Tiffany and her husband are raising their children, and growing their homestead in Michigan . They raise Mangalitsa pigs, sheep, turkeys, fiber rabbits, American milking devons, a Jersey cow, ducks, geese and chickens.
When I was in my early twenties, I began to feel unwell. Having grown up eating the standard American diet, this was no surprise. My menstrual cramps were unbearably painful
and I got colds like I was a magnet for them. Sinus infections and antibiotics were a part of my annual routine. Around this time when I was at my lowest, I discovered the Weston A. Price Foundation.
The Weston A. Price Foundation food philosophy follows the leads of ancestral diets. Before white sugar and flour invaded pantries, humanity thrived eating a diverse diet of animal products, vegetables, grains and fruits; each of those items being minimally processed. For
example, drinking raw milk instead of pasteurized milk or using whole grain flour instead of
white flour that has had its bran and germ sieved out.
This food philosophy agreed with me, because although it wasn’t “scientifically proven”, the evidence for it was astounding. For example, the communities that Dr. Price studied had a near-zero rate of dental cavities, even though they didn’t even brush their teeth. I wanted this kind of health for my future family.
I began making all of my food from scratch and as I went further down the rabbit hole, it became clear that the more satisfying, delicious food was of the homemade variety. Not only did it taste better but it also made me feel better! I had to take more time each day to dedicate to making meals, but I knew it was worth it. Plus, I was beginning to find that it was fun. I began to wonder if I could do more; but what?
This is where our homestead began. We started out on 1 acre shortly after Luke and I were married in 2015. We were living in eastern Washington at the time and began turning our little parcel of land into something our bodies could benefit from. We ripped up lawn and planted two gardens and a small orchard. We planted countless medicinal herbs. We bought a couple of dairy goats. We acquired a small flock of ducks for laying. We raised rabbits for their wool and meat. As we continued to grow and learn there, we realized that our zeal for well-grown food had caused us to outgrow our space and we began searching for a larger piece of land. We had become very passionate about gardening and animal husbandry and were eager to do more.
Through God’s providence, we ended up back in my home state of Michigan and are now on a mostly-wooded 20 acre parcel. Since arriving 3 years ago, we have acquired a vast array of animals and have worked hard to regenerate the neglected land. In making this significant lifestyle change, we eat more seasonally and from the harvest of our own land and labors. Our bodies are stronger because of this simple work of growing our own food and much, much healthier. It’s an amazing cycle and it keeps us going. This is not where we imagined we would be ten years ago, but here we are and it’s only getting better.
I am not well traveled. I’ve never flown on a plane. I’ve never been north of Ohio or west of Texas.I’m not as well traveled as some may say one should be, but this piece of land has housed all of my fondest memories…
Do you ever worry that your kids will miss out because of this homesteading lifestyle choice? This fear crosses my mind time to time. I’m sure many, if not most of you, could agree that it can be extremely difficult to get extended time away from the homestead for more than a full day, especially in the busy summer months when daily chores demand our regular attention…
“In some Native languages the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us’ … the land knows you, even when you are lost.” – Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass…
Babies, Business, and Bumper Crops: How I am Learning to Homestead with Babies in Tow
Have you ever had one of those days? You know the days when you are cleaning the baby’s diaper, milking the cow, scooping poop in the barn, wiping noses, and cleaning more poop off of kids’ shoes…
Hey there, Homesteading Mama’s!
I’m Rachel from @frontier_homesteading. My husband Ryan, three children and I have been homesteading for about 10 years now, first in Wyoming and now in Alaska.
We currently have milk goats, pack goats, sheep, a pig, a cow, chickens, rabbits, bees and a dog. Seasonally, we also have more pigs, meat chickens and turkeys….
Stained glass windows date back to the 7th century. With the earliest known reference dating
from 675 AD when workmen were imported from France to Britain to Glaze the windows of a
monastery…
Homesteading and growing food is not the easy way out of this life, i would say it is the hard way as there’s nothing convenient about it. It’s a lifestyle, a life change not a trend or hobby. Well, that’s my opinion any way…
Awakino Station is a child’s dream. There is the river to splash in, tussock covered hills to explore, animals to raise and a bustling kitchen with a baking tin full of something yummy to eat…
Like many in this homesteading space, this has been a completely unexpected journey for our family.
Even 10 years ago I would have laughed at the thought of getting up to milk a cow each morning and
canning endless amounts of tomatoes…
