Here and There: Homesteading on a Small Farm

This is my weekly, if I can, Here and There post. These are some of the finds I have enjoyed this past week across the world wide web. This week I’m reading, thinking and talking about Homesteading on a Small Farm. That will actually become a recurring category here at The Littlest Way, some of you may remember when I briefly blogged at Big Family Small Farm? Anyway, don’t be surprised by occasional posts detailing the littlest way of gardening, chickens, cows, canning, and such. Oh and please share your Here and There finds in the comments.

First, in addition to the Blue Highway’s version of Wondrous Love, I am completely addicted to Chelsea Moon’s Youtube channel singing hymns. Give it a listen while reading through this post.

I checked out a stack of books from the library this week. I’ve read or at least read through some of these before:

The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre!

I read this a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it, so I checked it out again. Can I just say right now, I wish I had the same enthusiasm for homesteading on a small farm in August as I do in March-May.

Back to my list of books I checked out…The Mini Farming Handbook, Little House in the Suburbs: Backyard farming and home skills for self-sufficient living, Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre. Those are just the ones I’ve gotten in. I also checked out Beef Cattle: Keeping a Small-Scale Herd for Pleasure and Profit for Chris. He is constantly scouring the internet for cattle for sale and talking to anyone we know who has cows so he can learn.

Getting off the “homesteading” topic which…I don’t really know I’m a “homesteader” by the way. I love fresh tomatoes, eggs and meat, have lots of hands to help–willing or unwilling–and the space to pursue growing and raising food. Does that make me a homesteader? I don’t seem to fit the typical homesteader I’m finding on Youtube.

I read this post this week, I’m Not a Liar but Facebook Sure is.

Life is not 1 dimensional. There are always things happening simultaneously in our lives and none of the pictures we post on social media can adequately portray that.

I am reading The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life’s Hard right now and it is completely.undoing.me…in a very good way. I will share a post on it soon, but right now I am marinating in her words.

Along with Kara’s book, I also read a very thought provoking post over at California to Korea, Why We Don’t Sleep Train. I left a comment for Micaela and reply struck me profoundly. In it she says, “Brilliant! It took me a long time to trust my parenting instincts. For better or worse, I was always looking “out there” to see what others were doing. When I gained some confidence, I also gained joy. Our family is happier now that I worry less about what other people are doing.”

When my children were babies, I parented by instinct. I mention in my comment I knew what I didn’t want to do, but was unsure of what I wanted to do…until I listened to my instincts. As my children have grown in to teens, I’ve listened less to my instincts and looked “out there.” I did not even realize this until Micaela’s reply to original comment. WOW! I cannot begin to tell you where that realization has taken me the last couple of days. I’ve felt confused, guilt ridden, freed and curious. It’s time I started listening to my instinct again as a momma.

That wraps up my Here and There post this weekend. I’m not even kidding when I tell you I am in full rumination mode from Kara’s book and Micaela’s comment. Take some time today to listen to yourself ok.