Ditch The Store

CJ Steedman
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Home & Garden
  • Updated Weekly

🎙️ Ditch the Store Life’s too short for store-bought eggs. Tired of soaring prices and supermarket nonsense? This podcast is your cheeky, no-nonsense guide to growing food, raising animals, making homemade goods, and living frugally—whether you’re in the suburbs or on a small farm. New episodes weekly + a new Ditch the Store book every two months to help you break free, one step at a time. Let’s grow it, make it, raise it—and ditch the store.

  1. Episode 168: Celebrating Yule on the Homestead

    1 day ago

    Episode 168: Celebrating Yule on the Homestead

    Winter has settled in. The garden has slowed down, the chickens are taking their annual leave, and the shortest day of the year is almost here. But what if this wasn't something to endure? What if it was something to celebrate? In this episode of Ditch the Store, CJ explores the history of Yule, the ancient midwinter festival that celebrated the longest night of the year and the return of the light. We look at how many familiar Christmas traditions have roots in older seasonal celebrations and why Yule still makes perfect sense for modern homesteaders. Whether you're interested in history, seasonal living, family traditions, or simply finding a meaningful way to mark the winter solstice, this episode is packed with practical ideas you can use on your own homestead. ❄️ What Yule is and why it was celebrated 🔥 The connection between Yule, winter solstice, and Christmas traditions 🌲 The history behind Yule logs, evergreen decorations, candles, and midwinter feasts 🐔 Why seasonal living still matters for modern homesteaders 📝 Questions to reflect on as you review your homestead year 🍲 Simple and affordable Yule traditions you can start with your family 🌱 How winter planning can set you up for success in spring Light candles to celebrate the return of longer daysShare a meal made from homegrown or preserved foodGather around a fire pit or fireplaceCreate decorations from natural materialsReflect on what worked (and didn't work) on your homestead this yearSet goals for the coming growing seasonPractice gratitude for the lessons, harvests, and experiences of the past yearWinter may feel slow, but it isn't standing still. Every day after the winter solstice brings a little more light, a little more warmth, and one step closer to spring. Mentioned in this Episode 🌿 Join the Mojo Homestead mailing list:www.mojohomestead.net 🌿 Follow Mojo Homestead for more homesteading tips, seasonal living inspiration, and practical self-sufficiency advice. 🥬 Fermentation 101 – Learn the basics of fermenting food, improving gut health, preserving harvests, and adding natural probiotics to your pantry. 🎧 Subscribe to Ditch the Store for weekly episodes on homesteading, food security, backyard chickens, gardening, livestock, self-sufficiency, and creating a more resilient lifestyle. #DitchTheStore #Yule #WinterSolstice #Homesteading #SeasonalLiving #SelfSufficiency #ChristmasInJuly #MojoHomestead #BackyardHomestead #SimpleLiving #HomesteadLife #AustralianHomesteading

    36 min
  2. Episode 167: Why Your Chickens Have Gone on Strike (and What You Can Do About It)

    17 June

    Episode 167: Why Your Chickens Have Gone on Strike (and What You Can Do About It)

    Have your hens suddenly stopped laying eggs? Before you panic and start questioning your chicken-keeping skills, take a breath. If it's winter, there's a good chance your girls haven't quit their jobs—they've simply gone on annual leave. In this episode of Ditch the Store, CJ explains why egg production drops (or stops completely) during winter, what a molt actually is, how daylight affects laying, and the practical steps you can take to help your flock through the season. You'll learn: 🐔 Why shorter days—not cold weather—are usually responsible for reduced egg production 🐔 What happens during a molt and why hens need this natural rest period 🐔 How to tell the difference between a molting hen and a sick hen 🐔 The best high-protein foods to support feather regrowth 🐔 Common mistakes that can make a molt last longer 🐔 Whether artificial lighting is worth using in a backyard flock 🐔 What to expect as spring approaches and egg production returns If you've opened the nesting box lately and found nothing but disappointment, this episode is for you. ✅ Join the Mojo Homestead mailing list: www.mojohomestead.net ✅ Upcoming book: Eggs Without Cartons – the complete guide to raising chickens for fresh backyard eggs ✅ Current book: Ditch the Store: From Brooder to Plate Remember: winter doesn't last forever, and neither does a molt. Feed them well, keep them healthy, and the eggs will return. 🎧 Subscribe to Ditch the Store for practical homesteading advice on chickens, gardening, self-sufficiency, food security, and living a more independent life. #DitchTheStore #BackyardChickens #ChickenKeeping #EggProduction #MoltingChickens #HomesteadingAustralia #SelfSufficiency #FarmLife #MojoHomestead #RaiseYourOwnFood Mentioned in this episode: Brooder to Plate - USA and Kindle https://amzn.to/44yQr2L Brooder to Plate - Aussie version https://amzn.to/4eTcGnw ✅ Join the Mojo Homestead mailing list: www.mojohomestead.net✅ Upcoming book: Eggs Without Cartons – the complete guide to raising chickens for fresh backyard eggs✅ Current book: Ditch the Store: From Brooder to PlateBrooder to Plate - USA and Kindle ⁠https://amzn.to/44yQr2L⁠ Brooder to Plate - Aussie version ⁠https://amzn.to/4eTcGnw⁠Remember: winter doesn't last forever, and neither does a molt. Feed them well, keep them healthy, and the eggs will return.🎧 Subscribe to Ditch the Store for practical homesteading advice on chickens, gardening, self-sufficiency, food security, and living a more independent life.#DitchTheStore #BackyardChickens #ChickenKeeping #EggProduction #MoltingChickens #HomesteadingAustralia #SelfSufficiency #FarmLife #MojoHomestead #RaiseYourOwnFood

