I’m sticking my one big toe into the world of creating our own custom homestead. As a long-term goal I want to learn to raise and preserve our own food. The Lord is awakening a desire to educate myself on being more aware of what we’re eating, and cutting out carbs, sugars and chemicals.
I don’t ask for much, right?
Our homestead is not large; just a simple 97-year old farm-house on 2-acres in the country. We are blessed to have a nice size pond where we playfully raise Koi, frogs, crayfish and water lizards. I love to sit on the garden swing and watch the children capture critters. My gardens have consisted of flower beds that encircle our home and lilies beds peppered around our yard. That’s where the country life picture ends.
I’ve never planted a vegetable garden.
I failed at raising chickens. {Although I did earn my Pioneer Woman badge and butchered 3-Roosters, you can read more about that here on My Life With Chickens: The Good, The Bad, The Omelets.}
Bisquick, noodles and peanut butter are staples at our house.
We have several motivators for wanting to work our slice of land. Naturally, I’d love for our children to grow with memories of our family working together in the garden. I know working our 2-acres more effectively would provide invaluable family time and a sense of self-reliance. However, I’m thinking largely of our health. There is a family history of diabetes and obesity.
I’ve gained 20-lbs. in the last six months—for real.
This winter I’ve developed a Snickers and Coke addiction. Struggles…I have them, or should I say that sweets have me. Developing more of a homesteading mentality was my goal when I left my job as a nurse to stay home full-time. I jumped into making homemade laundry detergent, cleaning with vinegar, and using cloth diapers, but now I need to branch out in other skills. I just haven’t known where or how to start.
When Jill Winger of The Prairie Homestead announced that she was releasing her new eBook Your Custom Homestead I was very eager to read it.
In Your Custom Homestead Jill lays out 21-days of activities to develop a unique homesteading experience for wherever you live–city, country or somewhere in-between. She offers guidance for developing a homestead binder, setting goals, planning out your year, researching, and taking advantage of what resources you have in your area.
I feel that Your Custom Homestead lays out the nuts and bolts to help a mom like me-currently Googling how to stake tomato plants-develop a realistic plan of action towards baby steps for homesteading and healthy living. I have felt lost, but Jill has given me creative tools to get started. Jill’s point is to start where you are and do something!
After reading Your Custom Homestead here are my 6-month goals towards developing a healthy homestead life:
Plant a large vegetable garden: The preparation, planting and maintenance will be great exercise for our family.
Raise chickens {again}: Which includes clearing an area for them and building a small chicken house.
Learn to can our own fruits and vegetables: I do a lot of freezing. I’d like to start canning so that our food supply doesn’t rely heavily on refrigeration.
Learn to grind wheat and make homemade bread.
Think seriously about getting one goat…I mean thinking seriously about thinking seriously about it.
GIVEAWAY: 24-HOURS ONLY!
Jill has been gracious to bless 3 of my readers with a copy of Your Custom Homestead. Take the first step toward developing your custom homestead today! Easy entry: Leave a comment below to enter!
If you can’t wait to get your hands on this eBook, or you want to buy an additional copy for a friend, here is a special 20%-discount code that is valid for a limited time–until Saturday! Use offer code: SPIRITLED20 when you buy your copy HERE!
{Discloser: I received a free copy of Your Custom Homestead in exchange for my honest opinion on the book. This post does contain affiliate links. One entry per person, please. Must be 18 years old or older to enter. Contest ends 2/28/12 @ 11:59 p.m.}
Sounds like a wonderful ebook that I would enjoy.
I’ve always have grown a garden, now I want to learn to can and other cool things.
Been doing some of these things already without realizing it was called “homesteading”.
I am wanting to completely change our lives! I love this!
I would love a copy of Jill’s e-book Your Custom Homestead.
Sounds like a great book! Would love to read it!
I’m kinda scared to enter for fear I might win and actually do this! Been thinking and reading and Googling and wondering about it – even spent an hour in the poultry tent at our South Florida Fair looking at chickens. LOL! Here’s hoping…what I’m hoping for is unclear at this ppint. To homestead or not to homestead? That is the question.
I was so blessed while reading about your real struggles and desires to lead a homesteading lifestyle with your family. We have a little place out in the country, but our plans to homestead got sidetracked after some health challenges. But the Lord has blessed and we are so ready to make that desire become a reality. We have met some lovely like-minded friends in the community and are learning together. Sounds like Jill’s book is a great way to begin that journey. Thank you for sharing!
