2026 Presentations & Demo’s

Below are detailed presentation descriptions (you will receive a printed program with the speaker schedule in it when you arrive at conference). Schedule is subject to change.

Friday 9:00 to 10:00 am

RuthAnn Zimmerman – Raising a Homestead Family: Creating Rhythms That Grow With Your Children

Homesteading with children looks different in every season of life. In this session, you’ll learn how to build workable routines that involve kids in meaningful ways while balancing responsibility, education, and family life. We’ll explore how roles and systems naturally shift as children grow, how to adjust expectations for different ages and stages, and what the homestead dynamic looks like when children eventually step into adulthood or leave home. This practical, honest conversation will help you design rhythms that serve both your homestead and your family well for the long haul.

Dr. Ken Berry – Reversing Disease Naturally

How homesteaders can prevent and even reverse conditions like Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, autoimmune conditions, and obesity—starting in their kitchens, not the doctor’s office.

Don Tipping – The Fall Garden Starts in June: Extending Your Harvest Through Winter

While the summer garden blesses us with so much bounty and beauty, the truth is that a well done Fall garden (which actually begins with planting in June) feeds us for a longer portion of the year when coupled with proper storage, root cellar and/or greenhouses. Don will share some guidance from his over 30 years of homestead gardening from seed.

Karson Rippstein -Soil Basics for Young Homesteaders: Build Healthy Soil from the Ground Up (Youth Track)

Healthy soil is where every successful farm or garden begins! In this hands-on, easy-to-understand session, you’ll learn how to tell if your soil is healthy (and what clues it gives you when it’s not). We’ll cover simple, practical steps you can use right away to improve soil in a garden, pasture, or even a small backyard space. Whether you dream of running a farm someday or just want better plants now, this class will give you the tools to grow from the ground up.

Kaylee Richardson – The Beekeeper’s Apothecary: How to Turn Honey & More Into Healing Traditions (demo)

Did you know your backyard hive holds more than honey? Inside every colony, bees are quietly crafting a full medicine chest—from propolis to wax, pollen, and, of course, honey itself. In this hands-on demo, you’ll discover:

The real “why” behind bee-made ingredients: what makes hive products so potent for wellness, not just sweet for the table.
How to make your own natural remedies: step-by-step for tinctures, oxymels, salves, and electuaries—even if you’re brand new.
Time-tested wisdom with a modern, practical spin: learn how generations before us relied on bees for first aid, immunity, and everyday health (and why science says it works).
Simple ways to build your own “apothecary shelf” at home—no fancy equipment or experience needed.

If you want to rely less on store-bought medicine, use what you have, and pass down real skills, don’t miss this chance to bring old-fashioned healing and sweet tradition back into your home.

Matthew Tuller – GOAT REARING: How to Raise a Thriving Herd

In this session, you’ll learn the full art and practice of raising goats through every stage of life — from birth and early kid care to breeding, pregnancy, herd management, and compassionate end-of-life decisions. You’ll discover how to approach goat health and vet care, bedding, nutrition, hoof maintenance, and the practical systems that keep a herd thriving.

Drawing on more than a decade of real-world experience (and plenty of trial and error), Matthew will give you the honest, hard-earned insights every goat keeper needs. Whether you’re brand new or an experienced herd manager, you’ll walk away with the knowledge and confidence to care for your goats well.

Kevin Trosclair – From Side to Freezer: Breaking Down a Pig (Demo Part 1)

Join Kevin Trosclair of Mountain View Custom Meats for a detailed, hands-on hog butchering demonstration at the Modern Homesteading Conference. You’ll learn how to break down a pig from primal cuts to perfectly portioned, freezer-ready packages. Kevin will walk you through selecting the best cuts, maximizing yield, understanding fat and muscle structure, and minimizing waste so nothing valuable is lost.

