Full of Homesteading Possibilities

Do you have a plan in the back of your mind? One that you hope for, pray about, and study up on, but perhaps never really think it will come to fruition? You know it’s there waiting for you, full of homesteading possibilities.

Maybe this dream is so big that you don’t really know how it will all come together in the end. You don’t know where they money will come from to accomplish it, where you’ll get the knowledge, and where you will carve out the time to work it properly.

Let me tell you about the big dream that we started reaching for over 20 years ago. It involves living a slow life, on acreage in the country. Chickens and goats are included, maybe even a cow. There will be a large vegetable garden and herbs growing out by the back door.

We’ve had several starts and stops over the years

There were two beautiful acres in Oregon with cows, chickens, and that big garden. Alas, it didn’t last.

Then came the move to Texas, and we purchased a home on 1.25 acres, realizing that we had finally arrived at the jumping off place. The dream was within reach. We sold this simple piece of property at the beginning of the summer and leveraged it to purchase the dream – a little over 11 acres of flat farmland in the next town over.

There is nothing on it but grass and sorghum plants. No water, electricity, fencing, septic system, or even a house to live in, but we love it already.

Last week we spent a morning over at the property watching the county workers put in the access driveway. Really, how goofy is it to take pictures of a driveway and post it on Instagram! It’s the simple pleasures that make all the difference, my friends. I’m rolling in optimism as we begin the next phase of planning and building.

For the time being, we’re living in a subdivision in the city and the neighbors are very close by. Barking dogs and wandering cats aside, even this can be tolerated as long as I keep our homesteading possibilities in my sights.

There is still so much to learn

What about that sorghum? It appears to be a weed, taking over the coastal hay that was planted. I have a ton of work to do so I can understand how to create a healthy pasture for the animals that will be there one day.

What is the best way to set up the house and outbuildings so they function well? This is a choice that has long-term consequences. After all, you can’t easily move a barn if you find out that it’s in the wrong place.

There is access to water at the front road, should we use that, or dig our own well? Does it make a difference?

It’s all very exciting!

We are still a year away from being able to live permanently on the property. I’d like to find ways for it to earn money even if we aren’t able to watch it every day. That means prioritizing. 1. Power, 2. Water, 3. Roads, 4. Crops.

I think big dreams are a necessity. They keep us reaching outside ourselves and growing. It’s hard to become something more than you already are without a big dream!

Stay tuned as we share the Great Texas Adventure on Rockin W Homestead, it’s full of homesteading possibilities! Share with us, what is your big dream?