Oh, I would LOVE to win this! This is our family goal this year and this book would help so much in starting it! Thanks for the chance to win!
We have a few chickens already to get our own eggs. I’d love to learn more on how to be a better gardener, how to can, etc.
Certainly something I’ve been wanting to do!!! My husband and I would have chickens if we didn’t live in a duplex, but I would love to learn ways to make my tiny little place into a homestead of some kind!
This sounds like my husband’s vision for our family… would be great to win this book
This sounds just like everything God has laid upon my heart….and also my same struggles. Sometimes it’s nice to be reminded that we’re all so much the same.
after years of working opposite days of my husband so that we don’t need babysitters, trying to simplify our lives so i can stay home…practical ideas needed
What a great give away! we have wanted to homestead for years, but just never knew where to start!
Starting a homestead is something I really been wanting to do. The way things are heading I think it is very important to be as self sufficient as possible. These are skills I want my children to learn. But alas I need all the help I can get and I think this book would an awesome step toward it.
Homesteading is getting so popular!
How awesome! Thanks for a great giveaway!!
Sounds like an awesome book for me to read on the days when I need extra encouragement to live simply !!
I have stepped away from the nursing field, so I can be focused on my call to care for my family. I am brand new to the field of gardening, but I am trying to put whole foods and natural living into our lifestyle. Actually, I want to have a family that is spiritually, physically, and mentally healthy. I would love any resources on starting a back yard garden, even square-foot gardening as I live in a small town with a small back yard.
I would love to win this! This is the 3rd year in a row that I am “planning” square garden.I have made many changes over these past years but this sounds like it would be a great way to really start customizing what God has given us. crossing my fingers. =0)
Sounds like a great book!!! I am getting ready to stay home with the littles myself and am looking for more ways to live simply…..
Would love this book!
I would love to read this book.
I’ve got the goats and chickens and will be putting in a garden. I don’t know how to can yet, so that’s on my list of things I want to learn. The book sounds like it would be a great encouragement!
It sounds like this book would be perfect for our family as well. God has seen us through some tough times and with the strength He has provided, we are focusing on the positive and what we can do to make the best of it. Our plans for this Spring are to venture into something we have never done but is healthy for our family in so many ways (additional learning for homeschooling too). We are cutting costs and trying to go as organic as we can. We all agree that it’s not only healthier but also a good way to honor God. We are also taking baby steps, to grow and raise our own food. We now, as of last fall, have the land to do it. I chuckled when I saw that you googled how to stake tomatoes, I have been doing the same. My most recent search was to find the best cattle for beef and what feed is best. This book definitely sounds like it could help get us started off on the right foot. I know I’m feeling a little lost but not discouraged.
My husband and I recently moved our growing family over 3000 miles with our main goal being to create a homestead. We have been having a bit of a stumbling start. Apparently, the easy part was moving away from our families and homes! I know we can’t get it right on the first try but… maybe, hopefully the 5th or 6th try will finally be movie towards at least plants that don’t die, never grow or get eaten!
My husband and I have been wanting to learn how to live off the grid since moving to the country. We already have a small garden and have started planting mango trees. I would love to learn food preservation, other than freezing.
I would love to learn and take these steps. My family too has history of cancer and diabetes and I try to feed my sons healthy but would like to take more steps towards a life style.
I love country life and would really like a copy of Your Custom Homestead. We definantly have our own style on our littel homestead. Maybe this book would give up some tips and new things to try.
We are trying to REstart our little homestead after being a tad neglectful. I would LOVE love LOVE some motivation to get us in gear.
Oh sounds like a fun and educational read! I know many of us who want to try homesteading feel overwhelmed and don’t know how or where to begin, now this book can help us begin our dreams!
Thanks for sharing your story and offering this giveaway! I’d love to win a copy.
We have just recently moved out to the country with 5 acres. Our whole idea is to be more self sufficient and raise our two little ones in a place where hard work and imagination can take you anywhere. I have several years of experience working a small vegetable garden in the city but now I have so much area to work with it’s hard to know where to start and how much is too much. I would love this book to help us with having realistic goals. I love goats, chickens, sheep but this city girl is very intimidated by them. What you mentioned above sounds like my check list of to do’s. I’ll enjoy following you progress.
Would love to win this!
