Two years ago I received a packet of postcards in the mail advertising various products and magazines. We had moved to 50 wooded acres the previous year, so when I saw some magazines about country life, I decided to send away for the free copies. One was called Countryside and was chocked full of useful information about living in the country and living self-sustainably. Both my husband and I were intrigued by this idea of people living off their land, and it very quickly appealed to us. We read every book and magazine we could get our hands on regarding this kind of lifestyle. "Homesteading" is what most of the articles called it. We even liked the way it sounded. God had been working in both of our lives over the years and given us both a freedom from the desire for material possessions and a love for old-fashioned ways. We were tired of the daily rat race and wanted to enjoy the simpler things in life.
That spring we started our homesteading adventure with a dozen baby chicks. This is a great way to start as it is so easy to care for chickens. They provide us with meat, eggs, and entertainment. We also planted a garden and add to it each year. There is nothing like your own vegetables. This past summer we added goats to our little homestead. They will provide milk and cheese once the babies are born this spring. I'm also hoping to sell goat's milk soap once I get the hang of making it. I learned how to can and freeze vegetables this past summer and fall and to make my own bread. I no longer buy canned soups or broths from the grocery store.
This spring we are getting two pigs to raise for meat as well as a couple of turkeys. Our ultimate goal is to grow and raise most of our own food. We also plan to have a woodstove installed before next winter so that we will no longer be dependant on the fuel companies to stay warm. With 50 acres of woods, we should be providing our own heat! I have cut way down on using my dryer, which has made a huge difference in our electric bill.
I quit my job at our local hospital and remain there as a "fill-in" only. My time is needed at home to care for animals and a garden, and everything else that goes along with homesteading. It's a lot of work, but so much more fulfilling than being in an office. We live on less money and do without a lot of the newest toys and hand-held gadgets that most people want. We drive older vehicles instead of having car payments. We do all this by choice and feel a sense of freedom that is worth far more than anything money can buy.
Another great resource I was happy to find is a 70-page book entitled "The Have More Plan" by Ed and Carolyn Robinson. It was written in the 1940's, but is still so relevant today, especially in this economy. It very simply outlines how you can go ahead and have more by having a homestead, whether you want to remain working in a career or stay at home.
My husband and I feel rich and very blessed. So far homesteading has been an adventure, and we can't wait to see where it will lead us next!
5 comments:
What an awesome adventure!! I pray that some day we will be able to do the same. We are putting in a veggie garden in the spring and Joe is going to grow his own herbs and start making his own sauce by using TOMATOS and our own bread, etc. I think in these times it's healthier to do this anyway! Proud of you Hopey!!
I'll bet Joe's sauce will be awsome. I made some and froze it, but not enough to last the winter. And, I had to buy the tomatoes from the Amish, because ours didn't grow so well : ( Still learning. I would like to try to grow herbs, too. Maybe we can learn together! I bet you can have a few chickens . Many villages are allowing them now.
because of Dave's career we can't really live too far "out" but our dream is to "retire" to the country, specifically the mountains of either NH, VT, ME or the Adks. I LOVE growing a few herbs on our deck and even have chives in my front garden.....we try to support the local farmers by buying the grass fed beef cuts (I buy from a farm out in Iowa which sells it's meat in Hannaford)and locally grown fresh produce. There is NOTHING like it and it really saves on the grocery bill. We bought a gas dryer when we first built the house and LOVED it and now upgraded to an even better gas dryer so that we don't have a big electric bill. It is soooo much more cost effective to have gas stoves and dryers than electric for sure! and in the spring and summer I put out fresh laundry on the lines.....that is always so nice! Keep working on that homestead but keep in mind that some of us really LOVE our jobs...I cannot imagine NOT teaching the students I do and I really can't do that at home :) Then again we don't get al the latest gadgets either so don't feel the need to join the "rat race"....lol...i guess that's why we have only gone on one expensive vacation in the last 21 years (paris) and why we have always camped or done buget vacas...lol...so much less pressure to pay the bills that way! :)
I think you get all the crap they put on things to "preserve" them (ie fruits/veggies, meat) so I'm all for locally grown; farmers markets, Hope's, my own garden, etc. I would love to live in the old days where life was hard but more simple than it is now. My 3 yr old girl came here this morning with her mother's Nook!!! Goodness, read a BOOK already : )
a THREE year old has a NOOK???? that's just ridiculous...good grief!! what happened to just the good ole eric carle books???? poor kid....she'll be wayyy too plugged in before she even learns to ride a bike!
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