The Homestead Education

About The Homestead Education

Everyone deserves an agricultural education — to understand food, land, and responsibility at a scale that fits real life. Hosted by Kody Hanner, agricultural educator, homeschool mom of six, and lifelong rural advocate, The Homestead Education Podcast explores how accessible, small-scale agricultural education can build capable people, strengthen families, and create resilient local food systems. Drawing from generations of rural knowledge, educated in animal science, and years of teaching families outside traditional systems, Kody breaks down complex food and education topics into practical, usable skills for homes, classrooms, and communities. Each week, you’ll hear honest conversations about food systems, small-scale agriculture, homeschooling, and real-world education — designed for families, educators, and anyone who believes we shouldn’t outsource our lives. Whether you live on acreage, in town, or somewhere in between, this podcast will help you understand where your food comes from, why it matters, and how practical agricultural knowledge can create meaningful change.

Publisher

Kody Hanner

Category

education · kids & family · leisure

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

2 May 2022

Latest episode

13 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

184 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   13 Oct 2026

   Episode 187: How to Preserve Heirloom Seeds and Grow a Resilient Garden

   Seed saving is about far more than collecting a few seeds at the end of the gardening season. It is a practical way to preserve heirloom varieties, strengthen your garden, and keep more control over your family’s food supply. In this episode, I’m joined by Christopher and Maggie Snow of Autumn Prairie Pumpkins to discuss seed saving, heirloom pumpkins, hand pollination, pest-resistant squash varieties, and the small suburban garden that grew into a micro farm and seed business. Christopher and Maggie explain the difference between heirloom and F1 hybrid seeds—and why seeds collected from a hybrid plant may not produce the same variety the following year. We also walk through their seed-saving process, including covering unopened blossoms, hand-pollinating flowers, preventing unwanted cross-pollination, and labeling the seeds they intend to preserve. We also talk about: Why heirloom seeds matter for food security and resilience How to begin seed saving in your own garden The difference between heirloom and F1 hybrid varieties How squash and pumpkins cross-pollinate Using blossom bags and hand pollination to keep seeds true Choosing squash varieties adapted to local pests and conditions Squash vine borers, cucumber beetles, and natural pest-management methods Growing vertically in a small suburban backyard Preserving unusual culinary pumpkins and their agricultural history Turning a passion for gardening into a small farm business You do not need acres of land, generations of gardening knowledge, or a naturally green thumb to begin growing food and saving seeds. Sometimes it starts with one stubborn pumpkin plant—and a willingness to learn why it survived when the others did not. Learn more about Christopher and Maggie, shop their heirloom seeds, and find their pumpkin cookbook at AutumnPrairiePumpkins.com. Use code HOMESTEAD10 for 10% off your order. Episode Links The Pumpkin Bakery Book: https://link.amazon/B0coHS4gw Ten Tomatoes that Changed the World: https://link.amazon/B0cuEn6db Guns, Germs, & Steel: https://link.amazon/B02DY7mdr Kody's Links Homestead Education Curriculum – http://thehomesteadeducation.com/homesteadeducationcurriculum Homestead Family Reading List – https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/homestead-summer-reading-list/ ESA Funding:  https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/funding/ Instagram – https://instagram.com/homestead_education Facebook – https://facebook.com/thehomesteadeducation Raising Self-Sufficient Kids Book – https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/product/raising-self-sufficient-children/

2. 

