Practical Homesteading

Tag: winter carrots

  • Why I Hate “What Do You Do?” – Homesteader’s Answer

    Why I Hate “What Do You Do?” – Homesteader’s Answer

    Daily writing prompt
    What is one question you hate to be asked? Explain.
    View all responses

    I hate the question “What do you do for a living?” because it shrinks a whole person into one job title. A single answer can’t capture the messy, beautiful layers of real life.

    Why It Feels Reducing

    People ask it as small talk icebreaker—easy, automatic. But I’ve learned the hard way that life isn’t defined by work. Take me: yes, I’m an environmental professional by trade. That’s just my 9-to-5, and I’m very passionate about what I do.

    The rest of me lives as a writer spinning homestead stories, a homesteader pulling winter carrots from frozen soil, a mom wrangling morning meltdowns, and a caretaker tending clucking chickens, strutting turkeys, and pigs rooting through the mud (who will hopefully farrow for the first time around Mother’s Day).

    These homesteading roles shape me equally—maybe more. The question pretends otherwise.

    Who It Leaves Out

    Worse, it sidelines anyone without “traditional employment.” Stay-at-home parents, caregivers, homesteaders, creators between gigs—they get frozen out. Conversation stalls: “Oh, nothing?” as if their days lack value.

    I’ve watched friends flush, stammer, or deflect. Motherhood is full-time labor. Homesteading demands innovation daily. Caretaking livestock like pigs and chickens builds worlds from scratch. Why does a paystub trump that?

    Better Questions Exist

    When cornered, I say: “I protect land by day, grow food and stories by life.” But I’d rather flip it: “What lights you up outside work?” That uncovers the human underneath.

    People are mosaics, not labels. Next time you’re tempted, ask about passions instead.

    Practical Homesteading: growing food, raising kids, building community.

    What’s YOUR most-hated question? Share below! 🔥 I bet we can rewrite the script together!

    If this resonates, like + share so other multi-role makers feel seen! 💕 Tag someone stuck in job-box conversations.

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    Read Next: Our Biggest Homesteading Challenge: First-Time Pig Farrowing

  • 10 Unexpected Things I Love About Homesteading Life

    10 Unexpected Things I Love About Homesteading Life

    Before I started, I thought homesteading would mean endless chores and calloused hands. Instead, I’ve discovered these quiet joys that keep me hooked on this life.

    1. Dry toast mornings that actually work
    Recently, I started my 6-year-old son’s day by hugging him for two minutes (and telling him how great it was to see him) instead of rushing him. He ate his plain toast (despite us asking three times if he wanted butter or peanut butter—little monster), and we got to school early enough for playground time. Who knew starting slow could make us faster?

    2. Winter carrots tasting like candy
    Pulled bright orange carrots from frozen ground under snow and straw this past February. The deep cold turns their starches to sugars—they’re sweeter than anything from the store. I’m eating them in a pot roast dinner tonight. Proof that nature knows best.

    3. The taste of fresh mushrooms is incomparable
    I’ve successfully grown oyster mushrooms in a straw substrate, and they are delicious—so much tastier than the button mushrooms you get at the store (and those are good). I started shiitakes last year too, but they haven’t fruited yet (hoping they will this spring).

    4. Kids eating garden “weeds” they hate from stores
    My children turn up their noses at store kale but devour it fresh from our beds. They pull radishes straight from soil and munch like apples. Familiar dirt makes everything taste better.

    5. Fresh air fixing my mood instantly
    Ten minutes outside—picking beans, checking chickens, or just sitting—resets my whole nervous system. No therapy session beats weeding when anxiety creeps in. It’s free medicine growing right in my yard.

    6. Writing turning chaos into clarity
    Hospital stays, morning meltdowns, scar shame—scribbling it all down transforms tangle into meaning. What starts as venting becomes connection when I hit “publish.” This blog is my compost pile for hard emotions.

    7. Self-care mornings making me patient
    A quick workout and solid sleep before the kids wake up changes everything. Instead of snapping at heavy feelings, I can breathe through dysregulation and model it for my kids. The mom who shows up calm handles chaos ten times better.

    8. Crockpot smells everyone loves
    Even in my college dorm, that slow cooker made my floor smell like home. Now it draws my family to the kitchen hours before dinner’s ready. Simple food, big magic.

    9. Small wins building big confidence
    One perfect carrot harvest, one peaceful school drop-off, one good paragraph—they stack up. Each success whispers, “You can do hard things.” Homesteading proves I’m tougher than I think.

    10. Coming home to my roots wiser
    The girl who couldn’t wait to escape Dodge County returned at 33—not out of failure, but choice. I’ve circled back to gardening, animals, community with new eyes. Leaving helped me love it more.

    Practical Homesteading: growing food, raising kids, building community.

    What’s your unexpected love in this lifestyle? Share below—I’d love to hear!

    Loved these homesteading surprises? ❤️ Tap the heart, share with your farm friend, or tell me your unexpected joy below. Your support grows this community!

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