I would love to win this book! We have 5 children and live in a large house on 3 acres, although ours is mostly wooded. We already have a chicken coop!!! (Did I mention it’s empty?!)
I would love this book. I too, am trying to learn how to can and want a big garden this year! Trying to accomplish that with a crawling baby may be trying but I’m up for the challenge!!
Thanks!
Charity
I’ve done just about everything toward homesteading, but I would love a plan that helps me start right where I am. It’s hard to see how someone could grow enough to can with only a regular yard, but I’m game to try! Thanks for sharing!
My husband and I love reading Mother Earth News, which is basically about being self sufficient, homesteading, etc. This new book sounds right up our alley!
We moved onto an acre recently, and I’m toying with the idea of a garden and chickens, but I am not a country girl, and my husband has mowed down three gardens in the past! I’d love some motivation.
Sounds like a great book! Can’t wait to read it
I’ve never heard of homesteading, but this is what I’ve been trying to do with my family. I have no idea where to start, though, so this book sounds like a perfect book for me to read!
Would love to win that book! Love your blog! If you have questions about growing food, your local Farm Bureau is a great place to start! Most counties across the U.S. have one and every state has one.
I would love to win this book!!!! Thank you so much!
I would be honored to own a copy of this book. I am in the process of ‘attempting’ to homestead and become self-sustainable…on my own with three kids. It has been a rough time so far, but I am working towards that goal.
Thank you for the opportunity to win this book,
Deborah Bolin
I would like a copy of this book! It sounds like this would be a great help in my attempts to research ways and means of homesteading and what it would look like for our family.
I would love to win this as my family are looking for ways to of doing things more naturally.Thank you for this opportunity to win a copy of Your Custom Homestead.
Wow! I would love the chance to win this. We are skidish about butchering that is way we have decided not to get any more animals. I have always wanted to have a farm.
I love the idea of homesteading and would love a “how to” book. We
We were given 6 hens and a rooster this past fall and are enjoying learning about them. The kids rotate through to collect the eggs and feed them each morning. It has been a good thing for us. We, too, would like to beome more independent in growing our own food but I have yet to learn how to can, though I want to. We’ve had a small garden when the deer leave it alone. Have also thought about getting a goat or possibly a couple of cows. This book sounds like it would be right down our alley. Thanks for the opportunity to win it and hope your homesteading dreams come true! Sounds like you’re off to a great start!
My husband and I are working to figure out our own homestead and pass these skills on to our kids. What, when, how? So much to think about. This book sounds wonderful. Have to say, this is the first time I’ve been to your site but I love the name of it! I’ll be back.
I would love to win this book. We want a homestead but are not out in a rural area yet. I would like to know what I can do here.
Would LOVE this book!
My husband and I were just talking about how we could get our homestead up and running before he’s ready to retire (military). This book would help us move in that direction!
This sounds right up my alley! Now just to get our house sold and move where we can have animals!!!
My husband had been trying to get us to homestead for years. He even brought home chickens!
I have grown to love them and this year I really want to embrace gardening and preserving.
We are about to have our 5th child, so I hope these feelings are real and not just nesting. I need
To read this book to keep me inspired!
My daughter and I have been reading the Little House books and she has proudly declared that she wants to “live on the Prairie, like Laura!” We have a large vegetable garden but would love to take it a step further.
I would love to have a copy of this book! I am looking forward to growing my own vegies again this year, and would like to get some chickens as well. Thank you!
I would love this book. I need all the help I could get! LOL
I would love to win this book. I have been doing a lot of research about “homesteading”. I have come to the conclusion that with five kiddos, the three oldest being strong pre-teen boys, we need to put our energy into some “back to the basics” living! Thank you for this opportunity.
Love the idea of this book!
Hi Jamerill,
I would like a chance to win a copy of the homesteading book. Thanks to you and the author for offering!
Cindi (a fellow homeschooler)
As someone who has recently started thinking seriously about homesteading and natural living, this book would be a God send. Thanks!
The book sounds awesome!
Reminded me of our years on our farm — so glad you are enjoying the blessing. Your kids will already have such wonderful memories! We had 40 chickens, canned, milled our grains, etc. but I was never any good at gardening! The Lord seems to have given us a bit more of a “gardening anointing” at our new place but we are now in a subdivision on 1/10 acre (instead of 250 acres in the sticks) — but I am determined that this is the year we will break ground on a garden (at least container gardening!). Looking forward to reading of your adventures, and would love to read this book. (And if you’re ever out my way, I can help with the bread part and other whole grains — maybe you can come to the next Everyday Homemaking retreat we do!)
