It didn't begin as a homestead journey. It was just about being healthier, less reliant on others, and being a little more prepared. Chris and I both were raised in the suburbs with large yards and loved to camp and be outdoors. Chris has been a hunter since he was a boy. He grew up hunting squirrels in his backyard. I grew up trying to save Bambi's family and pretending I lived in the forest. We raised our two children on the same land Chris was raised on. But we got caught up in the rat race and forgot our roots. It wasn't until the kids were grown that we took a look at ourselves and our life and knew we needed a change and we needed a "hobby".
Our journey started with little steps we didn't realize we're connected and leading us to where we are now. First we started cooking together. We started eating less processed food, getting less take out, and instead enjoying our time together in the kitchen. That lead us to our first "garden" (see the garden evolution in an upcoming post). The first garden was a few pallets lined with black fabric, filled with soil I found in the shed and a couple small pots Chris' grandmother had left. I was anticipating a grand harvest and started reading about preserving food. And we began canning. We started with what most people start with jam and pickles. They both were a big hit. (Canning blog will be coming out soon) That same year Chris taught me to shoot and we enjoyed going to the range. I got over my fear or nervousness about guns. Chris started hunting again. In 2019 I helped him gut and process the first buck he'd harvested in 15 years. He was shocked that I wanted to participate and that I was not grossed out or squeamish. I asked him to point out all the organs and educate me. We were so happy to have all that meat in the freezer. It made us start thinking about buying other meat in bulk. Friends of our had told us years ago about buying a half a cow. We looked into it and found a local farmers that offered beef and pork. So we got half of each. It was so empowering to have a freezer full of meat. We started also filling our cupboards. We canned and froze tons of fresh veggies to enjoy all year. It made us feel great to be eating healthier. Not just our bodies felt better, we felt empowered to be in control our food and what we put in our bodies. In the years that followed we put in a few raised beds that got turned into a greenhouse, bought hunting land, expanded our garden to three gardens totaling almost 4000 sq ft., got a portable lumber mill, started a large compost and got egg laying chickens. Last year we reconnected with an old friend of mine. She has her own homestead and I reach out for some advise. She has been a huge blessing to us. She taught us how to raise and process meat birds, and our newest addition she is helping us with, raising feeder pigs. Next year we hope to have our farm stand open with fresh veggies, home grown chicken and pork, and maybe some jams and baked goods. Keep checking in for more about our journey. And remember you can start your journey no matter where you are.
Comments