What Homesteading Really Looks Like Right Now in the Survival Phase

19 Comments

For years I have read that it is all too easy to romanticize the simple life. You know, the life where you haul water, live without electricity, and have to drive at least fifteen minutes to town. Kind of like our life right now.

The thing about homesteading, from what I can tell, is that there are phases and seasons. I’d love to tell you that we’re chasing chickens, growing big gardens, milking a cow, and making my own herbal medicine. But the truth is that phase is a little down the road for us. Right now we are still in survival phase.

Survival phase looks like needing a place to hold your five-year-old over so that he can poop because Papa is digging the outhouse as we speak. Survival phase looks like building a cabin (that I love!) seemingly fast and then mopping up the constant streams of water when it rains and continuously patching cracks that you can see the light of day through.

Survival phase looks like buying 90% of your food from a grocery store, only because you have neighbors who are actually producing some decent meat and lard. Survival phase looks like eating plain old corn tortillas and canned beans for at least three meals per week. Survival phase looks like wanting chickens but having to have, you know, water and shelter for them first.

Survival phase looks like hauling water for every sip you take, every dish you wash, and every sock you wash by hand. Survival phase looks like spending more time and resources than you thought on various projects and learning to deal with it because it is all part of survival phase.

So when I talk about how thankful I am for a cabin, a sink that drains, and a toilet with a seat know that it is because we are not super-homesteaders, but homesteading-hack-it-as-you-goers. We have no idea what we’re doing out here, truly. We are thankful to have spent the last five years reading and soaking up all sorts of information on this life we now live, but we are literally guessing from one project or moment to the next.

Don’t get me wrong, I love it. I love the freedom from debt and the 9-5 that we now know. I love the fact that almost every day we are all working in the save vicinity. I love watching this man I married do things I never dreamed he knew how to do and seeing my children learn from him daily.

But it is a lot of work. There are hard days. We don’t have a clue what we’re doing. We fail and get frustrated and daily learn from our mistakes. But there is something about this somewhat desperate phase of homesteading that makes you hopeful… like knowing that holding your five-year-old over a bucket to poop is exactly where you are supposed to be.

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19 Comments

  1. I love reading your adventures. We too, homestead, but not nearly as “roughing it” as you. Bless your hearts!!! I wanna be like you when I grow up! LOL
    Hugs,
    Laurie

  2. I admire you and your family, and I greatly appreciate your sharing the progress of your transition.

  3. I love your description of the “survival phase”. There have been many times in my life I have been through this phase. Moving, new baby, surgery, all were a process, beginning with the survival phase and slowly moving to a new normal. Looking back it is also a time of change, somehow when you let go and focus on the necessities you find there are things you can do without.

    Love your writing and pictures! Thanks for sharing

  4. I live in NYC with not a pot to plant in! But i soooo enjoy reading about your adventure and picture myself helping and wondering if i could do what you are doing. It sounds hard… and so fulfilling 🙂

  5. Loving it, mama. Loving how candid and honest you are. Loving the fact that you’ll share things most people wouldn’t. Loving that you keep on your path, thorns and all. And sending love & hugs for you to keep in your pocket for those moments you need it. *hugs*

  6. Please keep writing and sharing your progress! I’m fascinated, and just the tiniest bit jealous. I’m happily anticipating every new post.

  7. Bless you and yours. You ARE doing the right thing. I know that some days must be awful for you, and here you are so pregnant. But like you say, there is so much to be thankful for. We are all thinking about you daily and I am sure God hears all our little prayers to make things a little better each and every day to keep you encouraged.

  8. Thanks so much for the glimpse into your reality. I think I romanticize homesteading because no one shares the “getting there” stage. I hope the Lord has provided for your time “in between” and that your dreams will happen sooner rather than later.

  9. Thank you for being so candid! What you are doing is not for the faint-hearted, and it’s good to know that, even though you spent several years preparing, that there really is no way to truly prepare for the experience–but to fully experience the experience itself! God bless you for recognizing the blessing in your day-to-day trials, and knowing that sometimes, dealing with poop can be right where God wants you to be *WINK*

    You are an inspiration!

  11. Thank you for sharing. Where I am at right now, I know I would have a hard time not being discouraged with the challenges you face. I love to hear the note of hope in your words. Thank you for reminding me to be thankfully for the small, precious moments in my life.

    Where I live, it snowed last night. My kids have been out in the snow as much as they can today. Hearing their joyful laughter does the same thing. It reminds me that each moment is precious and to not let them get past me. It sounds like you are doing the same.

  12. Simply amazing, my daughter. Your journey, through your words, inspire so many, including your mom. I am so proud of your husband, you and your sons – what an adventure. If I wasn’t so old, I’d be doing the same. I remember how many times you picked yourself up and took another step during your growing up years. And you always succeeded! This time you have a partner in your journey.

  13. I am enjoying your posts. I was thinking about you the other day and how insulated you guys will be when things get really cazy in this country. I envy you in a way. My hubby served overseas without water and electricity for many months and would think it was crazy to do it by choice. I read Micheal Bunker’s book, at your recommendation, and a lot of it hit home with me. I wonder what you are planning when it comes time to have your baby? a midwife?

  14. Oh how I hear you! We are now in the “wow this is so wonderful” phase….but the bathroom still isn’t insulated and there is still some mopping of water. We can’t think of anywhere else we would like to be….except possibly somewhere that the clothesline could be covered and laundry could dry. We totally love it. We totally love each other….even when we were screaming at each other because we were so stressed out. It’s pretty great! I promise it gets better.

  15. Brava! Thanks for sharing your journey. I’m also homesteading, in a sense, though perhaps further along in some respects. (We already have toilets.) After surviving last winter, I’ve accepted that I have to wear my jacket most of the time in the house now. We sleep wearing hats, lots of blankets and with our dogs to stay warm enough. We do have a gas heater, but that’s downstairs. It’s inefficient and too expensive to run. Ditto the electric space heaters. Before I shower, I have to warm up my body by doing some quick weight-lifting and spots so I can endure the cold room. Thank goodness we have hot water. But we do have chickens, which has been quite a learning experience, and goats, another adventure. It is so worth it though. Take heart!

  17. Oh my love, all I can say is hang in there. We moved three years ago with huge plans. Some health issues and monetary concerns delayed our dreams. At this point in time, we have finally realized some of our dreams, that are very similar to yours. It will happen in time and you will look back and REALLY appreciate it all, knowing the (occasionally) comical stories behind how you came to where you are. It truly is a never ending process. You think and think something through, only to realize God delayed it because you would be given even BETTER plans and ideas on how to do things.

    I do suggest you get, if even a simple coop together ASAP. Not only are fresh yard eggs the bees knees, but the chickens are SO entertaining. Many times we would sit and relax and watch the “show”. Our three kiddos love having them. It is primarily the children’s job to care for the birds: collect the eggs, feed and water, open in the AM, close the coop at night. My girls have even progressed to now knowing how to clean the coop and restock it with hay bedding.

    Patience my friend. You will get there!

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