About Me
I'm originally from Rochester, New York, which makes the top 10 list for cities in the U.S. that receive the most snow fall! When it was time to choose where I wanted to live, I chose sunny Virginia Beach. I love the mild winters, the ocean, and the hot summers.
I've always loved plants. I grew two avocado trees from pits in my college dorm and named them Guac and Mole. They only lived for a few years in tiny pots while I carted them around the northeast in an old van, but they were the first of many plants to come. After graduating, I started a container garden on our apartment's enclosed porch. My husband and I lived in apartments for years and I dreamed of the day we'd buy a house with a yard so I could plant even more and do even more. And that day finally came in 2016!
Since then, the garden has grown and our house in the suburbs has become a homestead. We save and plant seeds, process and store food for the winter, compost, do a lot of DIY's and repairs, and generally try to be as self-sufficient and environmentally friendly as possible! In fact, sustainability is so important to me that I helped create and still work with the 757 Creative ReUse Center here in Hampton Roads!
My other interests include reading, crafting, sewing, photography, and letterboxing. I'm a terrible cook so I'm very lucky to have a husband who cooks well and often! Any recipes I post are most likely made, or at the very least, supervised by him. I do have an affinity for baked goods, particularly chocolate, so desserts are all me!
About the Homestead
Our little homestead is in the suburbs of coastal Virginia on just 1/10th of an acre! Our plot of land may be less than half the national average, but we’ve managed to grow over 75 different types of plants, including vegetables, fruit, herbs, annuals, perennials, trees, and shrubs - and we’re just getting started!
Each year we learn a little, grow a little more, and become a little more efficient. Our current setup includes various garden beds (both raised beds and traditional), rain barrels for water collection, a compost system, and support for the local wildlife and pollinators (including bird feeders, bird bath, bird house, bee hotel, rain garden, and native plants). Ongoing projects include saving seeds and building a seed library, planning for a future greenhouse, and learning new preservation techniques to store our harvest for the winter months.
We’re passionate about sustainability and a healthy environment. To that end, our little homestead is completely organic. We don’t spray pesticides, fertilizers, or chemicals of any kind! We also strive to plant native, non-invasive plants and keep our backyard biome healthy by supporting pollinators and wildlife.
We are both vegetarians (of 7 years now!) so the majority of our calories and protein comes from plant sources such as beans, legumes, seeds, and grains. Being vegetarian does give homesteading a twist - there are no cows, pigs, goats, rabbits, or other livestock here; Although we do live with one overly-cute dog and a few felines!
Follow our journey as we share our triumphs, lessons learned, and the little joys that come from working with nature.