   22 Sept 2026

   Episode 186: How to Prepare for Rising Gas Prices & Food Shortages

   What happens when rising gas prices don't just hurt at the pump—but begin affecting the cost and availability of nearly everything else? In this episode of The Homestead Education Podcast, I'm joined by my husband, Ron Hanner, to talk about what higher fuel costs can mean for truckers, farmers, food prices, local businesses, and the supply chain—and, more importantly, what ordinary families can actually do about it. This isn't about preparing for the end of the world. It's about preparing for the unprecedented. A job loss. A power outage. A winter storm. A supply-chain disruption. Rapidly rising gas prices. Or simply discovering that the groceries your family buys every week suddenly cost far more than they did a year ago. Ron and I talk through the ripple effect that fuel prices can have across agriculture and transportation, including the pressure on independent truck drivers and the importance of the trucks that move food, fuel, medical supplies, manufacturing materials, and countless everyday necessities. We also discuss why even a short disruption can expose just how dependent modern communities are on products arriving exactly when they're needed. But most of this episode is about what you can do before you're scrambling. In This Episode: How rising gas prices can increase the cost of food and other necessities Why independent truck drivers are especially vulnerable to major fuel-price increases What a transportation or supply-chain disruption could mean for everyday families Why preparedness doesn't have to mean extreme prepping Simple ways to store drinking water How to secure a dependable protein source Buying beef, pork, eggs, and milk directly from local farmers Splitting bulk meat purchases with friends or family to lower the upfront cost Stretching meat across multiple meals Stocking inexpensive staples like potatoes and other root vegetables Preserving grocery-store produce when your garden doesn't produce enough Small-batch canning, freezing, fermenting, and refrigerator pickling Why you don't need to preserve hundreds of pounds of food at once How buying in bulk can make higher-quality food more affordable Getting multiple foods from one ingredient—like turning raw milk into drinking milk, yogurt, cream, butter, or cheese Reducing food waste by creating a more circular household or homestead food system Why supporting your local farmer before a crisis matters so much One of the biggest misconceptions about preparedness is that you need a huge pantry, acres of land, or thousands of dollars to get started. You don't. Start with one thing. Buy an extra staple when it's inexpensive. Find someone locally who sells eggs. Split a bulk beef purchase with another family. Learn how to preserve one food your family already eats. Store a little water. Cook an extra portion and put it away. The goal isn't fear. The goal is creating enough margin in your life that the unexpected doesn't immediately become an emergency. We also talk about one of the most important pieces of preparedness that can't be stored on a pantry shelf: relationships. A functioning local food system exists only when local farmers have enough customers to keep producing food. Waiting until grocery shelves are empty to find your local farmer is too late. Supporting those producers consistently helps ensure that farms, ranches, dairies, and small food businesses are still there when your community needs them. And because this is our family, the conversation naturally includes cows getting ready to calve, a chicken tractor that we accidentally built too large to get off the porch, kids who name animals destined for the freezer, plans for a multigenerational family homestead—and Ron abruptly leaving the podcast when his fire department pager goes off. Real life doesn't stop because you're recording a podcast. Neither does the unexpected. The best time to prepare for it is before you need to. Resources Mentioned Visit The Homestead Education for

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   Episode 185: How I Actually Get It All Done on a Homestead

   In this episode, I’m answering one of the questions I get asked all the time: How do I get it all done? Between running a homestead, raising livestock, homeschooling, managing multiple businesses, traveling, running a co-op, and keeping up with a very full household, the real answer is—I don’t do it all. I’m sharing what actually helps me keep things moving: delegating, building systems, choosing priorities, managing the mental load, using tools that work with my brain, knowing when to hire help, and accepting that sometimes “good enough” really is good enough. I also share plenty of real-life homestead chaos along the way—from new piglets and heritage hogs to chicken disasters, ducks, harvest season, and the reality of trying to prepare for winter while running a business. If you’ve ever felt like you’re working constantly but somehow still falling behind, this episode is for you. Episode Links Autumn of the Homestead Activity Book: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/product/seasons-on-the-homestead-autumn-educational-activity-book/ Hanner Homestead: info@hannerhomestead.com 80/20 Rule Book: https://amzn.to/4AeMfTl The Gut Health Product That Changed My Life: https://shareplex.us/share/8qE7_VL Kody’s Link Homestead Education Curriculum – http://thehomesteadeducation.com/homesteadeducationcurriculum Homestead Family Reading List – https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/homestead-summer-reading-list/ ESA Funding: https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/funding/ Instagram – https://instagram.com/homestead_education Facebook – https://facebook.com/thehomesteadeducation Raising Self-Sufficient Kids Book – https://www.thehomesteadeducation.com/product/raising-self-sufficient-children/

Who has been a guest on The Homestead Education

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Greg Leininger
• Kristen Leininger
• Brian Combs
• Jennifer Wheeler
• Cheryl Daley

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

83,560

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

20 ratings

Spotify

4.3 / 5

10 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 85 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

81

Social presence

94

YouTube

85

Engagement

92

Contact The Homestead Education

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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