For Wendy Walker and her husband, Bill, raising cows and growing their own food was all about getting back to her roots. “Prior to this we lived in traditional suburban neighborhoods,” says Walker, who blogs about her experiences at Little House Simple Living. “But my country roots were longing for more than just living in a cookie-cutter home with zero lot lines and a ton of community rules.” The couple purchased eleven acres of land in Florida where they built a new “old” farmhouse, started gardening, grinding flour, and raising chickens and Aberdeen Lowline Mini-Angus cows.
Elizabeth Preble, who blogs at The Lavender Homefront, has a similar story in that her goal in raising her own sheep on her land in Montana is all about sustainability. “My family and I decided to go sustainable for a few reasons; the first being that sustainable living may cost more upfront, but in the long run, it is usually cheaper,” she explains. “Second, sustainable options are usually healthier and cleaner options. Products that are sustainably sourced last longer and are usually made from natural materials. They are also usually easy to compost, reuse, or fix. In terms of livestock, we wanted to raise animals we knew were healthy and taken care of, so that the meat not only tasted better but was healthier for my family too. Last, sustainable options are usually better for the environment.”
Today, homesteading has become increasingly popular among uncertain supply-chain issues. And while living sustainably off one’s land is attractive to some, for many it’s simply not possible, which is why patronizing local farmers and growers is a good alternative for fresh, locally sourced, healthier foods.
Overall, the movement toward homesteading and a more self-sustained food supply is growing with more and more Americans and Canadians revisiting the practice. Adds Adams: “I truly believe that many of our problems could be solved with people simply going back to the basics and learning how to grow and prepare foods.”
Photography provided by RyanJLane/E+/Getty Images. Article first published in 2022.
