The beginning of the Homestead

I should start by saying that I spent the first 14 years of my life on a farm.  I hated most aspects of farm life as a child and early teen.  I could not wait to get OFF the farm.  I have spent the last 20+ years of my life doing NOTHING that even resembled farm life.  My son refers to me as "a city girl."

 It's funny how time changes a person.  I recently purchased 10 acres with the intent to build a small home and farm.  My goal is that I will have a garden and some chickens, goats and maybe even pigs.  The first building of the new Homestead was delivered Monday.  It's a 12 foot X 24 foot lofted barn.  My goal is to insulate it, put up some wall paneling and make it into a living room/play room.  In order to save money to be able to build a house I want us to move into a travel trailer.  The trailer I found is a 25 foot 5th wheel with a four foot slide out that sleeps six people.  However, I think that two adults staying in a travel trailer with two small children might be too crowded, hence the need for more livable space.  

Many people think I'm crazy.  My sister laughs and says "Farmer Jenifer."  I've worked for more than 20 years with NOTHING to show for my work.  While I don't think that farming would give me "something to show for my work" necessarily, I do think that living more simply will given me more time to do the things I enjoy.  More time to spend with those I love.  Moving into a tiny space is going to take some adjustment on all our parts.  I have enough things for any two average size houses.  I still have and even wear some clothes for the 1990's.  I am currently wearing a shirt I got in the 90's from donating blood.  My clothing alone could engulf a 25 foot travel trailer.  I probably have 100 pairs of shoes myself.  My goal isn't to rid us of all our STUFF.  It is to condense the things we need at this moment and put those other things neatly into storage.  There is no reason that all of our jackets hang on hooks 12 months out of the year.  We may actually use them for three months and not even every day of those months.

I invite you to share this journey of more simple living .  While  I don't think it will actually be simple, I do think that it will be WORTH IT.