So we're pretty new to this 'homesteading' thing. I did grow up in very rural environments - the largest town I lived in prior to Lynchburg was around 8,000 people or so; most of my childhood was spent in rural Iowa towns ranging from 1,000-3,000 people. There were lots of farms around, and we lived in the country ourselves a few times (although living 'in town' could really qualify as country too!) We had a garden, pets, my mom would hang laundry on the line, and we ate a lot of wild game in season: deer, pheasant, quail. My grandparents lived on a large farm where my grandpa grew corn and soybeans, and raised beef cattle, along with the occasional horse or goat; (Before I was born, my dad was a pig farmer) my great-grandfather still farmed on his land and had chickens and a large garden...so I'm familiar. I've even helped herd a loose cow or two, and gone 'mushroom huntin' in the spring, searching for the biggest Morel we could find (while splitting my pants climbing through a barbed wire fence).
But, ah...adolescence. When you want to be 'cool' and ignore all of that homey, down-to-earth stuff. We moved to a small town about an hour and a half from Chicago when I was 13, and I was much more engrossed in typical teenage stuff than anything to do with farming. I still enjoyed the outdoors, but never really thought about doing some homesteading myself. In fact, I can remember the first time I came home from college, and a friend told me I was all 'city' after being away at school (Lynchburgers would probably laugh at that). I took it as a compliment. Then, after a few years of marriage, home ownership, and one kid...I all of a sudden started missing how I grew up. I was tired of the fast pace we were living, the 'suburban' kind of life, always running, never staying long. I was surprised to learn that my husband (who grew up 25 miles outside of DC) felt exactly the same way! And thus our journey began...we have a lot to learn, but we're enjoying it! Here are some of the things I've learned so far:
1) If you plant it, they will grow. Usually. And usually with minimal effort. There are a ton of books and blogs about starting seeds and getting things to grow early or late or whatever. But to be honest, most of the seeds I tried to start early failed. When I waited til the weather and soil outside were actually ready for planting - surprise! - almost everything worked! We've gotten so used to eating foods whenever we want, it's hard to learn to wait for their proper season. But oh so worth it. (life lesson there? I think yes.)
2) Chickens are way easier than I thought they would be. I mean, really. The first couple of weeks were hard - having them in the house in a box and then training them to go in the coop. I'm sure the entire neighborhood watched and laughed each evening as we chased them around. But once you get past the learning curve, they're just about the easiest animal you could keep. AND they give you food, in 2 ways. (sorry ladies...one day.) I'm hooked.
3) You will make lots of new friends. I can't even begin to count how many people - mostly random strangers - have stopped to ask us about our chickens, our garden, where we got our clothesline...it's amazing. You'll also find more kindred spirits than you knew were around - we now know of 4 people within a 4 block radius that also have chickens!
4) It's not the same when you're in town. We have awesome neighbors and are so, so thankful for the neighborhood we live in. Could not ask for better people. But when you had in your head the idea of quiet country nights and being able to wander outside in whatever you happened to wear to bed and not wonder who may see you - yeah. Definitely not the same, especially when you're on a corner lot. In fact, you draw more people than before (see above). Definitely takes some mental adjustment.
5) Sometimes you don't want to do it. Like when you are tired. Or have a whining child. Or are pregnant and it's hot out. (see: most summer days) There are often times when I would love to just head out to feed the chickens when I feel like it, or not water the garden but sit on the porch instead. But that's part of the wonderful thing about it too. It instills discipline, and personal responsibility, which are two of the main reasons we wanted to start it while our kids are young. (again, life lessons.)
6) It's trial and error. We over planted some things, like lettuce. We under planted some things, like snap peas. Some things are just right, and there are new ways we'll probably do things next year. It's all a learning curve. I actually have a garden notebook so we can remember how we did it this year and make adjustments as we go!
7) It can be overwhelming. The more you get into 'homesteading', the more you find out there is! We could ferment foods! We could make our own butter! We can raise meat chickens! What about a goat? We're trying to take it one step at a time, and do what makes the most sense for us right now.
8) Having a 2 year old 'help' can be both fun and difficult. As can most things with a two year old. :) He loves to help water the garden, but also likes to water the same spot. Continually. He loves to help harvest vegetables - a little too much. I have to remind him that we can't pull carrots everyday, and we also can't pull up plants that need their roots right now, like beans or sweet potatoes. He loves 'his' chickens, but he also loves to chase them, which they do not love so much.
9) It's rewarding. Tonight for dinner, our salad and our side came mainly from our garden! Once the chickens start laying and we have some sweet potatoes and onions ready to harvest, we could literally have a whole meal just from our yard. That's kind of amazing.
10) It makes you appreciate where your food comes from. We were already really into healthy eating before, but are really learning to love getting what we can locally. Knowing how much time and work goes into raising an animal and processing it, or growing produce and harvesting and selling - not only does buying locally mean you get a fresh product, but it also means you get to know who and where it came from. When you begin to understand truly what it takes to care for something the way it is meant to be cared for, all of a sudden $15 or $20 for a chicken doesn't seem so bad!
11) Stewardship. Going along with the previous point; it makes you see the difference between just having something and actually caring for something. We want Graham to know that our food isn't something we just buy off a shelf, but that it's cultivated and cared for, and is something given to us by God. Taking part in that stewardship, we feel, is a good way to teach him that in all aspects of life: the things we have are gifts and to be cared for; not taken lightly. Our home, our friends, our family...it's also why we do things like recycle and pray before meals - acknowledging that God has given us these things and entrusted them to our care.
12) It's educational! And not just for the kids. I've learned more about different methods of chicken bedding, chicken feathers, chicken illness, and how to sex a chicken than I ever probably will need to know. I've also learned how and why certain things grow well together, when to plant, when to harvest, and how to rotate crops. And we just keep learning!
13) It forces slow. You can't hurry a tomato. If you pull up a carrot before it's ready, you just get an orange string. Chickens won't lay eggs at 6 weeks old. I'm not going to grow squash in December, and I have no idea what our sweet potatoes will be like until they're ready to harvest. It's a lot of waiting, a lot of patience, and a lot of anticipation. It's such a good reminder that life comes in seasons. Right now is a season of small children and sleepless nights and maybe not a lot of visible productivity or world changing, but one of little life molding and shaping. And soon enough, that season will end and we'll be on to another. But each one has to come when they're supposed to. Never before, never after.
That's it for now. We actually lost power a little bit ago so I'm writing this offline and will have to wait to publish til later! We're really homesteading it now - candles lit, phone needs charging...practically Amish, really. Maybe not, but I'm going to go enjoy the candle glow for a bit longer while it lasts.
