My Intentions for 2023
This post was originally written in January 2023 as a journal entry, and published on the blog here in September of 2023.
We’re about a week into 2023, and you know what that means! It’s time to reflect on the past year and where we want to go this year.
For me, my energy has been pulling me towards a more self-sufficient life. I’ve been obsessively researching everything I can about gardening, beekeeping, chicken-raising (although quite a pipe dream!), and herbal remedies for proactive health.
I currently live in the ‘burbs of Ohio with no plans of moving closer or farther away from the city. The suburbs are my sweet spot, as I love having some elbow room with outdoor space, and I enjoy being able to quickly drive myself to shops or restaurants.
We will actually be moving to a new house (also in the suburbs) in late spring/early summer, and while our life will be in flux, I don’t want to wait to start implementing some homestead practices.
When starting any new project, it’s important not to try and take on too much too soon. Rather, eat the elephant one bite at a time.
To keep things simple and manageable, I have three things I want to focus on this year to start laying the foundation for a suburban homestead lifestyle.
Making Baked Goods at Home
The first homesteading skill that I want to continue to foster in 2023 is baking all or most of our bread products. I have been nurturing a sourdough starter for about a year, and I have really enjoyed the process of making my own bread products. I’ve made a few loaves, LOTS of crepes, English muffins, ciabatta bread, focaccia bread, tortillas, crackers, and even doughnut holes! It’s been a fun journey and has helped me eat more clean, homemade food.
I want to continue playing with sourdough, but I also want to explore making traditional bread products and shift more focus to the quality and type of grain I’m using. A few weeks ago, I purchased some einkorn flour that I’m really excited to start baking with! I also experimented with whole wheat sourdough, and found it surprisingly delicious!
My long-term goal will be to eventually grow my own flour, mill it, and bake with it, but… baby steps.
Sourcing Local Food
The next homestead-esk thing I’d like to focus on might not be one you’ve thought of. Traditionally when we think of homesteading, we think of being 100% self-sufficient and not needing anyone to supply anything for you. But I’m here to challenge that notion. This year, I want to focus on shrinking my food footprint, and buying less from the grocery store and more from local farmers.
Homesteading doesn’t have to be all or nothing, and I think it’s fair to say you may not be able to legally, mentally, or physically, do all the things someone would need to do to be fully self-sufficient. For example, you may enjoy a nice chicken sandwich, but you don’t have the desire or discipline to butcher your own meat sources. You may want chickens just to have your own home-grown eggs, but your city doesn’t allow it. Your yard may not have enough space or sunshine to fully grow 100% of your own produce.
My goal this year is to focus more on what I can do instead of what I won’t be able to do. The more we can all learn small-scale self-sufficiency, the greater the impact will be.
This year I will be talking with local farmers at the farmers market to find a quarter beef share, local poultry, local eggs, and possibly even a small share of bison or pork. My husband and I have typically purchased large hauls from Costco and vacuum-sealed and froze bulk meat for the best price. But with the cost of food prices at the store rising, I’m hoping to find higher quality local meat for about the same, or a little more than what we pay at Costco.
Where we live in Northeast Ohio, we are fortunate to have access to a number of farms and meat producers with competitive prices when buying in bulk.
Starting a Kitchen Garden
Okay, I’m kind of cheating with my goals on this one because I have been gardening now for several years. I grow produce in both raised garden beds and also in a hydroponic garden indoors with grow lights.
However, I’ve always grown the basics: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and cucumbers. While I’ve mostly had fruitful, productive gardens, this year I want to focus on intensive gardening that creates ecosystems to manage pests, boost production, and create optimal variety so that I don’t just end up with more cucumbers and tomatoes than I know what to do with.
I have been following Nicole Burke’s Gardenary teachings and plan to build out my own kitchen garden using her practices and methods to get the most out of my growing seasons.
BONUS: Learning about Medicinal Herbs
I know I said I have three focus areas for 2023, but here’s a bonus! I’m also VERY interested in learning about herbs, plants, and adaptogens that contribute to overall health and well-being. I’m not talking about the Cheech & Chong type of “medicinal herbs” but if that’s your thing, do you boo. But for me, I would like to learn and understand how to use plants to heal and balance my hormones, how to remedy non-life-threatening illnesses, and how to best optimize my body for when my husband and I are ready to grow our family.
I’ve been hearing so much in the types of media I consume about plants and their ancient wellness properties, so I’m excited to continue to learn what grows, how to harvest, and how to use these types of plants in everyday life for optimal health.
Conclusion
That about wraps it up! I’m looking forward to what this year has in store for me, and I’m so excited to continue my journey towards a more self-sufficient life and build my simple slice of homestead in the suburbs.