Homestead Tour: Parisienne Farmgirl

Everyone loves a home tour, right? What about a virtual homestead tour? A chance to meet another fellow homesteader and ask a few questions to get a glimpse into their life? Oh, yeah!

This month, our tour is traveling to see Angela at her Parisienne Farmgirl blog. Angela has a definite flair for all things French, and if I didn't know better, I'd say she was across the big pond! But no, she's here stateside, living out her farm-life dreams on an urban homestead with her husband and four children, one of whom arrived just this month! Perhaps you remember Angela from her spring Potager 101 gardening series? Let's find out more...

• Your beautiful blog blends all things French with homesteading in a wonderfully unique way! I understand you took a very inspiring trip to Paris which made a big impact on your life and obviously it comes through in your blog.  Tell us a bit about that experience.


We had been to Paris twice before and had dreams of moving there together for about 6 months.  Then we found our "Parisienne Farmhouse" and realized that wasn't going to be possible.  We agreed that I needed to "get it out of my system" and that we were ready to begin a family after ten years of marriage so I rented an apartment "toute seule" (by myself) for four weeks and Joel came came to join me for weeks five and six.  It was a PROFOUND time for me and truly, truly shaped who I am today.  Simply to have that much time to be contemplative, to walk, think, experience such beauty and culture without the rush of a seven day vacation...

• Did you grow up homesteading or has this been something you’ve had to teach yourselves?


When I was a child my Mom did can pickles, we would go pick rubarb, she made jam from the neighbors grapevines but I don't know that it was with the intent of saving the family money or for expressing a self-sufficiant attitude.  The memories are very warm for me but as far as "homesteading" that is something I am teaching myself.

• What are the best resources you’ve found for learning in terms of homesteading?

I'm a Google girl.  My "MacTop" is always open on my countertop (and is thus covered in kitchen goo all the time).  I am so curious about everything and forever Googling what it is I want to know.  I would rather learn from someone else's mistakes - with three and any day now four little ones I don't have time for flubs.  I read REALLY fast and easily scan three or four articles about the same inquiry and then try it for myself.

• Your garden is a big part of your homestead and based on the French concept of a potager. For those who are new to that term, how would you define a potager and how does your own garden reflect that? 


"Potager" has become a pretty popular term now thanks to blogland.  Simply put a Potager is a decorated vegetable garden.  Not as utilitarian as the farm gardens of our great grandmothers.  It incorporates structure, raised beds, edible flowers and more. We have had ours for about seven years now.

• Can you share what gardening zone you’re in, what you’re growing this summer, and if you’re planning on any fall crops?


We are in zone five and I have never tried a fall garden.  Gardening is a ton of work and I do get burned by fall out as much as I love it.  This year though I will be planting spinach, another round of lettuce and garlic - which, I know is not a big deal but it is pretty exciting for me to try a fall garden.

• Any long term future plans for your garden that you’d like to share? 


We did the big expansion last year and there is literally no more room - unless I dig up the city parkway... which I would if I could.  The next step is going to be a "for sale" sign in the yard and Lord willing, a Hobby Farm.

• You did a series of posts this past year on Potager 101. Do you have plans to expand this and develop it for publication in the future?


Do I have plans for publication?  That question haunts me as I have about 3 things in the cooker right now, one is a journaled account of my time in Paris... it's just having/taking the time to do the illustrations the way I would like to.  I would love to publish my Teach Your Kids to Eat posts, write a book on making French Macarons and now that  you mention it... expanding the Potager posts sounds fun too!  See, that is why God made Midwest winters!  As much as I detest them, they give you the chance to move on to other projects!

• Tell us about your chickens and their unique coop arrangement.


Our chickens are a "no-no" in our town so we built a coop in our garage and they "free-range" in a nice 10x30' run along the side our our house.  Our coop is nothing fancy.  We built it out of two by fours, old kitchen cupboard doors and old doors from our house.  We can walk in on one side to collect eggs and feed them and walk in on the other side so clean up under the roosting bar.  Sadly, after ten months of having our girls our neighbor turned us in a couple weeks ago but I haven't parted with them yet.  There is a movement underway in town now and one of many votes will take place September 8th.  We don't plan on getting rid of them either way though.


* Note: Angela has since had a reprieve from her local authorities while they work on new ordinances. A hilarious read is her post "Introducing... the City Chicks". 

• Cooking is obviously another passion for you. And recently, you were featured in Where Women Cook. Where did you learn to enjoy the kitchen and making culinary delights? 


I love food.  I love to eat.  And I am a bit of a control freak.  I realized a long time ago that I didn't want to wait for that special occasion night on the town to eat wonderful food... I needed to learn myself.  It's a process that is for sure.  The other day I made something from an internet recipe and when it was done I clearly questioned my own sanity and reading comprehension.  My guests were gracious enough to say it was wonderful but I wanted to crawl under the harvest table if you know what I mean.  For the most time though, my time in the kitchen is "trial and success" VS trial and error.

• What kind of cuisine do you like to cook the most and do you have a recipe or dish your family claims as a favorite?


Most of my cookbooks are French.  Go figure.  But there are so many regions and tastes to French cooking it is truly wonderful.  It's not about frog legs.  It's about fresh produce, legumes, lots of herbs and juicy cuts of beef.  My family gets giddy when I make pork loin with blue cheese.  They go crazy.

• Your kitchen is a beautiful gathering spot that you’ve taken great care to make special. What brings you the most joy about this space?


I think it's the life that takes place in the kitchen that makes it so wonderful.  It can vary from children, loud and swinging from the chandeliers to the quiet moments when I have it all clean at the end of the day and I get to light a candle and rest.  As utilitarian as it is, I do think it's a pretty space.  I love the dried herbs and old books... the tarnished silver and copper.  But it really is the heart of the home, it's where we spend most of our time as a family.

• With three young children and one on the way, what does a typical day look like at your place?

Oh goodness.  Hubby works the afternoon/evening shift and our youngest sleeps later than the other two ever did so we get a bit of a late start as compared to families who have to get out the door in the morning.  The two "big kids" are usually up by 6:30 and God bless them, they play in their rooms or together until they hear the baby (19 months) wake up or they can't take it anymore.  Then it's "Family Snuggle", an all out pile of arms and legs... all five of us, the kids fighting for a space next to Mom and Dad.  We usually make it down to the kitchen by 8:00 a.m. and I make a big breakfast of pancakes or some egg creation since we don't get to have dinner together but twice a week.
I am teaching the kids to help clean up, wipe counters, sweep... but the second they are done they are out the door headed for their bikes or the garden to find frogs and whatever else they can.  


Non-pregnant this is when I work out but I get so sick I always take my pregnancies "off". Once we start school on October 1st (I am due the 15th of September so there is no sense to begin before) the morning schedule will have my workouts done and school starting by 9:30.  We'll go 'til 11:30 and eat another meal with Joel before he leaves for work.


The kids rest or nap depending on their age from 1-3 p.m. and that is when I go crazy out in the garden or on whatever project I am in the middle of.  Aidan often ends up by my side, then the screen door slams as Amélie stumbles out of the house after her nap... this fall we will keep our ears open for the two little ones to wake up next.


Dinner is pretty simple in our house since it's just the kids and I.  We ALWAYS sit down together but I save my creative big dinners for Joel's day's off.  Then we wind down... the little ones are down by six-thirty and then the kids and I will read their Jesus Story Book Bible and usually a Laura Ingalls book.  We are reading the series for the third time in two years.  Farmer Boy right now... that's the best one!  Bed time with three and now four is a lot for one Momma and I am always trying to keep it warm and cozy but moving along so I can crash!  After the kids are down I relax with my computer or journal or tinker with a project.  I try to stay up 'til Joel get's home but if 11:00 hit's and he isn't ready to pull in the driveway I have to will myself to get to sleep.  It get's a bit lonely but we are grateful for the job and any day now I will have a sweet little baby to keep me company.

• When do you fit in time for blogging and reading other blogs? And about how long do you allow yourself on the computer daily?  


I only post 2-4 times per week.  It's just too much with small children, I could multi-task all day long and come back and forth to it but then it's like an obsession and I just can't have that.  I would LOVE to spend more time changing up my blog, reading others, commenting... but I am not in that season right now.  Any day now I am going to have four children ages six and under.  The reality is they need to see my face looking at them, not glancing over at a computer screen every spare minute.  Blogging can get really competitive too and I think that's pretty silly.  You have to blog with sincerity.  If you are running around commenting on everyone's blog just so they will come and comment on yours???  Come on, we need to grow up. I check my email and comments about 4 times a day.  That takes me about 5 minutes.  I've said "no" to things like Facebook and Twitter from the beginning.  I just don't want to live my life in front of a computer - and I could easily because I LOVE the creative aspect of it!  


•Any skills or goals you hope to tackle and learn in the next couple of years?


Oh that's a big question for me.  What don't I want to know how to do???  Seriously, I do want to learn to Irish Dance a bit and would that I could I would go back to Tango lessons (if hubby would go for it)!  I have always lost my baby weight in a timely fashion and now I am mentally revving up to do that again.  And boy, does that take some mental revving!!!  After I do I am going to become a Turbo Jam instructor because I think that would just be HILARIOUS!  I hope to improve my seedling/greenhouse skills... they seem so hit or miss.  I would love to go back to playing the piano and I just found a French teacher in our po-dunk town so I am anxious to see how much lessons are.  Oh, and oil painting, watercolor and maybe how to shoot a gun...should I go on???

• What advice would you share for someone wanting to make their own home a special haven for their family?


Consider the memories you want your children to have.  I have a mental list running... Access to books, music playing, Momma in an apron, Momma looking pretty (not haggled and worn down), homemade jammies at Christmas, homemade birthday dresses, creative time killers like homemade playdo and cardboard box forts... home, home, home... not memories of being on the go all the time.
As far as your husband, he is out there fighting for you all day - what do you want him to crave coming home to?   A fragrant house (and wife for that matter), good food, maybe a fresh pot of coffee or a cold beer, a wife that is pleased by pleasing him... It's about creating an environment for the people you love to thrive in.  Creating a place they can't WAIT to be a part of or come home to.  It's an AMAZING opportunity... to shape and influence such a profound part of someone's life.


Thanks, Angela! It's been fun to take a peak inside your life! You're not only tackling many of your goals, but you're nailing them! I love how homey your kitchen sounds and the fact that you dress nice just for your family! They will surely have many wonderful memories. Congratulations on the newest family member and may His good blessings abound within your home!

Be sure to visit Angela at Parisienne Farmgirl and say Bonjour ami!

Homestead Tour: On Just A Couple of Acres

It's been way too long since I hosted a Homestead Tour! And I just love getting an inside glimpse into the lives of like-minded women and their homes, don't you? Quinn of Reformation Acres is one of those kindred spirits I'd love to sit down with and spend an entire day, just visiting with her, gleaning information, finding out what makes her excited about homesteading...  


So of course, I asked if we could tour her homestead via cyberspace! And she graciously accepted. Grab that cup of tea; you're in for a treat!

• Quinn, how long have you been homesteading and what motivated you to start living closer to the land?

We began homesteading about five years ago in the spring of 2006 when we planted our first seeds in the garden patch that once flourished under the care of the previous owners.  We enjoyed a little fresh produce that summer and the next and I was beginning to realize that with some hard work and determination I could feed my family very low cost, organic produce with freshness and nutritional quality that I wouldn't be able to find at the grocery store where products were shipped from around the country and already starting to break down and lose their nutrients. (Local, organic, farm markets still have yet to make their way to our area.) Two years later, motivated by a desire to foster a diligent work ethic in our children by giving them meaningful and productive responsibilities, our garden began to grow and we became the owners of 10 laying chickens. Since then, we have loved every minute of purposefully working alongside one another and also the challenge of seeing just how much of our own food can we produce for our growing (we just found out we're expecting our 7th baby in March) family on 2 1/2 acres of land.

• Tell us how your homesteading journey began. Did you grow up homesteading or has this been something you’ve had to teach yourselves?                                                         


While my husband lived in a home rented on a farm as a child and did a few odd farm jobs over his formative years, I had no idea when we married the impact that it had on him and how much he enjoyed doing this kind of work. As a fastidious girl, I never would have imagined that I would live so closely to my food and especially to the manure they produce! My vast experience with homesteading began and ended with a vegetable garden one year and all I remember from it was finding bugs in the heads of lettuce and then leaving them to rot. My father raised some cattle as a boy, but unfortunately, this sort of knowledge isn't passed down genetically. For this reason, we've dubbed ourselves "The Google Farmers." Virtually everything we've learned, we've done so through an internet search.

• What kind of animals to you have on your homestead?

Currently we have:
1 Dexter cow who just freshened a couple weeks ago and her bull calf,
2 hogs,
3 ducks,
3 roosters from a straight run purchase (2 are destined to join their Ranger neighbors),
20 laying hens or pullets,
35 remaining Freedom Ranger broilers,
1 barn kitten,
and we have a little broody banty hen sitting on 4 turkey eggs. In past years, we've had at least 2 turkeys roaming around here as well.

• I know that you have a couple of Dexter cows which are good for small farms in terms of size as well as both meat and milk production. Have you been pleased with the breed and would you recommend it to other homesteaders?

I think the Dexter is a perfect fit for the small-scale homesteads who prefers cow's milk to goats or who would love to raise their own beef! Considered multi-purpose cattle, Dexters can be trained to work as oxen in addition to providing milk & beef. Dexter's are much smaller than average cattle. The two types, long-legged and short-legged, are to be between 36" and 42" in height at the shoulder. Dexter's have an excellent feed conversion and eat much less per pound of body weight than their larger counterparts meaning that it would easily thrive on half an acre per head. As an Irish heritage breed, Dexter's are very adaptable to cold climates and do not require anything more than a crude shelter over the winter. Calving problems are virtually unheard of, they deliver unassisted. As a dairy cow, Dexter's are known to give about 1 1/2 to 2 gallons of milk per day, but so far Maybelle's peak has been closer to 4! While I've read that it's a naturally homogenized milk, we do get a cream line. Average butterfat content is reportedly 4%. (Holsteins are in the 3's, Jersey's closer to 5%.) That's not to say that Dexter ownership is without it's problems. They can carry gene mutations including PHA (Pulmonary Hypoplasia Anasarca) and Chondrodysplasia both of which result in stillbirths, but testing is available to determine that your purchase is not a carrier.

• Tell us about your garden and what you’re growing? Do you have specific goals for what you want to produce?

In our first garden we're growing peas, beans, sweet corn, zucchini, summer squash, acorn squash, cabbage, broccoli, a variety of leafy greens and lettuce, carrots, parsnips, onions, potatoes, a variety of tomatoes, and peppers. I'm working to slowly incorporate heirloom vegetables so that I can harvest our own seed. I'm hoping to harvest parsnip, carrot, dent corn, tomato, and bean seeds. This year we've expanded into a second garden area that includes grains like oats, wheat, dent corn, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins. The grains are highly experimental still, but we're hoping to learn more about them and improve our yields each year.

I am diligently keeping records this year of what we harvest and what I put up for the winter with the aim being to feed our family from one year to the next. As I feel my way through what our needs are, I'd like to expand even further so that we might be able to bless others with the surplus.

• I’ve been very impressed with the wide range of activities you manage on your acreage, including sewing, cooking with your children, homeschooling (based on Charlotte Mason’s philosophy), and a whole lot more. So, what does a typical day look like at your place?

Our day begins at 5am for the boys who milk the cow then. By 6, we're all up and by 7, the children are ready for the day, have eaten, we've read a chapter from the Bible. reviewed our memorization verses, and done their copywork.

After my husband leaves for work, the boys head off to do the rest of the animal chores while we ladies attend to dishes & laundry. By 9, I lay the baby down for a nap while the children have some free time to play, provided their work is done & zones are clean. After my shower, we start a little school time with reading a School Days Devotion, followed by working with my pre- & beginning readers. Right now, I'm tag-teaming this with my oldest boy. He takes one group one day & I take the other. Next day, we swap. Once that's finished, I'll read aloud a selection of literature to the children. From 11-11:30 is time for daily chores.

Just prior to eating we'll either read a daily Proverbs or choose a verse from it, read it, and see what Matthew Henry had to say about it. We eat lunch and do the dishes after that. My goal is to be done with lunch by 12:30. Prior to quiet time, I read aloud for about 15 minutes something specifically for the little ones and then while they are laying down, they nod off to the sound of my droning voice while I read aloud to the oldest. Right now, we're reading a biography about Gladys Aylward. Quiet time in our house usually lasts a couple hours. During quiet time, the older children work on math & writing. The faster they get their work done, the more free time they have. Although I do try to find a non-regular chore for my 13 year old to do. Last week, he had to mow the grass a couple days and till the herb garden again twice. He actually gets a bit of extra free time after the littler ones are in bed and reads for about an hour. I try to spend the first half tending to my blog, responding to comments and proofreading & publishing a post if I have one. The second half is spent tending to the garden.

After naptime, we grab our nature journals and head out to sketch for about half an hour. If the weather doesn't permit that though, we head to the kitchen and do some baking.  Usually, if my husband isn't home already, he arrives about then. Shortly after, I'll prepare dinner. Once we've eaten and done the dishes 1812 style, we go for our "flock walk." Sometimes this is our date, sometimes we let the children come. This is our time to diligently know the state of our flocks and herds since most of the care is delegated during the day. On a good evening, this is all done before 6:30. Until 8 is free time spent doing any work that needs to be done. Whether it's in the garden, building something, sewing, or canning we try to get it done in this span of time. If it isn't finished by 8, oh well. There's always tomorrow. I've learned that there is always something more to do and you're never going to get it all done.

My husband bathes and gets the children ready for bedtime at 8:30. Meanwhile, I prep bread, take the clothes off the line, prepare the copywork, sharpen pencils, and set out Bibles for the morning. I plan breakfast & dinner and write it on a little chalkboard magnet on the fridge. After the children are in bed, we'll read, chat, or do some Google Farming. The goal is a 10pm bedtime for us, but as a reforming nightowl, this is a tricky one for me and something I regret not adhering to in the mornings!

• When do you fit in time for blogging and reading other blogs? And about how long do you allow yourself on the computer daily?

We have decided it's best for our family (and probably for my blog) if I carve out a chunk of time once a week to intensively blog. This night is Tuesday immediately following dinner until bedtime. During that time, I'll edit and upload photos or videos from the past week, make a posting schedule, and start as many rough drafts as possible. On a daily basis, I usually spend about an hour (sometimes less, depending on how interesting my readers thought my last post or two was!) attending to my blog during quiet time. I try to respond to as many comments as possible. I do my other blog reading whenever I can squeeze it in. When I'm nursing a baby, it's usually then. But  otherwise, I usually read during lunch and comment in spare moments.

• Would you be willing to share your greatest struggle and your most celebrated victory in how you manage your household? 

I think that my greatest struggle has been for me to learn to be comfortable and joyful living a lifestyle that we dearly love, but looks so radically different from what is considered normal. Instead a life centered around career or school activities, we've chosen one where we are free to allow our lives to revolve around the Lord and each other and our home. Once I embraced the differences, it has opened up for me the freedom to manage our homestead in a way that is practical, simple, Christ-centered, and joyful. I ordered my days and organized my management ideas into a binder system that allows me to effortlessly run the homestead with a habit-building fluidity no matter the season of life or season of the year we're faced with.

• Do you have plans to expand your homestead in the future? Perhaps adding any animals or gardening ventures? Any skills you hope to learn in the next couple of years?


Right now we're planning on someday expanding to include rabbits raised for meat production, beekeeping & a large lovely wildflower garden to support them. I'm not satisfied with how our grain production is turning out and would really like to make improvements in that area. I'm working on putting in an herb garden, but first we're trying to keep the chickens permanently contained to pasture to prevent them from trampling the area. It will be an on-going project anyway. There is always room for growth in the orchard as I learn how many plants will supply our needs. I'd like to add more berries & a couple cold-hardy kiwis. Also, Lord willing, we'd love for Maybelle to give us a little heifer one year to keep us in milk year round (with maybe a bit leftover to bless someone else with!)

This is a rough idea of what we have going on here and how we envision future expansion:

Right now, I'm working on learning a couple skills that I imagine will be an ongoing education and that would be cheesemaking and seed saving. Seed saving is entirely new to me and I know there is so much for me to learn! I've taught myself to make mozzarella & ricotta last year before the cow dried up. I would love to learn to make a variety of cheese to supply our families needs.

• What has been one of the most helpful resources for you in terms of homesteading?

We were greatly inspired and challenged by The Backyard Homestead by Gail Damerow. It really helped us cast a vision for our land. But to be completely honest Amy, I'd have to say that your beautiful site and the way that you've been able to effectively organize and bring the internet homesteading community together has been a tremendous blessing. I look forward to Barnhopping every Monday even though it will sometimes take me all week to visit all of the homesteads I open up! You have some of the cleverest readers and I love gleaning from their wisdom. Thank you!!

• Thank you, Quinn. I'm inspired by all the HR readers as well! It's amazing how much we can learn from one another! So, what advice would you share with a young wife and mother just starting out on a homesteading and homeschooling adventure? 

Build your homestead slowly. Prioritize based upon what you think you can handle for this season in your life and master one area before adding on. No matter how big and beautiful a garden you put in during June, if it's too much for you to handle it will be overgrown with weeds and overrun with bugs by August, unfruitful and unproductive. Worst of all, you'll be discouraged for next year. "One thing at a time, and that well done..."

For prospective or new homeschooling moms, may I humbly suggest that you take complete advantage of your situation and the blessing of being able to spend every day, all day, of those few short precious years until your children are grown and search for a truly enjoyable method of educating your children. Consider abandoning the public school model and find your family's perfect fit. This isn't easy with all of the pressure from the outside world, but one of the beauties of home educating your children is the freedom to do so as our consciences dictate. Secondly, may I encourage you to persevere! I promise, there will be days, many days, were you will feel as though it might be best for your children to send them away to school. To someone "qualified." There is no one more qualified than you, despite your education level. You know your child better than anyone else and that information alone is a more powerful tool than any degree. If you don't know the material, learn alongside them and teach them how to learn. That is the most valuable educational tool. The days where you feel that way will pass quickly and hopefully be fewer and farther between.

Well said, Quinn. Homeschooling definitely allows for more time to pass along homesteading skills as well. We've neglected that aspect of education for too many generations and it shows. 

A bit off topic, but just as interesting to me has been your amazing photography skills! The photos you've posted on your blog are captivating and beautiful to behold. We'd love to hear a little insight into your camera, your favorite lens, and any tips that help make for such great artwork!

Thank you Amy! My photography has just come with practice. I've always been an artistic person. As a child, I expressed my creativity through drawing, but with so many children, it's really difficult to find the time to sit down and draw. Photography has been a wonderful creative outlet for me. I currently have a Nikon D200 (a predecessor of the D90 I believe). It's a challenge because it's all manual, so depending on the situation, I'll resort to my back up camera, a D40, and let it do the thinking for me. I own 3 lenses, the 18-55 Nikon kit lens, a Sigma 70-300 telephoto, and my favorite, a 50 mm prime lens. My home is quite shaded by trees and I can let a ton of light in with the 50mm. If I was to give one tip for improving photography, I would say it in a word- squat. When you get down at the subject's level your photos are bound to turn out more interesting than if you were standing above them.

What a great tip!! Thanks for sharing your secrets. And thank you for taking the time to show us around your homestead and a glimpse into your lives at Reformation Acres. You've inspired me over and over again and I look forward to hearing more in the future. 

I hope you'll visit Quinn at her blog and get to know her even better. Thanks again, Quinn. May God continue to bless your family, home, and homestead!

April Homestead Tour: Christy's Urban Homestead

Remember the homestead tours I did back in August and September? I really enjoyed them and I hope you did, too. I dropped this for a while when we were dealing with some health issues my husband was facing, but I really wanted to share with you some wonderful homesteaders and their places. 

When I first "met" Christy, I knew immediately I wanted to share her adventure with you. What makes her unique? Not only where she homesteads (Washington D.C.!), but all she accomplishes in her urban location with sticky HOAs that restrict her even further. I hope her example inspires a lot of urbanites who have a heart for homesteading but feel restricted by their circumstances. Let's here how she does it in her own words...

One of the main homesteading things I do is to garden.  I have a very tiny yard, and we have strict HOA regulations, so I only have one 4x8 ft raised garden bed plus about 10 pots on my patio.  With only that space I was still able to grow over $350 worth of produce last summer. And I am not a natural gardener, either. I have had to read and learn a lot.  I still had some vegetables which were mediocre or totally failed last year, but each year I learn more and have more successes. I also save many of my seeds for the next year so that I don't have to buy them again.  

Since we are unable to garden extensively like a true homesteader, we do the next best thing...my kids and I frequent our local pick-your-own farm that practices ecologically-minded farming practices.  We pick fruits all throughout the summer, which I then freeze for our use throughout the year.  At some point I'd like to get a dehydrator, we just haven't gotten there yet...one thing at a time, right?  

I have food storage in my basement.  I currently have over one year's worth of grains stored in 5 gallon buckets.  We have wheat, rice and oats and black beans, and I am planning on adding spelt soon, as well as more beans. 

I also do things like grind my own flour, make my own chicken stock, keep a sourdough starter for making sourdough bread, and culture my own yogurt.  Those I do mostly for their health benefits, but they do fit well into a self-sufficient/homesteading lifestyle.  It makes me a bit less dependent because, for instance, all I need is milk...and from there I can make yogurt, whey and cream cheese.  I also purchase nearly all my food from local farmers, which is the closest I can get to homesteading while living in the middle of suburbia in a very regulated/restrictive county.  

I would LOVE to line dry my clothes, but our neighborhood HOA has sadly banned line drying. So unfortunate.  However, with my new baby I am planning on using a small drying rack on our patio for drying the cloth diapers.  I also hang dry about half our clothes (in the house).  I use soapnuts and have a whole stash of those...won't run out of laundry soap for a looong time!

We have this great water filter called a Berkey.  It sits on our counter and works simply by gravity.  We put our tap water through it for drinking and cooking, but should it ever be necessary, we could put pond water or rain water in our Berkey, and it would be able to filter and purify the water for drinking.  It's a really good filtration system, and we like knowing we have those options should we ever need to use them.

I also do things like make all my own lotions, even our own sunscreen.  I got into this because of my sensitivities to chemical fragrances, which are in pretty much all toiletries.  The products I choose to make are very simple to make and work far better than storebought products.  And it's been really fun for me to learn how to make items like lotions, salves, bug spray and sunscreen, and to learn about the properties of essential oils. I also use herbs and essential oils for various home remedies to common ailments.

How long have you been homesteading?

I have only been "homesteading" (in my urban way) for about two years.  I am continually setting goals for myself, trying to learn and do whatever it is that I am able to do within my limited means.  

Did you grow up doing this or did you teach yourself?

Most things I have had to research and learn. My parents did garden often when I was growing up, so I was exposed to that but never liked it.  Now I love gardening!  While I have had to learn what I am doing on my own, at the same time my parents are moving more in this direction as is my sister, so we've all been learning together.

What does a typical day look like for you?

I'm afraid it won't look very classic homesteader.  Our day begins with my husband and me reading our bibles, then I start cooking breakfast and our kids get dressed and come downstairs.  We eat breakfast together and do bible memory and/or family devotions.  My husband leaves for work, and the kids and I begin school.  Throughout our school time I am typically also doing something in the kitchen like starting sourdough bread, or currently you might find me planting a few seeds indoors or checking on and watering my growing seedlings that are living by our sunny sliders and in our coldframe outside until it warms up outside.  School ends, I exercise, and then I prepare lunch for the kids and myself.  They have a quiet play time in their rooms while I do chores and take care of daily tasks, we do more chores together in the afternoons (and soon we will also be gardening), the kids play for a bit and I make dinner and prep for the next morning's breakfast.  We eat dinner, spend some time as a family and then the kids get ready for bed. After they are in bed, my husband takes care of business (bills, computer issues, etc) and I do various tasks, or we might just spend some time together before bed. 

What is your favorite part of homesteading (or benefit)?

I love gardening!  I just find it amazing that I plant these tiny seeds and within weeks they are full grown plants, producing food for my family. I also love all the varieties of vegetables out there. For example, you buy lettuce from the grocery store and its limited to the same two or three types, but there are just tons of varieties of lettuce to grow.  I appreciate that I control how my produce is grown, I don't have to worry about pestcides, I don't have to drive anywhere to get the food, certain items really taste 100% tastier (tomatoes, anyone?), and we can eat it freshly picked for our meals when it is most nutritious. 

I also enjoy having my food storage, both the buckets of grains and my freezers.  I know the freezers wouldn't help me if we were without power, but they are really helpful for our current day-to-day living.  With a quarter cow, whole chickens, frozen fruits and vegetables and other items, I just don't have to "run out to the store for a few items."  Making large purchases saves me time and money, and I always have enough to share on a moment's notice.  I am working on building up food storage that is not electricity-based and a means of preparing those items.  Japan has been an example to me of how quickly many people in a thriving, developed nation can be without the basics of food, water and electricity.    

Tell us your thoughts on what it means to be self-sufficient and how you are working towards that goal.

If I was just able to snap my fingers and have what I wanted, I would be living in a house on a lot of acreage with a stream, off-grid, with chickens and a few goats.  My reasoning on those things are: I love the countryside and land, we could garden as extensively as we were physically able and have a root cellar, we would have power without being dependent on infrastructure, and we would have eggs, milk and meat.  The reality is that my husband is a pastor, and right now God has called him to serve in a wonderful church in the heart of suburbia.  Our desire would be to move at some point to a house with more land such that we could garden and have chickens, which is difficult to find in this area but definitely not impossible. In the meantime, I am just seeking to do all that I am able to do in the home that God has graciously provided for us.

What obstacles have you had to overcome in an urban setting? Did you encounter any opposition from things such as neighbors, zoning codes, space restrictions? 

Oh yes.  Our county is very restrictive with zoning, and our neighborhood HOA is even more restrictive.  Animals are totally out of the question. Our county has certain restrictions on composting, and our HOA has restrictions on the size/amount of gardens, no rainbarrels (though I'm still trying to figure out something here) and no line drying clothes. Fortunately our neighbors are kind and love our sometimes wild-looking garden, so we haven't had any issues there at least!  I think the toughest part about urban homesteading are the restrictions.  Some things just can't be changed, but others you can work around a bit with a little creativity.  Since my garden size is limited, I extended my garden space by growing plants in 10 large terracotta pots that I placed on my patio.  And since I can't line dry clothes but I want the sun to help bleach those dirty diapers, I am going to use a small portable drying rack.  

Do you have plans to expand your homestead in any way? 

Our expansion plan is to move when we are able.  :)

What new skills are you hoping to acquire in the future?

I want to continue to grow in my gardening skills.  I feel like I haven't even touched the surface as far as gardening knowledge goes.  The other big one would be raising chickens.  I really hope we are able to move someday to a situation where this would be possible.  But in the meantime, canning is something I would like to try my hand at soon.  My mom's friend has canned for years and has offered to help me.  I hope to take her up on that offer this year.

What resources have you found helpful for learning new homesteading

 skills?

I scour the internet, and I have some great books that our wonderful resources. One of my favorites is: "Better Basics for the Home" by Annie Berthold-Bond.  You won't find info on building a chicken coop in there, but you will find natural recipes for soap, cleaning products, sunscreen, getting rid of pests, and even how to make milk paint.

How are you hoping to encourage others in urban homesteading? 

I would love to see more people gardening. You can garden almost anywhere, even in large pots on an apartment balcony.  Whenever I show my friends my tiny garden and then tell them how much I grew, they are always shocked.  I didn't realize I could grow as much as I did either until I started reading about it.  My next-door neighbor is now gardening in her small bed this year because she witnessed how much we were harvesting from our garden last year.    

If you could give a new comer to homesteading some advice, what would it

be?

Just start somewhere with something, even if it is a small something.  Don't try to do it all at once, and don't think you can't do anything because you don't live on a farm.  Pick something that is interesting to you, read up about it, and give it a shot, even if you have to improvise a bit due to limitations.  Doing something is always better than doing nothing!  

Well, that certainly looks like a happy camper! Christy and her family look like they're eating well at their urban homestead. She also has a teacher's heart. This month, Christy planned on teaching a class at her church on eating whole foods on a budget and she plans on encouraging others to garden in their backyard as well. Her future dream of starting a blog on this same topic are temporarily on hold as they are about to add another child to their family! But I'm sure you'll agree with me that it would be welcomed in the homesteading blogging community! (She currently has a private family blog).
Update: Christy's new blog is up and running! You'll find her at Whole Foods on a Budget!

Thank you, Christy, for sharing a glimpse into your urban life! We wish you many blessings as you continue to homestead and as you welcome this new precious one to your family!

If you would like to leave a comment for Christy, please feel free to do so below. Because the arrival of her new baby is imminent, she may or may not be able to respond right away, but you can be sure she'll read them as soon as possible!