Episode 3

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Published on:

30th Apr 2025

[003] Bloodlines & Storylines: Lessons from Our Family Histories and Ancestral Wisdom

With Fred Meyer

What if the stories of your ancestors could guide how you live today?

In this powerful conversation with Fred Meyer—mentor, land steward, and keeper of generational wisdom—we explore what our family histories still have to teach us. From handwritten ledgers to oral traditions, this episode dives deep into the soul of legacy, lineage, and why reconnection isn’t just spiritual—it’s practical.

In this episode:

  • Introducing the "Into the Known" Series [00:04]
  • Meet Fred Meyer: Mentor and Local Legend [00:20]
  • Fred's Great-Grandmother: Uvena Emily Arnold-Pidgeon's Memoir [3:20]
  • From Fred's Great-Grandmother: Uvena Emily Arnold-Pidgeon's Memoir "Mountain Born" [4:54]
  • Wolfgang Rohret Family Lineage (Mandy's Dad's Maternal Family) [8:30]
  • Compiled by Leonard C. Rohret in 1964 [09:01]
  • Reading from the Rohret Memoirs [11:09]
  • Reflections on Ancestral Skills and Epigenetics [17:52]
  • Yearning for Simplicity [35:25]
  • Don't tear down legacies - PROTECT THEM [25:05]
  • Funny Chicken Story & "Getting Along" from the Rohret's [26:28]
  • "Remembering" [30:24]
  • The Sit Spot Practice [37:58]
  • Reflections on Productivity [41:11]
  • Lessons from Ancestors [42:19]
  • "Iowa Nice" [45:42]
  • More from Uvena [47:41]
  • Wolfgang Family Name + WOLFPACK [54:41]
  • A Journey to Germany - Mandy finds the family Brewery & an ancestor [56:36]
  • The Importance of Storytelling [01:07:00]
  • Wildfire Roundtable [01:10:00]
  • Episode 004 Preview: Legacy with Your Home Library [01:13:05]

Why it matters:

Most people don’t know their great-grandparents’ names. But the stories we carry—or forget—shape everything. Reclaiming our roots gives us direction, grounding, and a better blueprint for the future.

Wildly Recommended:

Reflection:

Start by asking one question. Start by writing down one story. Start by remembering something that shaped you—and sharing it.

Because your story didn’t start with you. But it can be shaped by you. And maybe, just maybe… you’re the living library someone else has been waiting for.

Find Fred:

  • Fred Meyer is a certified permaculture designer, master gardener, and wilderness guide with decades of experience helping people reconnect with the land. As Program Manager of Backyard Abundance and a permaculture instructor at the University of Iowa, Fred brings deep wisdom, practical tools, and a grounded presence to every landscape he touches—from schools and spiritual centers to homesteads and healing spaces. He’s passionate about designing beautiful, functional, and sustainable environments that nourish both people and place.
  • Backyard Abundance

If this episode lit a spark of remembrance in you, pass it on. Share it with a kindred spirit who’s also craving deeper roots and ancient rhythms. Let’s bring the lost wisdom back — together.

Subscribe to the show wherever you listen, and join us as we build a life that’s wildly intentional—even if it’s wildly imperfect.

As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases—at no extra cost to you.

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About the Podcast

Wildly Intentional
Reclaim your rhythm. Rethink the rules. Rewrite your life.
If you’ve ever looked around and thought, There has to be a better way—you’re in the right place. This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a call to live, parent, create, and lead on purpose. To break free from the scripts we’ve inherited and build something better—one season, one story, one choice at a time.

Wildly Intentional is for the ones who:
- Can’t unsee what’s broken
- Crave deeper conversations, rhythms, and ways of living
- Are done waiting for permission to do life differently

I’m Mandy—maverick homeschooling mom of three, proud wife, family culture builder, cycle-breaker, and the person people call when they’re ready to rethink everything. From my kitchen table to your headphones, I’m here to shake up the norms, tell the truth, and light the way forward.

Here, we go beyond quick fixes and curated perfection. We talk about real life—messy, meaningful, and unapologetically intentional. Through bold ideas, honest questions, and that edge-of-your-seat kind of truth that makes you whisper, “Why has no one said this before?”

What to Expect:
🔥 Out Loud + On Purpose – Solo episodes on truth-telling, seasonal wisdom, and the conversations you wish people were having.
🌱 Conversations with creators, educators, healers, disruptors, and wise everyday voices reimagining how we live, learn, work, and raise the next generation.
📚 Books That Change You – I don’t just recommend books—I share the ones that have shifted my thinking, shaped my parenting, and sparked the best late-night conversations. From deep, perspective-altering reads to 5-star books I’ve read aloud to my kids, every book I mention has earned its place here. If I wouldn’t pass it down, I won’t pass it on.
🌟 Family-friendly episodes designed to spark wonder, connection, and meaningful conversations with your kids.
🌀 Behind-the-scenes rhythms from the Seasonal Wayfinder Planners, Roots + Rhythm Almanac, the GROW Framework, and Family Culture Design.
⚡️ Unrule the World – A themed series where we break down old systems, question the status quo, and make space for something better.

This show isn’t just for homeschoolers, entrepreneurs, or deep-feelers—though they’ll feel right at home here. It’s for anyone craving more alignment, more meaning, and a life that feels rooted instead of rushed.

It’s about living with intention, not intensity. About choosing what matters, letting go of what doesn’t, and doing things differently—even if it’s just one small but mighty step at a time.

You don’t have to think like me—just be brave enough to think for yourself. This is your permission slip to live, lead, and parent in a way that’s unapologetically yours. Whether you're raising kids—or just raising your hand to say “I want more than this”—you're welcome here. Because you don’t need a label. You need a life that fits. It’s not about doing life perfectly. It’s about doing it on purpose.

Subscribe to Wildly Intentional and reclaim your rhythm, your voice, and your way of life—season by season, story by story, step by step.

About your host

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Mandy Webber

I’m Mandy—a mother, maker, mentor, and unapologetically wild thinker. I’m known for my magnetic energy, practical wisdom, and fierce curiosity—and for helping others unlearn the noise and reclaim the rhythms that actually matter.

I’m the one people call when they’re ready to do life differently—not just talk about it. Whether it’s rethinking school, reclaiming seasonal rhythms, starting a business, healing family cycles, or figuring out how to preserve 50 pounds of tomatoes and their sanity... I help people find their own way—deeply, honestly, and without the fluff.

I’m a builder and a truth-teller. A guide for the questioners and quiet disruptors. A pattern-seer, soul-rooter, and cycle-breaker. The kind of person who lights up a room while pulling back the curtain. I live what I teach, and I mother with my whole being—fierce, flawed, and wildly intentional.

I’m here to tell the truth, shake the norms, and light the way forward—one season, one story, one soul-led decision at a time.

Most days, I’m barefoot in the garden, reading aloud with my kids, canning in the kitchen, or following a big idea down a rabbit hole—coffee in hand, steadied by the quiet presence of my husband nearby. I’m a lifelong learner, a maker of many things, and a lover of good questions.

From my kitchen table to your headphones, this show is your invitation into real conversations, soul-stirring questions, and practical insights about how we live, lead, raise, create, and rebuild with purpose.

If you’re craving honest dialogue, grounded frameworks, spiritual depth, and a bold reimagining of what it means to build a life that truly fits—you’re right at home here.

Welcome to Wildly Intentional. Let’s rethink everything. Together.