Cassidy Cornell – Small Property, Big Possibilities: Suburban Homesteading Made Practical

If you're interested in learning how to homestead but think your property is too small, this is the perfect presentation for you. Join Cassidy Cornell, backyard homesteader and author, as she shares how she raises food for her family right in their backyard. From layer flocks to meat birds and dairy goats, you'll learn how to maximize the space you have to produce more of your own food.

Friday 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Joel Salatin – Faith, Stewardship, and the Call to Cultivate

Modern homesteading isn’t just about skills—it’s about calling, stewardship, and responsibility. In this session, you explore how faith in the Lord informs regenerative grazing, food independence, and wholesome living. Drawing from Scripture, lived experience, and decades of observation, you unpack why small-scale, family-centered agriculture aligns with biblical stewardship and how faith provides the why behind the work of caring for land, animals, and people.

Daniel Salatin – How Many Animals Can Your Land Support? (Without Overgrazing or Buying Feed)

Overgrazing and overstocking are two of the biggest problems in modern homesteading, and “How many animals can I have?” is one of the most common questions homesteaders ask. In this session, Daniel will walk attendees through how to evaluate their land, acreage, layout, and existing infrastructure to determine which livestock and systems make the most sense for their space.

He’ll cover how scale impacts decision-making, what pasture rotation and multi-species grazing can look like on small versus larger acreage, and how to design livestock systems that work with the land instead of fighting it. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for making land-appropriate choices so they can feed their household (and even share with their community) without overbuilding, overbuying feed, or burning out.

Dr. Patrick Jones- Autoimmune Disease – The Modern Medical Crisis

Join Doctor Patrick Jones for an In-Depth' Seminar on Autoimmune Diseases. We'll discuss ailments like leaky gut syndrome, chronic fatigue, lupus, fibromyalgia, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, and all sorts of other autoimmune disorders. You'll learn strategies to calm the immune system and resolve some of the underlying issues that cause these problems. Learn what causes the immune system to attack the body and what to do about it. This is an advanced course that will really empower you to understand and address Autoimmune Diseases and Leaky Gut cases at a whole new level!

Rachel Thomas-Entz, Abigail & Brianna Thomas – Hands-On Make-Along Class: How to Build a Mason Bee House (Youth Track)

Karson Rippstein -Putting Bentonite Clay to Use in Your Natural Medicine Cabinet

Discover the incredible benefits of nature’s own mineral powerhouses—Redmond’s Real Salt and Bentonite Clay. From enriching soil health and boosting livestock vitality to supporting personal wellness, these natural elements have been used for generations to restore balance and nourish life. In this session, we’ll explore practical ways to integrate these time-tested resources into your homestead, unlocking their full potential for stronger crops, healthier animals, and better well-being.

Bethany Hutson & Kelsey Harms – Confidently Homeschooling on the Homestead

Learn how to create a meaningful, hands-on education from elementary through high school. Join Bethany and Kelsey for an encouraging and practical session on homeschooling on the homestead — from the early elementary years all the way through high school graduation. You’ll discover how a homesteading lifestyle naturally complements home education, offering children a flexible, hands-on learning environment that builds independence, resilience, and a lifelong love of learning.

Whether you’re just beginning your homeschooling journey or navigating transcripts and course credits for your teens, you’ll walk away with clear strategies you can put into practice right away. We’ll explore different educational styles, how to choose the right curriculum, and how to tailor lessons for multiple ages at once. You’ll also learn how to overcome imposter syndrome, keep records and transcripts with confidence, plan for high school, and stay organized and motivated throughout the year.

Come ready to be inspired, equipped, and encouraged as you build a homeschool rhythm that truly fits your home, your children, and your homestead lifestyle.

Kevin Trosclair – From Side to Freezer: Breaking Down a Pig (Demo Part 2)

Seth Smith – The Elderberry Advantage—Grow, Propagate & Harness Nature’s Immune Booster

Unlock the full power of elderberry with homesteader and plant enthusiast Seth Smith in this comprehensive, hands-on class. Whether you’re a total beginner or looking to take your elderberry harvest to the next level, this class covers everything you need to know to grow, use, and multiply this incredible plant.

