I was a bored, pregnant newlywed 40 miles from civilization with not enough money to drive to activities in town.
That’s how it all started.
Not the most epic beginning to this story, I know…
Basically, the garden and kitchen projects gave me a way to pass the time without feeling like a total loser.
I figured out how to make tortillas, how to clean a chicken coop without bleach, how to milk a goat, and then a cow, and all sorts of other stuff your average 23-year old would have zero interest in.
I started a blog in the middle of it all. I didn’t know a soul at the time who cared to hear me ramble on about birthing goats or growing green beans, so my bumbling online presence quickly became a welcome outlet for my unorthodox creative pursuits.
But 10 years, 3 kids, and a whole lot of life later, I’m still here, doing pretty much the same things. The cooking. The chicken-ing. The milking. The blogging.
My fascination with this lifestyle has obviously outlasted any sort of “shiny object syndrome” or trend chasing… And over the years, I’ve asked myself… Why? Why AM I still doing this?
Because honestly? (Brace yourself: I’m about to say something horribly scandalous:)
I like canning. I enjoy gardening. I think it’s fun to have chickens pecking in the yard. But those things alone aren’t enough to get me out of bed in the morning, or make me stick with something for 10 years, for that matter.
I use to think I liked homesteading because it was simply about mimicking the old ways. It was “fun”. It gave me a little thrill to make soap from beef fat and hand-rolled pie crusts. It gave us food that was healthier than the junk from the store.
But I’ve since realized my obsession with this modern homesteading movement has deeper roots. However, took some ruminating for me to figure that out.
Digging Deeper
I’ve talked with a bunch folks over the last few months about the often mysterious process of finding your purpose, aka discovering the thing that lights you up. Some people are born intrinsically knowing such things, but that doesn’t seem to be the norm. Rather, it’s something most folks must work to uncover. It’s a jigsaw puzzle of self-reflection, journaling, and brutal honesty with yourself.
At least, that’s how it was for me.
And as I dug, and pondered, and journaled, and ruminated, it became glaringly obvious to me that it’s a mistake to categorize homesteading and its accompanying skills as simply a cute, old-fashioned hobby. There’s far more to it than that. I’m going to even go as far to say that it’s crucial to our modern existence.
Sound dramatic? Allow me explain.
Technology is awesome. And in the interest of full disclosure, I want you to know that I rely on my iPhone, my DSLR camera, and my MacBook Pro to get a whole lot of stuff done. I’m not ashamed of that. Christian and I have no desire to ever really go “off-grid” and I’m thankful for many of the modern advances we get to enjoy. (Running water and I are BFFs.)
BUT.
As the Industrial Age took over and technology became our new obsession, we as a society have successfully eliminated everything that once helped us to feel grounded, connected, and whole. The things that have brought humanity balance and equilibrium for millennia have been substituted for cheap, shallow alternatives.
We consume fast food and microwave dinners instead of homegrown, homemade sustenance. We socialize via social media relationships instead of true community. We sit under artificial lighting for days and weeks at a time with little opportunity to get outside and soak in nature. We substitute screen time for face-to-face connection. And we rely on automated everything instead of relishing in the process of creation.
We’re living in a shallow, fake, shell of a world.
The concept of ease is tantalizing, so we didn’t realize what was happening at first. Heck, I’m not even sure we realize it now. But this new reality isn’t going away any time soon. This is an enormous issue with many facets, and I am in no way claiming to have all the answers. But I am convinced this shift in our elemental human existence is playing a massive role in why so many folks are disillusioned. Disconnected. Depressed. Anxious. Purposeless. BORED. (Yes, it’s entirely possible to be bored while having a jam-packed modern calendar.)
We’ve forgotten how to live with intention and create; we forced to merely react and consume while we watch the people on Netflix and YouTube live the lives we truly want. It’s soul-crushing.
I find it fascinating that there is such a fascination with all things “farm” these days. But I’ve noticed most folks stop after they install a few planks of shiplap and watch a couple Little House on the Prairie reruns.
It’s time to go deeper my friends.
Why ARE We So Drawn to the “Farm Life”?
It’s because we know deep in our consciousness that cooking a meal from scratch, growing a tomato plant, or creating something with our hands isn’t an out-of-touch concept to be stuffed in the box of nostalgia and the “good ol’ days”.
These actions are the very fiber of our human existence and have been for millennia. And they still have full potential to provide humans with deep, rich, satisfaction, yes, even in a day and age of having everything accessible at the push of a button.
Yet, as we’ve become so very sophisticated, we’ve left them in the dust in the name of progress and efficiency.
But we NEED them. Now more than ever.
And I have proof…
- A study done at the University of Bristol showed that a common soil bacteria may actually have antidepressant effects
- A Stanford study found evidence that time spent in nature may lower risk of depression and improve overall mental health
- According to Psychology Today, “Research has shown that hand activity from knitting to woodworking to growing vegetables or chopping them are useful for decreasing stress, relieving anxiety, and modifying depression.”