Vicki, I’m not that far from you…I need to take a field trip!
Sounds like a great book. We’ve neglected homesteading activities since moving into an apartment. I would like to at least start grinding grains for bread and do some container gardening.
My family has a desire to homestead as well, We’ve gotten a start with chickens and a huge garden. Canning is next on my list too! Sounds like a great book to help with all that!!
I would love to win a copy of this homestead ebook…I was just talking to my husband about looking into raising chickens and planting a garden…..neither of us have any experience in it so would LOVE all the help we could get.thank you
What perfect timing. I would love to own this book as a great start to kick start living more natural. Good luck on your 6 month goals!! A couple seem lofty, but I am sure you will succeed!
Thanks for the chance to win, and may God bless your homesteading endeavors!
I would love to win this book! I am starting to plan my garden for this year and also want to raise a few chickens.
This would be useful. We just bought our “dream place” – a 112 year old fixer-upper home with a few acres – and we have plenty of ideas, but little direction!
I am trying to implement changes and this ebook would be so helpful. Thank you for the opportunity.
I would love this book! Great idea and I am in need of all the help
I’d love to try some of the ideas even though we live in a subdivision and can’t really homestead.
Sounds like a great book! I’m grinding wheat, but my “garden” didn’t do very well last year. I could use some inspiration to try it all again.
My husband, son (and baby #2 due in April) live on 12 acres with chickens, goats, horses, bees, guineas and a large vegetable garden and native pecan and persimmon trees. I assure you, if you want it badly enough, you can homestead or farm to whatever level you want. Especially for someone with small acerage or even a backyard, I highly reccomend learning about permaculture. This ecological method of working with nature for food is efficient, space-saving and, I think, the best way to be good stewards of the Earth. “Gaia’s Garden” by Toby Hemenway is, in my opinion, the best overall book on the subject. Good luck and thanks for the giveaway!
I totally need an action plan! This book would be so valuable. Thanx for the opportunity to win!
I’d love to win a copy. Also wanted to say that I found your site from a FB post The PRarie Homestead posted. Glad to have found it!
This looks like just the book I need! I’ve thought of several things to do, but can’t seem to get a plan to do them properly. Thanks for offering this!
I would love to win this book as it would be very beneficial to the direction my family is trying to go .Thank you for sharing you imperfections in this area it helps to kn
I would love to win this book. We are dairy farmers of 800 cows, but focus is on keeping the business running. We love raw milk, our vegetable garden, and herbs. I have found that my cooking is ,um, less than real rood. Convenience for the crazy schedule on the farm. We look forward to having chickens, making butter, and more. This book would be very helpful.
Please enter me in the giveaway for the ebook! For all the reasons every previous person has listed as well! Thank you!
We, too, are making healthy changes and would LOVE to learn more. Thanks for the opportunity!!
I would love a chance at this book. Sounds like a wonderful way to have a gentle introduction to homesteading.
That sounds like an awesome book! I love your goals too…the first three are on my list as well!
I too have tried and failed at chickens! This city born girl would love to learn substain my family on our 3 acre countryish household.
This could be the book that finally propels me into the world of self-reliance!
I’d love to win this! Been trying to find new ideas and this would be most helpful. Thanks for offering the chance.
I could use this book!
I love to read Jill’s facebook and blog. Such great information. And through her’s I’ve found yours which I am very eager to begin following! Such blessings!
This is our vision also! But we’re in the city and I’ve never planted any type of garden before
This spring I’m giving it a try and hopefully someday soon we’ll have a few acres to fit a larger garden and some critters!
Wow!! Reading your blog today ONCE AGAIN sounds so much like what I have tried on my journey toward homesteading — chickens, thoughts of a goat, and ALL!!
) This book sounds like it could give me specific, practical ways to re-fresh the homesteading vision that I know that God has planted in my heart!
I would LOVE to read this!
With my sons recent diagnosis of corn, soy and sugar intolerance, I too am more conscious of what we eat. I’m planning a garden this year-something I’ve never done and have started making my own bread and other food from scratch!
I love Jill’s blog so I am sure I would enjoy her book:) Thanks for the giveaway!
We are in the middle of raising chickens, but I’d love to learn and do more! Thanks for the giveaway!
i would love to win a copy!
