Our First Year Homesteading
Wow. I can’t believe it’s been a whole year that we’ve lived here on our little homestead! It was just last November when we moved in, and here it is almost Thanksgiving time again. How time flies… especially when you’re having fun!
I’ve been reflecting on the things that we have accomplished throughout our first year of homesteading. I’ve learned so much. I’ve especially learned how much more I have to learn! I would never have been able to do the things I’ve done without the encouragement, help, advice, friendship and generosity of other homesteaders.
Here is how we have slowly begun our dream of self-sufficiency this past year…
- We started our first ever garden, and learned a lot of lessons the hard way!
- We got three goats, Sweetie and Mocha, then Lucy. Sweetie was killed by stray dogs. We are raising them for milk and meat in the future.
- We planted ten blueberry bushes, and a raspberry bush.
- We harvested black walnuts from our property.
- We were blessed with free rabbit cages which enabled us to house our first chickens. Before this I’d never had farm fresh chicken eggs!
- We finally got a water stove (for free!) to heat our home and water with fire. We still haven’t gotten it hooked up yet, but hopefully we will before it gets too cold! (more about that when it’s completed)
- We’ve tried fresh cow’s milk for the first time, and like it!
- I’ve made butter from scratch.
- I’ve begun collecting cast iron cookware.
- We’ve been eating deer meat.
- We’ve (mostly) given up buying disposable products… even toilet paper! well, almost. Cloth napkins, cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, cloth cleaning rags, cloth dishrag… though, no hanky’s yet, and still disposable diapers for the newborn.
- I have a clothesline to dry my laundry. I’ve even begun trying homemade laundry detergent!
- We’ve given up our television!
- I’ve been learning how to can, and even got my first canners!
- I’ve been using natural home remedies, like for treating poison ivy and ear infections.
- We’re working hard on putting up a charming white picket fence around the yard.
- Hubby got his grandfather’s old wood stove hooked up in his work building, so that I can cook on it if we are ever without power for long.
- I’ve been making all of my own cleaning products.
- I’ve started a nice compost pile.
- And we cannot forget my biggest, proudest accomplishment ever… the home-birth of my baby girl Xia!!
Wow, what a year! A lot of changes, a lot of learning. I hope that next year, and the year after, and the year after that we are as productive as I felt we’ve been this past year. Maybe, if we keep working hard and things keep going well, we’ll be living our dream before we know it!
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Sounds like you are well on your way!
Congratulations on the first year! Looking forward to seeing how much you achieve in the next!
I haven’t even read this post (or any others yet) but I can already tell I’m going to love it here!! Our dream is to homestead as soon as possible. I’ll be back soon! But I have to get dinner on the table now.
Blessings,
Babychaser
Congratulations!
I just love reading your stuff! We are beginning our homesteading journey next month (well, we’ve been prepping for it in our spirits for years) and I’ve even turnned my hubby on to your stuff. Thanks soo soooooo soooooooooo much for sharing with us!
Mamasusu,
I am SO glad to have you along!!! Thank you for your encouraging words. I wish you both the best with your new adventure!
My sister introduced me to your site as my husband and I are in the beginning stages of homesteading ourselves. We just bought two acres of land and its all tree and bush right now. You have inspired me to keep a journal of our journey. Your site have some of the most fantastic ideas I have come across and my hubby loves the ‘build it yourself’ stuff.
I’m so glad to have you along Stephanie!! Good luck in your own journey. I hope to hear more from you along the way!
My family have been living a hybrid life for 26 years. we have small farm, wildlife and fresh home grown vegetables and eggs, Our goal over the next few years is to continue to simplify life as it is now and revert back to the life of the 50′s and 60′s that were simple and fulfilling with some of the technology of today. There is nothing better than going out the back door and picking fresh tomatoes and peppers to use in the evening meal, Keep the goal in mind and it gets easier each year. yours, dave
congratulations for all those good stuff you accomplished in the first year keep it up.
I congratulate you on a fine achievement.Your post is readable and catchy.It prods me to simplify my life and escape from the technology.Thank you for your fascinating idea ,soI am looking foward to read more from you.
Thank you for your sharing!
I’m impressive about your accomplishment.
i like what you have done and using water stove to heat house that’s great. And i like your thinking. but i hope it’ll work out, the water stove. And thanks for sharing this information.
Great! I am living in NY and I had 2 Chickens. The funny story was on first day of new house, one of chickens laid egg. So my family thought we will have lucky day. But when I heard this story from my mom, that egg was in my father’s stomach.(I heard this story at night)
I never see that ‘lucky egg’!!
The neglect of the mind-body link by modern technological agricultural industry is actually a brief exception when viewed against the long history of the farming and industry. In Korean traditional farming and in Modern technology from its beginning, the need to consider the potential of Plant’s mind has always been recognized. Until 1960, Korean farmers rarely failed to consider the influence of grief, despair, or discouragement on the reason and outcome of dropped-productivity further. However they has gained so much power against disease on plants through chemical drugs or genetically modified organisms that the farmers has forgot affection for their grain after in 2000.
The text is very interesting. I would like to pass every holiday in a homestead.I would like to have a homestead to relax when I want to focus on an important project.I think it is a good idea to have a homestead.
If you are looking for great home-made cleaning and home care recipes, look for “Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping” I have found some WONDERFUL ideas, and it is a fun read.