In this class, you’ll learn:

How to choose and grow elderberry varieties that thrive in your region
The simple steps to planting, caring for, and harvesting elderberries for maximum yield
The powerful medicinal benefits of elderberry—and the science behind why it works
How to make your own elderberry syrup (and why it’s a must-have for your natural medicine cabinet)
Plus: The often-overlooked skill of propagating elderberry—discover just how easy it is to create an endless supply of new plants from your existing bush

Whether you’re interested in natural remedies, self-sufficiency, or adding resilient, productive plants to your land, you’ll leave this class with the confidence and skills to grow, use, and multiply elderberry like a pro.

Friday 12:00 to 1:00 pm **(VIP TICKET HOLDERS ONLY)**

Daniel & Joel Salatin Beyond Family Succession: Creating a Farm That Attracts the Next Generation

Succession is one of the most talked-about topics in agriculture — and one of the most misunderstood. It’s often framed as a family issue: Will your kids take over the farm? But in reality, long-term succession is bigger than family. The real question is: Does your farm create a future that young people actually want to be part of?

In this VIP Lunch conversation, Daniel and Joel will share what real-life succession looks like beyond theory — including what it’s like working together as adults, what has worked well, what has been challenging, and the common pitfalls they’ve seen firsthand. They’ll also discuss how focusing succession only on family can unintentionally create pressure, guilt, and conditional expectations — for both parents and children.

With 22 salaries currently supported by their farm — many of them young people — Daniel and Joel will unpack what it takes to build a farm model that attracts, trains, and retains the next generation (related or unrelated), and how to create a practical template for succession that doesn’t rely on “hoping your kids want it.”

Friday 1:00 to 2:00 pm

Community Meet & Greet in the Arena. Find others who are homesteading in your geographical location!

Friday 2:00 to 3:00 pm

Sally Fallon Morell – Bringing Up Baby

Learn what to do and what NOT to do to ensure the optimal health of your baby. This talk covers pre-conception and pregnancy diets, breastfeeding and homemade formula, newborn interventions and vaccinations.

Carolyn & Josh Thomas & their daughter Rachel Thomas-Entz – Helping Kids Choose Homesteading as Adults

What We Did, What We’d Do Differently, and What Matters Most

In a culture that pushes independence, disconnection, and constant outward striving, how do you raise children who choose family, faithfulness, and meaningful work as adults? In this honest and countercultural conversation, Josh and Carolyn share what shaped their children’s love for homesteading, what they would do differently, and what truly matters in the long run. Joined by their daughter Rachel, who has chosen to build her adult life rooted in family and homestead values, this session explores how shared work, responsibility, and belonging can shape the next generation. If you want your children not just to grow up, but to grow deep roots, this talk will challenge and encourage you.

Joe L'ampl- ECOLOGICAL GARDENING FOR BEAUTY, BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL MANAGEMENT OF INSECT PESTS: A 10-STEP BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS

For centuries, gardens have existed for one main purpose; to bring beauty to our lives. Today, we know that gardens can offer so much more than that. In the light of habitat loss, alarming increases in threatened wildlife species, and the ever-increasing threats from climate change, it’s time to think beyond gardening for just ourselves. The new gardening ethic considers ways that enhance our garden and the surrounding environment for the benefit of other life as well, through the practice of ecological gardening. This presentation will provide a solid, 10-step blueprint for success that we can all implement no matter where we live or garden.

Don Tipping – Seed Saving Demystified Hands-on (Youth Track)

Seed saving is among the most vital skills for a homestead gardening, but the terminology, botany and techniques can be bewildering. Let's start simple and small with some hands-on participatory activities to begin adding tangible tools to your gardening tool belt that you can carry with you your whole life.

Juan Penzini – Artisan Conserves: Fruits and Vegetables (Part 1) Demo

Preserving with Balsamic Vinegar

Authentic balsamic vinegar has been used in Italy for centuries to preserve, balance, and heal. In this session, chef Juan Penzini teaches how to use balsamic to conserve fruits and vegetables, shares its fascinating history, and explains how to spot the real stuff-a flavorful, practical addition to any homesteader's pantry.