- According to a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, children who eat supper with their parents at least five days per week are less likely to struggle with drugs and alcohol and report feeling closer with their parents than children who eat with their parents less frequently.
- Playing outside (especially unstructured play) has been shown to decrease ADHD symptoms in children.
Y’all. Do you see what I’m saying?
This is a exceedingly complex issue, and I’m not naive enough to think homesteading is the only answer. But it’s sure as heck one of the best solutions I can think of at the moment.
You don’t have to get a milk cow.
You don’t have to move to the middle-of-nowhere Wyoming.
You don’t have to become the champion pumpkin pie baker at your local county fair.
BUT you need some of these old-fashioned practices in your modern life.
Even if you live in New York City or Los Angeles or Florida or wherever.
No matter where you live, it’s about experiencing the deep satisfaction that comes from creating something tangible with your own two hands…
Nurturing a pot of basil in the window and then gently tearing the leaves to add to your homemade spaghetti sauce as you breathe in the aroma wafting through your kitchen…
Kneading yeast dough with the heels of your hands simply for the sheer joy of it and because you know your family will love homemade French bread for supper. Even though you can easily go to the store and buy a loaf…
I don’t know exactly what this will look like for you, but find something you can create. Something you can grow. Something you can craft or build with your hands.
Because these are things every human needs, whether they are a homesteader or not.
These are the things that bring satisfaction. Balance. Peace. A sense of accomplishment. Joy. Connection. Confidence. Stability.
And that, my friends, is why I get out of bed with a jolt each morning. Chickens are fun, canning peaches is great, but it’s MORE than that. I’m on a mission to bring these skills back into our modern consciousness because we NEED them. We must have them. They cannot be forgotten. Because if they are, we forget a vital part of ourselves in the process.
Are you with me?
We CAN shift things. We can be adults who know how to do stuff. Make stuff. Cook stuff. Grow stuff. And who are more centered and peaceful because of it. We can raise children who know where their food comes from; children who are more balanced because they have time to run and play and be rough and tumble outside.
Homesteading is so much more than the sum of its parts. And that’s why I’ll be here in my little corner of the Internet crowing about it until the cows come home.
#oldfashionedonpurpose
This is only the beginning, and I’ll be sharing more deeply on this topic in the future, but in the mean time, I know SO many of you feel the same way I do when it comes to the importance of old-fashioned pursuits. If this post resonated with you, I would love to have you join me in helping to create this change by using the hashtag #oldfashionedonpurpose when you post about your latest homesteading-related skills or projects on Facebook and Instagram. I’ll be watching for your post– let’s create this shift together. <3
Lovely 🙂
To me I think it boils down to being in control of our own little piece of the environment because the world’s environment is in such tough shape. The trend today is to eat local…how much more local can you get than in your own backyard?
I couldn’t agree more. Carry on!
This is so accurate. These are all the reasons why I wanted to do this “homesteading” thing, and I didn’t even know it. I have always wanted to grow my own, cook my own, raise my own, but didn’t really know why. I never fit into today’s world. Then I found the homesteading community. I have no intention of being fully off grid or doing anything crazy. But, It’s like I crave this lifestyle. It’s addicting to me. My kids love it, and my once city boy husband is really taking to it. I love love love how you call it old fashioned on purpose. It totally fits.
I love that so much! It’s crazy how often people are drawn to this life before they even fully understand what it’s all about! Thanks for sharing your story! 🙂
Jill, will try to repost but computer skills 0 ,I still can’t figure out how to send you photo of hay bear I’ll keep trying
Gotta love technology! 😉
64 years old! Stroke 3 years ago, and have been doing what I can to homestead. Garden, chickens, scratch cooking, DIY. I love it! Dreamed of it all my life. Still attached to grid-sister needs 24/7 care. Buy, our lives are healthier this way and she’s doing well with it. My advice-do what you can, where you are. Every little bit counts. Mother Earth will thank you.
Loved your reply. My husband and I are just now (65yo) diving into honoring our hearts that have frankly been calling me since I was 5 years old. I have far less time ahead of me than behind me…….. But with help from above and our homesteading community, I can wring a heck of a lot out of the next 20 years to fill the soul and contribute to the world!!!
I am a 40 year old who doesn’t have Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, but I am with you.
I grew up on a farm and learned HARD work skills. We didn’t quit when we were tired we quit when the job was done. We saw baby calves born, sometimes pulled, sometimes DOA. We bottle fed babies when the cow died. We learned the value of life, work, doing with and without. We were close because we worked together all the time.
I have a small acreage that has many garden beds, fruit trees, goats, and chickens. I gave my kids the privilege of growing up with chores, animals, garden, work, and the produce that comes from it all. It is a blessed life!
Spot on! It’s hard, but so worth it!
I don’t know if you realize how patronizing this comes across. You are generalizing everyone but yourself to be someone who eats processed food, doesn’t get outside, and doesn’t go beyond social media when socializing. I recommend getting out more and meeting other people, not making assumptions about the rest of the world.
