What's our 'WHY'?

We get asked all the time, “Why do you do what you do?” Well, I wish the answer was simple but there are a lot of reasons behind why we chose this life, and we would again and again. The biggest reason, is because we simply enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s crazy hard work sometimes and you really can’t take a day off. (We felt this especially during the snowstorm a couple of weeks ago!) But at the end of the day when the sun is setting and all the animals are taken care of and happy, there is such a sense of accomplishment that floods my soul.

Besides being able to give our animals the best life possible during their time on the homestead, permanent and temporary residents alike, our homestead is built on 3 main pillars: family, community, and faith. So let’s dive into each one and what they mean to us.

- Family -

Even though we have only been on these three and a half acres for a little over a year, the memories we have made through this journey are ones that we will always hold close and remember for years to come. It's not all sunshine and roses though. There have been some really tough times as well, but I feel that Mitchell and I have grown and challenged each other with taking on this lifestyle and it has strengthened our marriage tremendously. We have learned how to better communicate with each other and how to work together. While we still may not agree on much, we both can agree that this is a lifestyle that we want to be able to share with our kids and with their kids and so on.

One of the stories my grandfather used to tell me was of my Great-Grandmother Jessie Belle who raised 5 kids with my Great-Grandpa on their two acre farm in a small town in southeast Kansas. This was shortly after the dust bowl so everything that my grandmother could preserve and save she did. My grandfather told me stories of how during the summer she would harvest vegetables from her garden and spend all day over a wood stove canning for hours on end. Canning is hard with modern day amenities, but to do it in the middle of summer without any air conditioning over a wood stove took one strong individual. Why am I sharing this story with you? Because it's such a great example of a tradition and knowledge passed down through my family that I want to share with the generations to come.

- Community -

One of the best things to come from homesteading is all the amazing people (& animals) we have met along the way. We've also found ways to share our homestead with other families that don’t get to see an alpaca or a sheep or other livestock on a daily basis, which has been so much fun! But most importantly, when we have hit a rut, we have built a network of support that can help us when we need it the most and visa versa.

I joke to myself all the time about how I label people’s contact information in my phone. It’s usually just their first name and a farm identifier (i.e. ‘hay’ or ‘pigs’, etc.). But that is the beauty of my dysfunctional way to remember things. I find it so fascinating that everywhere we go, we make a new connection to someone in the farming community. And eventually, when you meet enough people, you start to run into mutual connections and so forth. I think what makes these friendships so meaningful is that people genuinely want to learn about others with similar interests and can relate to what they are going through.

- Faith -

Having a purpose is what drives us to wake up every morning feeling completely confident and content that we are exactly where we are intended to be. I don't want to make this part of our 'why' solely about our religious beliefs and faith in Him. Rather, I choose to share how because of our faith, we trust that every decision and opportunity in both of Mitchell's and I's lives has led to this very moment. And it is faith in the road ahead that keeps us grounded and guided.

I tell Mitchell all the time that if it is meant to be then it will be. Yes, cue the cliché saying yet again, but it really is a true testament to our confidence in the path intended for us and our homestead. Our story has had a lot blessings in it and for that I am very grateful.

Until next time!

Happy Homesteading,

Laura & Mitch