Tim Eng – Buying Land for a Homestead: What to Know Before You Commit

Join Tim as he walks you through what really matters when buying homestead property—so you can avoid costly mistakes and start strong. You’ll learn exactly what to look for when evaluating land, common pitfalls and red flags, and the essential questions to ask about infrastructure, zoning, water, and access. Tim will also cover long-term considerations and the realities no real estate website will tell you. Whether you’re new to homesteading or looking to expand, you’ll leave equipped to make a confident, informed purchase and build the future you want from the ground up.

Matt Richards – Hide Tanning on the Homestead

Skins are one of the most useful and valuable resources that often go to waste, but it's really quite easy to tan your own hides using readily available and natural tanning agents. The process and transformation are extremely satisfying as are the beautiful and useful finished results. Learn how to set yourself up to tan hides from your livestock, hunting, and neighbors (so many hides going to waste!). We'll go over the differences between tanning methods, why you'd choose one or another for different projects (hair-on sheep, bark tanned cow leather, brain tan buckskin), proper skinning, salting and storing hides, scraping beams and tools.

Friday 2:00 to 3:30 pm

Daniel Salatin – How to Butcher a Chicken (Demo)

In this demo, you'll learn how to process a chicken from start to finish. Includes equipment tips, slaughtering, plucking, gutting, and cleaning so you can successfully provide a protein source from start to finish for your family at home.

Friday 3:30 to 4:30 pm

Mary Heffernan – From Pasture to Plate – Building a Ranch-to-Table Business

Learn how Mary and Brian Heffernan turned Five Marys Ranch into one of the nation’s leading family-run, direct-to-consumer beef brands. This session will cover the practical steps of producing, processing, butchery and selling high-quality meats straight from the ranch, including the challenges and rewards of vertical integration.

Pete Strayer -Take Back Your Table: The Real Power of Choosing Organic

What’s really at stake when you buy (or skip) organic? In this eye-opening session, Pete breaks down what “organic” really means for your health, your freedom to choose, and the world around you. Learn how true organic farming supports cleaner food, stronger communities, and a healthier planet—plus get practical tips to help you make choices that build a lasting legacy, not just a label.

Health Expert Q&A Panel

Bring your questions and join Doc Jones, Kaylee Richardson, and Sally Fallon Morell for a wide-ranging Q&A on herbal medicine, traditional foods, homestead wellness, and practical family health. A rare chance to learn directly from three of the most trusted voices in the homestead world.

Trevor Hollenback – Sheep Shearing (Demo)

Learn from Trevor Hollenback – internationally trained professional sheep shearer – about what you need to know about sheep shearing on the homestead. In his presentation, he will perform a live shearing demonstration and will cover the following topics:

Equipment selection and setup
When and why to shear your sheep
Shearing methods that reduce stress to both sheep and shearer
Small scale wool production and sale
Ways to use wool that has little value in traditional markets

Nathan Kromer -Leather working- Hands On-Make Along (Youth Track)

Juan Penzini – Artisan Conserves: Fruits and Vegetables (Part 2) Demo

Preserving with Balsamic Vinegar

Anne of All Trades – Chainsaws and axes on the homestead: Safe and Efficient Use (even for little people) (Demo)

My lessons on using a chainsaw and axe in the woods of Montana started when I was five years old. One of my favorite things today is teaching people who’ve never used a chainsaw or an axe before how to cut and split wood. It’s not about power or strength, it’s about using leverage and gravity to our advantage.

In this class we’ll cover safety, sharpening, troubleshooting, use and efficiency when it comes to picking and using the right tools for our bodies and the jobs we need them to perform.