I get out plenty and travel more than most folks, and interestingly enough, these thoughts have come after getting outside of my “bubble” of Wyoming and meeting lots of different people from lots of different walks of life. Obviously, the thoughts in this post don’t apply specifically to every single person, that’d be silly. But a majority of folks in the US eat more processed food than homemade. A majority of folks spend far more time inside than outside. And a majority of folks are becoming increasingly dependent on social media and technology. There are plenty of articles and stats to back that up. And that’s why I wrote this blog post.
You’re right about the dependence on social media and way too much screen time. Having issues with my teenage daughter that the heavy use of technology has exacerbated. I don’t see you as being pretentious, I see you imploring people to wake up and realize this and change course. I can’t tell you how much I wish I’d done that years ago. But you’re also right in that it’s not too late. In our case, screen time is being limited and increased interactions with people are making a difference.
But it’s critical that we put technology in the tool box where it belongs, and get back to living a real life with each other. Not living for the next episode of someone else’s life.
Yes! And I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with an abundance of technology usage, just like everyone else. I don’t think the answer is eliminating it entirely, at least not for me. But definitely keeping it in its place. 🙂
Well said! ??
I grew up and raised on a farm and it was a lot of labor and not always that exciting. Yea, we lived like your doing. When I married I went to college and married my husband who also was raised on a farm and he too remembered how hard it was. We chose careers in the city, but bought a home with a big lot. So this is our homestead, we grow our own vegetables and live like we did on the farm. We learned a lot but chosen to not live on a farm like our parents and their parents. We worked really hard. Even my parents left the farm and then chosen to live in the city. None of the kids stayed to farm! Just remember that your kids might choose a different path. Enjoy
We live in a season of history where we can all share our opinions so broadly. As in almost everything, there will be aspects with which we agree and those we do not. Out of respect for the others involved, I choose to pick up the portions which are pertinent to me in my life and leave the rest behind. Trying to determine our shared experiences helps us to become better encouragers and fellow soujourners through these wild and crazy times. Grace and peace be with you.
I just stumbled across this pin and I have to say I think I found a kindred spirit.
I DIDN’T find your comments patronizing at all. I very much understood what you were saying.
Sometimes I think if something hits a wound it’s easy to bite back instead of stopping and thinking about why it hurt.
I am in south Louisiana have a small family farm. It grow from chickens to adding sheep and hogs and horses. I am now home running it full time and even though I am very close to family and town it seems I am on an island sometimes. This is definitely not normal behavior but that’s totally ok. Only others that are on this path came understand the fulfillment you can feel on it. Thanks for sharing. I will be reading your stuff now!
Indeed. I enjoyed your article and look forward to seeing more.
I don’t homestead for enjoyment or to get back to nature. It’s not to disconnect from technology either. We grow our own food but, we don’t eat vegetables. We grow it to feed the pigs, chickens, cows, and rabbits which we do process and eat. We homestead as another phase in prepping. Watching the swine flu in China wipe out hog farms, hurricanes in NC wipe out poultry farms, flooding in TX wipe out cattle farms, flooding and late winters preventing farmers out west from getting fields in… I homestead because the thought of inflation and rising food prices or some other disaster might soon leave people in a position to starve to death. I do it out of necessity. Not desire. Granted, I don’t want GMO foods and rice made from plastics in my body but, that is not why I began this journey. I do it for self sufficiency in an entirely messed up world.
Oh my word! I totally get u!!! That is EXACTLY what got me started and I will never turn back
I completely agree and I am so glad to see this trend toward homesteading, whatever form it takes for each person. I grew up on a farm but then became “mainstream” for many years. It has only been in the last 11 years that I have returned to a homesteading life. In my case, I had no idea how stressed I was until I got out from under it. I think this is the case with a lot of people. If we can encourage them to step back even a little bit I think more and more people will realize how fulfilling this lifestyle can be. Keep up the great work!!
You are wonderful, Jill, I believe like you, that not all but most modern day aggravations are caused by boredom, not being grounded and lack of hard physical labor. That’s why I love the old fashioned ways even though I have access to all modern technology.
I don’t think you sound patronizing at all. I think we glean from others what is useful to us and leave the rest (respectfully). Your overarching view of the majority of people and the evolution of the modern world is right on. Working in higher education, I observe the same. No, I can’t peek into everyone’s home, but from the stats and the issues facing social media addicts, so much of what you say it true. Also, I think your position of “It’s time to go deeper my friends.” is what this blog issue is all about. The superficial won’t last us, and the studies show that. So many things can help teach us that including yoga, different types of natural and/or holistic treatments that want to go to the root of the problem–not the symptoms, walks and working in nature, connecting with our loved ones face to face, etc. Enjoy your thoughtful and thought-provoking insight and experiences.
An intelligent, thoughtful and thought provoking post. Thank you for writing it.
Thanks Rebecca!
Jill,
You expressed this well. It is important for all age groups.
I so enjoy having technology to read and follow your thoughts, however being able to go sew, garden and create is what grounds me the most.
We are blest to have technology so we can create easier, but we must not get lost in the technology.
Virginia
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m currently reading Folks, This Ain’t Normal by Joel Salatin and both of those resonate with my love of homemade and handmade. Handquilting and cooking are my passions, and I’m getting better at keeping plants alive, so hoping to expand what I grow.
I adore that book!!
I recently retired from teaching, which is a great career to enjoy “summer hobbies”, such as gardening. About 4 years ago, we attended our first Mother Earth News Fair, (MEN) then, the next year, The National Heirloom Exposition in Santa Rosa, CA. Last year and this weekend, back to Topeka, KS, for the MEN Fair again. We’ve acquired 6 hens, 2 hives, and we’re up to our 7th compost bin! There’s actually a name for this passion; it’s called “A Magnificent Obsession”, according to a doctor of neuroscience I listened to in a Great Courses lecture. It’s what gets us up and running, which is greatly enhanced by working with our hands! I love learning new skills and I’m totally on board with the Eat Real Food movement! I’ve pinned many of your posts and am loving your new Homestead and Heritage Cooking site. I admire your juggling and spinning plates skills!! (PS: I’m starting a beginning quilting class on Thursday!!)
Magnificent Obsession– I love that!! Thrilled to have you in our FB group– the quilting class sounds like a blast!
I just found you on Instagram and what you have written here really resonates with me. I suffer from depression and anxiety and I just feel like there has to be “more” to life than just a mindless technology driven exisitence. I’ve always had the urge to work with my hands and create things but I never knew how to channel that desire. I think embracing the ideas of old fashioned living would satisfy my creative itch as well as possibly improving my emotional state. Thank you for starting this discussion!
I love your thoughts, Melissa! I think so many of us have that creative itch! It’s so deeply satisfying to work with our hands. <3
Well said. I agree with what you shared. I always feel better when I get outside and take time to reflect. I love cooking from scratch and I can a lot of our foods. Gardening is beautuful. We do not live on a farm but I dream of living that life one day.
There’s nothing like some time in nature to bring things into perspective. <3
Powerful, powerful post, Jill. My thoughts exactly!
Thanks for reading Jessie!
This is so true! I too am a city-kid-turned homesteader. I am only in my 30’s, but I have lived in 4 different states and 8+ different cities of varying sizes (from a town with only 1 stoplight, to a city with 3 million people), and everywhere I have gone technology is an overwhelming presence and MOST people are consumed by it. I know a LOT of people, and to most people I am considered strange. MOST people don’t know how to make a single meal without using at least one convenience ingredient, and they wonder why in the world anyone would want to sacrifice their down time doing things that take “work”. I also see an overwhelming number of people with mental illnesses and those that struggle with depression. MOST people go about their empty existences thinking this is all normal, but then wonder why they are depressed. Don’t get me wrong, I love these people with all my heart, I’m not judging anyone. But for the sake of those we love who are suffering deeply and don’t know why, these things need to be brought to light. Thanks for being real, Jill!
Yes! No judging from my end either, and I hope that’s not how this post came across. 😉 Just seeing a reoccurring problem, and a possible solution and hoping to connect the two! <3
LOVE this post! You said everything I feel! I am a homesteader and work a full time job off the farm. My dream is to make my farm into a self sustaining business that would allow me to be there all the time. I never feel more alive and at peace than when I’m home on the farm creating, gardening, cooking, taking care of all of my animals, etc. To me, there is nothing more empowering than sitting down to a meal that you have 100% produced. People need to wake up and realize the importance of these skills which at a very basic level are pure survival skills. Thank you for what you are doing! Keep it up!
Agree! That’s one of the most empowering experiences I’ve had as well! <3
Well said on every level!! No one wants to learn any of the “old” stuff and they are missing out on so much.
Well said! I am a medical student and our profession constantly faces burn out. We are tired of the “system” that doesn’t let us care for patients in a meaningful way (even though we were trained to!) and a myriad of other problems. I grew up on a farm and dearly love my gardening, cooking, and intentional blogging that gives purpose to what life holds outside of pathology powerpoints. Volunteering with our church’s youth group also helps with the mundane bureaucracy of medical school. Looking forward to more of your insights! Have loved following the last 2 years.
I love this, Ashley! And I think you are an excellent example of someone pursuing a non-farming career, but still acknowledging the importance of bringing these old-fashioned practices into our modern existence. That’s the key! Because let’s face it– not everyone should be a farmer or needs to be! 😉
I recently had a conversation about my CSA and that this year, we’ve been about 98% successful keeping the farms local by even less than 100 miles, which means I talk with each farm owner by name and know more about their farm practices and dreams (much easier when your farms are organic, vegetarian/vegan) than I when all the tenets of our triplex were gardening together. I’m at a low health point; 8 mos migraines, 5 mos daily, but found a Japanese vaporizer blend that contains conifer terpines and other good brain chemicals like you’ve been outside, so on days I can’t get outside, I can get mostly what I would. It’s not optimal, but while we seem to find some debilitating item each year, I get as close as possible!
