Jake hugging Dolly long before she got sick.

This article is difficult to write, and not because I had writer’s block or any other pressing problem.  This article was hard to write because the weather was so beautiful this weekend, and I had so many things to do.

We had an extremely busy weekend.  My husband, Lane,  says, “When do we have an easy weekend?”  He is right.  There are always so many things to do on the homestead.

My children are all members of the Grimes County Jr. Deputy Sheriff Mounted Posse.  As such, they have to take good care of their horses.  These beautiful animals need hay.  High quality hay is best fed to horses in square bales.  We were just about out and Lane was scrambling to find more.  We did from a local farmer.

Unfortunately for me, Clayton, my strapping thirteen year old, was gone this weekend.  Lane needed help loading and unloading the bales of hay.  Therefore, I volunteered to help.  Jake also came and tried his hardest, but the bales were literally about his size.  Needless to say after loading 78 bales of hay, I was not looking forward to unloading them.

When we got home, we began unloading the square bales.  Then we heard the noise of a motor.  Our neighbor and his teenage son jumped out of their vehicle to help us finish unloading.  It was an answer to an unasked prayer.  We were more than happy to accept their help.  Neighbors helping neighbors.  What could be more American or more Christian?

Some of the kids and I worked in the garden making rows and planting some vegetables.  My muscles were more than happy to have something else to do besides carrying around bales of hay.  We also planned out the rest of our tilled up patch of earth.

Jake’s sheep is sick.  We have contacted and spoken to the local veterinarian almost daily, but nobody seems to know much about sheep.  I used the internet to research her symptoms and I am afraid that it is not looking good for her.  She is separated from everything else in a stall.  We are checking on her and drenching her with liquid food three times a day.  The sheep does seem to be improving, but I fear that her baby/babies are not going to make it.  She was due in three weeks.  Jake is handling the news pretty well.

I just wish that I was an expert on everything.  Maybe I could have seen this coming, but we learn hard lessons on the farm.  Hopefully, it will not ever happen again.

After church, we mowed the yard, which requires a lot of cleaning up around here first.  We had to corral all the balls and toys.  We burned boxes and feed sacks.  We also burned the cuttings from the pruning we did on the plants and bushes.

We also decided this was the weekend for our goat herd health.  Lane trimmed all of their hooves.  They grow out so fast!  We vaccinated and wormed our dry does.  We left the lactating goat alone.  We also wormed our show goat.

We also are taking care of six baby ducks.  They require food three times a day, which I am preparing for them.  We move them to an outdoor cage during the day.  They can enjoy being outside with the safety of the cage.  I have forgotten how much water a duck drinks.  They go through two gallons a day easy.

Our older drake is so happy to have duck company.  He sits outside the cage most of the day quacking to them.  I wish I could understand what he is telling them.  Are they instructions? Are they words of encouragement?  Is he introducing himself?  I think he is looking forward to the day when they get all of their feathers and I let them out of the cage.  Then he can lead them to our neighbor’s lake and show them around the place.

Jake spent most of the weekend riding his horse with a neighbor boy.  Both boys see their future involving horses.  Neighbors all around us have given them permission to ride on their land; therefore, the boys have access to hundreds and hundreds of acres.  I am not sure which is having more fun the boys or the horses.  Jake rides an old gelding and I have noticed that the horse acts like a young colt on these “adventure” days.  I think it is good for all of them.

Oh, I also cleaned house.  Not fun.  But if I don’t clean everyday, it gets away from me.  Then it is harder to get under control again.  It is truly a vicious cycle.

Well, I am glad that it is Monday.  You don’t hear that very often.  Homesteading is hard work, but I love the challenge.  And, it does have its benefits.

I love to read and learn from books, but not everything can be learned from the pages of a book or magazine.  Trial and error is a great teacher.  Experience comes from learning from your mistakes and successes.  Being able to know what works or what does not work is invaluable in any venture.

Homesteading is no exception.  Unfortunately for modern homesteaders, the lifestyle we desire and strive for has been slowly lost through the generations.  What was once second-nature to our great-grandparents is for the most part new to us.  Do you know how to sow a field of wheat?  Card wool?  Do you know how much food to put away for an entire year?

