Today is a big day. Actually, this week has been a big week leading up to today. Sitting down to write this feelings me with all the feels as I try to gather my words to write something that adequately conveys all the emotions that have been swirling around these last few days. What’s so big you ask? This week kicks off the active season of manifesting the homestead of my dreams.
That’s not to say that manifesting is a passive endeavor. For me, this simply means that things are finally in place to start actualizing the plans I’ve been dreaming of since we bought this house three years ago.
Just a little backstory. I am a country girl. I was born in the city but raised in the deep country and when I see wide open spaces my heart is set aflutter. Through and through, these country roots run deep. Bring on the rolling corn fields, dirt roads and open skies for miles and miles and I am one happy gal. I feel a deep, sacred connection to the Earth. I respect and am amazed by all that She provides for us. And that respect and awe led me to have a deep yearning to be self-sufficient and be able to live a life as connected to nature as possible.
A Homestead Dream Deferred
And then life sidetracked that yearning. Working and every other distraction pushed that dream aside. Then we bought a house. And our house has a patch of land that bigger than most lots around here. One of the few bits of old farmland that hasn’t been converted into a subdivision. We have a little space and I knew we could do big things here.
Fast forward to my husband and I devoting many nights and weekends to repairing the damage that had been done to the yard. My husband tore down old, unkept yard fixtures that made the backyard look desolate. After a little restorative nurturing, our yard started to show that she was feeling the love. It took months for her to recover from the obvious neglect, but she did. And then we knew it was time to see what all she could do.
Building the Homestead of My Dreams
My husband and I have a different approach to homesteading. He’s practical. He sees something. He figures out how to fix or improve it and he does that. I am a dreamer. I draw out outlandish visions and then slowly pare it down to something that borders on impossible, but we still get it done.
Last Spring we built garden boxes. It was something we’d talked about for over a year and we finally made it happen. We quickly discovered that we could grow things. There were a few things growing wildly that we rehomed in the new garden like berries and rhubarb. We made out with a few small carrots and some nice zucchinis. The berries were fair game for the birds. Then it finally sunk in: we could grow things.
That realization was a game changer. We went from playing with a dream we’d long had to understanding that we could actually plant, nurture and harvest food that we could actually use to sustain our family. The relief from just imagining the freedom attached to that began to lesson any hesitance about tackling the additional projects that come along with creating our homestead.
Full Circle
This brings me back to why this week was such a huge week. We finally made plans to progress our homestead. I ordered the materials to allow us to move forward with expanding the garden and our crop selection to reap an actual harvest that would provide us with food to live off of. We got the remaining materials today. It’s one thing to get the warm and fuzzies when you look at a space and start imagining what it could be. It’s totally different when the materials are there in front of you and all that needs to happen is you putting in the effort to take those last few steps to actualize that dream.
How to Build the Homestead of Your Dreams
The notion of building a self-sufficient homestead may seem daunting. And in many ways, it is. Sometimes it’s a slow transition and it has been for us, but that’s just fine. Here are a few tips to help you actualize your homestead dreams:
Identify Why You Want to Homestead
This is perhaps one of the easiest things about homesteading: determining the reasons you want to homestead in the first place. Your reason need not be elaborate, too simplistic or the same as someone else’s. You just need to identify the reason you want this for yourself and your family.
Are you growing food to feed your family, or do you also want to preserve some or sell at a farmer’s market? Do you simply want to be more self-sufficient? Whatever your reason, write it down and remind yourself of that reason as often as you like or need to. Starting a homestead takes time. Remembering the reason you want this lifestyle can motivate you to continue on the path to bring your vision to life.
Tap Into Your DIY
What do you want your homestead to look like? Do you want to build everything new? Remodel an old property and give it new life? Or do you want a mix of the old and new? Can you start with where you’re currently living or are you waiting for a new space with the opportunity to cultivate? Whatever the case, it may be beneficial to learn what you can accomplish yourself. There is a wealth of information that can be gained from online resources, tutorials and knowledge that can be gleaned from others. Tap into your resources and if need be, don’t be afraid to put in some sweat equity to materialize your dream. You will get out of it what you put into it.
Know Your Limits
You don’t have to start big. The word Homestead can come with an expectation that you have to go big. It may seem that you have to have a big plot of land and a big garden with big yields. Such expectations can create anxiety and potentially complicate your process with unnecessary pressure.
You don’t have to start small. If you want to go bigger, you can do that. You don’t have to scale back your vision for fear of reaching too high too soon. If you don’t want to just start with smaller planter boxes or indoor herbs, don’t. Let your imagination run wild and get to work bringing it all to life.
