Working With A Blank Slate
Our family had the opportunity to move on a piece of land in the late of summer with our 5 young children that we now call Heritage Homestead.
It has been important to Jason and me that we teach life skills, and train our children in the ways God was leading our family. He led us to this little homestead that was literally a blank slate. I didn’t know then how much of a blessing that would turn out to become. How we got started here
We felt overwhelmed and humbled to get it at the price we did. Because the house sits on the west side of the property, we envisioned where the cattle fields would be, the coop would be built, the gardens to have full sun, and the little orchard I had always desired.
Aside from some house renovations to fit our needs, we really didn’t have to change any obstacles outside that presented us a problem. That was a major bonus! It was perfect for us and I can not express enough gratitude to God for placing us here. It has been an enormous amount of work, but it’s been well worth the effort put forth.
Every turn of the seasons, we are reminded to stop and look around to give thanks for what He has done in our lives, and the goodness He pours out on our family. We have no idea how many children will reside here, but we look forward to whatever our future holds on this little gem we call home.
This property is a work in progress and we have many dreams for this little place. Above all of our hopes and dreams, our intentions are to put more effort into teaching our kids how to build character rather than how to perfectly build a coop. We are practical people that enjoy a good challenge, but we also desire that our family creates memories as much as giving them opportunities to work together on the farm.
As we build, fix, and plant, I can see the creativity flowing out of them. I feel it is our job as parents to give them the tools and an opportunity where they can learn. And I don’t believe you have to have a piece of land to roam on to use your imagination. You can set up a room in your home (or a garage would be ideal) to fit the needs of your family’s creativity.
You may have a kitchen that is conducive to your family’s needs. Bring the kids in, and teach them how to make roast and potatoes for dinner.
Maybe daddy likes to work with tools. Hand your kids a hammer and build a birdhouse with dad.
It may be that mama is good at quilting or sewing. Sit them next to you and teach them simple stitches to begin with.
It is important to instill a work ethic in children and constructing an environment for them helps not stifle their creativity. They are going to need good character, and a set of skills to be successful, not necessarily a college degree. Whatever you choose, invest in those little moments where you can create memories with your family.
I can only assume that some of my children may be married and have children of their own one day. I want to give them my very best as their mother so they can be confident in whatever it is they will do as adults.
Being raised on a farm, my heart has always been partial to raising my children in a rural area. I always felt something would be missing if I didn’t follow through with that desire and I guess you could say it is in my blood. I wanted my kids to experience animal chores and have the freedom to roam the countryside. I wanted a simpler, hand-created lifestyle, and I was willing to work hard for that kind of life.
My husband was raised in Missouri as well and he desired to keep our roots right here, so when we landed here in the Ozarks, it wasn’t hard for me to envision full gardens, vines and bushes full of fruit, a small orchard, nut trees, maples and oaks planted all around, children running around with the dog, baby chicks chirping from the coop, mama hens pecking, the cattle happily chewing on their cud, wild rabbits being shooed away from my cabbages, owls hooting in the night, and deer and turkey coming toward the clearing. And because the house sets upon a hill, we can see the sunrise and sunset.
This vision speaks to my soul.
Working with a blank slate has been an unexpected blessing to our family. The way the house sits on the west side of the property, it was an easy decision to break up the cattle fields into two sections, and leave the wooded areas for future land cultivation or for recreational use.
We have left this undecided for now because there are so many other pressing things that need to be done. Getting started was very exiting for the kids and for us as parents.
Since living here, our son’s first project that he wanted to tackle was the dog house. Our puppy was born in September and he would be weaned in December. Just shy of being 7 weeks old, we brought him home. He has been the best dog to have for our children.
By trial and error, we figured out how to make his sweet little home completely from scratch, no plans involved. They sketched out what they thought would be simple enough to do in a weekend. Soon after, he had a cozy home to sleep in at night. That week, it snowed a pretty layer that matched his white coat perfectly. What a journey so far!
The best piece of advice I can give you if you are starting out on this homesteading journey is get your infrastructures in first before you buy your first milk cow, or your flock of chickens. It makes farm-life so much easier. I have learned the hard way. 🙂
We are thankful for this little place we call home. The opportunities to grow and learn are endless.
If you have reached the end of reading the start of our homesteading journey, be blessed in knowing every home and family are a work in progress.
May you find peace, joy, and love in all you do.
Natalie