Self Reliance and Answered Prayers…

When we intially began looking for property for our homestead, we had a strong desire to be more self reliant. We wanted to grow our own food, we wanted to be more connected to nature, and we didn’t want to have to run to the store for our every need.

Perhaps it was too many documentaries over the years.  If you’ve watched any regarding our food system or industrial farming, you know what I mean. There are many great things that have come from technological advances and human intervention. When it comes to agriculture though, it seems we have done more harm than good.

Most of the food we buy from the store, even if it’s organic, has traveled very far to get to our shopping cart. In order to have ‘pretty’ produce, there are typically certain varieties grown that can withstand that long trip and the shelf life before it lands on your plate. What you may not know is that in order for this to happen, the crop is typically picked prior to it being ripe. By doing this, so much of the nutritional value has been diminished. Many people are consuming calories, but not getting the proper nutrition needed for vibrant health.

Perhaps it was seeing the decline in health in our society. There have been so many rare diseases that have emerged in the past decade. Our society eats so much out of convenience and we also eat so fast. We weren’t meant to just shove food in our mouths while we commute to work. If anything, I’m sure the pandemic helped with this. With so many stuck at home, being able to eat more home cooked meals certainly helped out with eliminating all the processed crap.

Perhaps it was the pandemic that accelerated our plans. We had this dream for awhile, but when COVID hit we jumped into overdrive with our plans. Our first garden was much bigger than we had initially thought it would be. We started learning our land to see what things could be foraged and it turns out we have so much on our property that it’s like a pharmacy in our backyard. There are so many medicinal things growing, so we are increasing our knowledge there. I never knew how many wild things are actually edible!

Perhaps it’s all the natural disasters. Growing up in Florida, I’ve been exposed to so many hurricanes and tornados. After evacuating one too many times, we decided that it was too much of a risk for us to plant roots there. There is no 100% safe place, but being in eye of the storm so many years in a row was exhausting and terrifying. We can’t escape anomoly systems up here. They head our way too. We have worked hard to remain reslient in our efforts to be more stable if a bad storm does something to our land. We are using the permaculture framework and working to keep things as natural to the native environment as possible.

Perhaps it’s all the social unrest.

Perhaps it’s just using discernment.

I actually composed this awhile back and didn’t finish it. With all the tensions in our world, I was toeing a line. I didn’t want to offend anyone. I have learned that I need to be who God has made me to be and not what I am “supposed to be.” I also do not need to say what is safe to “keep the peace.” I have so much to say and I pray for the courage to get it out in the world.

Perhaps it is inflation.

Everywhere I look, I see signs that point to self reliant, more local, and to stand firm in who you are. This world has gone completely mad and if you are not solid on who you are, you will get tossed like a wave. My hope is that what we are doing can help other people.

What we are doing is not easy, but it is a much simpler life. However, to live a “simple” life, you have to choose it EVERY SINGLE DAY. When it’s -16 degrees and you don’t “feel” like going outside, you must! The animals are dependant on you to ensure they have their needs met. I traded in my business suits for Carhartt overalls and my heels for muck boots. I often chuckle about these things, but you know what? I wouldn’t change it for anything. This is where I am supposed to be.

Getting to a place where we are in sync with our land and one another, loving the process, and all while surrenduring to God, required very difficult work. All this during a time when the world was falling apart and raising a very energetic little boy. It’s easy to look back and smile now, but man, that was tough! We love watching our son run wild on our property. Those moments are the ones that make you understand why you made the tough choices.

A friend and I were chatting the other day. We were discussing the highs and lows and how it has shaped us. She really helped me put things in perspective. She said, “Wow, you are literally living an answered prayer!” I have reflected on that every day since. It is so easy to let the heaviness of the world keep us in a state of chaos. Sometimes we need to come up for air and just appreciate how far we have come. The to do lists will always be there. The striving and growing will always push us forward. However, we have to take a moment to realize how far we have come.

The truth is, the massive changes in my life in such a short period of time really put me in fight or flight mode and it wasn’t until the past 6 months that I truly shut that off and began to live again. Live for the here and now. Not panicking about the future. Doing my best for today and knowing that is good enough. An old boss always used to say, “don’t let perfection be the enemy of good enough.” That’s really helped me!

My leadership background enstilled such a sense of striving. This isn’t a bad thing on its own, but if striving for some future state robs you of joy in this moment, is it worth it? From my experience, no. Life is short and you have to be present for what matters.

Back to self-reliance. Is it necessary? In my opinion, if you are paying attention to all the things going on in our country, the world, and all the geopolitics, then YES, absolutely! You don’t have to go from one extreme to another, but what one thing can you do now that will help you take care of you and your family despite the influence of outside circumstances?

I have friends who just got a few chickens because they were sick of the rising costs at the store. I have another friend who is working to get cardboard and mulch down now to suppress the weeds and growth so she can start her garden in the spring. I have friends offering their knowledge as services and consuIting people. We have friends who we barter with. We have friends who got solar and other energy sources. Get to know your local farmers!

You have much more power to change than you realize. It all is a sum of our daily habits and choices. If you don’t like where you are at, if you fear for the future, if you are sick of rising grocery bills….let all these things prompt a change in lifestyle. You won’t regret it!