Life first, homestead second
Is your homestead serving you? Or are you serving your homestead?
It's easy to get caught up in all the things we think we have to do and things we want to have.
We jump right in, dreaming of big, beautiful gardens, abundant food forests, chickens running around, and shelves full of home-canned, home-grown food.
In all that excitement, there's one big thing that often gets forgotten: taking care of ourselves.
I have to admit, I'll be the first one to tell you that I haven't figured it all out.
But what I do know from farming commercially for over 5+ years, and now building an off-grid homestead from a raw piece of land, is that this lifestyle is a journey, not a destination.
Throughout these years, I totally get the pull of wanting to see everything flourish.
To see growth.
I spent over 7 years building out this lifestyle with my family.
I won’t deny, that seeing the progress of where we came from to where we are now gives an incredible feeling of accomplishment.
But when you’re constantly “in the trenches”, working your ass off to start the next big project, you can lose your initial motivations out of sight.
When is enough, enough?
In the last few years, I’ve definitely made a 180-degree turn in how I approach this lifestyle.
I strongly believe in getting our lives right first, based on who we are and what matters to us.
And from there, with that foundation, growing our homestead to fit in the lives we’re intentionally creating.
Not the other way around.
When homesteading feels too much
You might have seen some of the images I have shared online.
The ones with the perfectly aligned vegetable rows and not a single weed in sight.
Or the ones where we are organizing the first trees of our food forests.
It's easy to look at those images and think, "Yeah, I want that. How hard can it be?"
But here's the thing – those snapshots don't show the whole story.
They don't show the early mornings, the late nights, the constant battle against pests, or the unexpected expenses that can make you question your life choices.
This is where many of us get tripped up.
We start our homesteading journey with a head full of dreams, only to hit the wall of reality hard.
Suddenly, there's too much to do.
There are not enough hours in the day and not enough days in a week.
It feels like our little slice of paradise is taking its toll on us.
Between trying to plant, harvest, care for animals, maintain the property, raise children, and maybe even hold down a day job, it's easy to feel overwhelmed.
When everything adds up, it’s difficult to stay organized.
It's a common story, and it goes to show that diving into homesteading without a clear plan can lead to burnout fast.
The dream of a self-sufficient life gets buried by the daily grind, and that's not what any of us signed up for.
We want our homestead to be a place of refuge and joy, not another source of stress.
So, how do we flip the script and get back to that initial spark that drew us to homesteading in the first place?
We have to understand that before we can take care of anything else, we've got to take care of ourselves first.
Putting your well-being center stage
Ever since I became a parent, I started to truly understand the value of time.
And time is not easy to come by these days.
Your life, your rules, and your well-being need to lead the way.
This is where "Life First, Homestead Second" comes into play.
Think of it this way: See your homestead not just as land, but as the stage where your life plays out.
It should be the place where you grow your food, sure, but also your happiness and peace of mind.
This means setting up your homesteading life so that it doesn't just take from you but gives back in abundance.
At the end of a long day, you don’t want to be “just tired”, you want to be fulfilled.
Getting to that point starts with a shift in how we approach our homesteading projects.
We need to become strategic and make smart decisions that are in line with our energy levels, available time, and, yes, our budget.
It’s saying, “Hey, it’s okay to take this slow” or “Let’s focus on what brings us the most joy and satisfaction first.”
It’s recognizing that the best way to be productive isn’t by running ourselves into the ground.
With "Life First, Homestead Second" your well-being is the priority.
Not an item on your to-do list.
It's the foundation upon which everything else is built.
Now don’t get me wrong.
This isn’t about doing less.
Instead, we need to identify what truly makes us happy and build a homestead that supports that vision.
So, how do we put this philosophy into action?
It starts with designing a homestead that serves you, creating systems that work together seamlessly to support your well-being.
And yes, it means having a plan that tells you what to tackle first, second, and last, based on what’s realistically doable with the time and resources you have.
How to make it happen?
It’s all well and good to say we’re going to prioritize ourselves, but without some concrete steps, we won’t get far.
So, how do we make it happen?
1. Start with a plan that puts you first
Before you plant that first seed or build that chicken coop, take a moment.
Sit down with a cup of whatever makes you happy and really think about what a balanced homestead looks like for you.
What are your non-negotiables?
Write out your vision including what you want to achieve and what's important to you.
2. Break It down
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and your dream homestead won’t be, either.
Break down your big vision into manageable parts.
What can you realistically tackle this season, this month, or this week?
By setting achievable goals, you'll feel the satisfaction of ticking them off your list without burning out.
3. Create synergy
If there's one thing that truly captures the essence of "Life First, Homestead Second," it's this: the design of your homestead.
This is what I cover in-depth in our online program, Abundance by Design.
Designing goes beyond figuring out the best place for your vegetable garden or how to set up your chicken coop.
It helps us lay out the homestead in such a way, that every system is designed with the goal of reducing your workload and increasing your enjoyment.
All the while you’re increasing self-reliance, growing awesome food, and reducing your dependence on outside sources.
It might sound like a dream, but it's a very attainable reality with the right approach to design.
4. Use appropriate technology
Technology often gets a bad reputation, but the right tools, when used effectively, can save you lots of time and effort.
After all, would you make all your own candles if you didn’t have a lightbulb?
Whether it's a simple irrigation timer to keep your garden watered or apps that help you track your planting and harvesting, technology can be a homesteader's best friend.
Use it to take some of the load off your shoulders and give you more time for the things you love most.
5. It’s okay to say no
This might be the hardest one.
In a world where the homestead dream seems to include doing it all, it’s revolutionary to say, “Actually, I’m good.”
Not into raising livestock? Stick to your garden.
Overwhelmed by canning? Focus on fresh produce.
Your homestead should be a source of joy, not a checklist of chores.
Takeaway
When trying to manage everything, putting life first and homestead second can feel like a difficult task.
But pause and ask yourself: Why did you start this homesteading journey in the first place?
Was it to grow your own food? Absolutely.
To become more self-sufficient? Yes!
To live a simpler life? Of course!
But if we're constantly running around, feeling like we're just barely keeping up, what's it all for?
If chasing a simpler life ends up making us feel anything but grounded, maybe it's time to hit pause and really think about what we're after.
After all, is your homestead serving you, or are you serving your homestead?
Thank you for reading this article.
I hope it is helpful.
See you next week,
Moreno
Whenever you're ready, and if it's the right fit, here are 4 ways I can help you:
1. Join Abundance by Design: Abundance by Design teaches you exactly how to plan, design, and start your homestead in 2 weeks or less using Permaculture. Learn how to achieve a level of self-sufficiency that gives you peace of mind, along with a well-structured plan that lays out the 'do this, then that' to get your homestead up and running smoothly.
2. Year-Round Vegetables - The Garden Planner: Learn how to turn your garden into a year-round grocery store. This course will teach you step-by-step how to create a garden plan for year-round vegetables that are aligned with your climate, food preferences, and garden size.
3. The Reconnected Newsletter: Sign up to receive my free weekly newsletter where I share practical tips to grow your independence & freedom from first seed to self-sufficiency, directly to your inbox.
4. The Homestead Startup Checklist: Download our free, step-by-step checklist you can use to plan, design, and start your homestead from scratch (following our ‘Abundance by Design Framework’).
