Why I Homestead
Welcome to The House & Homestead! I’m writing the first post since we went live, so I thought I would tell you a little bit about who I am and why I’ve chosen this path in life.
It’s hard to pin down the exact moment when I knew I wanted to pursue a homesteading lifestyle. What I do know is it’s been a passion that has been evolving in me for quite some time.
Maybe it was the fondness and respect that I gained for the environment and the outdoors as a young child; Springtime in the garden and summers spent camping under starry skies made me love “playing” in the dirt and living close to the land.
Or maybe it was my time spent travelling the world… Seeing how other people in other cultures still live in rhythm with nature, grow and prepare all of their own food and live frugally and sustainably made me both long to plant my own roots somewhere and inspired me to take what I learned and apply it at home.
It could have begun when I went to visit some dear friends out on the tiny island they were living on at the time. I felt so at home among the bountiful nature and the slow-going, friendly little community that I knew I needed to escape the rat race and pursue a simpler life.
There have been many pivotal moments in my life that have played a role in getting me to where I am today. Either way, I’m here now and I truly feel like it has been the right decision for me.
Homesteader Values
Homesteading lines up with my core values and makes me feel as if I’m living the way nature intended. When I lived in the city, I felt as if I was swimming upstream the whole time, fighting the natural flow to get where I needed to go. I went through prolonged periods of anxiety and depression, sickness and stress, and just generally felt as if I was living a life that wasn’t meant for me.
The noise and business and stress of city-life just wan’t for me. I know some people that love the fast pace and bright lights, but I am at my best when it is quiet and calm and people are scarce. Rural living appealed to both me and my husband, so we decided to leave the city and the condo we lived in and pursue this lifestyle out in the country, just close enough to the nearest town but far enough away from the rush of modern life.
I also care deeply about the earth— about being a good steward of the land and being conscious of our impact on the planet. I want to know where my food is coming from, what’s in it, how it was produced, what sort of life it lived and who is profiting from it. And, like most people, I care for my family more than anything else.
I want to make sure that we are prepared to take care of ourselves if the proverbial “shit hits the fan” in this crazy world. I want to feed my family healthy, organic foods grown in our garden or from our local farms. And I want us to live as good a life as possible without going into debt to pay for it.
As a parent, I want to instil good values and work ethic in my children. I want them to grow up with the same respect for nature as I did. I want them to be self-sufficient, hard-working human beings with the skills and knowledge they need to provide for themselves and their own families one day.
Homesteading provides the type of lifestyle that makes all of these things possible. It allows us to produce the things that we consume and lessens our impact on the planet while ensuring we have the skills and resources we need to survive and thrive in an often hostile and volatile world. It offers some protection from the instability and chaos that seems to be happening around us more and more. And it helps to ground us; Allows us the space to breathe and to be in the flow even while most of mankind continues its never-ending struggle to conquer and control the natural world.
Living in Harmony with Nature
I love living with the seasons. In the spring I get excited to plant my seeds and watch them sprout into tiny seedlings which will grow into the food that will nourish us. I love sitting outside and enjoying the birdsong and the buzz of insects all around. Everything is living again. When I hear the frogs croaking and the daffodils are in bloom, I know that warmer days are just ahead.
Summertime as a homesteader is busy; Much busier than the lazy days I used to enjoy. We’re busy watering, weeding, harvesting, preserving and preparing for colder, leaner times. Our days are lived outside in the summer, our evenings spent around a fire. We picnic and hike and camp and live without shoes. We put in long days of hard work and wash tons of dirt off of our hands and feet, but it feels good. Then, when we start to hear the crickets at night, we know that the final days of summer have arrived and fall is coming soon. This is my favourite time of year.
My husband, Ryan, in the garden last summer. We grew spinach, broccoli and onions in this bed.
Fall is the time of bounty, when we enjoy all of the fruits of our labour. The smell of fresh baking wafts through our house and we gather with family and friends. It’s also still a very busy time as we finish getting everything canned and preserved and our shelves stocked up for the winter months. We harvest the last of our garden and plant our garlic before the first frost sets in. Then we prepare our beds for a long winter sleep.
Then comes winter. Winter starts off busy with seasonal celebrations front and centre. It is a time of feasting and merriment. A time when I spend most of my day in the kitchen, cooking, baking and preparing homemade Christmas gifts for family and friends. After Christmas, the slow winter months are the perfect time for reading, crocheting, bread-making, slow-cooking and enjoying the warmth of the hearth on cold snowy nights.
I’ve started to get into the the flow of living with the seasons since we moved away from the city and began living a more rural, homesteader lifestyle. I’ve begun to notice the nuances of each time of year that I never noticed before.
