ready to move back to the offgrid Homestead full-time

    Ep49: Building an outdoor shower

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2023 28:05


    Today I talk about the project we worked on over the weekend of creating a DIY outdoor shower from 2 IBC totes.

    Ep48: Going Full time with Hack My Homestead

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2023 28:26


    Today I talk about some concerns and some things that I am excited about now that I am officially quitting my JOB and planning to run a Hack my Homestead as a full-time business

    Ep47: Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Chemistry

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2023 24:40


    Today we talk about the difference between lithium, iron phosphate, batteries, and lithium ion batteries and we dive a little bit into the chemistry of a lithium, iron phosphate, battery, and how it actually works inside the cell

    Ep46: Differences between battery voltages

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2023 27:36


    Today we talk about why are you might choose one battery voltage over another and what the pros and cons are as well as a little bit about wiring things in parallel and series

    Ep45:All about the Solar Water Pumping Kickstarter

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2023 23:24


    Today we talk about what the solar water pump in Kickstarter is actually going to cover and how is it going to be delivered

    Ep44:Installing a new whole house solar system.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2023 16:55


    Today we talk a little bit about my experience over the weekend, installing a new solar system for the offgrid Homestead, as well as a little bit more in-depth conversation around the upcoming Kickstarter for solar water, pumping.

    Ep43: why you might super size your solar installation

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2023 22:59


    Today we talk about a few of the benefits of oversizing your solar off grid system during the initial installation, and how that could save you time and money in the future. Also keep an eye out for the Kickstarter for Solar Water Pumping

    Ep42: Hunting as a Homestead Hack

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 33:52


    Today we talk about hunting and how that can make homesteading easier on a small holding it can't run large scale livestock

    Ep41: More in pumping water

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2023 13:40


    Today we talk about different considerations when pumping water directly from the solar panel and how to calculate total dynamic head

    Ep40: Whats with everyone wanting to Homestead?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2023 18:37


    Today we talk about some of the contributing factors for the rush of people to embrace the Homestead or farmstead lifestyle.

    Ep39: LFTN Workshop

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2023 20:06


    Today we talk about the recap of the 2023 LFTN workshop in Lancaster Tennessee. I do a quick rundown of how the workshop has evolved over the years and the speakers from this year‘s event.

    Ep:38 Dealing with the spring rush

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2023 25:51


    Today we talk about how to manage expectations and both being overwhelmed and being shamed for what's happening on your property during the spring rush

    Ep:37 All about well pumps

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2023 31:40


    Today we talk about the difference between a shallow and deep well pump, and the different considerations you need to take when designing a solar system to run either of them

    Ep 36: Comparing chickens and ducks on the Homestead

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2023 18:20


    Today I talk about the primary differences between raising chickens and raising ducks on the Homestead. And Muscovy ducks were the thing that I could not think about during the podcast. I literally remember the name right as I was hitting end on the recording.

    Ep35: recycle bad ideas into good ideas

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2023 20:45


    Today I talk about an idea that I had while listening to a different podcast that I answered an expert panel question on that related to send batteries. My general idea it was that it was a bad idea, but there were ways to strip the bad parts out and recycle the good parts into a good idea.

    Claim Hack my Homestead

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel