Homestead Challenges - The Biggest Hurdle to Overcome
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!
I hear you! I too struggle with mental health issues... severe anxiey and depression. without my meds I find that I am extemely impulsive and cannot wait for things to happen in their own time, I need them NOW! haha It is hard to explain to people how hard it is to be patient when you have these underlying issues. I find the best way is to keep rewriting my goals and logging the steps, no matter hiw small, that I have taken to get me closer to my goal.
My ultimate goal is similar to yours, however I have no land, so that is also a step I need to take..purchasing land. Not easy when you are trying to live a simple life!
Just keep swimming... :)
Logging steps and rewriting goals is really important - I've found they've helped immensely too. RE: the land - I find that so frustrating. It's a catch 22, you want to live the simple life to reduce bills and break away from the system, but to get the land etc in the first place, you need the money!
That is my daily struggle as well. I feel for you, but it seems to me that you are doing all the right things to handle the feeling and getting as much knowledge as you can at this point.
Thank you. I'm trying to stave off the impatience and keep my mind happy. It can be hard to do though .... as you've eluded to.
lovely to meet you .. great to see what you are doing and dreaming!
Thank you :D Nice to meet you too.
Thank you for this reminder. As the world gets crazier, I feel this sense of urgency but then I get myself all stressed out. i would say in addition to patience, having faith has also been a huge help for me on this journey.
You're totally right. The world we live in has such an emphasis on doing everything straight away when we need to remember to enjoy the journey as well as reaching the goal!
Yes, so true - I think I am impatient here in the tropics - Good luck with your patience in northern latitudes - major respect from me ;p
I love you passion this is just want I want to be doing. I am currently saving to buy my own lan to start a similar project. As you say we all need reflection my journey has started and I have a good job and money is coming in slowly. I am working on creating a veg development in my yard, but with the recent weather I am struggling a lot to get things rolling. You post makes it seem normal through so I greatly appreciate that thanks :)
I think it is quite normal - I guess, like everything, we just have to talk about it so we don't all feel like we're the only ones going through it.
Good luck buying some land - that can really be the tough part. Starting a veggie garden now is a great idea though. Weather is such a killer to great ideas - but hopefully you'll learn stuff now you can use on your future homestead. :D
We I figure if I can grow well in northern England when I move to warmer climates i'll be a master :)
I think you're probably right! I'm down south where apparently it's easier to grow....I think my veggies missed the memo.
Haha used to be down south but events bought me north. But next year will be sunny, so i have a few months to plan and develop my technique in the conservatory. It's going to be an experiment i'll hope to Volg it hopefully making my Vlog more interesting and popular :)
I can relate to so much of this!
You have accomplished so much though. That wildflower meadow is so big and looks amazing!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for this reminder. As the world gets crazier, I feel this sense of urgency but then I get myself all stressed out. i would say in addition to patience, having faith has also been a huge help for me on this journey.
Thank you for posting, you've been entered into the challenge!
Love your meadow..
Thanks so much!