Now I’m aware of the frogs and the daffodils and the crickets and the first frost, both because I live closely with them and also because they matter to me. They tell me when I need to plant my seeds, transplant my seedlings, harvest the last of my tomatoes and prepare my garden beds for the cold. I’m learning to listen to nature and to trust it, because it’s right more often than we are, despite what we want to believe.
Homesteading is A Lifestyle Choice
I homestead for many reasons. In short, it’s a lifestyle that allows me to provide for myself and my family. We live a more natural, sustainable life and produce our own food and goods so that we know what’s in them and are less reliant. It gives us independence, freedom and security and has allowed us to escape the stress and pressure of the modern western lifestyle. Most importantly, homesteading allows me to live a life that’s true to who I am and what I believe.
One of the first heads of broccoli I successfully grew.
It truly is a simpler life, but it is by no means easier. It’s hard work and long days, dirty hands and sweaty foreheads. It’s sore muscles and cuts and bruises, little money and no frills. But it’s exhilarating, challenging and rewarding beyond belief.
An Adventure at Home
Homesteading is an adventure that begins and ends with home. And it is by far the best adventure I’ve ever been on. It’s made better because my family is on it with me. It allows us to spend quality time together that we might never have been able to enjoy had we not pursued this crazy dream.
So if you’re wondering if homesteading is right for you, think about where you feel your best. What are you doing? Are you someone who is energized by bright lights and city skylines, crowds of people and traffic noises and the high-paying, corporate corner-office job? If so, I’m not sure homesteading is right for you. But if you long for a simpler, quieter, more self-sufficient life out in the country, this might just be something you want to consider.
And you don’t have to live rurally to be a homesteader. You can pursue this lifestyle in the city or the suburbs or wherever you are. It comes down to the values that you hold dear. For most homesteaders, those values include faith, family, freedom, security, independence, hard work, good food and a welcoming home to all who pass through. For us, home truly is where the heart is. It’s where we nourish our bodies and souls, and where we live the way nature intended us to live: happy, healthy and in harmony with the land that gives us life.
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It’s easy to romanticize homesteading, but the truth is that those homegrown vegetables, those freshly laid eggs, that loaf of bread rising on the counter, and that pantry full of home-canned food takes time, effort and dedication. It doesn’t “just happen” overnight!
But if you work on learning one new skill at a time and gain confidence in it before moving onto the next, one day you’ll be looking back and marvelling at how far you’ve come.
That’s where I’m at now. Life today looks a lot different than it did 10 years ago, when our homesteading and self-reliance journey was just beginning.
Back then we still lived in our city condo and were just beginning to dabble in all of this stuff. But my husband Ryan and I felt a sense urgency to start pursuing a more self-reliant lifestyle, and we committed to taking small steps, one day at a time to make that vision a reality.
Over the years we’ve continued to put one foot in front of the other, adding new skills and tackling new projects along the way that have helped us get to where we are today.
While there’s always more we want to learn and do, as I look around me right now, I’m so grateful that we took those first steps, especially considering what’s happened in the world over the past few years!
If you’re also feeling the urgency to take the first (or next) steps toward a more self-reliant life, this is your final reminder that today is the last day to join The Society of Self-Reliance and start levelling up your homesteading and self-sufficiency skills so that you’ve got what it takes to:
• Grow your own groceries
• Stock your pantry
• Create a natural home
• Get prepared
• Learn other important life skills like time management for homesteaders, goal setting and how to become your own handyman
And more!
If you’ve been feeling called to level up your self-reliance skills (because let’s be honest, we’re in for a wild ride these next few years with everything going on in the world), now is the time to heed that call.
Link in profile to enroll before midnight tonight, or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society
#homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homesteadingskills #preparedness
There are so many reasons to grow your own food at home:
💰 Saves you money at the grocery store
🍴 Healthier than conventionally grown food
🔑 increases your overall food security
🫙 Gives you an abundance to preserve and share
But perhaps the number one reason is because it just tastes better!
Not only does food taste better when it’s freshly picked or allowed to ripen on the vine, there’s something about putting in the work to grow something from a tiny seed and then getting to see it on your dinner plate that just makes it so much more satisfying than anything you’ll ever buy from the store.
Plus, having to wait all year for fresh tomatoes or strawberries or zucchinis to be in season makes that short period when they’re available just that much more exciting!
With the world spinning out of control and food prices continuing to rise, it’s no wonder more people are taking an interest in learning to grow their own food at home. But that also means changing our relationship with food and learning to appreciate the work that goes into producing it and the natural seasonality of organically grown fruits and vegetables.
(It also means learning to preserve it so you can make the most of it and enjoy homegrown food all year long).
In my online membership program, The Society of Self-Reliance, you’ll learn how to grow your own food, from seed to harvest, as well as how to preserve it so you can enjoy the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor all year long!
