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UPDATE: I wrote this post back in the summer of 2014 and though some things have changed and we have far more experience and homesteading skills now (along with 2 more farm kids 😉 ), we find ourselves in a similar situation (Thanks to Hurricane Michael). We are also no longer living in my parents but are renting a single wide on a farm for now.
Doing what you can where you are is kind of a motto in our life. Where are we now? There seems to be many ways I could answer this question.
We are praying. Praying for our future and what God’s will is for our family. We are dreaming. Dreaming of our own homestead. We are waiting. Waiting is always the hardest part. We are hoping. Hoping for our future and where our lives will lead us. We are planning. Planning for our homestead and gathering knowledge, supplies, and experience. Most importantly, we are doing what we can where we are.
Doing What You Can Where You Are
It is so easy in life to always be waiting on everything to be “just right” before we act. I have learned that it is so important to do what you can where you are.
In a perfect world I’d have a huge secluded farm with a beautiful farmhouse or log cabin. It would have a clean flowing creek and a pristine spring fed pond. There would be lush hay fields and all of the equipment to bale hay. It would have fencing and cross fencing and the perfect barn. I’d have an A2/A2 family milk cow, a grass fed beef herd, pigs, chickens, turkeys. I think you get the picture, it would be amazing.
I could sit here and wait my life away on this picture perfect farm. Then, there is reality. Reality is a budget. What we dream of and what we can afford are two different creatures. Reality is time frame, we want to be able to have our dream now but we know that God has His own timing and it will happen when it is supposed to happen.
I have learned so much in the last couple of years being here at my parent’s place. They have three and a quarter acres. We have been able to have two ponies, a large garden, lots of free range laying hens, meat birds, and now pigs. It truly is all about utilizing what space you do have in the most efficient way possible.
Keep on Going
I encourage you, even if all you have is a balcony, you can still grow some of your own food. You really can do more than you thought on less space than you thought. Read and gain knowledge. Gain experience on your own property or forge relationships with local homesteaders and help them around their farm. Doing what you can where you are is what it’s all about.
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This is really good information. So many people are stuck with small spaces, but you can do more on them than you realize! When I worked some co-workers and I set up a coop. We each grew one type of vegetable and swapped at the end of the season. 3 of them were in apartments so it worked really well.
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That’s great! It really is all about utilizing your space and resources. 🙂
This was really good for me to read today. I’ve been so overwhelmed lately and I just realized that it’s because I’m focusing too much on what my end goal is. I have access to land and will be able to build a home and start my farm there… but that day is not today. Today I need to focus on learning, building my skills, traveling and writing. Everything will come together in due time; I just need to have patience. 🙂
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Yes! I have to keep my mind in the right place or I get discouraged and overwhelmed. One baby step at a time it seems. 🙂