Simple Farmhouse Life, Episode 322

"Why We Chose a Big Family, Sourdough Troubleshooting, Baby/Toddler Sleep, and More Q&A"
Host: Lisa Bass
Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this Q&A episode, Lisa Bass—homesteader, homeschooling mom of nine, and author—fields a wide variety of listener-submitted questions. The episode delves into her approach to family size, troubleshooting with sourdough, practical advice for baby and toddler sleep, and straightforward insights on natural home life, from scratch cooking, and budgeting as a large family. Lisa’s signature warm, practical, and down-to-earth style peppers the episode with relatable anecdotes and hands-on wisdom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is It Ever Too Late to Start Homesteading or Have More Kids?

• Listener: Nearly 40, five children, hopes for more, worried it’s too late to get to her “dream life.”
• Lisa’s Take: Absolutely not too late. Lisa cites her own parents building a new home in their 40s and stresses the legacy grandparents' homes create for future generations.
  • "I think that it's never too late... Thinking further into the future is something I try to remind myself to do. Life isn’t over at 40 or 50—there’s so much life ahead." (04:18)
• Encourages listeners to keep working toward long-term goals and savor the process, not just outcomes.

2. Starting a From-Scratch Cooking and Homesteading Journey

• Listener: Mom to boys, wants to do “all the things,” 60% scratch cooking, limited space.
• Lisa’s Practical Roadmap:
  • Start with bread—master a simple recipe, then move toward whole grain.
  • Raw dairy is valuable if you have a cow; focus on what’s hard to source elsewhere.
  • Basic ferments like sauerkraut (cheaper to make than buy).
  • “Meat, vegetables, and a starch”—meals don’t have to be fancy.
  • "...start with making bread. That's such a great foundation... Keep your menu really simple. When all else fails, just cook meat and vegetables and a starch." (07:36)

3. Toddler Only Wants Mom: “No, Dad” Phase

• Lisa shares she has one child like this, and her solution is patience and knowing it’s temporary.
  • "Yes, very big, huge feelings this one. I don’t know what kind of need that is, but I’m okay with it just because I know it won’t last forever." (10:15)

4. Daily Vitamins for Moms

• Lisa uses Needed brand, takes 8 a day (split morning/evening), is more consistent during nursing seasons, believes habit is more important than the “potion.”
  • "It’s not in the potion, but the motion... Getting into a habit of taking a high quality vitamin is more the ticket." (11:07)

5. Babywearing and Baby Neck Chafing

• Listener concern: baby gets sweaty/warm in wrap, neck chafing.
• Lisa’s thoughts: Her house (and kitchen) is cold, so she suspects that's why she hasn’t had this issue. Suggests coconut/tallow for moisture, notes environment affects this.
  • "I think it’s because...our kitchen’s kind of down like a narrow hallway. So it’s actually really cold...Try coconut oil or tallow for the creases." (13:00)

6. Breaking the Co-Sleep Dependency for Older Toddlers

• Listener: Kids want parent in room to fall asleep/stay asleep.
• Lisa’s honest (and “controversial”) advice: Don’t go in, let kids learn to self-soothe, set clear boundaries with loving consistency.
  • "Just do not go in... People have to learn to fall asleep on their own." (14:30)
  • Establish bedtime routines, address all potential "stalling," and stick to the plan.

7. Budgeting & Financial Reset Later in Life

• Listener: Almost 40, five kids, late start on budgeting/saving, only debt is mortgage.
• Lisa: Advocates accountability for every dollar (“every dollar has a name”—Dave Ramsey), and systematic review to spot waste.
  • "Just make sure every dollar has a name...You should be able to see...where you're wasting money." (18:00)

8. Sourdough: To Measure Starter or Not?

• Listener mulls over Lisa’s seemingly “no-measure” sourdough starter style.
• Lisa: You almost can’t go wrong—not precise, just pour it in. "It’s just not that serious."
  • "Most of the liquid and flour is in the recipe, and since sourdough starter is roughly equal parts flour and water, it cancels out. You do not have to measure. I never measure starter." (20:07)

9. Our Decision for a Big Family – The “Why” Behind It

• Listener asks Lisa to share her “why”: biblical? personal? Was there always a "number"?
• Lisa: Openness to life, seeing children as blessings. No set number; initial hesitation after six was about social stigma, not personal desire. "Why would I turn this down?"
  • "We kind of felt like we would just leave it up to God because we do believe that children are a blessing... It also to us just feels like each and every child brings so much joy..." (24:40, repeated and expanded from intro)
• Acknowledges there’s “freedom in it”—no one “right” family size spiritually.