You’ll also learn how to grow and craft your own herbal medicine, detox your home, become your own handyman, and so much more (because self-reliance is about more than just the food that we eat… But that’s a pretty good place to start!)
The doors to the Society are now open for a limited time only. Click the link in my profile or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#foodsecurity #homegrownfood #homesteading #selfreliance #selfsufficiency #homegrownfoodjusttastesbetter
If you’ve been watching events unfold over the past few years and you’re feeling called to start “cutting ties” with the system and begin reclaiming your independence, The Society of Self-Reliance was made for you!
When I first launched this online membership program last year, my goal was to create a one-stop resource where members could go to learn and practice every aspect of self-reliance, as well as a space to connect with other like-minded people pursuing the same goal. And that’s exactly what you’ll get when you join!
Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn inside the Society:
🌱 Food Security and Self-Sufficiency: Learn the art of growing and preserving your own food, ensuring you and your loved ones have access to nutritious meals year-round.
🌿 Natural Living and Herbal Medicine Mastery: Discover the secrets to creating a low-tox home and and to growing, making and using herbal remedies to support your family’s health, naturally.
🔨 Essential Life Skills: Learn essential life skills like time management, effective goal setting and practical DIY skills to become more self-sufficient.
As a member, you’ll enjoy:
📚 Monthly Video Lessons: Gain access to our ever-growing library of video lessons, with fresh content added each month.
📞 Live Group Coaching Calls: Participate in our monthly live group coaching calls, where we deep dive into a different self-reliance topic every month, and do live demonstrations and Q&A’s.
🏡 Private Community: Join our private community forum where you can ask questions, share your progress, and connect with like-minded individuals.
I only open the doors to The Society once or twice each year, but right now, for one week only, you can become a member for just $20/month (or $200/year).
In today’s world, self-reliance is no longer a luxury, a “cute hobby,” it’s a necessity. Join us inside The Society of Self-Reliance and empower yourself with the skills you need to thrive in the new world!
Link in profile or visit thehouseandhomestead.com/society to learn more.
#selfreliance #selfreliant #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #sustainableliving #modernhomesteading #homesteadingskills #preparedness
Got out for an early morning harvest today. Been up since 3am, contemplating life, the future and the past, the order of things…
There is a rumbling right now, not just in North America, but around the world. Many of us can feel it, and know we are on the precipice of something big.
I’d been hearing about this new song that’s become an overnight viral sensation, written by an (until now) unknown singer named Oliver Anthony. His new song Rich Men North of Richmond has had 14 million views on YouTube in the past week alone, so I decided to check it out.
I also saw a clip of him playing a Farmers Market last week, and anything that has to do with Farmers Markets always has my attention;)
I can’t tell you how many tears I’ve already cried listening to that song. If you’ve heard it already, you probably know what I’m talking about, and if you haven’t, I highly recommend giving it a listen. All I can say is it’s been a while since a song resonated so deeply with me, and in this strange new world, I know I’m not the only one.
One of the lines in Anthony’s song is “Livin’ in the new world, with an old soul,” and that’s something I think so many of us in the homesteading community can relate to.
Trying to cling to better days; To a simpler time; To the old ways, all while doing our best to get by in the new world.
The world has changed drastically in the last few years especially, and it’s set to change in immense ways over the next few years. Today I’m feeling thankful for people like @oliver_anthony_music_ who give a voice to what so many are feeling right now.
Know that if you’re feeling it too, you’re far from alone. And while the future may feel uncertain and even a little scary, remember that if we stand united, we the people are a force to be reckoned with.
(Continued in comments…)
Another garlic harvest in the books!
Garlic is easily one of my favourite crops to grow. It’s pretty much a “set if and forget it” crop. We plant in the fall and leave it to overwinter, fertilize a couple times in the spring, start watering only once the ground starts to dry out, and then harvest in the summer. We can even plant a fall succession crop after our garlic if we want so it really makes great use of garden space all year round.
Over the years we’ve managed to become completely self-sufficient with garlic. We now grow enough to eat all year (and then some!), plus we save our own seed garlic and usually have extra to sell or give away. And around here fresh, organic garlic ain’t cheap, so it’s a good cash crop for anyone who’s serious about selling it.
It took me a few years to really get the hang of garlic, but it’s one crop I’m now very confident with (knock on wood, because it’s always when we make statements like this that next year’s crop fails! Lol.)
A while back I compiled a comprehensive guide to growing, harvesting and using garlic both as an edible and medicinal crop. This is usually only available as part of a paid bundle (or in the fall 2022 issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine if you’re a subscriber;), but for a limited time I’m offering it for free, no strings attached!
Plus you’ll also get access to my step-by-step video lesson on planting garlic so you can set yourself up for success with your garlic crop this year.
