Alright. I’ve got some things I need to get off my chest. It always baffles me when I’m on a homesteading forum or FB page and I see people shamed by others for not being a “true homesteader”. Seriously, what does that even mean anyway? I’m gonna keep it real here friends. Unless any of
When you’re dreaming about farming or homesteading, it’s easy to be consumed with the exciting things. Baby chicks. Fresh eggs. Pulling the season’s first sun ripened tomato from the vine. Sun drenched fields of green on still summer days with cotton puff clouds softly floating by overhead. You know, the things we usually take pictures
Oh winter…we have a love-hate kinda relationship. I love the rest you offer, and the unwinding of busyness you force upon my life. I’m in awe of the picturesque beauty you cast upon our frozen landscape, like the silent purity of falling snow on a Sunday morning. And I appreciate the excuse you give to
We’ve got big plans for this year. The farm is growing. We’re going to finally make some more upgrades to the house. We’re getting even more intentional with our market garden. And I can’t wait to share all of these things with you guys. But one thing I’m really excited about is how we are
There I was. Standing in the barn with both hands firmly wrapped around the legs of a squealing three week old male pig. I held it up as the vet made an incision across each testicle, beginning the castration process. And the first squeal sent Charlotte charging at us. I had dreaded the moment most
Every year, during the downtime between Christmas and New Year, I choose a word. One word that will define what I want out of the year ahead. This word might be what I want to give, receive, learn or achieve. Usually it’s a combination of them all. For 2019 I’ve chosen the word VALUE. I
Here we are once again, at the birth another new year. The older I get, the quicker the years seems to pass. On more than one occasion last year, I had to double check the calendar because it sure felt like we had just started into 2018 not that long ago. But alas, we’ve now
There are seasons and cycles on the farm. A rhythm and a flow to this life. But the one thing that permeates everything is busyness. We are always busy. Because there is always something to do. And if I’m honest, most of the time it feels like if we take a few moments to rest
Starting a market garden sounded like a good idea… Raspberries. Tomatoes. Broccoli. We would grow all the things and the people would rejoice! This may not be exactly what was on my mind when we first set out to grow produce for our community. But I can honestly say the picture I had in
It goes without saying that this self-sufficient lifestyle comes with certain characteristics. Like determination. Persistence. And plain old stubbornness. You know the kind of stubbornness I’m talking about. Right? Grit. Stick-to-it-iveness. Refusing to quit by all means. Even when that might be the best thing to do. I understand that all too well. I don’t