That was a question asked of me as I proudly shared pics of my yard and garden structures - all painstakingly created by me and my family - by a well-meaning, fellow suburbanite. Why would they mind? My hay bin has flower boxes to disguise its utilitarian features. My garden is full of flowers and beautiful arched trellises covered in picturesque edibles. My chickens provide comic relief to the neighborhood, and my coop has a cupola, for heaven's sake. I want my garden to be inviting and an evolving feast for the eyes, but it represents so much more than suburban eye-candy. It is my personal stand for self-sustainability, for creating a small food circle that offers a measure of food security while offering an oasis of calm and joy - with an emphasis on joy. And who couldn't use more joy?
My homestead journey is a long one: thirty-two years of parenting with nature as my backdrop. Camping, hiking, snowshoeing, and gardening with kids made the activities richer experiences. We had the years-long pause while I built a new house, earned a doctorate, attended games and concerts and speeches, graduations, etc...and then I returned to gardening with teenage and adult children. We started with a few bags of compost with tomato plants stuck into slits on top and drainage holes cut into the bottom. We've since added laying hens, raised beds, Ruth Stout plots, meat chickens, containers, and perennial and herb beds. Last year, I raised 16 meat birds, 60 pounds of potatoes, another 100 pounds of vegetables, and dozens of eggs.
I certainly hope my neighbors don't mind. I've not received any complaints when my meat chickens start crowing. Maybe they've figured out they don't stick around for very long. Maybe they like the sound. I know I do.
Welcome to my journey! I truly want to inspire people to build a life closer to home. I want to inspire working people to build a home that comforts and calms and nourishes. I want to inspire joy.
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