Encouragement

Although I'm not a regular reader of the blog, I read a post over on Blue Yurt Farms about funding your homestead last month that I really appreciated. It didn't go terribly in depth to any of the seven families, but the one big thing I gleaned from it is that homesteading is often an expensive choice that you need to be creative to make work. On one hand that seems a rather obvious statement, but after reading homesteading blogs and books, I often find myself wondering how in the world people have the money they need to do all these cool projects they're embarking upon. Or alternately, how I can get as good as they are at thrifting or finding free or cheap materials. There is often very little to no discussion on how people make their dreams and projects work financially and it's easy for me to fall into the trap of thinking that there is something I'm just not understanding. So reading that post was like a breath of fresh air. 

I actually wished I could learn more about each of their situations and how they made it work (and perhaps I can if I follow their blogs regularly - only so much time for this one woman!), but just the confirmation that other people struggle with this too was helpful for me, as I often feel like I'm floundering alone in this homesteading territory. 

It also gives me hope and encouragement to just keep plugging away and working at achieving my homestead goals. It's awesome to see other people adding cows, sheep, pigs, fruit trees and gardening all in one season, but I don't need to feel anxious that I can't do the same. Maybe all I'll accomplish this season is growing a garden and building a worm bin, but that's okay. It's forward progress and that's something. These are all things I already know, but it's nice to have the reminder and the affirmation some days.

Yes, I know it's a terrible photo, but it's also just so her.

For now I'll enjoy gardening with this little bee in the sunshine (even if that flower is a cosmos seedling she ripped out of the soil ;P) and know that all will come in due time with patience and hard work.