I would love to read that book…it is the lifestyle my family is trying to live more and more everyday:)
This sounds wonderful. Helps take the overwhelming out if getting started. Thanks for this giveaway!
Ive always ate healthy but ive lately become more about being natural and cooking everything myself and venturing into canning soon and im just so excited about it and this book would help so much. Good luck to everyone!!
Thanks for entering me in the give away. I LOVE LOVE LOVE reading and learning new things!!! Sounds very up my alley!
I would love to read this book! I’m always looking for information and helpful tips in being a better wife and mother!
I’ve learned how to raise worms and make garden boxes off of YouTube…. and I have been feeding my family organic foods as much as I can for about a year now. I’m excited about having a garden this summer and hope to utilize everything possible for the coming year. There is so much to do and learn and i appreciate every bit of input I can get. Thank you for this give away! This book will come in very handy……
so what i am looking for. I want to grow my own food however have no idea where to start. Sounds like this will help me alot!! So pumped!
Awesome book, have been checking it out a lot past few weeks. It would come in handy considering my family is moving off the grid to live in a camper in about 2 weeks.
I am terrified of the whold concept but I know its needed….baby steps is what I need!
Would love to have this!! We are really wanting to start homesteading but are just starting to learn!
This looks fabulous! We planted a garden last year and hubby just told me, “Plant what ever you want and we will see how it grows.” I was a great experience and this year I have a better idea of how to keep the groundhog out of the sweet potatoes, and how far to space the zucchini plants. I took some pics and blogged about it last year, but I would like to do a more thorough job this season. This book would be very helpful. Thank you for the giveaway!
Start small and work up … your goals are HUGE!! We decided to raise a few tomato plants and have added new vegetables each year. We took up our shrubs along the side of our house in the backyard and now grow squash, cucumbers, peppers, herbs, and tomatoes. This year I am adding blueberries and strawberries. We live in an old neighborhood (think Leave it to Beaver) and have a very small yard… but we are able to cultivate enough to keep us in fresh vegetables all year. In fact, this year our summer was so hot we had virtually nothing until September and then between September and December, our plants went wild! I would love to read this book and start a more organized approach. Good luck with your goals!
I would love to win that book. I’ve just been starting to learn about doing more than a little vegetable gardening.
You are truly a girl after my own heart!! I would love this book. I have had the same addiction only it was pepsi and brownies!!! So this would be a great help to get us going !!
I would love this book! It’s my dream to own a farm and learn how to raise chickens, vegetables, and goats. Sounds like this book would be a great start!
I too would love a copy of this book! We have recently moved from Illinois to Oregon and are very interested in learning more/improving what little homesteading skills we already have. Especially because things seem to be much more expensive out here in the west! I must say too it is exciting to see how many comments you have already received. IT is encouraging to me to know we are not the only ones trying to raise our boys with a healthier, more biblically based background! Blessings to you!
21 days–doesn’t that sound manageable?!
Homesteading seems overwhelming; this book sounds like a great starting point to get over it and make it happen.
Thank you for the chance to win! I have found that making small changes ~ one at a time ~ has been the easiest way for our family to live a healthy lifestyle. When a change we’ve made seems like no big deal anymore, I know it’s time to add something else. Too many big changes reduces my chance of sticking with it!
Sounds like a nice book. We have a house & 5 acres. We aren’t committed homesteaders. We have had a whole flock of chx but now just a couple. Know how to make bread. I got Ball’s Book of Canning & Preserving as a Christmas gift and am in hope to.can veggies that I buy from.the amish. Will have a newborn at the start of garden season so I don’t realistically expect to plant a garden this year.
I have done simple things the last couple of years (more as a hobby), but we found out in July of last year that my son has major food allergies (wheat, peanuts, soy, corn, and dairy). So, this year we have to buckle down and start getting back to God’s Basics, as I am telling my family.
This book would really help.
This sounds like it would be interesting to read. Although I’m not much of a gardener, I have been growing sprouts lately. And green onions in a jar of water. In the spring I plan to have buckets of tomatoes on my patio. After many years of trying to have a garden, I think the secret might be to find what works for you and your own personal bent.
Who wouldn’t want this book?
I know I am always open to more ideas to help me in my task as wife and mom. I have 4 wonderful children relatively close in age (5, 3 1/2, 1 1/2, and 9 weeks) so ideas and tips and encouragement is always appreciated and treasured. I would LOVE this book!