My great-grandparents would have known how to be self-sufficient because that was their life.  They were surprised at how fast society changed during their lifetime.  From traveling on horseback and in wagons to the landing on the moon, it was just too amazing to comprehend.

I would have loved to have known them and learn from them.  I treasure the stories that I hear about them and try to glean from their wisdom years later.

I am reading Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder to Jake.  She is one of my childhood heroes, and Jake is really enjoying hearing about Almanzo’s childhood.  Whether Almanzo is breaking calves, sledding, doing chores, or milking Jake can relate.  He has similar experiences.  Almanzo’s love for horses is another huge similarity between himself and Jake.

As I am reading the book, I am struck with such a strong sense of amazement.  Almanzo’s mother was quite a woman.  I admire her.  I would have loved to have her mentor me.  She would have been a good one.  She was a great mother and wife.

The Wilder family seems to have been pretty well off.  She did not have it easy though.  Mrs. Wilder was constantly cooking, putting away food, cleaning, and mending.  When she was not doing those things, she was carding wool, making yarn, weaving the yarn into cloth with a loom, or constructing various clothing items.  Seasonally she made sugar from syrup, made candles, and cleaned the house from top to bottom.  Almanzo says that she never sat still.  How could she?

I am a busy person, but I have nothing on Almanzo Wilder’s mother.  And, I do not know anyone today that is knowledgeable in all those areas.  I wonder if there are anymore people like Mrs. Wilder.

I think that is key.  Find someone with the expertise that you need.  If you are interested in canning, find a man/woman who cans to teach you.  Volunteer to help them can his/her food in exchange for the experience.

The family who is helping us with the market goat is very knowledgeable about goats.  I have not asked them, but I doubt they could teach me very much about carding wool.  So the trick is to learn from many different people.

If you cannot find anyone to help you, there are still other options.  There are many books that you can read about homesteading.  My favorite is Carla Emery’s, The Encyclopedia of Country Living.  I also like a Reader’s Digest book called, Back to Basics.  Both books are very informative, especially the former.

I have not watched it, but the Pearl family has produced a DVD on homesteading.  It is called Homesteading for Beginners.  They have two volumes available to purchase.

Another option that I have not tried myself is to attend a homesteading workshop.  The Heritage School of Homesteading in Elm Mott, Texas has always intrigued me.  They hold classes on a wide variety of subjects from cheese-making to blacksmithing.  I think that it would be fun to take a class from them.  Be sure to look for similar programs in your area.

In an article called, “Get Your Hands Dirty,”  I discuss how important it is to try.  As the saying goes, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”  Modern homesteading requires getting your hands dirty.  It requires being fearless in the face of possible failure.

Years ago when I made my first batch of dewberry jam, it was not good.  I did not cook it long enough, and it was too watery.  I did learn how to do a water bath correctly.  The next batch was much better and each year I think my jam improves because I learn from my errors.

The future of homesteading looks bright.  As we learn all we can about self-sufficient living, our children and others can learn too.  Pretty soon the trades and skills of homesteading will be second-nature again.  Maybe one of our children/grandchildren will be just like Almanzo’s mother.  Who knows, it could happen.

In addition to the family farm and its responsibilities, my husband also manages my father’s ranch.  It is a cattle and horse ranch.  There is always something to be done on the ranch.  Fences need to be repaired, cattle worked, calves to wean, pastures shred, etc.  Horses have to be fed, too.  Their feet need to be trimmed every six weeks.  They need to be exercised and ridden.  They need training.  Everyday is different in this line of work.  You never know what the day will bring.

Two and a half weeks ago my husband had an accident.  He had rebuilt a transmission for a pick-up truck.  As he was moving it on the jack, my husband tripped and fell.  Unfortunately, the transmission fell too.  It landed right on his fibula bone.  Fortunately, he did not break anything.  He bruised the bone badly and possibly tore his muscle.

He cannot get around very well.  He still hobbles around almost three weeks later.  His leg swells everyday.  My husband tries to take care of it.  He elevates his leg, applies ice, etc.  I keep waiting for it to get better, but it hasn’t.  It needs to heal.