What an amazing experience to be able to have that sort of connection with all your farmers! And I’m so glad you found a blend that is helping you!
Love this post and I couldn’t agree with you more! I’m getting back to the simple life as well and just started two years ago with just 5 acres in Montana and I’m now 63! Never too late to start getting back to real life. But it has been overwhelming and costly (I watched your mistake video too) But glad we are doing it but I sure need a break and change of scenery from all the work and endless projects. I’m going to get away for a few days and enjoy another area of Montana before our beautiful fall is gone. We too just had snow on the mountain tops!
Chickens are next year!
Thanks for your blog and all the work it takes. I love seeing your smiling face – some days I really just need that too!
I love Montana! And kudos for you for making the chance and chasing that passion. I’m honored to have you as a reader! <3
I trained to work with computers back in the seventies. It didn’t take long to notice that a LOT of programmers worked with wood in their off-time, or played musical instruments, or other hands-on things. I def think you’re on the right track. You didn’t sound patronizing to me. I think you hit a nerve with her, that’s all. It might be something she’s not quite ready to face right now.
Yes! And that’s exactly what I was talking about– we NEED programmers and doctors and office workers– not everyone needs to move to the country and buy a cow. 😉 But those programmers and doctors and office workers still need a chance to get outside and dig in some dirt for their own mental health. Or, at least that’s my humble, homestead opinion. 😉
Thank you Jill! After years of puttering around and countless mistakes trying to find “my place”, I run across this article. Everything I could never put into words. Some folks like it, some don’t. I’ll bake some fresh bread while they’re in line at McDonalds 😉
Yes indeed!
Jill, I have been following you for quite a while and am finally getting my homestead started on 79 acres in Alabama. I am redoing the main garden with the deep mulch method as we have a lot of hay since we had to sell out on our cattle in Tennessee as we were not living there anymore. I am also going to start a blog about it. I am hoping to get to where you are as soon as possible. I am a master gardener, but that is an oxymoron – you can never master gardening. Love your posts, the toolbox you send me every week and your style. 🙂
Well, you might never be actually able to master gardening, but I still think being a Master Gardener is pretty cool!
Amen Jill, Amen. Very well said.
Thank you. <3
Hello Jill,
Thank you so much for your deep thoughts that has taken you years to figure out. Homesteading is a rewarding life and not without its own challenges, so we need to think deep on the WHY.
I whole heartedly agree that we need to create and interact with Gods creation.
The canning is finished for the year and food in the freezer.
Congrats on wrapping up your preservation season! <3
Well said Jill, i couldn’t agree more. This is exactly what’s driving me on my homesteading journey as well. It feels as though we were hardwired to live this lifestyle from the beginning. Thouroughly enjoyed this post! God Bless
I definitely agree on the ‘hardwired’ part! Thanks for reading along.
A lovely post and so very true. We are sometimes too frantic to enjoy the moment. That’s true on my bee farm as well. I posted and shared your tag on Facebook.
A great read. In the end it’s all about the choices we make.
Very well said. I was 25 when my two year old received a packet of watermelon seeds for his birthday. We were a bit confused on why someone would give a packet of seeds. But, my son wanted us to plant them. 2 years later, I was so excited when I made a complete meal from fruit and veggies we grew, deer my husband hunted, and homemade bread( flour was store bought). Then, last year, we had to move. I had the hardest battle with depression because i no longer had my garden to walk through in the mornings with my cup of tea and no longer had a place to put my hands in the dirt. All the points you made about how being outside helps us mentally is so very true. The count down is on. In 2 years we can move again and hopefully I can garden again and my husband can go hunting again. Our boys keep asking when we can get chickens and work horses.
This. You put my thoughts into perfect words! Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
Perfectly said! I LOVE this way of life – it feels “right” deep down inside of who o am! Can’t wait to see all of the amazing passions with the #oldfashionedonpurpose
I love thia post. I can so relate to the love of making bread and canning. It is our dream to be homesteaders someday.
Jill,
Wonderful words very well expressed. I am so proud of you for putting this into words for all of us. May I print and share at a meeting of the National Ladies Homestead Gathering, of which I am a member? We are in Georgia or I would nag you to join our group! There may be a chapter near you though :).
Please keep up the good work.
Yes, yes, YES! EVERYTHING you wrote about resonates with the deepest and passion-driven parts of my soul.
I can’t wait for my husband and I get to the point in life where we buy our home with land (I am DETERMINED to get there). We currently live in town with a .18 acre yard (half of that being devoted to the dog!) and while there is plenty potential for an urban homestead, there’s just something about looking out at country dirt roads and acres of land with animals.
I have wanted the goats, chickens and horses and gardens since I was a little girl. Makes me seem like a weirdo but it’s my dream!
I would hate for my son to grow up without the work ethic and purity homesteading lifestyles seem to bring.
Thanks for another great article!
Your blog keeps my spirits positive and the inspiration keeps my dreams alive and at the forefront of my goals!
