An Inside Look at Homesteading

By Elyse Apel

Jennifer Buehrer and her family are part of a growing movement of families and individuals across the United States that are returning to the land.

Jennifer and her husband Daniel along with their two children, Perry and Lydia, have spent the last several years learning how to grow their own food, make natural cleaning and hygiene products, and learn how to do things as they were done in centuries past.

“I have spent lots of time with the generations before me learning to preserve, forage, and do things the old ways,” Jennifer explains.

But this wasn’t how her family always did it.

Jennifer, who also works as a part-time photographer and homeschools their children, grew up in the city, while Daniel, her husband, grew up in the country.

“It all started with a sunflower seed. Watching the flower grow to almost 12 feet was exciting and eye-opening because I didn’t realize sunflowers could get so tall,” Jennifer says of one of her first homesteading endeavors. “From there we planted easy stuff like tomatoes, green beans, and pollinator flowers.”

When they first started, Jennifer says their intention wasn’t to become a “homesteader” family.

“It all started as a fun project,” she explains. Then Lydia, Jennifer’s daughter, got sick when she was a year old.

“She developed an unknown illness and working with our friends, who are knowledgeable in nutrition, and our local chiropractor, we came to a conclusion that a highly nutritious diet was needed to help her thrive,” says Jennifer.

With the cost of food, Jennifer decided it was time to turn her hobby garden to the next level.

“We bought a small piece of property and got to work mending the soil and growing organic fruits and vegetables,” she says. “While my daughter was healing, we were learning more about the relationship between the soil and our food.”

Jennifer says this was just the start of their homesteading journey. Her deep dive into the ingredients that make up supermarket foods which began as a necessity for her daughter’s health soon turned into a passion. “This is where my drive for homesteading came in,” she explains. “What do I need to do to avoid the grocery store? Answering this question looks a lot like the crime boards on those detective shows or ‘When you give a Mouse a Pancake.’ What needs need to be met? What can we do at home?”

Jennifer didn’t stop at food, though.

“I’ve learned how to make soap, lotions, and salves. We have learned that weeds can be food and have medicinal properties,” she says.

Her family has learned how to weigh the pros and cons of owning different animals.

“Chickens give eggs, manure, and meat, they do not need a lot of room, while cows need more room. So, we buy meat from the local farmers,” Jennifer says.

Homesteading has become a family affair. Perry, Jennifer’s son, works with the chickens, while Lydia, who is now eight, helps make bread and helps preserve the family’s produce. It took a couple of years, but Jennifer says that once they were able to form an entire ecosystem on their property, it became easier.

“Good soil means building compost, fruit trees mean we need bee hives, critter control means cats and dogs, bug control means companion plants and predator bugs. An ecosystem was being built and that is when it became manageable by our little family,” she says.

They now grow a large range of plants in their garden, including tomatoes, green beans, cabbages, carrots, potatoes, corn, fruit trees, berries, and more.

Jennifer says that homesteading has also taught her family how to minimize the waste that is prevalent in today’s society.

“We’ve become less wasteful and developed a community. We have a connection and understanding of food,” she explains. “Homesteading to me can be the act of learning how to be self-sustained in any way.”

Jennifer says that people start homesteading for many different reasons, from hoping to minimize the cost of food or provide security and new experiences for their families. She points out the importance of not comparing your homesteading journey to the journeys of others.

“What works for one person might not work for you. Keep trying. Keep learning. Keep asking questions.”

While beginning a homesteading lifestyle can be daunting for some, she says the most important thing is just to start.

“Just jump in! Start with one or two vegetables. Find someone with a sourdough starter or make bone broth. It will never be perfect. You don’t need a bunch of land. You don’t have to do it all. If you end up with a handful of sunflower seeds . . . I would say it’s a success.”