Starting a homestead on your own can seem quite daunting, especially when you feel as if you a really are on your own. Maybe, like me, you didn't grow up on a homestead, you have never owned any land of your own, even preserving foods is a new thing. It's all very brand new and you don't know who to turn to when you have questions.
This is where having a local homestead community comes in quite handy. If you don't yet know any local homesteaders, here are a few tips to help you grow your local homesteading community:
1. Join a local farmers market. If you don't have something that you can sell then visit frequently and get to know the vendors. But, it's really not that hard to come up with ideas for a booth of your own. Veggies, homemade goods, handmade items, the ideas are endless. Just be sure you check your state's cottage laws to know what is and isn't allowed. If there is no local farmers market in your area, you can check in with the county office and see if there is a way to set one up.
2. This one is for homeschoolers: Join a local homeschool co-op. That may seem like an out of the box way of thinking, but trust me, it's golden! The number of connections I have made solely from our homeschool group are endless. What I have found is that other homeschoolers tend to have similar values, beliefs, and lifestyles.
Here's a short list of all that I have found within my homeschool co-op:
- grass-fed beef
- whole chickens (processed)
- eggs
- farmers market
- gardening skills
- baking skills
- homemade soaps, balms, etc
- natural remedies (info on what to use, practitioner info, etc)
- many more...this is just a short list.
3. If you are unable to do all that you want on your own (like raising cows to butcher, chickens for eggs, gardening, etc), talk to others in your community. Is there someone who loves to garden and has the space for a large garden, but doesn't have the time to put into it all? Can you offer your help with tending the garden and getting some of the fresh produce in return?
4. Check with your local trade school and either take classes or get names of homesteaders in the community who you can connect with.
5. Join a community garden (or start one if there isn't one). Check with your county office for info.
6. Join online groups/communities to help you connect with others in your area. This can be a great place when you have questions specific to the area you live in. Maybe you want to know more about your gardening zone or how to care for livestock during different types of weather. You can gain (and offer) a lot of insight in these kind of groups.
These are just some of the ways I have found useful in my homesteading journey. As I expand my knowledge and ability to do more, I know that I have a community of like-minded friends who are always willing and able to help. It may be teaching me how to process a chicken for meat, what to grow in my garden, or where to take the goats for auction...no matter what needs I have, chances are I can find the answers inside one of the above mentioned groups. And, as always, continue to follow me on my journey as I share with you tips I find useful along the way. You can also join my monthly membership where I share even more tips, recipes, education, and more!
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
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Raising kids is hard work, letting them spread their wings and fly is sometimes even harder! I've been a stay at home mom for 18+ years. Though my kids started out in public school, we have homeschooled for the past 6 years.
Now, here I am with my oldest about to graduate from high school. I've been home with him from day one. That's a lot of time together! Some may think that after all of these years, 3 kids, homeschooling, and not working outside of the home that I would be looking forward to a break. That's far from true! I thought I would be easing into the letting go process, and in a way I have. Kaehlen (my senior) started Vo-Tech this year, which has him away from home for a few hours every day Mon-Fri. But then, not long after my daughter turned 16, she decided to get a job. It just so happens that she and Kaehlen decided this at the same time. So, all of a sudden, I was having to adjust to not just one, but two kids working away from home. This may not seem like a big deal. But let me tell ya, it was a struggle!
Suddenly adjusting to just one kids at home was interesting. Even though my kids don't do a ton together things were a bit more quiet. Just the idea of my youngest being the only one home was enough to make him feel more lonely. Then there was the whole cooking for three instead of five bit. You'd think that would have made things easier, but with our special dietary needs it really didn't. I was left with one with very specific needs, one who can make due as long as it's not all the time, and one who is very picky and has a hard time with certain meats.
Let's just say that life continues to be interesting and ever changing. These changes help me to cherish the moments we have to sit at the dinner table as a family even more, even if that is just once a week. And those family nights we used to have on Friday's...well, those are becoming less and less (at least with all 5 of us), which means we do what we can with whoever happens to be home and enjoy the moments we have together.
I've always heard it said that time goes fast and before you know it your kids will be leaving home. Yep, that's true for sure! The other day I was watching one tired pregnant momma chase a little toddler around and I thought, "that seems like just yesterday!" Yes, time certainly flies by.
I've said for a long time that I won't be a good empty-nester. Though I have a ways to go for that to happen...I'm still thinking it's going to be true. lol With that being said, I just want all you mommas to know that I get you. I'm here to help support you along the way. If you'd like to join a support group of other moms working together on this journey, please check out this free group and let me know how I can help.
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
Finding the right balance in life can be quite tricky, especially for stay at home moms who wear many hats. But there is hope! You may have seen the "life balance wheel" that has different areas in life that you rate to see where you are off balance. This helps you determine what areas need more focus so that you can bring them back into balance.
