So ...what exactly is a homestead lifestyle

Homesteading according to Webster's dictionary, is a noun:

"1. a: the home and adjoining land with any buildings that are occupied usually by a family as its principal residence.

2. b: an estate created by law in a homestead especially for the purpose of taking advantage of a homestead exemption"

But for us, and others who are living it out today, modern-day homesteading is no longer a noun.  It's a verb, it's all about action.  It's a lifestyle of becoming more self-sufficient; on our land, on each other, and for us, in particular, a lot more dependent on God.  So what will that look like?  Not completely sure yet, but the plan looks something like this:

• Clear the property for a small orchard, and get fruit trees planted. (apples, pear, peach, cherry) as well as grapes, blueberries, raspberries - both red & black, rhubarb, and strawberries.

• Getting our gardens ready - turning clay into fertile soil maybe take us a while, so we'll start with container gardens as we get our composting skills honed.

• Clear an area for raising our own poultry, for both eggs and meat, build a coop and get it fenced in so the nesting areas are secure.  For the most part, these will be free range, but at night we'll need to keep them fenced in order to keep their predators at bay.  

• Getting the house finished so we have a place to call home, (and so our friends might actually make the long trip down for a visit?)

• Get the pole barn re-configured and set-up for Brian's woodworking shop.

• Build a sawmill to make boards out of all the trees we felled from our septic field and orchard projects.

• Once the vegetable gardens and herb plots are successfully producing; we plan to can, freeze and dry our harvest to supplement our grocery needs.  When the orchards are producing, which will take a while, we will also can and freeze, dehydrate, as well stock up on our supply of jams and jellies.

Nigora photo used with permission from
 Farm Show Magazine
 2014 - Volume #38, Issue #6, Page #08

• I also dream of having miniature goats.  A Nigora goat (Angora-Nigerian) bred for both fiber and milk, but I love having an orchard and gardens way more than having goats and from what I hear it's hard to keep both.  The goats are clever ones...finding all kinds of ways to escape and eat your fruit trees, or garden produce when you turn your back.  So this dream may indeed just remain a dream. But aren't they just so incredibly cute!  

• Brian is looking forward to putting his woodworking tools to the task, building a front porch full of Adirondack chairs (I hope) so we won't forget to sit back and enjoy the amazing views God provides each and every day.  

• We began to replace our household cleaners and soaps with more organic and chemical free cleaners years ago and look forward to expanding our DIY skills in making more of our own household soaps and cleaning products.

• And then lastly we hope to figure out ways to offset the electric costs of keeping such a large house warm or cool when needed.   Alternative energy sources? Solar?  Wind?  We have a lot to learn. It's going to be a process and it's definitely going to take some time.

We do realize it's going to be a lot of work to manage all these aspects of modern-day homesteading all at once,  but we think we are up to the challenge.  Time will tell. It's a journey for sure and one we hope you'll be a part of by staying in touch and holding us accountable.

Blessings,
Brian & Jan  
Numbers 6:24-26