My kids and I are picking up his slack not just on our farm, but on the ranch as well.  We decided to take off a week from schooling because we could not find the time to add it to our day.  We have done a variety of chores and jobs.  Of course we feed and water all the animals.  We have separated out the cull calves from the keepers and taken them to the sale.  We have watched a horse chiropractor and ferrier work on our horses.  We have ridden and worked several horses.  We have put out hay to the weaned calves.

At first I was happy to help.  I knew it was a temporary set-back and that soon my husband would regain his health.  Weeks later I am still happy to help, but I am much more tired.  I am so grateful that he will return to his old self as soon as his injury heals.  We are lucky that nothing more serious happened, but it makes me think.

It makes me think of the women in the past who were left behind during wartime to hold the fort down.  They had to do it indefinitely as they did not know when the war would end.  Some had to continue carrying on when their husband did not return from the battlefield.  It makes me think of men and women both who have left to fight in Iraq or Afghanistan today.  They have a family somewhere picking up the slack.  It makes me think of all the spouses with an ill partner.  Whether the illness is terminal or not, they are happily picking up the slack at home.

These men and women are true heroes.  They faithfully work harder and keep the family home and business running.  They are tired.  They are weary.  They are true servants in the Christian sense.  If you know anyone who fits this description, please take the time to encourage them.  A word of encouragement as simple as it sounds really does have an impact.  If you want to do more, offer to help.  Fix them dinner, wash the dishes, mow the yard, or give them the night off.

So for all the men and women out there holding down the fort and/or picking up the slack, thank you.  Thank you for keeping your family together.  Thank you for being a great example to your family and others.  Thank you for doing what we all would like to think we would do in your position.  You are an inspiration to us all.

Living in the country while raising my family of four boys and one girl gives me a lot of material from which to pick and choose.  I usually do not write about the days when I want to pull my hair out because those are not days I want recorded for everyone to see.  They are days that I do not wish to remember.  My grandmother had four children in five years.  Needless to say, she had her hands full.  Today and as long as I have known her, she has always maintained that her children never fought.  Do I believe her?  No.  Do I believe that is what she remembers?  Yes.

Isaac found a purple marker.

Regardless if you home-school, pay for private school, or send your kids to public school, you are going to have bad days.  The question is: Are you going to dwell on them?  My grandmother obviously does not and I try not.  Otherwise you are not going to enjoy your role as a parent.

I am not going to name this particular magazine, but there is one in the homeschooling community that through its articles the family seems perfect.  In fact, they seem to poke fun at other families with problems.  When I was new to home-schooling, I honestly yearned for their supposed life.  A life where everything went well because the parent always did the right thing.  I quickly learned that that cannot possibly happen.

What I found instead through personal experience is that a parent should take his/her responsibility seriously.  He/she, in my opinion, should study the Bible to understand the parental role.  Then try.  Focus on the positive and highlight the really precious moments and/or events.  Most importantly be an active participant.  Do not let the television baby-sit the children.

I have re-read some of my posts and it dawned on me that I might come across as having it all together.  Some days I do.  Some days I do not.  Therefore, I felt a need to admit the obvious.  I am not a perfect parent.  My children are not perfect either.  Some school days are very frustrating.  My children and/or I have bad attitudes.  Interruptions throw the whole day off track.  Fortunately we have more good days than bad.  And in the end, I love my choices.  I love the fact that I live in the country.  I love working hard homesteading.  I love the fact that I read and research natural cures.  Most importantly I love my family.  So, it turns out that my not-so-perfect life is perfect for me.

As a homesteading family, I feel we have even more opportunities than most to explore learning practical skills.  We have plenty of room to explore out of doors.  We have animals to raise, love, and doctor.  We have a garden to tend, vegetables to harvest, etc.  Homesteading and home-schooling go hand-in-hand.

My two oldest boys working away on the deck.

My father and my husband are both accomplished carpenters.  They have both built many things including cabins, barns, and houses.  They both know their way around a hammer.  My father who lives only 1/4 mile away from our house decided to build a system of decks at his cabin.  On the first deck, he worked closely with my oldest two sons and occasionally my daughter.  He took his time to teach them what he was doing and where they could help.  By the end of the build, my boys were actually helping him instead of just learning and observing.

