What I’ve Learned After 10 Years of Homesteading
After 10 years of homesteading, I’ve learned hard lessons, experienced seasons of abundance and loss, and discovered the true beauty of old-fashioned living. If you’re dreaming of a simpler, more intentional life, here’s what a decade of homesteading has taught me
10 years of homesteading. A full decade of digging my hands into the earth, tending animals, learning skills that once felt foreign but now feel like second nature. A decade of joy, heartbreak, abundance, and scarcity—and through it all, I wouldn’t trade this life for anything.
Homesteading isn’t just about growing food or raising animals. It’s a life that shapes you. It humbles you, strengthens you, and teaches you lessons in ways you never expected. And as I look back on these last ten years, I realize that every season—both the fruitful ones and the hard ones—has left its mark on me.
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The First Years: Excitement, Overwhelm, and Learning the Hard Way
When we first started homesteading, I had visions of overflowing gardens, fresh eggs every morning, and a pantry stocked with home-canned goods. I pictured myself stepping out onto the porch with a cup of tea, watching the sun rise over a thriving farm that provided everything we needed.
Reality? Reality looked more like weeds overtaking my garden, unexpected animal escapes, and learning—sometimes painfully—that nature doesn’t always cooperate with my plans.
I remember our first batch of chicks—how I lovingly set up the brooder, checked on them constantly, and watched in awe as they grew. But then came our first predator attack, and I sobbed as I found the aftermath. I didn’t know that raising animals would come with so much responsibility and heartache, but I quickly learned that you cannot have life without loss.
Still, we pressed on.
The Seasons That Shape You
We have experienced it all. The joy of new life—the first wobbly steps of a newborn goat, the first egg laid by a young hen. The grief of loss—standing in the barn as we said goodbye to an animal we had raised, burying something we had worked so hard to nurture.
There were bountiful seasons, when the garden was so full I could hardly keep up with preserving the harvest. When the pantry shelves gleamed with jars of tomatoes, green beans, and applesauce, and I felt so proud of what we had built.
And then there were seasons of struggle—when drought left us scrambling to keep the garden alive, when money was tight and we had to stretch every meal, when I stood in the barn in the dead of winter wondering why we had chosen this hard life.
But through it all, I learned that homesteading is a teacher—one that doesn’t coddle you, but refines you. It strips away the idea of control and teaches you to work with nature, rather than against it. It reminds you that every year is different, and that no matter how much you prepare, you are always learning.
What 10 Years of Homesteading Has Taught Me
- Hard work is a gift, not a burden.
There is something deeply satisfying about working with your hands, sweating under the summer sun, knowing that your labor has purpose. I have never felt more alive than after a long day of honest work, sitting on the porch with aching muscles, watching the sunset over a place we’ve built with love. - Nature is in charge.
You can plant at the perfect time, prepare for every scenario, and do everything “right”—but nature always has the final say. Some years bring lush harvests, and some years bring disappointment. The sooner you learn to adapt rather than resist, the easier this life becomes. - Life and loss go hand in hand.
There is no avoiding it—homesteading will break your heart. You will lose animals. You will have crops fail. You will experience seasons of frustration. But the beauty of this life is that it always keeps moving forward. There is always another season, another chance, another lesson to learn. - Slowness is a blessing.
The modern world rushes. It demands instant results. But homesteading teaches patience. It teaches the joy of slow, steady progress—the kind that isn’t flashy, but is deeply fulfilling. - Contentment comes from simple things.
A home-cooked meal with food we grew ourselves. A glass of fresh milk from the morning’s milking. The smell of fresh hay in the barn. The sound of rain on the roof after weeks of dry weather. These are the moments that matter. Not the numbers in a bank account, not the rush for “more”—just this life, fully lived.
Would I Do It All Over Again?
A thousand times, yes.
Even in the hardest moments, I wouldn’t trade this life for anything. It has taught me resilience, patience, and gratitude. It has given me a deeper appreciation for the past—how our great-grandparents lived this way not because it was trendy, but because it was necessary.
After 10 years of homesteading I’ve learned it isn’t for the faint of heart, but for those who long for a life of purpose, it is everything.
So if you’re standing at the beginning of your own homesteading journey, wondering if you’re cut out for it—just know this: it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
And one day, years down the road, you’ll look around at the life you’ve built and realize that homesteading hasn’t just changed your land—it’s changed you.
