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Welcome to My Homestead: Where Chaos Blooms and Purpose Grows
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Welcome to My Homestead: Where Chaos Blooms and Purpose Grows Welcome to my homestead. It’s not exactly the picture-perfect vision you see on Instagram. Forget the manicured lawns and flawlessly arranged vegetables. My garden? Well, let’s just say it’s currently sporting a rather wilted look, a testament to my procrastination at the end of growing season telling myself I’m leaving organic matter in the beds. The pigs? They’ve once again decided that the fence is merely a suggestion, and are currently engaged in some sort of mud-wallowing escapade on my lawn that would…
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Cultivating Year-Round Learning with a School Garden
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Cultivating Year-Round Learning with a School Garden School gardens are a powerful tool for education, offering hands-on learning in science, nutrition, and environmental stewardship. But what about schools with traditional academic calendars, where the bulk of the growing season falls during summer break? Fear not! With strategic planning and the right tools, schools can cultivate vibrant gardens throughout the school year, even when the weather turns cold. Why a Year-Round Garden? Continuous Learning: A year-round garden provides consistent opportunities for students to engage with the natural world, observe plant growth, and learn about…
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Our Journey to Lower Sodium: How We Found a Healthy Salt Solution with Redmond’s Real Salt
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Our Journey to Lower Sodium: How We Found a Healthy Salt Solution wit Redmond’s Real Salt Eight years ago, my husband was diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, and we were immediately hit with the harsh realities of salt (or, I say, sodium). Liver disease patients often need to limit or eliminate their salt intake, mainly for the water retention issues that it can cause. In my husband’s case, we had to limit his sodium (NaCl) intake to 1200 mg a day. The challenging thing about treating, healing, or maintaining a liver disease is…
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The Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Navigating the Changing Food Landscape and Making Informed Choices
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The Ultimate Parent’s Guide to Navigating the Changing Food Landscape and Making Informed Choices The food landscape is in constant flux. Regulations evolve, labeling practices shift, and the very definition of “healthy” seems to morph with each passing trend. As parents, we bear the responsibility of guiding our children through this complex terrain, fostering informed choices that prioritize their well-being. This requires a serious and deliberate approach, moving beyond fleeting trends and embracing a foundation of nutritional literacy. Understanding the Regulatory Shifts Food regulations are not arbitrary; they reflect our evolving understanding of…
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Why Saying “Grocery Stores Don’t Feed Us, Farmers Do” Misses the Bigger Problem
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Why Saying “Grocery Stores Don’t Feed Us, Farmers Do” Misses the Bigger Problem Unpopular opinion: The statement that “grocery stores don’t feed us, farmers do” is just as frustrating as the statement of, “why kill your food, when you can buy it at the grocery store.” But why does it frustrate me? It is because it has become a party statement that is being ignored. Most people don’t really care where their food comes from (red flag). This is also where my frustration comes from. Until you are the person that has stayed…
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The Great Food Shuffle: Why Your Fridge Isn’t Empty, But Bellies Still Are
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The Great Food Shuffle: Why Your Fridge Isn’t Empty, But Bellies Still Are Let’s face it, the apocalypse isn’t knocking on our door because of a potato shortage. We’re not facing a global famine due to a lack of crops. No, friends, the real issue is that we’re playing a giant, frustrating game of food Tetris, and we’re losing. We don’t have a hunger problem; we have a colossal food distribution problem, and it’s time we talked about it. Think of it: tractors churning out abundance, fields overflowing with produce, and yet, millions…
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The Udder Truth: Raw vs. Pasteurized Milk: The Truth About Why We Choose Raw (And Why You Might, Too)
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The Udder Truth: Raw vs. Pasteurized Milk: The Truth About Why We Choose Raw (And Why You Might, Too) Ok, homestead and crunchy mama friends, let’s talk about something a little…controversial. Raw milk. The creamy, unpasteurized, straight-from-the-cow (or goat, or sheep) beverage that sends shivers down the spines of conventional health authorities. But here’s the thing: we’ve been drinking it for six years, and frankly, we’re thriving. So, let’s dive into the udderly amazing benefits of raw milk, shall we? Now, I’m not a doctor. (Thank goodness, because I’d probably prescribe sunshine and…
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What is the Difference Between a Homestead and a Farm?
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. What is the Difference Between a Homestead and a Farm? The difference between a homestead and a farm is a big topic with no one clear answer as to what category you fall into or how the government views your operation. What I can clearly quantify is that the federal government states that the definition of a farm is any agricultural operation that has or plans to make $1000 in a year in agricultural products. In many cases, a small farm can make $1000 from the sale of one beef cow, a truck…
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The Importance of Hands-On Homesteading Education: Nurturing Resilience, Self-Reliance, and a Lifelong Love for Real-World Skills
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The Importance of Hands-On Homesteading Education: Nurturing Resilience, Self-Reliance and a Lifelong Love for Real-World Skills Homesteading, at its core, is about self-sufficiency, resourcefulness, and a deep connection to the land. It’s a lifestyle that fosters practical skills, problem-solving abilities, and a profound understanding of where our food and resources come from. But how do we effectively impart these invaluable skills to the next generation? The answer is clear: hands-on learning. In a world increasingly dominated by digital distractions and abstract concepts, the tangible experience of working with our hands is more important…
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The 80/20 Rule of Parenting: Prioritizing Your Family Without Losing Yourself
This post may contain affiliate links where I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. The 80/20 Rule of Parenting: Prioritizing Your Family Without Losing Yourself We’ve been sold a lie. A glossy, guilt-ridden lie that whispers, “Your children are your universe. Sacrifice everything. Neglect yourself. That’s what good parents do.” But what if I told you that this narrative is not only flawed but detrimental to both you and your children? In my book, “Raising Self-Sufficient Kids – An Honest Mom’s Guide to Intentional Parenting,” I delve into the concept of the 80/20 Rule of Parenting, a framework that challenges the conventional wisdom and empowers you to…
