The Homestead Life Is Calling — Are You Ready to Answer?

What If the Life You’ve Been Dreaming Of... Was Closer Than You Think?

Author

Start My Homestead
June 10, 2025

Hey there,

Have you ever feel like life’s just moving too fast — like you’re trading hours for dollars, scrolling through someone else’s dream while yours sits on the shelf?

I get it. That was our family, not too long ago.

But then something clicked.
We realized we didn’t want to just survive anymore…
We wanted to build something real. Something rooted.

That’s how Start My Homestead began.

We’re not just talking about chickens, gardens, or off-grid living.
We’re talking about freedom.
Real independence.
A life where your work actually feeds your family — literally and figuratively.

Here’s what you’ll find inside this newsletter:

🥾 Step-by-step guides to get your land, animals, and systems set up (no guesswork, no fluff)
🌽 Honest lessons from real homesteaders — what worked, what didn’t, and how they made it
🐓 Tips on building soil, raising livestock, growing food, and making it profitable
🚜 Stories that inspire. Tools that work. People who care.

🎤 This Week’s Featured Homesteader: Weed 'Em and Reap (Phoenix, AZ)
In 2009, DaNelle and her husband bought an acre of land in the Arizona desert to raise their kids, plant a garden, and maybe get a few chickens. Today, their backyard homestead is home to fruit trees, a pond, chickens, and a herd of goats — all shared with a loyal audience on their blog and YouTube channel.

Here’s DaNelle’s story, in her own words:

What inspired your homesteading journey?

“I have a history of chronic illness which drove me to cook from scratch more and learn how to grow & raise my own food. Now I've found a good balance between living off the land and purchasing through our local community to get the best food.”

What’s been the most unexpectedly rewarding part?

“Goats! Originally they were just for milk, but I fell in love with breeding for better genetics, showing competitively, and improving our herd. Now the milk is just a bonus!”

What’s a typical day look like?

“Every day starts with farm chores — milking the goats, feeding the chickens, checking the garden and trees. We try to get most things done in the morning and wrap up with evening rounds.”

Biggest challenge?

“The desert heat. Summers can be brutal. We work hard in the winter to prep and then try to survive July!”

Favorite farm meal?

“Eggs Florentine with fresh fruit. We use our own milk, eggs, kale, and seasonal fruit like blackberries, figs, citrus, peaches, and plums from our front yard orchard.”

One thing you wish more people knew?

“This lifestyle isn’t always romantic — it’s hard work. You’ll spend more time harvesting, preserving, and problem-solving than you ever expected. But the rewards are real.”

Advice for suburban homesteaders?

“You don’t need acres. We have just one and we’re overflowing with food. Start small, stay steady, and you'll be surprised how far you can go.”

What do you hope to pass on to your kids?

“Hard work. If you want to create the life you dream of, you have to get up and go after it.”

📣 Want to be featured next?
If you’re a farmer, homesteader, or just getting started and want to share your story, I’d love to hear it.
DM me on Instagram or Facebook at
@Heritage_Springs_Farm
And I’ll send you 10 simple questions — just like the ones above.

If you’re even thinking about starting a homestead…
If your gut says there’s more than the 9-to-5…
If you just need someone to show you the path...

Then you’re in the right place.
Welcome to Start My Homestead — where your next chapter begins.

See you Thursday,
Tim Parker
Founder, Start My Homestead
📬 @Heritage_Springs_Farm