A few weeks later, Daddy decided to build the second deck.  This time his only participation was in a supervisory capacity.  My boys, Jake and Clayton, built the deck.  They dug the posts and set them in concrete.  They knotched out the boards to fit around the posts.  They hammered the deck boards.  They braced the deck to keep it stable.  My boys also built benches around the perimeter of the deck.  I was so impressed with their ability and skill level!

My dad taught them how to build stairs.  These three steps connect the top deck with the new deck.  Jake and Clayton learned so much from my father.  It was hands-on school and it was fun.  At the end of the two day period of construction, they could both stand back and admire their accomplishment.  Everyone who has seen the deck or stood on it has raved about how nice it is.  They are shocked that a now 13 year old and seven year old boy were able to build it with supervision.

Clayton measuring the opening for the stairs which will lead to the final and third deck.

Clayton was excited and now has his own toolbox with some carpentry tools.  He also has plans to build both my dad and I a picnic table.  He told me that now he understands fractions better since he took so many measurements.  My dad was making Clayton apply mathematics during the build.  Clayton probably takes the most pride out of the deck project.  He should be proud of himself.

Jake is going to celebrate his 8th birthday soon.  Now he is asking for a load of lumber as a gift so that he can build me anything that I want or need.  How sweet is that!  What a confidence builder the deck project was!  I am so thankful that my dad and husband took the time to teach the boys the skill of carpentry as well as allow them a project to do on their own.

Moments like these really reinforce why I love homesteading and home-schooling.  Both provide so many opportunities for my children to learn and love learning.

“Off the Treadmill of Life”

I wanted to get off the “treadmill” that before the accident I did not even realize existed. It is rooted so deeply in all of us by society to work hard, to make more money, to buy things, to work harder, to make even more money, to buy even more things. I spoke of this desire to Lane, who frankly did not want to hear it. Yes, he thought being home with the kids would be better for them. Yes, he felt confident that I could give our kids a better education at home. Unfortunately, he was sure we could not make it without my salary.

I don’t really know what happened to make him change his mind. One day he came to me and told me that if I really wanted this, then resign from my teaching position and start planning my school year with the kids. With a gigantic leap of faith that God would provide, we plunged ahead. I quit my job. In August instead of teaching about 180 students, I began home schooling my three.

For the first time in my life, I felt fulfilled with a sense of accomplishment. We had not just survived the first year, but we had thrived. Everyone was filled with joy. The kind that radiated from your innermost being. We were hooked. Did we have to cut back on our spending and shopping? Absolutely. Did it matter in the big picture? Absolutely not.

After two years of home schooling, Lane decided to begin working from home. He longed to be with his family. Again, the feeling that we needed to invest in our family overshadowed any fears of failure or not being able to make it financially. We again put our faith in God and made another big jump.

And, here we are four years later. Lane and I have been blessed with two more children, Isaac and Andrew. We have a large organic garden. We have fruit trees. We raise chickens for meat and eggs. We milk Nubian goats. We raise hogs occasionally for meat. We hunt for deer and wild hogs. We fish. We pick wild grapes, dewberries, and blackberries. We are homesteading in the 21^st century.

We love our life. It is not always easy. It is not always profitable, materially speaking. It has not been smooth sailing either. We have faced many trying times and had to overcome many obstacles. If anything, we are the better for having experienced them. We are stronger. Lane and I are more in love with each other now than before, which is really hard to believe. Our faith in God has increased exponentially. We wake up every morning happy to be home and looking forward to whatever lays ahead for us that day. We are still relatively young and have plans for the future to expand our homesteading operation, but right now we are content to be where we are. Without a doubt, this is a great way to raise children and live.

Looking back, I am thankful for all of life’s experiences that led me to this point in my life. Yes, even the car accident and all the pain that followed it. I would not give anything to get back on the “treadmill” of American society again. Instead, I hope to share skills and knowledge of how to take care of one’s self in today’s present world that most have lost since the time of Laura Ingalls Wilder.