“Where’s the perfect place to homestead??”
The question comes up on every conference panel and podcast Q&A.
I’m tempted to use the opportunity to shamelessly plug Wyoming (because I would LOVE more homestead-minded folks to join our community)…
But instead, I figure it’s better to share the truth, so I reply,
“The perfect place to homestead? Well….”
It doesn’t exist.
Northern states are wintery with minuscule growing seasons.
The Pacific Northwest is gloomy and everything molds or floods.
The Midwest has tornados and too much corn.
The South is oppressively hot and humid (plus bugs).
The Southwest is barren and cacti-laden.
The Northeast is rife with regulations and high taxes.
The trendy states (TN, FL, TX) are jam-packed with people and land costs a million dollars an acre.
Wyoming has too few people and not enough culture (also wind).
Shall I go on?
Now before you get mad at me for criticizing your favorite region, my point is…
There is no perfect place.
People in the South tell me they would rather die than live through a Wyoming winter, yet they don’t blink when they can’t leave their air-conditioned homes four months out of the year.
Whenever I travel to a place with humidity, I wail and complain and can’t wait to get back to my dry, western air, even though a wind gust nearly smashed me into our dumpsters last week.
We get to pick our poison.
Any place can be reduced to its stereotypes.
A person can get used to almost anything.
At the end of the day, what matters most are roots.
It comes down to the ability to stop fantasizing about greener grass somewhere else, and instead resolve to dig up the grass you have and plant something worthwhile.
(You’re welcome for that mixed metaphor.)
Investing time and love in your area will change how you see it.
This weekend we spent two days branding cattle with our neighbors. As we roped and wrestled calves, I couldn’t help but marvel at this little community of ours.
Make no mistake– it’s not the perfect place to put down roots.
There are scant resources here.
The people can be quirky and gossipy.
The wind is blowing 582mph as I type this.
There are very few people who think exactly like us.
YET.
My children have found friendship and ample activities.
Older folks treat us like their children/grandchildren.
I know all the local “coffee guys” and tease them mercilessly.
We have dear friends who now feel like family.
There is a familiarity born of years invested.
It was hard won and I don’t take it lightly.
And in this windy, underpopulated, sometimes annoying place…. the secret sauce that allows me to love it is simply time and effort.
Sure, there are instances when moving to better soil in which to plant your roots (literally and figuratively) may be the right choice.
But perhaps there are more instances where we’re being called to improve our current soil…
To dig in…
To invest…
To pour in energy…
To cultivate relationships…
To commit for the long haul.
Because when we cultivate that spirit of stick-with-it-ness, unlikely things can blossom in the most beautiful ways.
Here for the Long Haul,
-Jill
More of My Deep Thoughts on Homesteading & Community:
- How to Cultivate Community While Homesteading
- The Inconvenient Truth About Building Community
- You’re Not Alone
- What Happens When We Dig In
I lived in Wyoming for 7 years. I came back to NC when my dad’s Alzheimer’s became worse. I would give just about anything to live there again. However, since Covid, and the Hollywood people moving there buying multimillion dollar homes, it has just about priced the rest of us out. Every place is so expensive now. Land is outrageous too.
Wyoming native here.
I just found your YouTube channel & am excited to see what you are doing. =)
Jill, love your site and wonderful information. You present it well. Thanks for the inspiration (No place is perfect). Born in CA, 29 years in Cheyenne, WY gardning on a city lot. I wondered how I could grow half a zucchini they did so well. Now 30 years in FL. I would love to be able to grow zucchini again (stem borers get them here) Sweet potato is one of few crops that grow in the summer. Just moved to a new microclimate so learning what grows here fall-winter-spring.
Hello, We just recently found your site while looking to find out more about a milk cow. we are getting our very first Jersey from a friend on the front range of Colorado with a full fledged dairy. Did I mention we live in Ten Sleep and I feel like a new mom getting this cow. We run a cow calf operation so at least I have our beef cows and am known as the lactation specialist with newborns or cranked Angus cows…I am excited to learn more from your channel and will pass this Chanel info to my daughter in law up the hill- recently getting into chickens as well. Your info says you are near Chugwater, we have good friends there if you know the Jacobsons, Pat and Megan with their new daughter Layton. thank you, Terri O’Donnell