This sounds like a wonderful book! A 21-day plan seems manageable- even if it turns into a 42 day plan!
We have tried going organic and eating as fresh as possible since having children. Both boys have sensitive tummies, but so far, no actual allergies. We have a small home and small yard but we are already trying to map out a garden area for the veggies we eat the most. We have a lot to learn! Thanks for the opportunity to help us all live the diet that God provides not what the grocery store sells.
We have bee trying to “homestead” for a couple of years in our little house in the city….in preparation of living the dream we had to move away from ad trying to return. I am happy to see so may people also hopeful in their homesteading desires!!
This book sounds wonderful and I would love to have a copy!
Help! We are picking up chicks in one week! We are jumping into homesteading, and I am a bit frantic grabbing bits of information here and there in hopes of not having to learn EVERYTHING the hard way! I can’t decide what to grow, what to can (one friend canned potatoes, the other friend said that was icky and she cans pickled beans)… if I can figure out how (our tangerine marmelade venture yielded questionable results). Even just throwing an apple tree in the ground is up for grabs, because I discovered we must make sure there is a way to cross-polinate. Soooo happy to have come across THAT info! On the bright side, trying to fit a mini-farm into our backyard just outside the city is pretty hilarious. I can use all the help I can get!
There is a small farm for sale by my parents, every time I drive by I slow down and imagine living there. I lived out in the country all my life until I got married. I was happy to leave it. But now I want to go back.
I would so love to get this! We finally have some land and have hopes of over the next few years becoming self sustaining
I have really wanted to learn more homesteading skills!
When I read about you, I feel as though I am reading about myself. We are almost in the same point in our lives. Thank you for being an inspiration to myself and others and sharing everything with us! That book sounds wonderful…and thanks for lighting a fire beneath me to get going!!
First, I have to say I love this post! I could feel your excitment and could laugh “with you” over the weight gain…since I’m there too having put (back) on 20lbs myself! My 15 year old daughter and I would be thrilled to have Jill’s book! We have been kicking around the idea of having a vegetable garden since last spring. We’ve had chickens and loved it. The kids enjoyed caring for them and we were so excited to have our own delicious eggs! Sadly, we lost our “girls” when we had a varmet raid our little hen house relentlessly for a few weeks. Anyway, we would love to try again:) and also venture into the vegetable garden. As homeschoolers, I can’t help but see this as education and as learning life skills that cannot be taught in a classroom. I would love to see all fout of my kids able to be self sustaining in the future!
Looks like an awesome book, breaking projects down into steps would make it practical!
I have always loved the idea of being able to be self-sustaining. Alas, we live in the middle of the city. But we could garden (we have a 1/4 of an acre)…I just lack the know-how or the motivation! And maybe we won’t live in the city forever and a farm-life might become a reality.
Thanks for the opportunity to win!
fjgallegos5@gmail.com
I’ve been trying to “homestead” as much as possible while moving with the military 3 times this year! It’s not easy, but we should be stationary by Jan/Dec for a few years and I look forward to getting settled in for a while. I’d love to have a copy of this book!
I hope I’m not too late!! Starting a homestead is also a dream of mine!! This book would surely help break down the seemingly daunting task into smaller,do-able steps!!!
I would this! I have raising a garden for a couple of years but would love to have chickens!!!!
I would love to win a copy of this book!! I had a garden & loved it and have been really wanting to start it up again!! A great thing for the kids & I to do together
Just last week I found Jill’s blog, The Prairie Homestead, and saw this book. I would love to win it! My family was farmers. We have always gardened and canned what we harvested. Growing up, my family raised and butchered our own hogs, cows, and chickens. Now as an adult with 6 children, we are trying to get back to raising our own meat. Many people are feeling led by the Lord to make these self-sufficient changes in their lives. He is preparing us for the things to come. We need to learn together and share what we learn with each other. Thank you for your transparency within your blog. You are a blessing!
Sounds amazingly helpful and I would love to win!
Over the years, I too, have attempted and failed at the finer points of homesteading. I am glad to know I am not the only one:) I would love step-by-step information on how to make it work for us, Thank you for your post!
This book sounds like what I need! I too have gone the natural cleaners, cloth diapers, healthy eating route….but I feel completely stuck to get beyond that. I need a Titus 2 woman to take me in hand!
I’ve always wanted to start a veggie garden! Sounds like a great book!