Beautifully written, and like many others have already said, it very much resonated with me. My husband and I have always dreamed of having our own homestead someday. We used to have a garden and chickens at our old rental house. When we welcomed our son 18 months ago, I think we fell into the trap and fear of “what ifs” and moved into a suburban house, close to our jobs/hospitals/schools/etc. I can’t even tell you how much less happy we are being closer to these conveniences. I suffered horribly with postpartum anxiety, and my cubicle desk job has only made it worse.
We finally lifted our heads out of the “new parent fog” this year and realized this isn’t the life we always talked about, or the life we want for our children. We’re starting to take the first baby steps towards our own homestead, and these old fashioned skills are a huge part of that. My husband teases me that I’m always happiest in the kitchen baking fresh bread (I mean c’mon, does ANYTHING beat that smell?!). I love to learn, and I look forward to learning even more old fashioned skills as we move forward towards our dream.
Thank you for sharing so much knowledge and experience here and on your YouTube channel! Seeing different homesteaders work, live, and strive forward fills me with hope that we will get there. In the meantime, I’ll try to enjoy the journey as deeply as I can. Much love to you and your family!
Thank you so much for this! For the past several years I’ve been trying to find myself and I’m continually drawn to these types of skills. You said everything that I’ve been wanting to but haven’t found the words for. I can’t seem to explain to anyone why these things are so important to me. I don’t know that I’ll ever make the leap to homesteading, but I’ve found several local farms I support regularly and would love to be able to collect eggs from my own chickens one day. I’ve learned to sew, cook, bake, weave rag rugs, just yesterday I learned how to make bread. I have a tiny herb garden on my deck. I even started writing in cursive again. And I love it all. I want to learn more. I don’t want these things to be lost.
Jill,
I love your blog and your recipes. Thank you for sharing your journey.
I have a chicken question: a gen has been sitting on a nest of several eggs and a few are hatching. She us in a co-op with other full-grown chickens. What is the best thing g to do with the momma hen and her babies? We’re afraid the other chickens will harm the chicks that start leaving in search for food. Thank you!
Well said! Everyone can gain something from using their own hands to create.
Thank you for such a wonderful post. This is so much how I feel as well. It is amazing to me how great it feels when I make something from scratch or when that jar pings. I am learning this lifestyle on my own (with my husband) and am thankful for people like you that share the same desires.
This is why I love you, Jill. It makes me feel not quite so weird. I have been recently thinking about this very subject. When you make something yourself, it will be of much higher quality than a cheap foreign made, mass produced product. The kicker is that it will ALWAYS be way more expensive. But it will always last way longer than it’s cheap alternative. And it will be healthier. And you have the satisfaction of it being made with your own sweat. I always say that tomatoes taste way better when watered with your own sweat. You appreciate them more, because you literally know the value of them.
I realize you wrote this some time back but I think it is the best blog ever. ?
Thank you for sharing this! I’ve always struggled to explain why I was drawn to the lifestyle when people would ask me why I started gardening, canning, and knitting. Or why I was so interested in *learning* how to make my own products like soap or lotion. I would say, “I just want to know how.” It didn’t mean that I’m going to forever make my own soap. I’m a working mother of 4 young children…I don’t have time to do it regularly! I just enjoy acquiring the knowledge. Although I’ve never been able to adequately explain why. That is, until now! Your words here really spoke to me, and I’m glad I took the time to read them! I would love to be a SAHM and do all these things I’ve learned and mastered, but for now this isn’t financially possible for us. Someday, maybe we will take the plunge, but for now I am enjoying the little accomplishments!
Thank you again!
I’ve always wanted to live on a farm and have chickens, a veggie garden, fruit trees. This has really inspired me, I’m retired from CA, moved to NM where I don’t have the greatest weather or soil conditions but I’m definitely going to see what I can do with my little spot I have. I have been motivated by all your stories(comments). I love this site
In the early ’70’s my husbands grandma, a tough logging camp cook from back in the day, arrived at our home one morning with a box of peaches and some jars and told me we were going to can them. That started my path with canning…on occasion….but has since become my full time (along side my full time job) of canning all summer long. There is no greater satisfaction on a rainy Oregon day to open the pantry and see my shelves of pickled beets, peaches, potatoes, pickled red onions, green beans and so on. Your mention of canning and chickens caught my eye quickly because those are the two things I love living in a moderate sized town but don’t have a farm. Actually I did have a couple of acres at one time and 35 chickens whom I loved. They are really fun and the eggs……well do the math….EVERY day! I miss not having them, I love my ability to continue to set food by, and I devour your cookbook (which by the way the Creamy Tomato soup BEST EVVVEERRRR and last night we had the Rustic Potato sausage soup, oh my oh my that was good), but I digress. I long for a small piece of dirt but I am filled to the brim where I am and with strength to do what I do. Thank you for your cookbook and your education. God is good to all of us, in various ways. Be well.
I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment here. My husband actually works in the technology world and we just recently started to build a small part of our homestead with chickens, sourdough, (HE makes an AMAZING sourdough pizza ?) and other homemade things. It is so satisfying to not only not be dependent in a few ways from store bought things, but also taking care of other living creatures and in turn feed you.
I wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment here. My husband actually works in the technology world and we just recently started to build a small part of our homestead with chickens, sourdough, (HE makes an AMAZING sourdough pizza ?) and other homemade things. It is so satisfying to not only not be dependent in a few ways from store bought things, but also taking care of other living creatures and in turn feed you.
Preach girl! We are moving to “the family farm” in a month or so. With an acreage for the cattle,donkeys, and a pool/hot tub for us. Our son with special needs LOVES being outside and we see so much happiness come from the simplest outside activity. I will be joining the #oldfashionedonpurpose movement for sure! Thanks for the read, I really enjoyed it.
Jill, I am with you 100% with this. I live in Canada and the epidemic is here too. So many people are out of touch with where their food comes from, where their clothes come from. I have an 11 year old son and my husband and I are teaching him the homestead life. I grew up in the 80s in a city. We had a garden and never ate out unless we had to. We are doing the same with our son. He will know more in the long run then even we do. That is how it should be.
I’m thrilled to read this, and I strongly disagree with any sentiment that you’re misjudging. Yes, your readers are probably very different from the majority of the US population, and most of us are doing rather than sitting online.
I stopped reading homesteading blogs because I felt unusual and out of touch. A sister sent me this link this morning. Yeah!!
I all but stopped blogging for a couple of reasons. My homestead is in a remote forest in Maine. We’re not off grid but we are living off the land extensively. I provide almost all of our meat by hunting, fishing, and raising poultry. We barter for pork and beef. The garden produces year round thanks to a high tunnel. We heat with wood. My lifestyle takes up a lot of time.
Thoreau said “How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live.” I took that seriously when we left city life in 1989. I just now getting back to the blog and I’m excited to come back to yours to watch your process evolve. In these modern times, it’s important that we dig deeper. Good for you for taking a lead. This is still circulating five months later.
Yes, I think it is simply the joy of ‘making something’. That’s what our hands are for, and our brain is for figuring things out and learning. Today, we buy stuff to do all that for us… and we’re so much poorer for it! I’m 72, and was raised ‘poor’… the adult women I knew as a child all had sewing machines and cooked food because it saved money. I think Martha Stewart was successful because she gave ‘rich’ women permission to ‘make things’ (and showed them how)…. and they found the joy in ‘creation’. Maybe the best world is where we have a choice, and, while the consumer stuff is available, the REAL joy is also available, without any social stigma. Thanks.
Melissa, I was just thinking that on days when depression has me wanting to spend the whole day in bed, all I have to do is remember that the goats are counting on me getting out to the barn to milk them, and that without my care they will not survive. Milking time is “my” time. I love working with my girls (goats). Knowing they are waiting for me keeps me going.
I love this so much! And I totally agree! When we had our dairy cows, sometimes the only thing that got me out the door every morning was knowing the cows were waiting on their breakfast and waiting to be milked. And milking time is the best me time in the world isn’t it? There’s nothing quite like it. 🙂
I am SO with you! I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how homesteading is about being “self-reliant” but not just so we can be ready when there’s a crisis or so we can distance ourselves from society. It just makes us feel more whole in so many ways. Glad to see others are thinking that way too!
Oh, you’re not alone for sure!
Yes, the hen & chicks need to be separated.
This post resonates in my soul …
About 30 years ago I took a bunch of then-hubs old flannel shirts, cut ‘em up (with scissors and a template made from cardboard) and made both of my boys some quilts sewn entirely by hand (I’m talkin’ needle-and-thread by hand). Man, they looked like CRAP! Not one straight seam, lumpy batting, hems crooked. They fit their twin beds really weirdly … I didn’t have the fancy rulers & rotary cutters I have now. But they loved them.
Since making quilts was fun, I decided to try my hand at making jam … bought a flat of strawberries from a farm and spent an entire day washing, coring, cooking, etc. It was one of the easiest (but time consuming) things I’ve ever cooked. And it tasted GREAT!
Gave gardening a go with some tomato plants, zucchini, garlic. Damn things took over my suburban backyard! It didn’t help that I overplanted everything because I honestly thought I would kill it all. Then I learned how to can spaghetti sauce and make awesome zucchini relish.
My mom was a “Bay Area Baby” … never lived on a farm, her parents were city people, and she couldn’t figure out why I wanted to try all this. She still doesn’t understand the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction in completing a task yourself, esp. that which you really have to put effort into it.
… and my grown sons still have their lumpy quilts.
Hey jill! I love your posts and blogs. The spark to my independent self sufficient care giving person.
We don’t all have to do everything that you write about, it’s about picking one thing to create and building on that.
Iat my current season, i have people ask me all the time to teach them or tell them how to raise chickens, crochet, can, e.t.c. and being the only beauty salon in our small town, I am able to share and sometimes sell the abundance to our community. Community is where it’s at. When we lose connections to others, I feel like we lose a huge part of ourselves.
I love learning new things and that comes with the responsibility to teach someone else so those skills never die.