Friday 5:00 to 6:00 KEYNOTE Joel Salatin –

Homesteaders’ Liabilities and Leverages in Modern America explores the legal, geopolitical, and societal forces quietly shaping land ownership, food production, and rural life today. This keynote examines emerging risks—from regulatory pressures to farmland acquisition trends—alongside the leverage points still available to homesteaders and land-based families. Rather than fear-driven speculation, the focus is on discernment: understanding the landscape well enough to make wise decisions, recognize vulnerabilities, and identify opportunities for resilience, stewardship, and long-term independence in a rapidly changing world.

Saturday 9:00 to 10:00 am

Dr. Ken Berry – Health Freedom & Medical Self-Reliance

– What homesteaders need to know about becoming their own primary healthcare advocate
– Navigating modern medicine only when truly necessary.

David Stelzer – Rooted Wellness: How Healthy Soil Grows a Healthy You

Your health starts with the soil—literally. Join David as he unpacks the connection between living soil, nutrient-dense plants, and a thriving gut. Discover how regenerative practices create stronger, healthier crops (and people!), and walk away with real-world tips for boosting both your body’s resilience and your community’s well-being.

Carolyn Thomas – Master Freeze Drying in 7 Simple Steps (Demo)

How to Preserve Real Food Safely, Confidently, and Without Wasting a Single Harvest

Freeze drying is one of the most powerful tools on a modern homestead, but only if you know how to use it correctly. In this practical, step-by-step session, Carolyn breaks down the seven essential steps to freeze drying real food safely, confidently, and without costly mistakes. Whether you’re considering buying a freeze dryer or already own one and want better results, you’ll learn how to improve texture and rehydration, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure your food is stored properly for long-term safety. Walk away knowing exactly why freeze drying belongs in your kitchen and how to use it with confidence.

Daniel Salatin – Homestead Layout and Chore Efficiency That Works

A well-designed homestead saves time, energy, and money — while a poorly designed one creates constant friction and wasted effort. In this session, Daniel will teach you how to audit your current systems, habits, and homestead layout to identify where you’re losing time through inefficient movement, poor flow, and unnecessary steps.

Drawing from the time-and-motion approach used at Polyface Farm, Daniel breaks chores down to the second and demonstrates how small improvements in placement, routine, and infrastructure can create significant gains in efficiency. He’ll walk through real-world examples — including what it takes to raise 100 meat birds and how that changes when scaling to 1,000 — helping you understand how systems must evolve as scale increases.

Karson Rippstein – Baby Animals 101: Calving, Kidding & Lambing for Young Homesteaders (Youth Track)

Bringing baby animals into the world is exciting—but it can also be one of the most important (and stressful!) parts of homesteading. In this youth-focused session, we’ll cover the basics of calving, kidding, and lambing, including what’s normal, what’s not, and the biggest do’s and don’ts during birthing season. We’ll also talk about what young livestock need to grow strong, including nutrition basics, warning signs of sickness or undernourishment, and simple ways to prevent common health issues. You’ll leave with more confidence and practical knowledge to help care for baby animals safely and successfully.

Kaylee Richardson – Lessons from the Hive: Real-World Beekeeping for Every Homesteader

Beekeeping is rarely as tidy as the books make it seem. In this down-to-earth, experience-rich session, Kaylee Richardson shares what really happens when you open the hive in the real world—unexpected moments, course corrections, and the small wins that build true beekeeping confidence.

With years of hands-on experience, Kaylee will guide you through the practical lessons that only come from working directly with the bees: what to look for, what to ignore, what to fix, and how to stay calm when things don’t go exactly as planned.

You’ll learn how to avoid the most common mistakes new beekeepers make, how to read the health and resilience of your colony, and why keeping more than one hive is one of the smartest decisions you can make for long-term success.

By the end, you’ll walk away with:

The top beginner mistakes—and simple habits to prevent them
A clear understanding of what a strong colony looks like
Early warning signs to watch for (before small issues become big ones)
How multiple hives can support each other—and even save a struggling colony
The confidence to work with your bees safely, calmly, and wisely

Whether you’re brand-new or refining your skills, this session will help you make fewer mistakes, respond well when the unexpected happens, and grow as a beekeeper who truly understands—and enjoys—the hive.

