Homestead Living
Simple, Old Fashioned, Frugal
Homesteading is the art of turning houses into homes and gardens into sanctuaries. It is the science of growing food, raising livestock, and practicing sustainable farming techniques with the intent of preserving the abundance of what is produced for future consumption. Homesteading is a study in the history of how generations past, used their resources wisely, not only to survive, but to thrive. It is the deliberate choices made to live a lifestyle divergent from cultural norms. A homesteader must be tenacious and have an insatiable urge to learn. It is entirely possible that the modern homesteader may simply be a romantic who longs for a connection to the past, where times seemed much simpler. Whether you enjoy the art, science, historical aspects, or the idea of living a simpler life, I hope you enjoy sharing a peek into how we have made this our way of life at the Homestead Cottage.
As a new page, we are still under construction, but will be adding much very soon! I look forward to sharing!
Welcome to my Homestead where the magic happens. Or the chaos depending on the day. Here is a little about me and what I do.
First of all, my name is Christy and I’ve been at this homesteading adventure for roughly 3 years along side my husband, Don. He works full time off the homestead, but I am a stay at home, empty nester, who tends to the daily chores and all that is home and homestead related. In my previous life, I was an elementary teacher for 23 years. Having taught kindergarten, 3rd, and 4th grades, I was blessed to be able to incorporate my love of animals and gardening into my classroom lessons for all of those years. So there was a lot of knowledge I brought to our endeavors from those years. From hatching chickens, making butter from cream, and sprouting seeds, my love of all things homestead or pioneer, has always been part of who I am. Today, Don and I raise chickens, pigs, goats, rabbits, and an occasional calf on our little homestead in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. My garden is ever evolving, but always produces juicy tomatoes, peppers, and onions for my homemade salsa. I grow blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries which I love to turn into jam. My weakness is for flowers and herbs, which I grow in abundance. As I am committed to continually growing and improving our little piece of land, I am forever plotting and scheming my next adventure! The list is long, but a milk cow, bees, and a large greenhouse are next on my list of projects to tackle! Barefoot gardening is my thing and I do it as often as I can. I also love to experiment and learn how to improve what we are already doing! We welcome you to join us on this journey!