Keep on trucking girl!
I really enjoyed reading this. It resonates with me and my recent opportunity to actually pursue this lifestyle and goals. Thank you!
I’m way out of your age bracket, having grown up in the 50’s, on a farm, thanks be to God. Although I’ve lived all over the country–been a modern-day gypsy of sorts–and everywhere I lived, I at least had a plant in a pot and a garden, if I could, & some kind of animals, even it were only a cat. In almost everything I do, I ask myself, “How would this have been done in the old days?” I love being able to do things without the benefit of technology or even modern tools, if I can. I have a 1928 Home Comfort cook stove in my kitchen–finding a house that would accommodate it was a requirement when I was looking for property here in the mountains of NC–and when it’s chilly outside, it’s fired up and I cook on it. In fact, our entire Christmas dinner this year was cooked on it, including the baked ham from our neighbor’s pig, and many of our meals are entirely our own produce. We raise Scottish HIghland grass-fed beef and chickens for eggs, all organically fed, and have a raised-bed garden. Digging in the dirt is in my DNA, and I’d always rather be outside planting or weeding than in the house doing anything. I appreciate your blog & your philosophy, and am gratified that there are so many young people seeking to live simply and closer to the earth. I also appreciate your writing ability! Thank you. I look forward to hearing more from you. (But I don’t do Twitter, & don’t intend to, so I’d need some other way to connect with you.)
Thank you for this article. I have always put up a few jams and jellies and do much sewing! I have started making my own bread and butter but from store bought products! I buy eggs from local people who have chickens! My hope is to have a few laying chickens and also a few to send to freezer camp! I agree with you, we need to have the skills to live off the “our” land if needed! When I was in school, years ago, every girl had to take home economics. We developed skills for cooking, meal planning, healthy food lists and of course sewing. Today, instead programming, coding and physics are top scholastic topics. I am saddened that youth are not taught to be self sustainable. I have a small raised bed and jarred up tomatoes. I froze beans and celery. I am sorry to say that the peas only made it into my mouth! The corn did not grow, part of our learning curve, we are trying it again this year! We have “winter sowed” 52 different types of seeds and I am very excited to get our small raised garden up and running! I enjoy reading your blog and watching your videos! I will tap into your knowledge when we choose to get chickens! I am glad that my daughters have the knowledge and enjoy making jams! They have been Christmas gifts for about the last 35 years! The jams are from wild beachplums, local crabapples, local cranberries and raspberry purchased from an apple farm in New Hampshire. I call it the simple life!
Yes!!! I love this. We live in a small town on the north side of a hill. We garden as much as we can with the shade. But we also raise meat rabbits and I make sourdough bread and kombucha and can. So I love that you addressed what so many of us can do when we can’t do the full farm thing. My parents do the full farm thing and I am grateful.
Hey Jill!
Thank you for this post! You so eloquently wrote what I feel everyday! My husband and I moved to Nicaragua 7 years ago and are on our own homesteading path! We are the parents of 2 Nicaragua born girls ages 4 and almost 2. I use to miss the conveniences of “home”(San Diego, CA) and when we would go visit our families we would stock up and fly back with our bags brimming with what we thought were necessities! As time has passed I’m realizing that the “lack of” feeling has transformed into a desire and an opportunity to create. As they say… necessity is the mother of invention. I couldn’t agree with you more that the conveniences of our modern world are boring people to depression. Yes! There is a shift, I feel it too! I came to your blog looking for information on chickens, as this is our next homestead venture and I found much more! Especially the recipe for citrus peel cleaner! I use to ship and make space in my luggage for Young Living Thieves all-purpose cleaner… Not anymore 🙂
Thanks again! Big Hugs from Nicaragua!
I often read your blog. You have a marvelous way of teaching folks this incredible way of life. I grew up farming, with very old ways. We were incredibly blessed to be taught how to live a half century behind the times. We learned the joy and frustration of building character through honest, hard physical labor.
While school mates received a gift of the 1st video game of pong. I rejoiced in my very first cow all for myself to milk and earn my own money preteen. The satisfaction of being stronger than all of my classmates earned from cutting wood, throwing bales, carrying feed sacks and carrying countless 5 gallon buckets of water.
Growing and preserving all our own food save baking staples. Having the experience taught to be critical thinkers. Because we had to solve problems on our own.
I am beyond proud to have the chance to live this wonderful life. I have taken every lesson and used it to try to become the person of value my parents tried to instill in me everyday!
Thank you for your blog. I often send it to distant friends who are just now embarking on this way of life!
You have a wonderful gift with words that I have never been able to master!
Lovely words. I crave some of that life, but without full health it’s even too hard to manage herbs in patio pots. I don’t get to do any of my other old fashioned hobbies either like dressmaking, crocheting or lucet braiding. I haven’t given up hope though. I keep trying different things in the hopes of getting better.
Also I was so hoping I hadn’t misread that and it genuinely said “Send me the chicklist” ?
Loved every bit of it! My favorite post to date!