Anne of All Trades – Mushrooms Made Easy—Forage, Grow, Stay Safe

Foraging and growing mushrooms is clouded in mystique and often accompanied by fear because of the very real possibility that picking and eating the wrong one could very well be the last thing we do. In this class we’ll do a deep dive into a few of my favorite mushrooms to both forage and grow as well as demystify the process of becoming a confident selector of the best tasting and most medicinally advantageous mushrooms we can both find and grow in/on our local forests and farms.

Kevin Trosclair – Mastering Meat Processing: From Food Safety to Sausage Making (Part 1 Demo)

Join Kevin Trosclair & Michelle Rowe of Mountain View Custom Meats for an in-depth session on food safety, meat science, and advanced processing techniques at the Modern Homesteading Conference. Learn the fundamentals of safe meat handling, proper butchering practices, and the art of sausage making, including seasoning, grinding, and casing. Whether you're processing meat at home or want to improve your skills, this session will give you the confidence to do it right!

Seth Smith – Perennial Fruit Power—Establishing Berries, Nuts, and Fruit Trees on Your Homestead

Ready to create an edible landscape that feeds your family for years to come? Join Seth Smith for a morning session dedicated to incorporating perennial fruit into your homestead. From classic berries to productive nut trees and reliable fruit trees, Seth will guide you through planning, selecting, and planting the right perennial crops for your land.

This class covers:

Choosing the best perennial fruits (including blueberries, raspberries, and more) for your climate and soil
Understanding the basics of planting, spacing, and companion planting for long-term success
Integrating nut trees for additional nutrition and resilience
How to plan your homestead for a steady, year-after-year harvest of fruits and nuts

Perfect for new homesteaders or anyone looking to diversify their property with low-maintenance, high-value crops!

Saturday 10:30 am to 12:00 pm

Melissa K Norris – Preservation Season Without the Panic – Creating a Summer-to-Fall Strategy That Works

Every year, we plant the garden, sign up for the CSA, or stock up at the farmers market — and then harvest season hits with more food than time.

In this 90-minute session, Melissa K. Norris will walk you through how to create a realistic summer-to-fall preservation strategy that actually works in real life. Instead of focusing on just one method like canning or fermenting, you’ll learn how to evaluate each crop and determine which preservation method makes the most sense — based on your family’s eating habits, storage space, available time, and long-term goals.

You’ll gain a clear framework for deciding when to can, freeze, dehydrate, or ferment — and how to build repeatable systems that prevent waste and reduce overwhelm during peak harvest season.

You’ll leave with a practical plan you can implement immediately.

David Stelzer, Nathan Stelzer & Michelle Stelzer (Panel, Moderated by Pete Strayer) Heirloom Seeds: Saving Tradition, Building Resilience

Step into the world of heirloom seeds and discover why they matter more than ever. In this interactive panel, you’ll learn the essentials: how to save seeds, protect unique genetics, and pass down skills that build true food independence. Get clear, hands-on advice for creating a self-sustaining garden—no experience required.

Mary Heffernan–The Business of Homesteading / Ranching – Turning Passion Into Profit

Homesteading isn’t just about self-sufficiency—it can also be a thriving business. Mary will share her journey of building multiple brands (Five Marys Meats, Tallow, M5 Entrepreneurs) and the strategies that helped her create sustainable income streams while staying true to ranching traditions. Mary will show how storytelling and authenticity built a loyal customer base of over 100,000 buyers. This session will cover how to use social media, email marketing, and personal branding to grow a homestead business, with examples from the growth of Five Marys.

Sally Fallon Morell – Nourishing Traditional Diets: The Key to Vibrant Health (this class is 2 hours)

Animal fats, organ meats, properly prepared whole grains, fermented foods and nourishing bone broths kept our ancestors healthy. Sally Fallon Morell, author of Nourishing Traditions, explains why these are vital factors for maintaining good health. Beginning with a presentation showing Dr. Weston Price's unforgettable photographs of healthy traditional peoples, Ms. Fallon Morell explains the underlying factors in a variety of traditional diets which conferred beauty, strength and freedom from disease on so-called primitive populations.