The beauty of crafting a homestead is that it is unique to your family and your needs. You can do as much or as little as you want to start and let it grow as you see fit. Don’t let what works for someone else put parameters on the size and function of your homestead.
Budget Accordingly
Perhaps one of the biggest deterrents from beginning the homesteading process is the potential cost. This is one of the areas where planning is important. Figure out what you want and look into what the associated costs are. If you have a specific project in mind like building a greenhouse, chicken coop or raised garden boxes, price out materials ahead of time if possible. Set budgets for each project while you’re planning, put aside funds as you see fit. Dedicating funds in this manner can help alleviate the stress of unexpected costs as you’re creating your ideal space.
Be sure to set a budget that you’re comfortable with. Homesteading takes work and dedication, the benefits typically leading to an easier, more peaceful life. The stress of going over budget could put a damper on what you’re working towards.
Embrace Flexibility
Timelines can be adjustable. That flexibility can be a perk. The great thing about learning and creating at your own pace is that you get to define and redefine your timeline. You have the freedom to rearrange your projects based on your personal preference and needs. Planning takes time and once the planning turns to creating, that takes dedicated time, too. Have fun with those freedoms.
Having sole control of your timelines can also create a little chaos in the form of unfinished projects. It can be tempting to start and work on as many projects as possible. It can also be tempting to leave projects unfinished as your attention gets pulled to other things. Incomplete projects can be a source of stress and become a deterrent from reaching your homesteading goals. I struggle in this area at times. Setting realistic, flexible deadlines and committing to completing each project in its time will keep you moving forward at a manageable pace.
Catalogue Your Ideas
ALL of them. This may seem obvious or simple, but don’t skip this step. Those ideas cross your mind for a reason. If possible, keep all your homesteading ideas in the same place. On the same notecard or journal or stored in the same place on your computer or mobile device. Not only will this allow you to sort through them and organize them, it will allow you to see how your ideas mature as you build your dream homestead. An older idea may come back into plausibility or you might get clarity on something that you couldn’t quite work out before. Keep your ideas as you go and see which ones you can bring to life as your homestead grows.
Don’t be afraid of the details. Either having too many or not enough. What do you want to grow? Do you want to plant in the ground, in raised garden beds or pots? How do you want your produce arranged? Do you want your garden to be filled with decorations or do you want nature to color your space? There are so many decisions that come with building anything from the ground up. Don’t be afraid to map out exactly how you want your homestead to look, feel and function. This is your space. Whatever is in your mind, don’t let the details cause you distress. You can make your space as complex or as simple as you deem necessary and desirable. The delight is in the details.
Size is Subjective
Start where you are. So many people get concerned with not having ‘enough’ space to start homesteading. Let me give you a tip that will squash that faulty belief: start with what you have. You may want a homestead and not have any yard space. Think about how to use the space that you do have. If you’re able, can you start a potted plant garden? No matter home small, a garden is a garden. Starting small is nothing to be bothered by. There are so many ways to fit gardening into small spaces. It takes a bit of creativity and research, and perhaps a few how-to reads or videos, but it can be done.
Learning is as Important as the Doing
Before, during and after you start your homesteading journey, learning is key. If you are unable to start a garden, use the time you have to learn all that you can about the types of things you want to grow and the managing the land you are aiming to get. Just because you aren’t in an ideal space to start your homestead now doesn’t mean this time can’t be useful and beneficial. Knowledge is power. Learn, grow what you can within your space and practice the skills you’ll need to manage your upcoming homestead.
Live the lifestyle you want now. Homesteading is not just about growing crops or raising animals. It’s a way of life and so much about that way of life can be put into practice before you even till soil. This goes back to knowing why you want to homestead. Do you want to be more self-sufficient all around? Do you want more simplicity? More intention in how you spend your family time? Do you want to teach your children how to do more themselves and show them the importance of nurturing things with their own hands? Practice the stillness. Be mindful of what you eat. Make more than you buy if you wish. Whatever lifestyle gems you hope to glean from homesteading, you can start living that lifestyle right where you are.
Hold on to Your Dream
This is your dream, your homestead vision. Hang on to that vision. If it takes more time and more effort than you originally planned to spend and you think it’s worth it, hang on. If this is the lifestyle that keeps calling to you, cling to your vision. Remember that it doesn’t have to look just like anyone else’s. This journey is about building your dream your way. If this is what feels right to you, trust that you have and can acquire what it takes to make this way of life a reality for you and your family. Dream it. Plan it. Build it. Every homestead that is and ever was started with the thought to build it. Hold on to your homestead dream and start. You’ll get right to where you want to be.
Wishful Thinking, Joyful Building & Happy Homesteading!
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