10. Co-Sleeping With a Queen Bed

• Listener wonders if a queen is too small.
• Lisa: Did it with 7 children, only upgraded because the opportunity came. Take safe precautions, but "a queen is plenty of space."
  • "I totally would have kept co-sleeping in a queen...I have found that a queen is plenty of space." (29:46)

11. Breastfeeding at Home Around Older Kids (Especially Sons)

• Lisa: Doesn’t cover up at home, is discreet but not bothered. Family culture makes it a non-issue.
  • "No, I do not cover up... babies need to nurse constantly... I’m as discreet as possible, but I’m definitely not carrying a cover around with me everywhere." (30:25)

12. Grandparents, Treats, and Boundaries

• Listener: Living next to "spoiling" grandparents, worried about excessive treats/screens.
• Lisa: Occasional indulgence is fine, but if it’s happening frequently, boundaries are important—suggests collaborative discussion and compromise (like limiting treats to certain days).
  • "If it’s every day, no—I would definitely be like, can we please work together on this?...Let them have some spoiling time, but set boundaries." (32:55)

13. Sourdough Discard, Frequency, and Active Starter

• Listener can’t use up all discard, feeds infrequently; asks about baking with cold/discard instead of active.
• Lisa: Yes, totally fine—Lisa used to use starter directly from the fridge for years. No major difference; just adapt rise time based on observation, not the clock.
  • "You can absolutely use discard. Nothing with sourdough is hard and fast... I haven’t noticed it being more sour... don’t feed your starter unless it’s reduced down." (36:57)

14. Attending Church With Nap Schedules

• Listener: Only able to watch online due to baby’s nap overlapping with service.
• Lisa: She’s been there, but recommends prioritizing in-person attendance for family/bigger picture. Skip the nap if needed; community is important.
  • "For us it’s a priority to go to church. Even when it doesn’t make sense, you just do it. It’s just something you set as a priority and a habit for your family." (41:00)

15. Left-Handedness in Her Family

• Fun question: How many of Lisa's kids are left-handed?
• Lisa: One son and one daughter, possibly genetic. Touches on ultrasound theories anecdotally. (43:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Starting Later in Life:

  • "Thinking further into the future is something I try to remind myself to do..." (04:18)

• On Bread as a Starting Point:

  • "Even if you read a blog post or you watch the video where somebody does it, there are things that you're going to find out for yourself. Little tricks that you can only learn by doing it." (08:13)

• On Family Building:

  • “I just truly feel like seeing how they interact with each other and the whole big picture, it feels like something that—why would I turn this down?” (25:18)

• On Sourdough Approach:

  • “It’s truly just not that serious when it comes to starter... You do not have to measure it. I still measure the other parts of the recipe, but never the starter.” (20:53)

• Toddler Attachment:

  • "He’s just always been like that… I know he’ll grow out of it… It is annoying, but it won’t last forever." (10:15)

• On Setting Boundaries with Grandparents:

  • "Let them have some spoiling time. I don’t think it’s gonna hurt them, but if it’s every day, no, I would definitely be like, can we please work together on this?" (33:44)

• On Church and Naptime:

  • "There are conversations that happen before church, that happen after church. Being a part of a community is important… You just do it." (41:55)

Segment Timestamps

• 01:15 – Lisa’s intro; vision for the podcast, approach to Q&A episodes
• 03:01 – Is it too late to start homesteading/have more kids?
• 07:13 – How to start from-scratch cooking/homestead lifestyle
• 10:00 – “No Dad” toddler phase
• 11:07 – Daily vitamins for nursing moms
• 12:45 – Babywearing, chafing, and home temperature
• 14:10 – Breaking the co-sleep/parent-dependent sleep habit in toddlers
• 18:00 – Budgeting and late-starts in savings
• 20:07 – Sourdough starter precision (or lack thereof)
• 24:29 – Philosophy and personal stories about choosing a big family
• 29:05 – Co-sleeping: Queen bed size
• 30:25 – Breastfeeding without covers around older kids
• 32:55 – Grandparents, boundaries, and family culture
• 36:57 – Sourdough discard, starter use, and frequency
• 41:00 – Church, nap schedules, and family rhythms
• 43:30 – Left-handedness in the family

Conclusion and Tone

Lisa’s warm, non-judgmental tone comes through consistently, blending practical life skills with thoughtful, faith-based encouragement. The episode is rich with firsthand experience, making her advice grounded and actionable—whether you’re troubleshooting your sourdough, disciplining toddlers, setting financial goals later in life, or navigating boundaries with relatives.

Listeners are invited to submit future questions and check out Lisa’s courses for deeper guidance on sourdough, ferments, and homestead living.

Links to resources and question submission are mentioned in the episode show notes.