The desire is there, but where to begin?? I wasn’t raised on a farm and do not currently own farmland, but I believe I can homestead on my small plot in the suburbs. I would love this book to help get me started.
We just bought our two acres last fall and we’re going to be starting our homesteading adventures once the spring arrives. It is a bit overwhelming though, I would love a copy!
This looks amazing! I’d love to win it!
I also am interested in homesteading, but I have no clue where to start. I would love to have a copy of this book!
How very cool and inspiring! I currently have a small patio garden that I love. Last year was a disaster but the few veggies that fully matured was delicious! I am looking forward to this growing season and planting more in my adopted garden – my in-laws garden.
I pray that one day we can get a house and grow our own food. May be not all but a good portion of it. 
thanks for this blog post! And even if I don’t win the book I need to get myself a copy. 
What a great sounding book! Baby steps sound good to me, too.
I would love this! It’s something I really want to do, but have no idea where to begin!
This book would be such a blessing to me! The Lord has put it on my heart to do this also!
Would so love a copy of the book. We have been trying to take baby steps in that direction. I even subscribe to a magazine dedicated to homesteading. I just haven’t made much progress. Guess I’m a little afraid and don’t know where to start. Would love to take that first real baby step with the help of this book!
I am with you in taking baby steps. We have a small garden and I am working on canning more. We also signed up for a CSA this year also. It sounds like a great book and I would love a copy.
I was just curious what is a CSA? Thanks
I’ve been interested in homesteading for a while. We even bought seeds one year, along with a kit for starting plants indoors. But I haven’t been organized enough to get a plan on paper. And our landlord doesn’t allow any unapproved landscaping in the community, so I can’t even plant a flowerbed without a plan in writing for them to approve. Maybe having a guide to show me how these things work would help me to organize enough to actually get my garden planted this year.
As an aside, do seeds expire?
Thank you for the giveaway!!
This sounds like the perfect book to kick start my self reliance! I am always thinking of ways to be able to be self reliant but I can never seem to carry out the thoughts! 7 kids just keep me busy, I guess! LOL
I would love to win a copy of Jill’s e-book Your Custom Homestead.
This sounds like a great book.
I have been looking for something like this. thank you
My husband and I are interested in making some big changes in our life. At the present, we live in a suburb of a large city but are looking to relocate to a smaller city and buy some land. We are very concerned about the state of our food supply. We would also like to do this for our 16 year old son…make a better life for him.
Sounds awesome… thanks!
This would be so wonderful! We moved to a new state in Sept and I’m overwhelmed in knowing where to start and what to do. This would help so much.
This book sounds interesting. We live on a farm, raise a garden, chickens, cattle & horses. I have dabbled in canning, and freezing our extra veggies. I am allways up to learning more to help our family to be healthy! I admire you for butchering your roosters, I have not tried that yet! I had 4 to butcher this past Fall, & sent them to a local processing plant because I am to “chicken” to do it myself! Lol!!!
Sounds like a great book! Thanks!
We have always had a garden but recently started to have a desire to do more than that! Our next step is chickens! Would love the book!
This sounds like a wonderful book!
Good for you!!! We all should truly be taking at least baby steps to make our homes and families healthier!!!
I love the idea of this book and that she gives ideas of what to do no matter where you live!
This so seems like the answer I have been looking for. We currently are renting the house we live in and can’t plant a garden but my generous neighbor has said I can plant one in his yard this spring. I of course will share with that neighbor. But the planning of the garden and the details is so where I am getting lost. I am just trying to stay on top of my homeschooling with the low energy I have been suffering from. If nothing else eating veggies grown by my own hand and knowing what has been used on the soil and such will be healthier for me and the family and hopefully will help me to gain more energy.
Sounds like a book my family would LOVE!!
Sounds like a great book. My husband and I have been looking into homesteading and this looks like it would be a good place to start.
I would put this e book to use! I have already started the garden, this spring is going to be our first chicken experience. I Google EVERYTHING! Having this ebook might give me some structure to my homestead venture. We homeschool. cloth diaper, grow veggies and I made my first pickles last year!
Pick me, pick me, pick me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to read this book and become the next homesteading, homeschooling momma! I love this stuff
Great post! We raise backyard chickens for eggs too and we are moving to a larger piece of land on March 15th so I want to get going on growing more things.
I would love to win this book. It looks like just what I’ve been looking for. I am struggling to learn how to be a homemaker/parent and want to learn to be a homesteader. thank you for this opportunity.
