Looking forward to hosting a great group of folks today for our quarterly swap meet and social. If you're in the Knoxville area and want to meet other homesteaders and preparedness minded folks, shoot me an email at strongrootsresources@gmail.com.

Best dog ever

To their credit, the employer helped everyone get their unemployment benefits, which of I recall correctly, was about $250 weekly and then soon the federal package was adding $500 weekl. I was now receiving about 2x as much money as I was normally earning through my regular wages.

So by March of 2020, I'd be hearing some info about this especially contagious virus in China. I was initially concerned - I'd done my share of continuing education and training related to pandemics and contagious agents. The bakery - my employer - decided to close for an indefinite amount of time. We had tried to go the curbside/delivery route but just weren't set up for it. #grownostr #growyourself

Last minute prep work underway for our gathering tomorrow. If you're in the Knoxville, TN area and want to meet up with fellow homesteaders and freedom lovers, email me for details: strongrootsresources@gmail.com

Wrapped up my work week early so we could get ready for our Sunday swap meet and social gathering. Looking like it'll be our best attended so far - 30 people who want to learn more about how to network with others, develope lifestyle design, learn homesteading skills and how to build businesses. #growyourself #grownostr #homesteading

Harbor Freight understands their clientele

Mindset check: there's a lady (customer) who I see almost weekly. She doesn't come across as a negative person initially but I noticed that when I make a positive comment (your elderberry is looking awesome!) she follows up with some kind of downer comment. Just remarking on this because when I notice this sort of thing, it's because I do it as well. Shadow projection. A reminder to keep that in check. #grownostr @growyourself

Good morning folks. Morning lifting is complete, gearing up for my day of property maintenance. #grownostr #growyourself

Solid day ahead. Resumed morning weight training. Chiropractor visit this morning then planting trees for a customer in the afternoon. #grownostr #growyourself

I really love this tree

#centerpiece #sycamore #grownostr

Perilla is out

This morning I went out to see a fellow permaculturist's property along with two of my consulting clients. They're interested in running sheep on their property and I knew my friend could demonstrate the rotational methods and answer all their questions. As a consultant and designer, I'm okay with not knowing everything. This is why I cultivate relationships with folks who can help fill my knowledge gaps. And now I'm working out how to add sheep to our place. #grownostr #growyourself

So I have a Jeep. It's a 97 Cherokee that dad sold me for $1,500. I am not a Jeep guy nor do I follow or understand Jeep culture. I don't get the duck thing. I just needed wheels that would let me get work done. I think there's a few other guys in my area with the same outlook - I see them both in their (faded) black and red Jeeps. Usually with a trailer too. We always exchange a wave, as if we know we're not members of the Jeep elite but we recognize each another as guys getting shit done with a vehicle that's utilitarian. #grownostr #notjeepelite

After spending all day working in the sun it can be hard to motivate myself to go to my jiu-jitsu training. On the rare occasion that I don't go, I always regret it. But not once have I regretted pushing through when I just wanted to throw on the brakes. #growyourself #grownostr

Doing a little native/ pollinator friendly planting today. Will do my very best to remember to get pictures upon completion.

2019 winter was also when I was getting big into kratky hydroponics. I had multiple shelves set up in our spare room and had put together a decent system for starting various garden plants as well as successively sowing basil, dill and other annual culinary herbs and several leaf lettuces. #grownostr #growyourself

So winter of 2019 was unremarkable to the best of my memory. I was focused on earning and I'd begun to put together the bones of the business that I named Strong Roots Resources. The name came to me while I was working - I wanted something versatile while robust. I wasn't sure if it would be product or service based, so I gave myself room to maneuver.

Radish is one of the easiest and earliest vegetables you sow in East Tennessee. I seeded these mid March. I always seed more than I really need for root harvest. I like how it loosens the soil for the next round of planting. But even if you miss peak time to harvest radish root, you can still enjoy the flowers and tender seed pods. It's like a flavor like mild radish crossed with broccoli.