EMBRACING CHANGE IN THE HOMESTEAD JOURNEY
HOMESTEAD REBOOT: PROLOGUE
Homestead Reboot chronicles our move from a cozy, established homestead to a completely undeveloped property—a true blank slate. Join us as we embrace change by leaving behind what we’ve built and plan a regenerative permaculture homestead from the ground up. This series will document creating new gardens, orchards, and spaces for livestock while navigating the challenges of starting fresh.
A Little background
Three years ago, as I retired, I transitioned from tending a small garden to fully embracing the concept of homesteading. While I had some traditional skills under my belt—gardening, canning, dehydrating, and even cooking on a wood stove—I had never truly considered what it meant to live a homesteading lifestyle.
That first year, my garden struggled. After some careful observation, I realized there were no pollinators visiting my plants. Determined to find a solution, I researched hand-pollination and started using a small paintbrush to assist my crops. While this helped, it wasn’t the ideal fix, to say the least.
Around this time, a friend mentioned her interest in beekeeping, which inspired me to look into it as well. Could bees be the answer to my pollination problem? After diving into the possibility, I joined a local beekeeper association and took the leap. Now, the bees are an integral part of our homestead.
Somehow, the bees led to chickens. I started with a modest flock of ten chicks. By the time they began laying eggs, commercial egg prices were skyrocketing, and I couldn’t have been more grateful for my little flock!
As I expanded my garden spaces, I also focused on improving my soil. Over the years, I worked diligently to build healthy, nutrient-rich soil, and this year, I finally saw the fruits of that labor. It’s been incredibly rewarding to witness my efforts paying off.
When Plans Change, So Must the Mindset
Recently, we made the decision to move to a new piece of property a bit farther out from our current location. This new land, while beautiful, is completely undeveloped—no structures, no garden plots, no fencing. In short, we’re starting from scratch.
To be honest, this wasn’t part of my original plan. The idea of leaving behind the homestead I’d worked so hard to build was daunting, and the thought of starting over felt overwhelming.
Adjusting to this new reality has required some serious mental shifts. How do you build a home, establish a garden and orchard, and create shelters for chickens and other animals—all at once? At first, it felt impossible, but the core of a homesteading mindset is resiliency– the ability to bounce back from adversity. I realized that embracing change is part of the reality of the homesteading journey.
Peace of mind and heart are priorities for me, so I knew I needed to find a way to manage this transition without losing my footing. With the support of my wonderful husband, I gave myself permission to step back. For the first time in years, I decided it was okay not to have a garden next year.
Instead of growing everything myself, I’ll preserve produce from local farmers’ markets. I’ll focus on setting up infrastructure—planning the garden layout, building fencing and livestock shelters, and even starting work on a greenhouse.
This shift in mindset brought an unexpected blessing: I now have the opportunity to plan the permaculture homestead I’ve always dreamed of. With a blank slate, we can intentionally design every element of our new property, laying it out for long-term sustainability and functionality. This is an example of finding Joy in the Journey!!
A New Adventure
While most people at retirement age are slowing down, we’re taking a deep breath and diving headfirst into the adventure of building a new homestead from the ground up.
I’m inviting you to come along on this journey. My hope is that it will be both informative and inspirational as I share the challenges, decisions, and victories that come with transforming an undeveloped property into a thriving, regenerative homestead. Together, we’ll navigate the unexpected twists, tackle the conundrums, and celebrate every step forward.
Let’s begin this new chapter together—one filled with promise, hard work, and the joy of creating something from nothing.
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If you’d like to learn more about how homesteaders approach life, check this article: The Mindset of a Homesteader