Thanks to @kiaraantonoviche and her ongoing Homesteading Challenge, I've been inspired again to join up for the project and submit a post.
This week, the topics is:
What was the most difficult challenge or obstacle you’ve overcome on the homestead?
There are a myriad of answers to this questions, and for homesteaders the list will be endless. I mean, we face challenges ALL the time. However, in this case, my answer struck me immediately - IMPATIENCE. And I should probably add here that I haven't entirely overcome it...it's an ongoing battle!
Focussing the Mind
They say patience is a virtue, but it's definitely a characteristic I lack. When I have a dream or goal I want to achieve, I can be very impatient. This is particularly true when that goal is tied to my mental health. I battle with anxiety and depression on a daily basis and so have to be constantly aware of my mindset and how situations (often those most people wouldn't blink an eye at) might affect me. So, when it comes to achieving dreams and attaining the lifestyle I want for my family and I, it's important I try and face impatience head on. This allows me to unwind any damage it might inflict on my strange, crazy brain.
As a result, I try to create achievable steps towards my goal - my ultimate dream of living on my inherited farm land and actually having a proper homestead. The first was to learn to drive so I could move into the countryside. The second was to get onto the housing market to build some financial foundations and an asset I could sell to fund this dream. Now I'm in slight limbo, waiting for another factor that's out of my control to complete. It's something that I actually spoke about earlier this week on one of my YouTube videos.
Remaining Patient
To keep impatience at bay I've become armed with two lines of defense. The first is my work on the farmland. I have 40 acres of beautiful Suffolk countryside. But it's a 2 hour drive away and it'll be at least two years before my husband and I can even think about selling up and moving there. However, just because I can't live and keeping animals there, doesn't mean I'm not trying to work, conserve and restore the land. I'm doing this with a variety of projects, including
- The Wildflower Meadow - Sowing a 2.5 acre wildflower meadow.
- Planting Trees - This winter I'll be putting in the first nut trees so they can start growing before I move.
- The Bluebell Grove - Two years ago I began planting a brand new English bluebell grove.
- Pond Restoration - There are a couple of natural ponds on site which I'm gradually restoring.
- Other projects include clearing brambles, planting native trees, conducting biodiversity studies and putting up owl nesting boxes.
My other line of defense against impatience has been to do what little homesteading I can in my back garden. Now, my garden is only 45 sqm so there's limited space. BUT, that hasn't stopped me! As you can see from my article Backyard Homesteading I'm trying to get some experience under my belt before moving. This includes keeping chickens and quail, from hatching and rearing, to selling eggs and processing for meat. I also grow veggies, have started trying microgreens, and have diversified my income by breeding a few pet birds too including budgies and finches.
My Ultimate Dream
My dream, as you've no doubt guessed by now, is to move to the farm, build a house and start a small farm business with sheep, milking goats, a pedigree herd of Red Poll cattle and A LOT of poultry. BUT, that cannot happen yet...but it's tantalizingly close. So, for now, my biggest hurdle on the homestead is not anything physical, but internal and complex instead - IMPATIENCE.
However, I will keep reminding myself of the excitement to come and that the steps I'm taking now will build a foundation for the future....maybe that'll keep me sane!