The seed was planted…
Homesteading was a dream that slowly grew into a reality for us. Living in the Tampa Bay area, we often found ourselves having conversations for a simpler life. We were living in a beautiful two level home but it sat upon a small lot in a neighborhood where the houses could almost kiss each other. It was during a weekend getaway to North Carolina that the idea of homesteading truly took root. Surrounded by open pastures and fresh air, we felt a sense of peace and connection to nature that was missing from our daily lives. We imagined growing our own food, raising animals, and living a more self-sufficient lifestyle. And so, with inspired determination, we started researching the homesteading lifestyle. We watched a lot of YouTube videos…. I wanted to learn how to bake from scratch; I even made a sourdough starter I proudly named “Beauty and the Yeast” and Warren, having a culinary backgroud, took to butchering meat and sowing an edible garden. We started developing our craft and decided to “just look” at houses available in the more rural part of Florida and find out if this lifestyle was obtainable.
House Hunting
Shopping for a house was both thrilling and daunting. We had a unique set of criteria in mind when searching for our future homestead. We wanted a place where we could cultivate our own crops, raise animals, and truly immerse ourselves in the farming lifestyle. Each house we visited brought a mix of excitement and apprehension - could this be the place where our dreams take root? Walking through different properties, envisioning where the vegetable garden would be, picturing chickens roaming the backyard, space for a guard donkey. And when we finally found a cozy house sitting on a 5-acres, we knew it was meant to be - so we made an offer!
Moving Day
After a couple months of preparing and lots of paperwork, we finally have the keys! The night before officially moving in, we decided to camp at the new house. We brought camping chairs, air mattresses and ordered pizza! It was also the day my oldest son turned 18! It was a big day for everyone! The next day, we picked up the moving truck and put as much stuff from a 3 bedroom home a truck can hold. Then drove an hour north to unload the next day….