Learn about:

Butter, the number one health food
The vital role of high-cholesterol foods
Why lowfat and vegan diets don't work
The amazing powers of raw whole milk from pasture-fed cows
The dangers of modern soy foods and soy infant formula •
Foods that help babies grow up smart and strong
The unfortunate consequences of modern farming methods
The conspiracy to promote vegetable oils and hydrogenated fats;
Old-fashioned foods that give limitless energy and vibrant health

Matthew Tuller – Turning Fresh Goat Milk Into Delicious Chèvre (demo)

In this fun and fast-paced workshop, you’ll learn how to turn goat milk into rich, tangy chèvre using simple tools and reliable steps. We’ll walk through the cheesemaking process from start to finish — from udder to culturing, draining, and preparing your finished cheese.

You’ll also get insider tips, troubleshooting advice, and practical pointers that will help you build confidence whether you’re completely new to cheesemaking or dreaming of taking it further. By the end of the session, you’ll know exactly how to make this fresh, flavorful cheese from your own homestead goats.

Tim Eng -How to Find and Build Community That Lasts

Whether you’re starting over in a brand new place or just struggling to find your people right where you are, this session with Tim will give you the tools to build genuine community from the ground up. Learn how to connect and contribute, even if you don’t know anyone, and why strong communities are always built on sharing. Tim will show you how to find mentors, become the neighbor others can count on, and offer practical, real-world ways to establish roots, create meaningful relationships, and finally feel at home—no matter where you are.

Kevin Trosclair – Mastering Meat Processing: From Food Safety to Sausage Making (Part 2 Demo)

Seth Smith – Growing Figs & Fruit Trees in the Pacific Northwest

Dive deeper into fruit tree mastery with a focused session on figs and fruit trees—especially tailored for the unique conditions of the Pacific Northwest. Seth Smith brings years of practical experience and trial-and-error wisdom to show you exactly how to succeed where others struggle.

In this extended workshop, you’ll learn:

The best fig and fruit tree varieties for cool, wet climates
Essential soil, site, and pruning techniques to ensure thriving trees and abundant harvests
Troubleshooting common problems with pests, disease, and unpredictable weather
Step-by-step guidance for planting, caring for, and enjoying figs and other fruits in your PNW backyard or homestead

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to expand your fruit tree orchard, you’ll leave with proven strategies—and the inspiration—to grow your own sweet, homegrown bounty.

Saturday 1:30 to 2:30 pm

Joel Salatin – Small Farms, Big Impact: Building a Profitable Family-Scale Homestead

Can a homestead-sized farm support a family without becoming industrial or overwhelming? In this practical, systems-focused session, you break down the principles behind family-scale farm businesses, drawing from Polyface Micro and decades of hands-on experience.

Pete Strayer – Homestead Marketing Made Simple: Stand Out & Sell With Heart

Ready to turn your hard work into real income? This session breaks down everything you need to market your homestead products with confidence. Pete will cover the essentials: how to tell your story, build trust, reach new customers, and set your products apart—without hype or overwhelm. Perfect for anyone ready to grow their impact (and income) from the ground up.

RuthAnn Zimmerman – Stewardship in Practice: Building a Resourceful and Financially Sustainable Homestead

A thriving homestead isn’t built on endless spending — it’s built on stewardship, creativity, and wise use of what you already have. In this session, you’ll learn practical ways to reduce waste, stretch resources, and strengthen your household economy through intentional thrift shopping, sewing and mending, and everyday skills that save money. Discover how small, resourceful habits compound over time to create a financially sustainable homestead lifestyle rooted in frugality and purpose.

Don Tipping – Growing Herbs Successfully for Food and Medicine

The famous saying “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” attributed to Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine is valuable guidance to see incorporating culinary and medicinal herbs into our cuisine, food preservation, and beverages throughout the year. Don will share some curated favorites that have woven themselves into the tapestry of everyday life on his homestead from seed to plate and cup.