    43 min
  3. Episode 166 - What You Can Still Grow in Winter

    11 June

    Episode 166 - What You Can Still Grow in Winter

    Southern Tablelands, NSW and cool-temperate Australia — June, July, August LEAFY GREENS Kale: Cavolo Nero / Tuscan Kale, Curly Kale, Red Russian Silverbeet / Rainbow Chard English Spinach: Bloomsdale, Winter Giant — direct sow only Mustard Greens Asian Greens: Bok Choy, Pak Choi, Wombok/Chinese Cabbage BRASSICAS Broccoli — plant as seedlings Cauliflower — plant as seedlings, frost cloth on hard frost nights Cabbage: Green Drumhead, Savoy Kohlrabi LEGUMES Broad Beans: Aquadulce, Coles Dwarf — direct sow Peas: Greenfeast, Snow Peas, Sugar Snap Peas — direct sow, needs a trellis ROOT VEGETABLES Radishes: Cherry Belle, French Breakfast — direct sow, very fast Beetroot: Chioggia, Cylindra — direct sow Turnips — direct sow Swede — direct sow Leeks — plant seedlings ALLIUMS Garlic: Monaro Purple, Australian Purple (ideal for Southern Tablelands) — best planted March–April, but plant now anyway; buy seed garlic, not supermarket bulbs Spring Onions HERBS Parsley — very frost-hardy, thrives in cool weather Coriander — best grown in winter; bolts in heat Chives Rosemary, Thyme, Sage — established plants sail through winter DO NOT PLANT IN SOUTHERN TABLELANDS WINTER: Tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, corn, French beans, climbing beans, capsicums, eggplant, sweet potato, basil PRACTICAL TIPS FROM THIS EPISODE: In Australia, north-facing beds get the most winter sun (sun comes from the north) Use frost cloth in the evening when frost is forecast; remove in the morning Mulch around plants to protect roots — keep mulch away from the crown Direct sow: spinach, broad beans, peas, radishes, carrots, beetroot, turnips Plant as seedlings: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, silverbeet, cabbage, leeks Water less in winter — check soil before watering Succession sow radishes and spinach every 2–3 weeks for continuous harvest Cold frames and frost cloth can extend what's possible on hard frost nights LINKS: Join the Mojo Homestead email list: www.mojohomestead.net 'Eggs Without Cartons' — coming soon. Email list members hear first.

    42 min
  4. Episode 165: Frost Protection Basics

    4 June

    Episode 165: Frost Protection Basics

    Frost season is here — and if you’re in a cold pocket like the Southern Tablelands, you already know it can wipe out a garden overnight. In Episode 165 of Ditch The Store, I’m walking you through frost protection basics: what frost actually is, how to judge your risk, the cheap methods that work, and the common mistakes that make things worse. Quick personal note first: Tuesday was my “D‑Day” — I’m saw the surgeon to check the X‑ray and find out whether the bone graft in my leg has taken. If you’ve got a spare good thought, send it my way. In this episode What frost is (ice crystals forming on plant surfaces below 0°C)Why clear, still nights are the biggest frost risk (clouds = a blanket)Frost pockets and why cold air behaves like water (it sinks and pools)How to judge your frost risk: light frost vs hard frostKnowing your first/last frost dates (and why late surprise frosts happen)What gets smashed first (the drama queens) vs what can copeMicroclimates you can use to “cheat”:Brick walls + under eavesEvergreen shelter (with the trade-off of shade)Near water (more stable temps)5 frost protection methods:Cover plants (frost cloth, sheets, cloches, plastic with a frame)Mulch (stabilises soil temps + suppresses weeds)Watering (moist soil holds heat — but water early, not at night)Move pots (verandah, greenhouse, shed/garage overnight)Windbreaks + airflow management (wind strips warmth and dries plants)What NOT to do:Plastic/fabric sitting directly on leavesLeaving covers on for days without airflow/lightPushing nitrogen fertiliser in winter (soft growth = frost damage)Ignoring weeds (they don’t take winter off)Protecting specific plants: seedlings vs established plants, herbs, leafy greens, root vegWinter infrastructure checks: hoses, taps, irrigation lines, frozen pipesA simple frost-night checklist (forecast → cover → mulch → move pots → uncover)Australian cold zone map (https://canva.link/wthzfa19m20cmbi)Mentioned Next week What you can still grow in winter — including ideas for different zones (not just mine). Got a go-to frost trick that actually works? Send me a DM and tell me what you do.

