Homesteading in a Regular Home: What It Looks Like for Our Family
When people hear the word homesteading, they often picture acres of land, barns, livestock, and a life that feels far removed from everyday reality.
That’s not our story.
Our version of homesteading happens in a regular home, woven into everyday life—between baking bread, homeschooling lessons, tending chickens, and learning as we go. For us, homesteading isn’t about how much land we have. It’s about how we choose to live.
What Homesteading Means to Us
At its core, homesteading is about connection.
Connection to our food.
Connection to our home.
Connection to the rhythms of daily life.
It’s choosing to make things from scratch when we can. It’s learning old skills slowly and imperfectly. It’s teaching our kids where food comes from and that good things often take time.
You don’t need land to do that.
Homesteading in the Kitchen
The kitchen is where most of our homesteading happens.
This looks like:
Baking sourdough bread instead of buying it
Cooking from scratch more often than not
Using simple, reliable tools that last
Sourdough was the gateway for me. Once I learned how simple flour, water, and time could create nourishing food, it changed how I viewed the rest of our meals.
Tools I use regularly in our kitchen include:
A digital kitchen scale (for consistent baking) — https://amzn.to/4qAOQBv
A large mixing bowl for dough — https://amzn.to/4sCMK6b
A bench scraper for shaping and clean-up — https://amzn.to/4sAvUEW
A cast iron or Dutch oven for baking bread — https://amzn.to/4jrh6o0
Homesteading doesn’t mean everything has to be homemade all the time. It means being intentional and choosing what makes sense for your season.
Raising Chickens Without the “Perfect Setup”
Raising chickens is another way we live out homesteading in a regular home.
We don’t have a farm. We have a manageable flock that fits our space and our lifestyle. Chickens have taught us responsibility, patience, and flexibility—especially when egg production slows or weather doesn’t cooperate.
Some simple tools that make chicken keeping easier:
A sturdy waterer that’s easy to clean — https://amzn.to/3YW9BeY
A quality feeder to reduce waste — https://amzn.to/3N18xUz
Pine shavings or straw for coop bedding — https://amzn.to/493npKR
Nesting boxes that keep eggs clean — https://amzn.to/4bdgjok https://amzn.to/4plLCku
Chickens don’t need perfection. They need consistency, care, and protection—and so do the people tending them.
Homeschooling as an Extension of Homesteading
Homeschooling fits naturally into this lifestyle.
Learning happens around the kitchen table, while dough rises, and during daily chores. Our kids learn math through measuring ingredients, science through caring for animals, and patience through long fermentation and waiting.
Homesteading and homeschooling both invite us to slow down and notice.
They aren’t about doing more. They’re about doing fewer things well.
Doing What You Can, When You Can
One of the biggest misconceptions about homesteading is that you have to do everything at once.
That leads to burnout.
Some seasons we bake more.
Some seasons we simplify meals.
Some seasons we pause projects entirely.
Homesteading is not a checklist. It’s a rhythm.
You’re allowed to scale up and scale back as life requires.
If You’re Just Starting Out
If you’re drawn to homesteading but feel overwhelmed, start small.
Bake one loaf of bread
Cook one meal from scratch
Learn one new skill
Choose one habit that feels life-giving
You don’t need land. You don’t need fancy equipment. You just need to begin where you are.
That’s how all meaningful things grow.
Where to Go Next
If you’re interested in sourdough baking or learning how to build these rhythms into your own home, I share practical tips, recipes, and classes that walk through the process step by step.
You’re always welcome to explore at your own pace..