I have had a lot of fun reading your blog. So much luck and many blessings to you and your family.
first, i want to thank you for sharing this information with us.i really admire your lifestyle and i wish i can live the same way as you do because i really love to have a simple life.i want to say congratulations for what you estabilished in your first year, and i want you to keep up living this amazing life.
sincerely,
ghita seffar,
I would like to spend my next vacation at homestead because I can sleep and I think it is intersting experienc.
I would be very interesting to join this way of life.It sound really nice ,and very experienced.It is nice to be self-sufficient.
I would to take my vacation at homestaed bucause is something different.I think I will have a good and quiet vacation.
oh.. That’s nice that you are living simple and get whatever you want within your reach like your milk, meats and fruits. That is nice and keeps up the good work. Keep blogging of your experiences for your homestead life..
god bless…
keep it up guys. the nature will take note for all your sacrifices and won’t harm when it is upset. you are really helping the environnement to be how it was before. good job
I hope your homesteading will be better every each year.
I think you are very brave person. most people scared about homestead because they are already used to their modern life.
Have a good life~~~Bye!
seems u had a lot of fun with ur homestanding. i wish one day i could have the same simple lifestyle.
It is a very interesting text. It seems like very fun and I want to get an experience the homestead.
i really enjoyed the description of that new life made by the author.It is unusual what they made.It is unthinkable what people can do or made with their hands without using technologies.
If I were you, I couldn`t give up TV. Except for this one, I want to experience this life!! But for just a few days
this text is very interesting. When i read your blog, you give me some ideas to make some changes in my house. congratulation you have done a lot of things in only one year. keep it going. Bless you.
Hi i glad to you have a great time in your First Year Homesteading.
you was well on your way.congratulations.
Congratulations for your intelligent decision! I think everyone should do the same thing. We would live better.God bless you!
Its great that you are trying to become self sufficient and it has been interesting reading about your journey. Might I suggest that you look into a website called thesurvivalpodcast.com run by Jack Spirko. Much of his show is related to self sufficiency and has a very large number of resources at his website that could help you on your quest. Best of luck!
May God continue to guide you in this journey after all we are going back to our roots. God gave adam and Eve to take care of the garden. Work is a blessing from the Lord. Have my own story of how the Lord told us to move from the city to the country side . I would love to share that some day. Until then stay blesed
Lee,
I would love to read your story some time!!
I really appreciate what above all things you have accomplished in your first year of homesteading. I think that above all things are not simple to do them, but this is a success to be self-sufficient lifestyle. I’m really interested in what you are raising a simple life and thinking about how to do that. Your family has a lot of learning and a lot of changes for next year, but I believe that your family has more successfully in your future’ life.
Hopefully to hear something new from you.
Simon.
Wanderfull family!!
It’s great.This family is happy because they have proudest accomplished throughout in their first year of homesteading. This family has proud accomplished, especially with their baby girl Xia!!. They have a self-sufficienty. This is very good experience because it’s encouranging. Thank you so much. God Bleess You.
Nemesia
I admire you for all the things you have accomplished in only one year. Good job!
ohh wow !!! you have a lot of fun and you are learning new things in life …. it was a challenge the first year ..ahahaha
i wuold like to read more about your new aventures =
It was really good story. i would really learn to more about it.
Congratulations on the first year!
I will spend my next vacation at homestead because of your article and I think it is intersting experience.
Thank you for your interesting article.
I hope your family stay on blesed.
God bless your family!I am very happy to find people like you who can enjoy a simple life with great pleasure. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Congratulations on the first year! Looking forward to seeing how much you achieve in the next!I hope your homesteading will be better every each year.
good for them I wish I do it just for 1 time
don’t lost your hope
I knew you can do it
Hie Kendra
I just read yr article abt how you wont celebrate christmas this year, well i agree with everything you said. i also dont celebrate it too(my family as a whole). Yet i have read a few articles and yr mention on the feasts to be celebrated. Those feasts were symbolic of the Messaiah to come-they were all pointing to Jesus foretelling that he was the lamb they will sacrifice. I have studied abt the feasts and i do keep the bible sabbath, the seventh day. In prophecy line right now most have been fulfilled we are awaiting the one in Rev 14 the 3rd angels message to be fulfilled- that will bring about the mark of the beast-which really simple means which God are you going to serve- the sabbath issue will be the great test as always been through history . i dont know if you have studied the history of the waldenses which entails persecution for keeping God commndments.At this point when the sabbath test comes , we know the end will be near and so the anticipation is the 2nd coming of Jesus of course to take us home.You are doing well to prepare fr the end of time-the time of trouble- inspiration tells us those who will be having land will be kings and queens because when you cannot buy or sell at least you have the land to farm and get produce. we too are on this journey of preparation not only physically but spiritually too. If you have studied the sanctuary message in the old testament you do realize that we learn of the priest being in the most holy place interceding for his people and that is where Jesus is right now not only that the 2nd agels message in Rev14v7 has been fulfilled. We are going through the judgement hour right now. it is the most solemn time -soul searching for sure to be sure you know whom you believe in.I see the holy spirit is speaking to your family abt certain things that everybody takes for granted like christmas.I hope that you will continue in all honest to search and the Lord wil bring you new light-he came to serve thhat which was lost. thought i would share and encourage you in this journey. i think you have my email ,if you want us to chat more on this subject drop me one and will respond. stAY blessed
Lee
power-of-touch.blogspot.com
I have to say…I am pretty jealous.
I have been wanting something like that for years! 
But 3….hopefully soon to be 4…of my children have been born at home. 
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