I find this tool very helpful, but in itself it won't tell you how to bring those areas back into balance (more on this later). I have narrowed the areas down a bit and found what I consider to be the main areas many moms find themselves to be off-balance in. They are: personal growth, relationships, health, self care, business, and finance. Everything in your life will likely fit into one of these categories.
Now, what do you do once you have determined what areas you need to work on? You hone in on the specific area that needs help and focus on bringing it back into balance. You make a plan, keeping in mind that you want to maintain balance where you already have it. This can all seem a bit overwhelming, right? That's why I'm super excited about my upcoming course to help busy, stressed, overwhelmed moms bring their life of chaos back into balance! Yes, there is hope and I'm here to help you!
If you can relate to this and would like help finding balance in your life, join my email list to stay updated on the course and for weekly encouragement.
If you would like to be a part of a community of moms who are working together to find their balance in life, join this group. It's so much easier to handle the daily chaos of life when you feel supported by others who share in your struggles and also celebrate your wins along with you!
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
Homeschooling has its challenges. For many, one of the big ones is how to schedule school work for the kids. This is my sixth year homeschooling. I've tried a few different planners and landed on one that I love. However, it actually had a bit too much to it. I really only wanted a few of the basic ideas, not the full planner. So this year I decided to create my own.
My homeschool planner is a PDF download that has:
monthly view
year at a glance
quarterly schedule
weekly schedule
curriculum log
I also go over how to use this planner (and more!) in my Homeschool Essentials Program. What all can you find in my program? I'm glad you asked!
Here is what you will get with the homeschool essentials program:
*Information on different types of learning styles.
*Introduction to different teaching styles.
*Links to some of my favorite curriculum sites.
*Scheduling help.
*Tips on grading, creating a report card and high school transcripts.
*Quiet time ideas.
*Tips from homeschool experts.
*Interviews and sessions with moms who have dealt with special needs.
*How to do a 60 second reset to help you in moments of stress and overwhelm.
*...and more!
Additional benefits:
*Bonus craft ideas and links.
*More enjoyable time together as a family.
*Confidence in the decisions you make about your child's education.
*A community of like-minded moms to help support you on your journey!
This is a program that will continue to grow. Some of it will be available on the website and the rest will be on the Facebook group page. It will be a growing community for support and homeschool information.
I'd love to hear about your homeschool journey. What areas to you have down and where do you still need some help? It's something that changes from year to year and child to child. I'd love to help you any way I can!
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
This is our sixth year with homeschool. My kids were in grades 7, 5, and 2 when we started. Over the years there are several things I have learned from homeschooling. It certainly isn’t always easy; it takes time, effort and planning, but it can also be incredibly rewarding.
It’s safe to say that my kids haven’t always been thrilled with the idea of homeschool. And, even 6 years later it depends on the moment and which kid you ask. One thing is for sure, they have enjoyed having a bit more freedom with schedules and being able to help others out when the opportunity arises (even if it happens to be during the typical school hours).
Here are a few things I have learned along the way:
Math
First and foremost is how differently each one of my kids learns. When it comes to math, they are all completely different in styles and the way they process the information. It took a couple of years of trial and error to find the right fit for them all. I don’t know if it’s an age thing or the fact that they get to use the computer (I’m more of a book person), but thankfully last year, Khan Academy worked well for 2 of them. We had tried it in the past and only 1 of them liked it. It has really simplified things to have them doing all of their math online and in one place. There's still one who it isn't the right fit for just yet. For him we usually browse options at Mardel and see what meets his needs best.
Science
I have also learned that adding Bible into the basic subjects is totally doable. We started out with Apologia Science. All three of my kids have been able to use it, which helps a lot when it comes time to recycle the books for the next kid! It is written in an easy to understand way, yet packed full of information. They offer a lot of experiments, study guides, quizes/tests, making it easy to have everything in one place. Not to mention that adding Bible to Science brings the learning up to a whole new level.
History
These days it’s pretty much unheard of to find God within the school system. I have learned that not only can you put God back into learning, but it is also such a fundamental part of who we are, why we are here, and where our country started. This is why I love Notgrass History. It covers three subjects in one. It’s pretty intense, but I guarantee you my kids are learning something from it. I can’t tell you the number of times we have a casual conversation and they pipe in with something they learned about the subject through Notgrass.
Be warned, there is a ton of reading. Honestly, we don’t do all of the suggested literature books. We choose what fits our purpose best. Notgrass not only covers History, it also covers English and either Bible or Geography, depending on the book. When it comes to high school credits, I love having a 3-in-1 option.
If you are interested in learning more about homeschool and having a support group join my free group here. We discuss homeschool, healthy eating, crafts, and more!
*This post was originally posted October 2019 on my Lavender and Coffee Blog. I have revised it a little with updated information.
Join our HomeGrown Homestead community—a place where we learn, grow, and share our homesteading journey together, fostering a bond of shared wisdom and experience. (everyone is welcome!)
Step into Lavender & Coffee: A Sip of Serenity, a haven for moms seeking support and community on their journey to fulfilling their roles as wives and mothers with grace and purpose.(for moms only)
