Amanda 
It’s that time of year where I get to excitedly plan and prepare for the upcoming summer’s garden – which means ordering seeds! That also means a SEED HAUL! I’m excited to share with you my list of purchases that will hopefully inspire your garden designs and plans. At the end of this post is a video where I go into depth as to why I purchased the below list of varieties.
When we began our homestead and we invited living animals onto our farm to meet our needs, we knew these animals weren’t pets. They were livestock and with that there was not only an expectation that they would provide us nourishment and sustenance in some way, but they also were on a lower tier that made them more susceptible to physical hardships like weather, illness, and predators or their main purpose was to give their life to sustain our own. But somewhere along the way, as it most always does, these animals wedge their way into your heart and burrow down into a deep, soft spot. Most of these animals you’ve raised, cared for, and provided for since they were born. It’s near impossible not to find your heartstrings attached. When you lose an animal, it doesn’t matter what kind, it is always hard and it still hurts.
What better way to start off this new year than with a fresh, clean slate … and a fresh, clean soap recipe? This green tea and lemon grass bar was my first try at cold process soap and I don’t think I could be more pleased with the results. The scent is lovely without being overwhelming and the bars are luxe and beautiful. Even after experimenting with my own special blend of oils to get the perfect consistency, it ended up being exactly what I had hoped – the perfect balance of cleansing and conditioning. Spa day anyone?
A homesteading lifestyle can involve a lot of different things, but when you’re first getting started some tasks are easier than others. With our resources and capabilities, we tackled planting a vegetable garden, raising laying hens and pigs, harvesting wood, and composting. Here’s how we tackled these things and how you can get started with them too.
Buying a home is a roller coaster of an experience. There are ups and downs, fast and slow moments, going back and forth. At one point you are exhilarated from the thrill and the next you want to scream at the top of your lungs. The entire time there was a pit in the bottom of my stomach due to the excitement of a new journey. For a smoother transition, here’s what I learned and what I wish I knew going into this process.
They say the three things you should never talk about are money, politics, and religion. Most of which are essential to functioning successfully throughout life. Quite honestly, I dislike the term ‘religion’; I prefer the term ‘spirituality’. Spirituality, by my perspective, is a way of life. Religion is the culmination of ideas to answer the … Read more
If you think self discipline sounds like a punishment, you’re not entirely wrong. Self discipline is sort of the equivalency of a work out for the mind. It’s painful and hard work, but the reward is fruitful and worth more than you can imagine. If you struggle with self discipline (like working out … because you … Read more
How often do you feel like you pour so much of yourself out into the world and other people that there’s nothing left for yourself? You’re drained and exhausted – barely able to function. Well, my dear, it’s time to fill up your cup, make yourself a priority, and focus on some self love. I … Read more
First thing’s first … what is a command center & why would you want one? A command center is a place you’ve set aside in your home for you and or your family to keep track of what’s going on in your household. A command center can be extremely useful for keeping important papers, items, … Read more
Despite the joy and laughter, the twinkling lights, and nostalgic music, the snowflakes and the glitter, the holidays can be hard for so many reasons. It can be stressful, challenging, painful, and lonely. Sometimes we wonder if we can’t just skip over it completely because we aren’t enjoying the holidays, we are barely surviving the … Read more