Malia Steffen – Soap Making Demo (Youth Track)

Cassidy Cornell – Smart Chicken Feeding: Nutrition, Balance & Budget

Proper nutrition is one of the most essential foundations for raising and keeping a healthy flock. Join Cassidy Cornell, backyard chicken keeper and McMurray Hatchery team member, as she breaks down the different feed options available — from non-GMO to corn- and soy-free — helping you understand what the labels really mean and how to choose the best fit for your flock. She’ll also touch on practical ways to manage feed costs without compromising nutrition.

Juan Penzini-Granier – Artisan Bread Making (Part 1)

Why Some Breads Feel Better

Why does bread in Europe sit better with so many people? Chef Juan Penzini explores how traditional methods-like long sourdough fermentation, heritage grains, and additive-free flours-make a real difference. With examples from across Europe, you'll learn how to bake bread that's more digestible, better tasting, and grounded in traditional practices.

Matt Richards – Leather and Buckskin Hide Tanning (Demo)

Just about any hide can be tanned into useful leather or buckskin providing you with durable, comfortable clothing, belts, containers, sheaths, and more. We'll focus on bark tanning and brain tanning as the two best options for the homesteader, which method to use on which hide and for which results. Bark tanning allows you to make firmer grain-on leathers using plant tannins that you can grow or wild harvest locally. Brain tanning creates a material that is as soft as cotton but as durable as leather – fantastic for clothing, using woodsmoke and natural oils. Show and tell and demonstrations.

Saturday 1:30 to 3:00 pm

Daniel Salatin- Butchering Rabbits (Demo)

In this demo, you'll learn how to process a rabbit from start to finish. Includes equipment tips, slaughtering, skinning, gutting, and cleaning so you can successfully provide a quickly producing protein source from start to finish for your family at home.

Saturday 3:00 to 4:30

Q&A Expert Panel

Come join an attendee favorite feature where you can ask speakers your questions and get real time answers from Joel Salatin, Dr. Ken Berry, Ruthann Zimmerman, Daniel Salatin, Melissa K. Norris, and Mary Heffernan.

David Stelzer – Faith Over Fear: Rooted Decisions in Uncertain Times

Homesteading isn’t just about skills—it’s about mindset and heart. Join David for a session on letting faith lead, even when life gets unpredictable. Through Scripture-based wisdom and real-life encouragement, you’ll find practical ways to make strong, steady decisions—whether you’re starting out, growing your homestead, or just need a little courage for the next step.

Dr. Patrick Jones – Livestock Health: Principles, Practices and Natural Interventions

Join Dr. Patrick Jones, veterinarian and clinical herbalist, for an in-depth discussion on principles and practices to maximize the health of the animals your family depends on. He'll discuss preventative strategies as well as herbs and other natural interventions to solve problems when they arise.

Joe Lamp'l – Raised Bed Gardening: Everything you Need to Know to Grow Food & Flowers Anywhere

Raised Bed Gardening: Everything You Need to Know to Grow Food & Flowers Anywhere is your roadmap to creating a thriving, productive garden. Discover the essential principles behind building and maintaining a raised bed garden that delivers healthier plants, bigger yields, and season-long beauty. We’ll explore how to choose the right materials, create the ideal soil mix, optimize drainage, manage weeds and pests naturally, and utilize efficient watering systems that work for you—not against you. Whether you’re growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, or all of the above, you’ll walk away with the practical, science-backed strategies and design ideas you need to grow more abundantly and confidently, no matter where you garden.

Young Homesteaders Board Q& A Malia Steffen, Rachel Thomas-Entz, Brianna & Abigail Thomas (Youth Track)

Trevor Hollenback – Sheep Hoof Trimming – (Demo)

Learn how to trim your sheep's hooves with emphasis on the health of the sheep and limiting stress for both of you.

Juan Penzini-Granier – Artisan Bread Making (Part 2)