I have some serious big news….I MOVED! I didn’t just move, I bought a farm... Yes, a freaking farm!
I swapped my cushy place in the city for an old farmhouse that sits at the foot of tall jagged mountains, literally. Instead of being bombarded with ambient traffic sounds and blaring nighttime sirens, I'm now encased in ear-ringing silence, sprawling fields, and spaced out neighbors.
A few months ago, when I wrote my blog “Homesteading for the next Global Disaster,” I had no inkling of this upcoming opportunity. Yes—a real homestead! I always dreamed of owning one, but never knew exactly how, when, or if such a farfetched desire would ever pan out. Prices of all goods were soaring, the housing market was insanity, and the economy was staggering with weird supply chain issues.
“I’ll never be able to purchase a piece of property and go off-grid.”
This thought crossed my mind a few weeks before the opportunity arrived, and I'm ashamed to admit such negative thinking. During this moment of doubt, I was living in a state of fear: immersed in the pandemic... the evils of the world. Uncertainties of the future encapsulated me and consumed my thoughts daily, smothering my dreams. With that cold blanket of fear draped over me, the doorway to this adventure swung open. Truly, this once-in-a-lifetime chance has been special, and I promised I'd never forget how it happened.
When the opportunity arose, I realized I needed miracles to make it happen. Not only did I need miracles, but I also wanted to know if this was the right decision. Picking up and moving from a wonderful home in a comfortable area, and transplanting my life to a place I know nothing about is a HUGE decision. Although it was exciting, I needed to know if this was where I needed to go in life. To find answers, I slowly walked my way out of the fog of fear by relying on my Heavenly Father for guidance. This wasn’t a time where I just changed up my life in hope for blessings; then, after receiving those blessings, return to the way I was before—I truly wanted to remove the daily worldly burden. Answers came, telling me this is where I must go. As the fog rolled away and dissipated, I could see how this opportunity began working its way into my life years ago...
Leaving my first house—after living there for three years—was difficult. It was comfortable, peaceful, and reliable. I’m not sentimental about “things,” but I am sentimental about places, and I was sad to say goodbye to my lovely home, my comfort zone. If you follow along with me, you know I have a Karelian Bear Dog named Kintla, and I first brought her home to that house almost two years ago. She would lay down in the corner by the doors, flop on the carpet in the middle of the floor, and then zoom around the hot tub after getting her bath. It broke my heart a little that I will never get to see her do those things at that home again. I took her from her comfort zone as well, but I know she loves this farm. My previous house will make a great home to the new owners, and I'm grateful for that. I'll miss the hot tub and my kind neighbors, but I'll try to remember it all through pictures, videos, and memories.
The new house is much older than the previous one and it needs some TLC—basically a full remodel lol. At the core of the house though is a solid foundation and the house is well insulated and built back when houses were made to last, and that’s probably why it has been here so long! I'm excited to make it my own and grow with it.
The property surrounding it is beautiful, a mix of farmland and a yard that stretches to the horizon. I have the start of a garden, consisting of a few raised garden boxes, a small green house, and fertile soil. I plan to garden out of my mind for the next year and prep the garden beds for the upcoming season soon. Creating a bountiful garden and learning to preserve food will be a giant step forward in my homesteading journey, and I'm grateful you all can come along with me!
I feel that I've been granted a fresh start posed with difficulties and learning along the way. The day I moved in, I heard someone say:
“If you’re comfortable then you aren’t growing.”
Those words were meant for me! I'm not at all in my comfort zone here, but I look forward to growing, learning, and returning to my family’s homestead roots!
