Simple Homesteading Life

The romantic portager or farmhouse kitchen garden is on the mind of many homesteaders lately. This garden space is often found close to the home (actually, right outside the kitchen) and has a layout much different than the main or market garden. Well, unless you're like me and your main garden is very similar to the portager. In this podcast I talk about what makes up a kitchen garden and how extremely easy it is to design one to fit your space. I may have been a bit pushy in encouraging you to build one, and the only reason why is because I've come to truly love my little farmhouse garden! 

The review of this space will release onto our YouTube channel on August 24, we hope you'll stop by and see the space which I've designed. Also, on the 24th you will have access to an article on my website on tips to designing your own farmhouse kitchen garden space. 

I'll talk to you guys next week! 

#farmhousekitchengarden #designingapotager #kitchengarden 

A well stocked pantry will have 6 months worth of pantry staples at any given time. This does not cover what we preserve from the garden, but instead non-perishables which are regularly purchased from the market. Is your pantry successfully stocked for a pandemic, unemployment, or natural disaster? If not, I talk about the basics every pantry should have, AND how to substitute the items which are sold out.

For example, what can be substituted for cooking oil? What produce stores best long-term? Do you know how to make many household cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products?

This podcast skims the Pantry Preparedness Guide, however, a full detailed list can be found here: https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/pantry-preparedness-stocking-your-pandemic-pantry/

Or if video is your preference, take a look at our YouTube video: https://youtu.be/aAPp0Lu9ZOY

Part of a well-stocked pantry is the ability to own your food source. Take the steps for owning your food source and preserving the garden's bounty or items which have been purchased from your local farmers market. My book, The Farm Girl's Guide to Preserving the Harvest will provide you the confidence you need to preserve foods within the comfort of your home. 

Do not wait until the last minute to stock your pantry, it is best to always be prepared at all time, regardless if you are homesteading or living in town. 

#pantrypreparednessguide #foodstorage #preparingforapandemic 

Many homesteads do not thrive due to procrastination. Let me give you a hint as to what I am referring to: 

Come discover the 5 tasks which causes homesteaders to feel overwhelmed, learn tips as to how to resolve the issues, and how to get back on track to being a successful homesteading family!

In truth, there are more than the 5 tips mentioned here in order to live simply. However, the 5 tips I talk about make-up the mission statement for our homestead. For those who have additional tips feel free to share them in the comments! 

As suggested, here are additional items to help you in the journey to living a simpler life.

I'm not sure whether May was a successful month around the property, or not. What I do know is that we've got our work cut out for us in June and I'm ready to get started! Here's to hoping the weather holds, the new pond in the middle of the yard is taken care of, and the kitchen garden is done by the end of the month...AMEN! 

If you are not challenging yourself to set goals for the month do so. What better way to keep focus on achieving what is needed on the property? 

As mentioned in this podcast:

Vertical Gardening

#homestead #goals #garden

The homesteading community is growing by leaps and bounds, but it needs more leaders. More contributors. More individuals who seek to bring others into the life we live. Homesteading leaders come from all walks of life, the suburbs, small homesteads, large farms. You do not need a platform to be the leaders. You need to have passion about the life you live.

In this podcast I cover how to organically draw people into the lives we live. Also, I've included a challenge for each one of you. Take the challenge and then sit back and watch the outcome. 

Be the teacher, leader, sharer, giver, and encourager for the life we live. You have as much clout as I do on this matter.  

#homestead #leadership #mentor

Sustainable homesteaders are different than most. We have emotions which often can't be tamed. They are raw, and they are there. 

The miracle of life should never be taken for granted. The individuals who view our lives often find it difficult to understand how we can value birth and the lives of our livestock just to consume it a few months later. Fair enough.

Animals deserve being held, petted, talked to, cuddled with, be allowed to see the sun, stretch its legs, eat grass and bugs, and run free. Unfortunately, there are many which don't. Factory farming has taken away the understanding of where food comes from and the humanity it takes to be good stewards to our livestock. 

One of my older children had asked how I felt when we butchered our livestock, and as I explained the about to him, he instantly understood. 

Butchering day is just as rewarding as the day they were born. The animals on my homestead serve a purpose, and while they are here they will run free and live the lives they deserve to live. 

This is what makes homesteading and farming worthwhile. This is what makes us capable of truly valuing the food we consume.

RELATED ARTICLES:

Raising Broiler Birds for Meat 

Raising Rabbits for Meat

Raising Coturnix Quail

#sustainableliving #homestead #farming

Tell me, are you a lone wolf in this homesteading world. I am not talking about being a lone wolf among friends and extended family, no not at all. What I am talking about is, do you and your spouse run as a pack or are you a lone wolf? 

I may touch a few nerves on this particular topic, but I think you'll have a better understand once I share whether I am a pack member or a lone wolf.  I talk about this topic with ease, simply because I have learned a lot about myself in the last 6 years.

My goal is to get the lone wolves to become pack members. The process of getting there takes work, but more importantly, a lot of patience, grace, and forgiveness. 

I have dreams and goal for this homesteading life I live. Big ones. Being a modern homesteading housewife is one of those dreams. If you haven't listened to this particular podcast go back and listen to it. I also wrote an in-depth blog on the desire of becoming a homesteading homemaker. 

So, before you listen to this podcast ask yourself, in the homesteading life you live, are you a lone wolf or a pack member? 

Homesteading Housewife podcast

Homesteading Housewife blog post w/podcast

#homestead #spouse #homesteadinglife

I truly believe outsiders to the life we live consider us to have a romantic lifestyle. And maybe, just maybe it is our fault. We share beautiful photos of our gardens, livestock, home cooked meals and the items we've preserved. But, but, you and I know this life is far from being simple. It's work. Daily hard, labor intensive, work. And this work happens to rewards at the then of the day, for that I am thankful. In this episode I'm going to talk about the actual workload which goes into our lives that others do not see. 

We seek to live a simple life because we know the benefits of doing so. Even through the mishaps which occur daily, and there are certainly daily mishaps. However, at the end of the chaos there are good things happening. 

For those of you looking to raise your own meat, here's the link I mentioned in this podcast:

https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/poultry-processing-equipment-butchering-day/

https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/raising-broiler-chickens-meat/

https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/raising-turkeys-on-the-homestead/

In a perfect world all tasks at hand are completed in a timely manner. As a homesteader, this world does not exist, and that's okay! Homesteading often requires you go with the flow. Forgiving yourself for what doesn't get done and celebrating the tasks which do.  April was a good month for the property, take a listen to what's change, the accomplishments, and the plans for May. 

I'm extremely excited for May to begin. I am the type of person who likes to see instant change. And boy, will there be some instant changes happening in May! 

PS - here's the smoked kale kraut I mentioned --> https://bit.ly/2KvRsid