Simple Farmhouse Life Podcast – Episode 316: My 40th Birthday Q&A: Sourdough, Motherhood & Homemaking Rhythms

Host: Lisa Bass
Date: November 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special 40th birthday Q&A episode, Lisa Bass, mother of nine, blogger, and homesteader, answers listener questions spanning sourdough baking, homemaking, motherhood, education, and more. Drawing on over a decade of hands-on experience, Lisa offers practical advice, personal stories, and insights into her daily rhythms as a mom of a large family, entrepreneur, and home educator. The tone is warm, encouraging, and candid, with Lisa sharing both tips and her real-life learning curves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Turning 40 & Birthday Reflections

• Lisa shares about her 40th birthday celebration—a surprise trip to New York City with her husband, Luke, and their newborn daughter, Miriam.
  • “When you have nine children, a newborn is basically like you're going alone.” (06:04)
• She loves city visits but is happy to return to life on the farm, describing NYC as fun to visit but “not somewhere I’d ever want to live.” (04:10–05:20)

2. House Build Update

• The family is in a brief pause on their farmhouse build, waiting for custom casement windows.
  • The exterior is complete, electrical is done, and next steps include insulation, drywall, beadboard, and paneling.
  • Weather has paused painting, as linseed oil paint requires temperatures above freezing.
  • Target move-in is February, though Lisa notes she is “maybe being overly optimistic.” (07:34–08:45)
  • “I'm just so ready to be out at the farm. And that is the thing right now that's stopping us from moving forward.” (08:38)

3. Home Birth: Involving Her Daughters

• Lisa shares about the birth of her youngest, Miriam, at home.
  • Daughters were not present at the actual birth—they were on a walk because Lisa was trying to rest during prodromal labor.
  • The birth happened so quickly, even the midwife missed it.
  • Lisa values that her children see birth as “normal and natural,” even if they weren’t present in the room. (09:38–11:20)

4. Fostering Children’s Interests & Free Time (Homeschooling/qHomemaking)

• Lisa responds to a homeschooling mom asking how she encourages her kids’ interests in skills like sewing, cooking, and woodworking.
  • Emphasizes the role of age and personality: “I think this starts happening around like 12, 13.” (15:43)
  • Some kids need more brainstorming and gentle suggestion; others are self-driven.
  • Encourages giving children lots of time, resources, and age-appropriate freedom.
  • Reminds moms not to worry if children are bookish—reading can be their unique pursuit.
  • Uses family relocations (e.g., anticipation of more project opportunities on the farm) to foster new interests.
  • “I think it really does just come to being older and having lots of time and having the resources. It could also be some personality driven aspects as well.” (16:42)

5. Sourdough – Stretch and Fold Method for Bagels

• Lisa explains her no-knead approach applies even to sourdough bagels.
  • She does not increase hydration; instead, gives the dough time to absorb flour, returning every 30 minutes to incorporate more, mimicking stretch and folds.
  • Reiterates a stand mixer is not necessary—even for bagels.
  • “I do no longer believe that you need a mixer for any sourdough thing. I make everything with stretch and folds.” (19:43)
  • (17:45–19:55)

6. Raw Milk – Practicalities & Making Dairy Products

• Making butter from raw milk is challenging unless you have access to very high-cream milk in large quantities.
  • Lisa buys organic cream from the store even while getting 7 gallons/week from a local farmer; it is still not enough for regular butter making.
  • Yogurt is an easier, lower-cream project.
  • Milk tastes best within a week; after, use for kefir or yogurt to extend shelf life.
  • “For us, cream is like at a premium... Even at getting seven gallons a week, that's still not going to be enough [for making butter].” (22:17–23:03)
  • (20:58–23:44)

7. Grain Mills – Trying Before Buying

• Lisa suggests borrowing a mill from a friend or buying one secondhand to test freshly milled flour products.
  • Notes less expensive grain mills work well (shares her own journey, including using a basic Nutrimil at first).
  • Encourages perseverance—taste and techniques improve with practice.
  • Freshly milled flour bakes differently; expectations and adaptations may be needed.
  • “If you like bread, you're going to like it... but over time you really will get used to it and can improve your skills.” (25:42–26:16)
  • (23:45–27:00)