Comment “Garlic” below or head to thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-guide to get your free copy!
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#garlic #garlicharvest #homesteading #selfsufficient #selfsufficiency #selfsufficientliving #selfreliance #homegrown #groworganic #growfoodnotlawns #gardenersofinstagram #homesteadersofinstagram
Going through photos and videos from our trip to the @modernhomesteadingconference and the vast majority are of our daughter having the time of her life!
Even if I personally got nothing else out of this gathering (which I most certainly did), watching her discover her own love of this lifestyle outside of what we do at home made my heart grow three sizes!
Homesteading is about so much more than homegrown food and self-reliance. It’s about passing on invaluable skills and an understanding of and respect for our connection to the land that provides for us to the next generation.
Being around so many other kids and families who are also pursuing a homesteading lifestyle helped show our little one that this is a movement that is so much bigger and greater than what our own family does on our little plot of land. This is a lifestyle worth pursuing, with a community unlike any other.
Glad to be back home and more excited than ever to involve my kids in everything we’re doing. But also, I think I speak for my whole family when I say we can’t wait to go back someday!
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#homesteading #modernhomesteading #raisinglittles
If you’re simply looking for ways to save a little extra cash this summer and live well for less, here are 12 tried and tested frugal living tips for summer that you can use to save money this season without sacrificing a thing.
Head over using the link in my bio!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/12-frugal-living-tips-summer/
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A brand new issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped!
In this issue:
🌱 How to forage and use five common edible and medicinal weeds
🏠 A sustainable, affordable alternative to traditional homes, greenhouses and more
👨👩👧👦 Tips for managing a homestead while raising a family (big or small!)
🫙 What to focus on when preserving food for true food security
🌹 How to grow and arrange your own cut flowers at home
🍓 The many ways to preserve summer berries (including 5 delicious recipes!)
💇How to make your own all-natural herbal hair care products at home
🧑🌾 Why “community sufficiency” is the new self-sufficiency
And more!
Visit modernhomesteadingmagazine.com (or click the link in my bio) to subscribe or login to the library and read the latest issue.
Plus, be sure to check out all of our past issues as well! There’s a wealth of information in our library on everything from farming and gardening to cooking and canning to herbal medicine, natural living and so much more!
*** This will be the last quarterly issue! ***
This little magazine has grown so much over the past 4 years and 32 issues, and now it’s time for another exciting evolution.
I’m excited to announce that we will be moving to an even more robust annual publication with the intention of offering the first ever print edition this fall if there is enough demand.
I’m also excited to announce the brand new Modern Homesteading Magazine blog, which is currently under construction and will be launching soon. While we will still be maintaining digital subscriptions, the blog will be accessible to all, free of charge, so that more people might benefit from the empowering and increasingly important information that we cover in each issue.
Thanks to everyone who helped make this issue happen! @homesteadingfamily @oatsandhoneyhomestead @omnivore.culture @thetaylor.leigh @doeraydesign (and more who don’t have IG pages;)
And a HUGE thank you to everyone who has subscribed over the years. Modern Homesteading Magazine would never have become what it is today without each and every one of you.
#homesteading #modernhomesteading #selfsufficiency
If you’ve ever grown your own garlic, you might have noticed the spiral-shaped shoots that suddenly pop up in the centre of the stem, usually about a month or so before the garlic bulbs themselves are ready to be harvested.
These are garlic scapes, and believe it or not- they make delicious pesto! Get the recipe through the link in my bio- https://thehouseandhomestead.com/garlic-scape-pesto/
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This honey and chive blossom vinaigrette is a frugal, easy and healthy homemade salad dressing that pairs beautifully with fresh garden salads all season long.
Get the recipe through the link in my bio.
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/chive-blossom-vinaigrette/
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#eatseasonal
Whether you live in the city and grow a few herbs on your balcony, have a few backyard chickens in the suburbs or live in the country and have a larder full of enough home-canned food to survive the apocalypse, if living a more homemade, homegrown, self-sufficient lifestyle is important to you, Modern Homesteading Magazine was made for you!
Read it today through the link in my bio!
https://modernhomesteadingmagazine.com/
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This radish top pesto recipe makes good use of the edible radish greens that often get discarded once they’re separated from the root. The end result is a peppery, slightly spicy twist on a classic pesto recipe.
A perfect condiment for all your summer snacking!
https://thehouseandhomestead.com/radish-top-pesto-recipe/
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#radishes
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#seasonalproduce
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Wow, go you. Hope you have figured out your fireworms. Glad to have met you through FB.
You too! The community you find living this sort of lifestyle is amazing too! Glad to be able to connect with wonderful people who share common values and goals from all over the continent (and the world) through the magic of social media and the Internet!
Love watching this happen in our own back yard!
Love having you guys around for guidance and support!