Growing Our Homestead, One Project at a Time

Building a homestead doesn't happen overnight. In this week's From the Field update, I'm sharing some of the projects we're working on, where I see this property heading over the next few years, and why 2026 has become a bit of a reset year around here.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/Q_Kv_ABf1wE?si=TUsusZGRV1oYvWt8

Lately I've been spending a lot more time thinking about the long-term vision for this property and where I want everything to eventually end up. I've realized that if I want this place to become what I see in my head, I need to stop thinking in weeks and start thinking in years.

The mindset right now is a three to five year plan.

If it takes me five years to establish the gardens, that's okay. If it takes five years to improve the landscaping, that's okay too. I've been pretty honest that I've let some of the outdoor spaces slide over the last few years, so 2026 has really become my reset year.

I'm re-learning a few things, refreshing my memory as it's become very foggy over the last couple years, and getting back into the rhythm of gardening again. It's funny how much the gardening world changes. There are always new varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers being introduced.

What I've noticed the most these past several weeks is how much peace it brings me. The more time I spend outside, the more little memories come back from being a kid. I find myself remembering my grandparents' garden up on McKellar Lake, the wild raspberry bushes, fishing with my dad off the dock, and all the time spent outdoors growing up. There's just something very calming about it.

I did consider putting a row of hostas along the southeast side of the property, but we've got enough projects on the go right now. I also have a bit of a history of seeing a project and immediately deciding it needs to happen right now.

This year I'm trying something different......no more impulse garden decisions lol.

So we're going to live with the property a little longer, see what works, see what doesn't, and make decisions as we go.

The lawn is another long-term project. The soil here is rocky, full of limestone, and pretty dry in a lot of places. We've been patching areas as we go, but eventually we'll need to smooth some sections out and do a proper over-seeding.

One question I was asked recently is why I bought started plants this year instead of growing everything from seed. Realistically, a lot of it came down to not knowing whether I'd be having surgery in the spring or end of summer and I didn't want to start a pile of seedlings and then not be able to plant them. I also didn't want to leave all of that responsibility to my husband if something came up.

One thing I've learned over the years is that proper seed storage makes a huge difference. For long-term storage, I vacuum seal most of my seeds with moisture absorbers and keep them in the freezer. Stored that way, many vegetable seeds can remain viable for 10 years or longer, with some varieties lasting even longer under ideal conditions.

That said, I still try to use and rotate most of my seeds within five years. Germination rates naturally decline over time, and there's nothing more frustrating than planning a garden around older seed only to discover half of it doesn't sprout. Rotating seed regularly also helps ensure you're always growing from your strongest seed stock while still having a long-term reserve tucked away.

I've ordered from West Coast Seeds before and always had good luck with them, but this year I decided to try OSC because they're based in Ontario.

I also picked up a couple of packages of wildflower seeds. I'm thinking about planting them in some containers around the property. We get lots of butterflies, hummingbirds, and bumblebees here, and I figure the more pollinators we can attract, the better.

As for the rest of the property, we're still working away at cleaning out the garage. I'd say we're maybe about a quarter of the way through it so far.

And if everything goes according to plan, we'll be getting some fence posts installed in the next week or two.

One project at a time. That's the theme for this year.....we hope.

Slowly building the homestead we want for our forever home, without trying to do it all at once. Some things will work, some things won't, but every season teaches you something. For now, we're focusing on the basics, enjoying the process, and putting one foot in front of the other.

Thanks for following along as we continue growing our homestead, one project at a time.

Because if there's one thing I'm learning, it's that a homestead isn't built in a season. It's built over years, one project at a time.

Danes💞