    32 min
  5. Episode 164 - Backyard Greenhouses

    25 May

    Episode 164 - Backyard Greenhouses

    Winter’s rolling in down here in the Southern Tablelands, so today we’re talking backyard greenhouses — and I don’t just mean the “grab a kit from Bunnings and hope for the best” kind. I break down what a greenhouse actually does (wind management, frost protection, moisture control and temperature buffering), why it matters in frosty climates, and the different options from tiny cloches right through to DIY window-and-door masterpieces. I also share a quick personal update on my leg (surgery, bone graft, and the long road back to being properly useful around the farm again). Thanks for all the kind messages — they’ve meant a lot.In this episode Why there was no episode last week (and where I’m at with recovery)Greenhouse vs hothouse (and why I want both)The first step: know your climate zone + frost datesFrost pockets, wind exposure and why valleys can be colderWhat a greenhouse is meant to do (not just look pretty)Greenhouse options:Cloches (mini plant domes)Cold frames (old window over a raised bed)Hoop houses / plastic tunnelsShade cloth houses (what I’m using right now)Polycarbonate kit greenhousesTraditional glasshousesDIY builds using recycled windows and doorsLocation tips: winter sun, ventilation, drainage, access and shelterPractical design stuff: walkway width, benches vs in-ground, door width, ventsMaterials + covers: timber, steel, PVC hoops, greenhouse plastic, shade cloth, polycarbonate, glassAnchoring (because nobody wants their greenhouse ending up next door)What to grow through winter (and what’s a bit too optimistic) ResourcesFree Australian hot/cold zone map for you to save or print: https://canva.link/wthzfa19m20cmbi Next week I’m going deeper into frost protection — the basics and what actually works when winter really bites.If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a mate who’s trying to grow food in a frost pocket. See you next week, bye for now.

    49 min
  6. Episode 163 - Preserving Homegrown Herbs

    11 May

    Episode 163 - Preserving Homegrown Herbs

    Fresh herbs from the garden taste nothing like the sad wilted bunch from the supermarket — and if you know how to preserve them, you'll have that flavour all year round. CJ covers drying, freezing, herb butter, herb salt, and infused oils, so nothing from your autumn harvest goes to waste. 👉 Weekly tips and seasonal advice at mojohomestead.net

    37 min
  7. Episode 162 - May Garden Jobs

    4 May

    Episode 162 - May Garden Jobs

    Think there's nothing to do in the garden in May? Think again. CJ covers the autumn cleanup jobs that'll save you a heap of work come spring — from harvesting the last of the season, prepping your soil, getting winter crops in, and planning ahead so you're not scrambling when the weather warms up again. 👉 Weekly seasonal tips at mojohomestead.net

    36 min
  8. Episode 161 - Potatoes, Garlic & Onions

    27 Apr

    Episode 161 - Potatoes, Garlic & Onions

    Potatoes, garlic, and onions are three of the easiest, most satisfying crops you can grow — and right now is exactly the right time to plant them. CJ covers everything from soil prep to harvest, so you can stock your pantry for months without spending a fortune at the shops. 👉 Jump on our newsletter list and see freebie links at mojohomestead.net

    44 min
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5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

🎙️ Ditch the Store Life’s too short for store-bought eggs. Tired of soaring prices and supermarket nonsense? This podcast is your cheeky, no-nonsense guide to growing food, raising animals, making homemade goods, and living frugally—whether you’re in the suburbs or on a small farm. New episodes weekly + a new Ditch the Store book every two months to help you break free, one step at a time. Let’s grow it, make it, raise it—and ditch the store.

Information

  • Creator
    CJ Steedman
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    169
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © CJ Steedman
  • Show Website
    Ditch The Store