8. Laundry and Stain Management in a Large Family

• Lisa keeps laundry manageable by buying dark clothing to avoid worrying about stains.
  • Only rarely pre-treats with Oxiclean (sisters like Puracy); focus is saving time.
  • “Yeah, I don't have time to deal with all that.” (30:53)
  • (30:28–31:23)

9. Overwhelm for New Moms & Minimalism in Newborn Essentials

• For listeners who are anxious about first-time motherhood with no prior baby experience, Lisa advises not to over-consume information or over-purchase products.
  • Her own experience: learned on the job, hadn’t changed a diaper before her own baby.
  • Hands-on learning is key; newborn essentials are personal and often minimal.
  • Books are good for general expectations, but “there’s only so much one could say” before real-life experience is more valuable.
  • “I went in knowing nothing. I don't know if I'd ever changed a diaper until it was my own newborn. You still figure it out and it's okay.” (01:02, repeated at 32:22)
  • (31:29–34:44)

10. Dietary Restrictions – Personal Approach

• When asked about giving up gluten and dairy, Lisa is honest about wanting more context; for non-severe symptoms, she’d be cautious about drastic dietary elimination.
  • Notes many are advised to remove gluten/dairy after functional medicine visits.
  • For minor symptoms, she’d likely not make sweeping changes. (34:45–36:55)

11. Sourdough Recipe Modification

• On using vital wheat gluten or potato flakes with freshly milled flour: Lisa prefers her own system (mostly hard white wheat plus some all-purpose flour) but is open to experimentation.
  • Shares her current bread routine (24-hour rise due to colder temps, using the oven’s heat for the second rise).
  • “I love that I can use more than 2/3 whole grain and still end up with a really great result in the end.” (41:10)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On travel with a large family:
  • “When you have nine children, a newborn is basically like you're going alone.” (06:04)
• On birth and normalizing it for her daughters:
  • “The thing that they have witnessed with birth is that it's normal, it's natural.” (10:43)
• On encouraging kids’ creative pursuits:
  • “It really does just come to being older and having lots of time and having the resources.” (16:42)
• On the proliferation of parenting advice:
  • “In a lot of ways, it's like you need less information, probably not more. I think this day and age, man, the amount of information is just crazy overwhelming…” (33:55)
• On sourdough and not needing fancy equipment:
  • “I do no longer believe that you need a mixer for any sourdough thing. I make everything with stretch and folds.” (19:43)
• On practical minimalism:
  • “I buy like dark clothing specifically for that reason so we don't have to deal with it [stains].” (31:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Birthday & NYC Trip: 04:10–06:25
• Farmhouse Build Update: 07:34–08:45
• Homebirth & Teaching About Birth: 09:38–11:20
• Fostering Children’s Skills/Free Time: 14:42–17:06
• Sourdough: Bagels & Stretch-and-Fold Methods: 17:45–19:55
• Raw Milk & Homemade Dairy: 20:58–23:44
• Grain Mills—Trying Before Investing: 23:45–27:00
• Laundry & Stain Strategy: 30:28–31:23
• Advice for New Moms & Baby Prep: 31:29–34:44
• Gluten/Dairy Elimination – Weighing Advice: 34:45–36:55
• Sourdough Recipe Routine: 40:00–41:30

Summary and Resources

Lisa closes by encouraging listeners to keep questions coming via her Google sheet, reminding that homemaking is individual and that learning, especially as a parent or homesteader, is a continual, hands-on process.
For resources and learning:

• Simple Sourdough Course
• Simple Sewing Series
• YouTube Success Academy
  All linked in show notes and on her blog.

To connect with Lisa Bass and explore more:

• Blog: farmhouseonboone.com
• Instagram/Youtube: @farmhouseonboone

For listeners new to homemaking, sourdough, or mothering, this episode provides both practical tips and much-needed reassurance. Lisa’s approach is grounded, flexible, and encouraging—inviting each family to find what works uniquely for them.