I would love to win this book! We dream of moving to the country and having a little homestead
I would love to win this. We are at the just beginning to think about different homesteading aspects. And it is overwhelming and I know I need to take those baby steps.
Thanks for the give a way.
I would love a copy of the ebook as I also want to start a garden this year and have never gardened!
Would love to win a copy of this book!
I would so love to win this book!
We are also starting our journey toward homeschooling and homesteading. It is overwhelming and exciting all at the same time!
We have been gradually transitioning toward a more self reliant life. I would love a game plan to further help us!!
wow! lots of comments
) I follow The Prairie Homestead already and came through a link she had up. I would love this. I have been getting pulled back to my roots and beyond for a couple years now. NEED to get out of apartments and back into the country 
)
Oh, how I would LOVE this book!!! My husband and I have been really looking into homesteading but have no idea where to start!! We are trying to get our kids involved as well. SO exciting!
I would LOVE a copy of the book!!! I’m super excited!! Thanks for the chance!
Sounds like the perfect book for my family! We are planting our very first garden this year and are a homesteading “work in progress”.
I am so happy to have found your blog! Thank you for the chance to win this ebook! I am interested in Homesteading and Homeschooling. So I kinda feel like a winner already since I found your blog! =]
I would love a copy!
I would love to win this! I am renting but really wanting to have the homesteading lifestyle and find some simple ways to do it. I think this would be a wonderful book to read.
We too are on the homesteading path. This book would be such a blessing to our family.
I would love to win a copy of this book! My husband is retiring and we are ready to step into homesteading. We want to get chickens and possibly milk goats but not all at once, of course. We still have 3 boys at home and we homeschool so this would be great for all of us to read.
I am wanting to start my first garden this year but was unsure how to begin. I would love this book.
This book sounds great & I’ve bokmarked your site to check . Thanks for give away.
I would LOVE this book! I had my first garden last year.
Oh my! If I win your book, I will absorb it, then expel it out onto the land on which I live. Homesteading is not for sissy’s! You need the love in your soul to sustain. I have that love.
I read many blogs, but yours really seems to make it look easy!! Your blog inspires me!
I am showing this entry to my husband to try to convince him about chickens. I will keep you posted…..
Thank you!
I would love this book! We have three acres and have a several raised bed gardens. We now have 18 chickens and we have butchered six roosters a few years ago. I make my own butter from fresh raw milk, make kefir, and yogurt, too! I have a daughter who is gluten free and trying to make only whole foods for my family. This book would help me continue on my path to homesteading and making more of this land that we own!
I would love this book!
I would love to have a farm but we live in an area more urban than rural. I would love to get advice on homesteading in a more urban setting (we do have a yard but live in a very populated subdivision).
This book sounds like just what I need to get started homesteading.
Would love love love to get this book. I am slowly learning things to do to help my family become healthier and work our farm
We will be moving soon to some land and our hope is to start a small homestead, i have been doing lots of research and found your site. I would love to win this!
This sounds great! I’m thinking through some of these things, as well.
I tried a small garden last yr for the first time but didn’t get much planted. Thinking about blueberry, blackberries and strawberries this yr.
Grinding our own flour – looked into that a little – want to continue that.
Haven’t canned yet, but am eager to try.
Thanks for the opportunity to win.
This book would be a great help to me as we try to make something out of our acre in the country.
would love to win the homestead copy! – thanks
Sounds like an amazing book!! Hope to win it!!!!
This would be such a timely book for us! We recently moved from a lifetime in the city to 11 acres in the country. We’re not in our 20′s anymore, or even 30′s for that matter, but we are excited about he possibilities this new lifestyle holds for us. The big picture can be a bit overwhelming, so we’ve been doing our best to plan our baby steps and tackle things in manageable bits. Would absolutely LOVE this book. Does it come with a magic wand? LOL
We will be moving soon and our hope is to get some land and start a smal homestead. I have been doing some research and found your site and just love the information you share. I would love to read this book!!!
I would love this book! I did the homeschooling with my youngest. Now would like to learn ways to simplify our lives and better use what God has given us:)
My husband and I just spent our date lunch yesterday talking about this very topic! I think we will start our first garden this year. And we have orange rinds in vinegar as we speak!
Would like to know where I could get a copy?
I know this was a give away…but I would like to purchase a copy if I could