In early January of this year, I sat down to write about my goals for my future farm life. It’s wild to look back on now – not because the goals have changed (they haven’t), but because I wrote it from an apartment before the contract was inked. Despite an overwhelming fear that it wasn’t going to work out, I forced myself to start writing. It was a thinly veiled attempt to feign optimism – a real ‘fake it ’til you make it’ moment. In truth, I never once felt that optimism to my core – even a few weeks after closing, I was sure someone was going to come knocking at the door to strip me of my keys and send me back to apartment life.
It’s now been just over six weeks. I am not fully unpacked; there’s no art hung on the walls and there’s gaps were furniture should be. But most of the time, that this farm is mine feels real.
And because it feels real, I can actually envision what some of my goals look like now – an actual mental picture of a garden in a specific location replaces an abstract idea.
Food Production
I want to grow as much of my own food as possible. This will require sprawling gardens; I envision raised beds as well as a large tilled plot and trellises for vertical gardening. It will be surrounded by professional fencing to reduce disruption by pests (the most severe of which will likely be rabbits and deer). I will also use cold frames to extend the growing season.
In the name of self-sufficiency, I will start from seed as much as possible, and I will harvest seeds for future use.
Permaculture will be an important cornerstone in reaching this goal. I will plant orchard(s) that include apples, pears, peaches, mulberries, cherries, and more. Berry patches will include blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. I will also tend to other perennials including asparagus and rhubarb.
Resource Acquisition & Preparedness
As part of an overarching goal towards reducing my negative impact on the Earth, I want to make do with what is available to me. To me, this category includes the following:
- Foraging wild edibles such as berries and mushrooms to widen my food sources.
- Storing food, including garden excess, via canning, freezing, and dehydration.
- Purchasing food and material staples in bulk to take advantage of good deals. The resulting cost savings can then be used to improve property infrastructure and reduce waste in the long-term.
- Thrifting whenever possible to reduce manufacturing impact. This includes garage sales, estate sales, and side of the road finds.
A lot of these goals take a backseat during the initial set-up phase of a homestead; I’ve been finding myself swiping a credit card a lot to buy equipment, tools, and materials to speed up the process. Ultimately, the idea is to proceed in a thoughtful way and to set myself up for success.
Aesthetic Utility
I want to live an intentional and beautiful life. ‘Cute but functional’ is the motto. I LOVE little personalizations that support workflow in a home, like when people have a hook by their kitchen window to hang their wedding ring while they wash the dishes.
I strive to design functional spaces. In conjunction with the previous category, my resources will stay organized – it seems like every homesteader has hoarder tendencies, which is fine by me **if it’s organized!!!!** I will make things whenever possible – a cross-stitched wall hanging, a crocheted throw, a hand-crafted scythe blade cover, a compost bin; bonus points if it uses reclaimed materials.
I also include animals in this category because, as a vegetarian who eats very little dairy, they will not serve a significant food role on my farm. I will have animals such as goats and chickens. Incidental production of eggs and manure will be helpful, but not the overarching goal. While this may not seem very utilitarian, they function to bring joy – and that’s the most important goal of all.
Energy Independence
I will fuel my house with solar power. The geriatric oil-fueled boiler will take a backseat to wood stoves, fueled with wood I acquire and split myself, and electric mini-split heat pumps to fill in the gaps.
My water will be from my own well, but I will also install rain barrels in strategic locations to reduce the amount of water that needs to be hauled (or new water lines that need to be dug.)
Goals are always in flux, but these ideas have been part of my homestead dream for as long as I can remember. It’s amazing to me how many I can already check off the list – I’m on the schedule for solar and mini split installs, I’ve identified several wild edibles on the property, and my first big order of fruit trees is soon to be shipped.
It’s important to me to keep a weekly record of what gets done on the farm – to look back on in the future, but also to share with others who might follow a similar path. Indeed, I have (more or less) been keeping that record through weekly posts, but thus far it has felt stilted – I’ve barely had time to write, let alone give much thought to further reflection.
Moving forward, my weekly updates will take the same form as this post – an update on each of these categories, whether a lot of progress was made or just a little.
I am feeling as lucky as ever. Thank you for following along, and I welcome any additions you think I should add to my list of goals.
Talk soon,
KC